Why this author uses the Arabic word, “Philistine.*

I have chosen to use the ancient word “Philistine” selectively for “Palestine” for two reasons.  First, It is a common Arabic pronunciation of the latter word.  Palestinian people, in my experience, find it natural and have never been offended even though it is given negative connotations in Idiomatic English.  More importantly, “Philistine” establishes what seems to be reasonable biblical and historic connections between the present occupants of Gaza, and the ancient ones, both of whom spoke a Semitic language, as did the Israelites of Jesus’ time. The Old Testament book of Samuel tells of the Israelite superman, Sampson, captured through trickery, and imprisoned in Gaza by the Philistines.  As far as I know, no present Gaza Philistine has traced his DNA back to Delilah, who is written to have delivered Sampson to her kinsmen.  But it is equally true that no Israelis, neither immigrant from Europe, nor native to Palestine, has ever traced his blood back to Sampson, Abraham, or to any other figure in the bible, not even to the Pharisees of Jesus’ time.

Charles E Carlson

Wikipedia, Philistines: According to Joshua 13:3 and 1 Samuel 6:17 the Philistines / Allophyloi ruled the five city-states of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron and Gath, from Wadi Gaza in the south to the Yarqon River in the north, but with no fixed border to the east.[2] The Bible portrays them as among the Kingdom of Israel‘s most dangerous enemies.[2]