Israel is what Earth used to be called in the before time, the long long ago (lol). The "12 tribes" are the 12 most significant "lost civilizations" (I use quotes because not all are "lost" per se, but all are significant nonetheless). Those "tribes" include the Sumerians, Cahokians, Mu, Olmec, Koori, Harappans, Nabateans, Minoans, Shang, La Tene, Donghu, and Aksumites.
Somewhere along the way, this history - human history - was co-opted and rewritten to feature just 1 group, instead of the entire world.
Unrelated but related.
Israel is what Earth used to be called in the before time, the long long ago (lol). The "12 tribes" are the 12 most significant "lost civilizations" (I use quotes because not all are "lost" per se, but all are significant nonetheless). Those "tribes" include the Sumerians, Cahokians, Mu, Olmec, Koori, Harappans, Nabateans, Minoans, Shang, La Tene, Donghu, and Aksumites.
Somewhere along the way, this history - human history - was co-opted and rewritten to feature just 1 group, instead of the entire world.