The story of Jericho is found in the Bible in Joshua 6, which tells of how the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years and then come to the land of Canaan. The Israelites come to the city of Jericho, a walled city, and they march around the walls once each day for six days. On the seventh day, the Israelites encircled the city seven times, and on the past time, the priests blew the trumpets, at which point the walls fell flat and opened the city to conquest. The Israelites then set the rest of the city on fire (a story told well by Wheeler, 1958). In modern times, Archaeologists have been seeking evidence for these events and have found much evidence at archaeological sites. The story says that three of the walls fell, while the fourth wall, the one to the north, remained standing. This is also the site of Rahab's house, which stands because it was against the north wall. Archaeologists have found a site with these characteristics, including evidence of a fire and a pile of bricks thought to be the remains of the fallen walls. Still, numerous issues remain to be debated, including the proper date for these events, whether this is the correct site or not, details about structures found, and other matters not fully decided. The cause of these events also remains in dispute, ranging from those who accept the biblical account and see God as having destroyed the city to those who seek evidence of an earthquake as the cause.
             The period of the Israelite Conquest, the conquest of Canaan, was the beginning of the Israelites as a people with roots. This situation did not last, for they were driven out of this land and taken into slavery. Ever since this time, though, Jewish history has been intent on the idea of the return and of the revival of Israel as a state. This is why Palestine is seen as inherently the territory of the Israelites and rightfully theirs to be reclaimed. Much archaeological evidence has been...