“The Biblical Period in the history of Israel is unique in its importance because of its considerable influence on human culture in general . Within Zionism and within the study of Jewish history that developed in the Hebrew University , it had a central position as the foundational period of Jewish history and of the connection between the Jewish People and the Land of Israel" ( Yankelevitch , 2006 , 212 ) . Several years ago , in a general-studies class I was teaching at an Israeli institution of higher education , I mentioned the famous inscription written by Pharaoh Merneptah , son of Ramses II , who , around the year 1207 BCE embarked on a campaign to quell a rebellion that had broken out in Canaan against Egyptian rule . In the victory stele that he placed in his temple he wrote : “ Canaan is plundered with every evil ; Ashkelon is conquered ; Gezer is seized ; Yeno ‘ am is made non-existent ; Israel is laid waste , his seed is no more" . This inscription is very well-known among...
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