The term "Palestine" originates from "Philistia," used by Greek writers to describe the land of the Philistines along the southern coast between modern Tel Aviv–Yafo and Gaza during the 12th century BCE. The Romans revived the name in the 2nd century CE as "Syria Palaestina" to designate the southern part of the province of Syria, a strategic move to undermine Jewish identity. The name transitioned into Arabic during the early Islamic era and has been used since. A hypothetical etymology traces the term to "Peleset," found in Egyptian inscriptions from around 1150 BCE, referring to a group often identified with the Philistines, a people who lived on the southern coast of Canaan during the Iron Age. The name "Palestine" reemerged in official use after World War I under British mandate, covering present-day Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan. Historical evidence indicates a longstanding Jewish presence in the region, with synagogues oriented toward Jerusalem and records from the mid-19th century and earlier noting a Jewish majority in Jerusalem.
