How did the Arab conquest change Palestine in the 7th century?

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Panoramic view of a small valley with a stream, olive trees, and terraced hillsides in the countryside near Ramallah, Palestine, under a sky with scattered clouds. — Palestine View from a small valley with a stream between large hills of olive groves.

The Arab conquest of Palestine in the 7th century fundamentally transformed the region's political, religious, and cultural landscape. Following the decisive Battle of Yarmouk in 636, the Byzantine Empire lost control of the territory to the Muslims.1

Key changes included:

Administrative Reorganization: The caliph ‘Umar I divided the region into two administrative districts (jund): Jordan and Palestine, a structure that persisted for centuries.1
Religious Significance: Jerusalem was established as a site of profound Islamic importance. ‘Umar I cleared the Temple Mount and erected the first Al-Aqsa Mosque. Later, the Umayyad caliph ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Marwān constructed the Dome of the Rock in 691.1
Demographic and Cultural Shifts: Through a combination of Arabization, Islamization, and tribal migration, the region’s predominantly Christian population gradually became majority Muslim and Arabic-speaking. Additionally, a small Jewish population returned to Jerusalem after a 500-year absence.1