Turgut ÇILGIN

The original reference is to the Philistines, a people who have no relation to modern-day Palestinians. They didn’t call themselves Philistines; the name is derived from the Hebrew term for “invaders”—they were invaders from Europe who settled in the Gaza area. That’s what the indigenous Jews called them. The Greeks who adopted another forerunner of the name “Palestine” were also European. And the manhole cover is from the time the British—also European—ruled the area. Try learning history, not propaganda.

“Palestine” is a European name. It refers to the extinct people we now call the Philistines. The root of “Philistine” was the Hebrew word for “invader.” The indigenous Jews (who were not European) called them that because the Philistines were indeed invaders—from Europe—who settled in and around Gaza. The Greeks—also European—Hellenized the term to Palaistine to refer to the land. The Romans—also European—Romanized it to Palestina and renamed the Jewish homeland of Judea as “Syria-Palestina” to punish the indigenous Jews. The name fell out of use for centuries until the British—also European—revived it when they took control of the area and called it “Palestine.” Modern-day Palestinians, by the way, bear no relation to the ancient (European) Philistines. Arabs did not invade the land until centuries after the Romans had renamed it. The branding of the “Palestinian” identity, as distinct from the broader Arab identity, had not yet occurred at the time the modern State of Israel was founded in 1948. That would happen years later as a strategy developed by the Soviets—who were also European.