PALESTINE is on the S.W. part of Syria. It gets its name from Philistine, a race who in habited a tract bordering on the Mediterranean Sea. Palestine was originally inhabited by a number of tribes,—Keuite, Kenizzite, Kadmonite, Hittite Jerezzite, Jebusite, Amorite, Canaanite, Girgashite, Hivite, Phoenician, and Philistine. The desert coast between Gaza, the frontier town of Pales tine, and Pelusium or Shur, the frontier town of Egypt, was called by the Hebrew writers the desert of Shur. It was thinly peopled by a race of Arabs named Amalekites.
The country has been intimately associated with the history of several races, and since the middle of the 19th century, a society in Great Britain has employed Captains Warren and Condor, and Colonel Wilson, R.E., in its exploration. East of the Jordan, Captain Conder found among the numerous stone circles, dolmens, and menhirs, already known to exist in Moab, four undoubted great centres round which the monuments are disposed. These are lquahibiyeh, at El Mareighet, also at Minyeh, south of Ileshbon, and. in the Gbor, near Kefreiu. The first of these Captain Conder identified with Bamoth Baal, the second with Baal Poor, the third with ' the top of Baal Peer which looketh towards Jeshimen,' and the fourth with the 'sanctuary of Baal Peor,' in the Jordan valley, where the Israelites worshipped while in Shittim. Also at Ain Ileshbon or old lleshbon are an immense quantity of cromlechs. The monuments, which still stand as they stood in the days of Balak, illustrate the religion of the people whom the Israelites were to dispossess• In Palestine itself, Ptolemais, Diospolis, Antipatris, .,Elie have all completely disappeared as names, and the old designations, Akka (Acre), Lydd, Kefcr -alba, Jerusalem, etc., have re-established themselves. Sebaste and Neapolis have, however, succeeded in maintaining themselves, and preventing the return of Samaria and Sheehem. Round about Jerusalem
lies a circle of interesting sites,—the Mount of Olives, with the Garden of Gethsemane ; the Kedron, with its bold ravine ; Jericho, with Elisha's picturesque fountain ; and the abrupt fall of Ayun Muss, under Mount Nebo.
The tall massive building known as the Haram, which overshadows the city, for 3000 years has covered the patriarchal tombs, sacred to Hebrew and Muhammadan alike, never disturbed since the mummy of Jacob was laid by the side of those of Abraham and Isaac. Jabal Fureid is the huge fortress and burial - place of Herod, the most conspicuous features in the whole landscape of Southern Judea, whence are to be seen the hills of the wide wilderness, rolling in long succession towards the Dead Sea, with the red wall of Moab beyond. In Bethlehem, the church erected over the birthplace of Christianity may lay claim to be the oldest church of Christ in the world, prayer and praise having risen from it without interrup tion from the day when Helena built it. The simple tomb of Rachel has remained undisturbed, reverenced, and undisputed, from age to age for more than 3500 years.
Palestine was conquered by the Fatimite Khalifs of Egypt, A.D. 969, and in consequence of the per secution of the Christians by Hakim, between A.D. 996 and 1021, Peter the Hermit, A.D. 1094, began preaching to the nations of Europe a crusade against the Saracens. Crusades followed on this. The eighth and last, under St. Louis, was concluded A.D. 1274.
Palestine shows a total Jewish population of only 15,293 souls. Of these, more than half live in Jerusalem, about 4000 in Safet, 2000 in Tiberias, and 900 in Hebron. The remainder, about 400, are divided between Akka, Haifa, Jaffa, Sichem, and Shefa-Amar.