” were able to practice their religion freely in Eretz Yisroel in many periods of history”
Not well known is that during the period 1915-1917, the Ottoman authorities under Djemal Pasha tried to forcibly expel all Jews from Eretz Yisrael. Had they won the war, they probably would have done to Jews what they had done to Armenians.
Just imagine Eretz Yisrael under Hamas rule. The only thing that really prevents that is the government of Medinat Yisarel.