Under the Muslims (in this case, the Ottoman Empire, since we are talking about Eretz Yisrael n the pre-zionist period)we had a status somewhat better than, for example, Blacks in America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, 1865-1954 period, (and much better than Jews in most Christian countries who had fewer rights and were subject to frequent violence, excluding America which has not been a “Christian” country since 1789). There was no forced conversion (unlike the zionists who try to force Yidden to become secular), we controlled our own welfare and educational institutions (the government didn’t try to restrict Torah learning), we had our own courts whose decisions were respected by the state, and we were exempt from (and in fact, banned from) military service. Those Jews who preferred a financially oriented lifestyle were allowed to do so without having to adopt a non-Jewish lifestyle, and those whose primary concerns were Torah and Mitsvos were unmolested. And there usually was peace in Eretz Yisrael (except for the time Napoleon invaded).
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