The Land of Israel (Eretz Israel) is the historical Hebrew name for the region which in the 19th century Europeans referred to as Palestine. It is the name for the land that has always been used by Jews. During the Mandate period, it was incorporated into the official Hebrew name of the Palestine Mandate territory: (פָּלֶשְׂתִּינָה (א"י Palestína (E.Y.). Hence in the Israeli Declaration of Independence, it is written: "ACCORDINGLY WE, MEMBERS OF THE PEOPLE'S COUNCIL, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF ERETZ-ISRAEL AND OF THE ZIONIST MOVEMENT, ARE HERE ASSEMBLED ON THE DAY OF THE TERMINATION OF THE BRITISH MANDATE OVER ERETZ-ISRAEL...HEREBY DECLARE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JEWISH STATE IN ERETZ-ISRAEL, TO BE KNOWN AS THE STATE OF ISRAEL". At the time that these photos were taken (late 19th century), the region of Palestine/Eretz Israel was part of the Ottoman province of Syria, and divided into two main administrative units - the Vilayet of Beirut and the Mutassarrifate of Jerusalem.

Palestine is always beautiful ッ.

According to talkback denizens here this land was only populated in the 1920s. I wonder how they'll refute photographic evidence of how wrong their idea of an empty land that was filled with Arab migrants after the Jews came is

These photos show Jerusalem at the end of the 19th century, at which time it had a Jewish majority. The most densely populated place shown in the photos is Beirut, which is not in Eretz Israel / Palestine.

Yeah, the place was obviously teaming with an ever expanding community. I mean, look at the all the people haning around the Jordan River! Its a wonder any immigrants were able to find room to breath! How about all those people in front of the Damascus Gate. A once thriving and rich community to be sure.

A jew to be seen. So wherebdid all these arab Palestinians come from and wgere did the disappear to 40 years later

The photograher's name is surely James Robertson (1813 - 1888) . He had à long journey through Syria , Lebanon and Palestine , coming back home with numbers of photographic testimonies of the time..

need I remind anyone that Israel wasn't a country back then? He obviously toured the Ottoman sanjak of Jerusalem.

Good material

thank you so much for sharing- these potos are so beautiful- the light is remarkable and the atmosphere- amazing!!!

These phographs were created between 1890 and 1900 (so, after Robertson died in 1888). The name of the series from the Library of Congress is "Views of the Holy Land". The name of this photographer is not given, however it is stated that he was an American, whereas James Robertson was British.

The historical Hebrew name Eretz Israel (Land of Israel) is the Hebraic equivalent to the Western name of the region of Palestine.

My Syrian relatives from that time period looked like the woman in the photo. Your stereotypes are showing. No one said Arabs didn't live in Palestine but many came from other countries for work provided by Jews. Palestinians didn't disappear. The refugee problem was created when Arab leaders started the war with Israel and Arabs left to get out of the way of war. Others remained and now comprise 20% of Israel's population.

has it occured to you that the photographer chose his motives so they would be picturesque? He chose to depict the population that seemed the most romantic (least civilized, in other words). This is why you see Arabs. No one claims there were none, but look under which conditions they lived! Now, I seriously doubt my Moslem neighbor would want to give back his car, his ATV and his house and go back to that.

from the same time - can you tell the jews from the non-jews? in old pictures of jews from istanbul, they look just like muslims.

There was only a brief period of time back in the Bronze Age when there was an "Israel". Those goat herders were more than likely Canaanites converted to the god of Akhenaten or court officials of that pharaoh who fled into the desert after looting his treasury. The latter hypothesis fits in with the Moses mythos nicely don't you think?

It's no accident that the ancient land of the Israelites was returned back to their descendants the modern day Jews overcoming monumental odds of time, politics and Arab aggression. But there is a higher power than mere human at work here, and prophecies of returning the land to the Jews have come true with amazing future ones to look forward to. Pathetic man in imperfect accrued intelligence (not to be confused with wisdom) can't even solve basic problems that have dogged civilization for centuries, and their pride thinks they know it all, but The Holy God, the God of Israel is in charge! May the enemies of Israel be cursed, remain confused and remain defeated. Long Live Israel! God rules!