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The land of Israel (Palestine) has been a controversial topic in our modern age. I would like to know our Coptic Orthodox position regarding this land, as the Jews and some Christians believe the land belongs to the Jews.

The Holy Book of Genesis 13:14:15 "And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are--northward, southward, eastward, and westward; 15for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever."

The Holy Book of Genesis 15:18 "On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates." This land wasn't actually given to Abraham (see Acts 7:5) and it seems that the closest Abraham's descendents got to this land is stated in the Holy Book of 2 Chronicles 9:26 "He was the ruler over all the kings from the Euphrates River even to the land of the Philistines, and as far as the border of Egypt." which doesn't say he ruled "from the river of Egypt" (Gen 15:18) [Holy Book of 1 Kings 4:21,24 also states what Solomon ruled]. Now if Abraham and his descendents never ruled "from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates" (Gen 15:18). How was this fulfilled?

The river of Egypt is thought to be called today the Wadi el Arish, a smaller watercourse at the natural boundary of Egypt and the land of Israel. It is referred to in other parts of the Holy Bible as 'the brook of Egypt'. In the Holy Book of Numbers the Lord tells Moses about the boundary of the land that will be given to them "Command the children of Israel, and say to them: 'When you come into the land of Canaan, this is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance; the land of Canaan to its boundaries... 'the border shall turn from Azmon to the Brook of Egypt, and it shall end at the Sea" (Num 34:2-5). This was actually fulfilled when Joshua conquered the land of Canaan "So this was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah. From there it passed toward Azmon and went out to the Brook of Egypt; and the border ended at the sea. This shall be your southern border" (Josh 15:1-4).