The Palestinian Authority envoy to the UN Human Rights Council, Ibrahim Khreisheh, recently stated that “Jews should return to their country of origin.”  He believes Jews came to the land of “Palestine,” colonized it, and made it their own.  Furthermore, he picks up on a recent statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin that Russia is “ready to accept” Jews back to Russia, to say that a precedent could be established to rid Israel of all Jews. (ie – they should all leave Israel and return to their “country of origin.”)

I’m willing to guess that there are many in the world who are happy to jump on that bandwagon with Mr Khreisheh.  However, I want to be careful to jump on the right bandwagon…and I don’t think its that one!  Let’s take just a brief look at what God has to say about the matter.

First, God called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees to go to a land which He would show him (Genesis 12:1).  He led Abraham to what Bible scholars call “the Promised Land.”  But did God really promise?  And if so, what land are we talking about?

God DID promise, and here are only a few examples:

Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely take care of you and bring you up from this land to the land which He promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.”
~Genesis 50:24

When you enter the land which the Lord will give you, as He has promised…
~Exodus 12:25

…write on them all the words of this law, when you cross over, so that you may enter the land which the Lord your God gives you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, promised you.
~Deuteronomy 27:3

But here is one of my favorites:

By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob,fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
~Hebrew 11:8-10

Yes indeed, God was the architect and builder, and he chose Abraham to be the father of the Jews.  Before the foundations of the earth, God had already laid out His plan for the birth of the Jewish people, and He built that kingdom through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Now, one more passage to help us understand further:

The Lord your God, He will thrust them out from before you and drive them from before you; and you will possess their land, just as the Lord your God promised you.
~Joshua 23:5

“Aha!” you say!  “See, the Palestinians were driven from the land!”  Hold your horses!  Who was driven from the land?  Passages such as Exodus 23:23 and Deuteronomy 7:1 tell us that an angel of God would go before them to drive out the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, Jebusites…and undoubtedly the parasites!  But no mention of Palestinians.  Why?

Well, you see, Palestinians are not natives to the land!  The name “Palestina” was given to the land as a way to ridicule the Jewish people!  Roman General Pompey cast the name upon them following the Bar Kochba Revolt in 135 AD.  “Palestine” originated from Plesheth, the same root word as the term we recognize in English as “Philistine”…Israel’s nemesis in early times!  Somewhere along the way, a derogatory term meant for the Jews was embraced by the Arabs and they became known as Palestinians.

Now for the real kicker: The ancient Philistines were not Arabs, but more closely related to ancient Greeks  from Asia Minor.  Thus, not only do they not have ancient claim to the land, they also lack the right DNA!  (Read more about this at An Historical Look at “Palestine”)

One last thought.  Genesis 15:18 identifies the land of which God promised to Abraham:

On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying,
“To your descendants I have given this land,
From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates.”

Never in her history has Israel occupied land from the river of Egypt (Nile River) to the Euphrates (in Iraq).  But one day they will!  Despite what Palestinian officials, and others, might think, God has given the land to Israel in an everlasting covenant.  God will not renege on His promises to His chosen people.  Though Russia and other countries may welcome Jews, their true homeland is the Promised Land that the Architect and Builder created for the purposes of His good pleasure.

Thus, indeed Jews are returning to their “country of origin”…Israel!