DNA and genetic studies Palestinians

a rabbi in palestine, circa 1930

in recent years, many genetic studies have demonstrated that, @ least paternally, of various jewish ethnic divisions , palestinians – , other levantines – genetically closer each other jews host countries. many palestinians refer jews awlâd ammnâ or paternal cousins.

one dna study nebel found substantial genetic overlap among israeli , palestinian arabs , ashkenazi , sephardic jews. small statistically significant difference found in y-chromosomal haplogroup distributions of sephardic jews , palestinians, no significant differences found between ashkenazi jews , palestinians nor between 2 jewish communities, however, highly distinct cluster found in palestinian haplotypes. 32% of 143 arab y-chromosomes studied belonged i&p arab clade , contained 1 non-arab chromosome, of sephardic jew. possibly attributed geographical isolation of jews or immigration of arab tribes in first millennium. nebel proposed part, or perhaps majority of muslim palestinians descend local inhabitants, christians , jews, had converted after islamic conquest in seventh century ad . in genetic study of y-chromosomal strs in 2 populations israel , palestinian authority area: christian , muslim palestinians showed genetic differences. majority of palestinian christians (31.82%) subclade of e1b1b, followed g2a (11.36%), , j1 (9.09%). majority of palestinian muslims haplogroup j1 (37.82%) followed e1b1b (19.33%), , t (5.88%). study sample consisted of 44 palestinian christians , 119 palestinian muslims.

in 2003 genetic study, bedouins showed highest rates (62.5%) of subclade haplogroup j-m267 among populations tested, followed palestinian arabs (38.4%), iraqis (28.2%), ashkenazi jews (14.6%) , sephardic jews (11.9%), according semino et al. semitic populations, including jews, possess excess of j1 y chromosomes compared other populations harboring y-haplogroup j.

the haplogroup j1, ancestor of subclade m267, originates south of levant , first disseminated there ethiopia , europe in neolithic times. in jewish populations, j1 has rate of around 15%, haplogroup j2 (m172) (of 8 sub-haplogroups) being twice common j1 among jews (<29%). j1 common in southern levant, syria, iraq, algeria, , arabia, , drops sharply @ border of non-semitic areas turkey , iran. second diffusion of j1 marker took place in 7th century ce when arabians brought arabia north africa.

haplogroup j1 (y-dna) includes modal haplotype of galilee arabs , of moroccan arabs , sister modal haplotype of cohanim, cohan modale haplotype , representing descendants of priestly caste aaron.

bedouin woman in jerusalem, 1898–1914

according 2010 study behar et al. titled genome-wide structure of jewish people , palestinians tested clustered genetically close bedouins, jordanians , saudi arabians described consistent common origin in arabian peninsula . in same year study atzmon , harry ostrer significant overlap of y chromosomal haplogroups between israeli , palestinian arabs ashkenazi , non-ashkenazi jewish populations , concluded palestinians were, bedouins, druze , southern european groups, closest genetic neighbors jewish populations.

a study found palestinians, jordanians, syrians, iraqis, turks, , kurds have appears female-mediated gene flow in form of maternal dna haplogroups sub-saharan africa. of 117 palestinian individuals tested, 15 carried maternal haplogroups originated in sub-saharan africa. these results consistent female migration eastern africa near eastern communities within last few thousand years. there have been many opportunities such migrations during period. however, explanation presence of predominantly female lineages of african origin in these areas may trace women brought africa part of arab slave trade, assimilated areas under arab rule.

a 2013 study of haber , et al. found predominantly muslim populations of syrians, palestinians , jordanians cluster on branches other muslim populations distant morocco , yemen. authors explained religious affiliation had strong impact on genomes of levantines. in particular, conversion of region s populations islam appears have introduced major rearrangements in populations relations through admixture culturally similar geographically remote populations leading genetic similarities between remarkably distant populations. authors reconstructed genetic structure of pre-islamic levant , found more genetically similar europeans middle easterners.