Fascinating thread on the DNA of the peoples of the Levant and the Middle East, coming to the important & fascinating (but hardly surprising) conclusions that the Palestinians and the Israelis are close cousins.

It demolishes two widely believed myths-  that the Palestinians are outsiders who arrived with the Arab Conquests of the 6th century, and also that Israeli Jews have no roots in the land. Both groups have very strong connections to  the DNA from the Bronze Age sites in the region. Israel/Palestine is the home of two closely related peoples, and both deserve to live there in freedom and safety.

Some fascinating conclusions:

1. “The truth is, everyone in the Levant is overwhelmingly descended from ancient Jews, or at the very least those genetically indistinguishable from ancient Jews… 

“Almost all Jews, Christians, and Muslims of the region carry noticeable Bronze Age/Iron Age Levantine ancestry. This means that almost all modern Levantines are at least partially (some overwhelmingly), descended from Israelites or people genetically indistinguishable from them.”

2. “Lots of Muslims like to exaggerate their relationship to Arabians, since that is where their religion is from, and their prophet was an Arabian. The truth, for better or worse, is that almost none of them carry much Arabian ancestry. Only Negev Bedouins and Yemenite Jews do.”

3. “Palestinian Christians are almost genetically indistinguishable from Roman-era Levantines, people of the time of Jesus Christ, the Apostles, etc. It provides interesting speculation as to their origin. Perhaps they descend from such people, the first Jews to convert to Christianity”

 “Samaritans (yes they still exist, but they are dying out) are almost indistinguishable from not just Israelites, but even Bronze Age Canaanites. Very impressive continuity.”