According to a report, the foreign affairs minister of Israel said Israel won’t build settlements in Samaria, but homes will be built in existing settlements. Palestinians feel they have a historic right to the area, but should it be exclusive?
Samaria is a historical place for both Israelis and Palestinians. The tomb of the patriarchs is located in Samaria. According to texts, including biblical text around 19th Century bc Abraham bought a cave for a tomb for four hundred silver shekels, where Abraham, Rebecca, Isaac Jacob (Israel), Rachel and Leah are buried.
Reportedly, the modern day city of Nablus was ancient Schechem, one of the holy land’s oldest cities. According to reports, the tomb of Joseph is located there, and mount Gezrin where Abraham was believed to have sacrificed his son, Isaac. According to the biblical narrative, Abraham and Isaac set out, Isaac carrying the wood. ‘Father?’, Isaac said, ‘the fire and the wood are here but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?’ Abraham built an alter, arranged wood on it and bound his son and laid him on top of the wood, but the angel of the lord called out to him from heaven, ‘Do not lay a hand on the boy, now I know that you fear God’.
Samaria is home to the story of the good Samaritan. An expert in law asked what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus said, ‘What is written in the law?’. ‘Love God with all your heart, soul and strength, and love your neighbour as yourself, but what else must I do?’ Jesus replied with the story of the good Samaritan. Reportedly, it is the story of a man, implicitly understood to be Israeli, travelling through Samaria, who is stripped of clothing, beaten and left half dead at the side of the road. A priest and levite passed by as if they didn’t see him but a Samaritan took pity on him, bandaged his wounds, put him on his own donkey, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denar and gave it to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return I will reimburse you for any expense that you have.