This year the state of Israel has (finally) recognised the Aramaean nationality.

This is likely the first recognition of the existence of the Aramean nation since antiquity outside religious recognition of their several churches (including by the Ottoman government). Israel has now done for the Aramaeans what it has done to the Jews before and recognised a secular existence of a nation; even though, ironically, it was a religious leader, Father Gabriel Nadaf, who was the driving force behind the recognition.

The Aramaeans are one of the oldest peoples in the world.

Of course, all human populations including their ancestors are of the same age. But people form peoples and the Aramean nation has existed in antiquity long before the Germans (as a seperate culture from, say, the English) or the Americans (at all) existed.

Read more: http://www.desertpenguin.org/not-a-linguist-blog/middle-eastern-christianity.html