Page 29 - Balfour100-E

✡ Preparations Battle of Beersheba 29

31 October 1917 is the focal point of our centennial celebrations. In Palestine,

Allied forces achieved a stunning victory at the Battle of Beersheba to gain a

foothold in the Holy Land, while in London the War Cabinet met to agree the

wording of the Balfour Declaration, setting out Britain’s intentions for the

liberated areas. Kelvin Crombie tells the story

Battle of Beersheba

More than just a military victory

he Battle of Beersheba on 31 October 1917 was a turning point in
the Middle East campaign, in the course of the First World War,
T and in world history. It should come as no surprise that such a
world-changing event should occur at Beersheba. Some four thousand years
ago another world-changing event occurred in that very region. On that
occasion a covenant was cut between God Almighty and Abram (Abraham),
confirming and sealing with an oath the promises previously bestowed to
Abram. These promises included the land of Canaan, descendants from
Abram’s loins to live in that land, and that they would be a blessing to all
the peoples of the world.
Shortly afterwards Abraham also ‘Most believed that
entered into a covenant relationship
with a nearby tribe, and at the conclu- following Israel’s
sion of this covenant they named that
location Beer Sheva (Beersheba) – the rejection of Jesus
Well of the Oath. Ottoman Turks gained control over
During the centuries after those as Messiah God Palestine in 1517
covenants were cut, both Beersheba
and the people of Israel endured the had rejected Israel.’ Islamic imperialism, be it through the
highs and lows of life in the land of Arab invasions of the seventh century, or
Israel. Such turmoil was due to Israel’s when the Ottoman Turks gained control
position in the centre of the region, the people of Israel ever being restored over the region from 1517. Under Islam
sandwiched between rival empires, to the land of covenant promise, now re- the land of Israel was part of Islamic
such as Assyria, Babylon and Persia named Palestine. The Romans changed territory, part of dar al Islam.
to the north, and Egypt to the south. the name in order to erase the Jewish When the Turkish Empire took
Additionally the nation’s welfare was connection to the land of Israel. control over the region they (and the
a reflection of their adherence or non- Roman and Byzantine Christians Italian city states) monopolised the
adherence to the Torah (‘Constitution’) displayed little interest in the relation- trade routes which brought precious
which God Almighty had bestowed ship between the Jewish people and the commodities from the Far East. This
upon Israel. land of Israel, as they mostly believed in turn forced the prices of these com-
One major low in their history oc- that following Israel’s rejection of Jesus modities, especially spices, to rise
curred in the century after Jesus when as Messiah God had rejected Israel as in Europe. A number of European
the nation of Israel was mostly exiled a nation. Roman Christianity mostly sea-faring nations then sought and
from the land of Israel. Under Roman treated the Jewish people with con- discovered alternative routes to the Far
and Byzantine control (and influenced tempt and disdain. East in order to obtain those precious
by the teachings of the established This factor of Jewish exile from commodities. The Europeans then es-
Church) there was very little chance of the land of Israel was reinforced under tablished economic empires in the East.