Judges and Kings are the most helpful history books of the Bible. Exodus and Joshua tell of how God brought the Israelites out of bondage to the promised land...the land in despute. They integrated into the land and defeated the Philistines (David and Goliath). They then got taken over by the Babylonians (Book of Daniel). They were taken out of their land and then moved into foreign lands in large groups. They were allowed back into their land by an edict of a king. They were then taken over by the Assyrians who dispursed them out into foreign lands in very small groups, as to not allow them to rally one another (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel). That is when they formally lost their lands. The Jewish history of the Macabees talks about how they really fought for their land and identity. The land got taken over by the Romans and after the fall of Rome, the land has been fought over constantly. This, of course, is an abridged version. I didn't go into the split of Israel into Israel and Judah and so on, but for these purposes it is sufficient.

Once again, I am not taking sides. I say that violence is something that should be avoided. But that is why the Israelites are so passionate. They have ALWAYS fought for their land.