The Real History And Origin Of Israel

According to historical and biblical traditions, the Israelites descended from the patriarch Abraham, who originated in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), and later through his grandson Jacob (named Israel).

Ancient Israelites originated as a Semitic people in the Levant region of the Middle East, meaning their physical appearance resembled that of other ancient populations from the same area.

As Semitic populations native to the Near East, ancient Israelites shared genetic and cultural ties with other regional groups rather than European or sub-Saharan African populations.

Based on the Torah’s account of their origins – that Abraham’s family originated in Mesopotamia (see Genesis 11:31), they were probably similar in color to the people who live there today – perhaps an olive-like color, somewhat darker than European whites, but not black either. In fact, the phrase “Ivri” (Hebrew) became associated with the Jewish people from their earliest identification as a nation (see e.g., Genesis 14:13, 39:14, 41:12).

Several commentators understand that this term refers to people who come from “across the river” (eiver la’nahar) – the river referring to one of the great rivers of the ancient world – the Euphrates (See Bereishis Rabbah 44:8, Rashi to Genesis 14:13). (Even though since Abraham’s time the Jews resided in the Land of Canaan – i.e., on the near side of the Euphrates – this term refers to their original Mesopotamian origins.)

I have seen the claim that the original Israelites were black, but that is generally not viewed as plausible

Ancient Israelites originated as a Semitic people in the Levant region of the Middle East, meaning their physical appearance resembled that of other ancient populations from the same area.

Evolution of Appearance Across the Diaspora

Over centuries of exile, migration, and integration into different global regions, Jewish and Israelite descendants adapted in appearance:

Ashkenazi Jews: Communities that migrated to Europe experienced centuries of localized mixing and genetic bottlenecks, leading to lighter skin tones and eye colors common in European populations while retaining a core Middle Eastern genetic ancestry.

Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews: Communities that remained in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Iberian Peninsula often preserved appearance traits closer to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern complexions.

Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jews): Communities in East Africa integrated into local populations over centuries while maintaining distinct religious traditions tracing back to the region's ancient connections.

In Conclusion

The original Israelites were of the Black race and that the biblical Abraham (or Abram) was a Black Shemite (a descendant of Shem). Abraham was the father of both the Hebrew-Israelite and Arab nations.

The Black Shemites intermarried with Black Hamite Egyptian women, giving rise to the Arab nation. The author also states that Arabia was originally inhabited by the Ethiopians (also known as Cushites) prior to the progenitors of the Arabs. Many of today's Arabs are not Black due to the introduction of white slavery.