If Jews Aren’t Indigenous, Who Is? Roy Altman Responds

If the Middle East has been home to countless empires and civilizations, why do debates about indigeneity focus so heavily on the Jews? In this clip, Roy Altman responds to the argument that Assyrians, Moabites, Phoenicians, Philistines, Ottomans, and many other groups all have competing historical claims to the region. He explains why many ancient peoples disappeared or were assimilated over time, why Jewish continuity is historically unusual, and why Zionism argues for Jewish equality—not supremacy. The discussion also explores stateless peoples like the Kurds, the legacy of conquest and assimilation in the Middle East, and why Israel’s legitimacy is uniquely questioned while dozens of other nation-states are taken for granted. #Israel #Zionism #JewishHistory #MiddleEast #AncientHistory #Politics #Archaeology -------- Quillette is an Australian-based online magazine that focuses on long-form analysis and cultural commentary. It is politically non-partisan, but relies on reason, science, and humanism as its guiding values. Quillette was founded in 2015 by Australian writer Claire Lehmann. It is a platform for free thought and a space for open discussion and debate on a wide range of topics, including politics, culture, science, and technology. Quillette has gained attention for publishing articles and essays that challenge modern orthodoxy on a variety of topics, including gender and sexuality, race and identity politics, and free speech and censorship. --- Quillette's revenue comes from our readers. We are a grassroots organisation that relies on voluntary subscriptions and community membership as our primary revenue stream. Support Quillette by becoming a subscriber: https://quillette.com/#/portal/signup Or donate send us a one-off tip: https://quillette.com/#/portal/support We made our website using Ghost, a powerful app for new-media creators to publish, share, and grow a business around their content. It comes with modern tools to build a website, publish content, send newsletters & offer paid subscriptions to members. Try it here: https://ghost.org/?via=claire91