Palestinian Politics Final Exam

Oslo Accords I (1993)

• Signed in 1993 in Washington D.C. A 5-year program in which by 1999 the state

  of Palestine would be declared as a territory within the 1967 borders. Unveiled by the signing of the

  Declaration of Principles.

  ● Transferred representation of Palestinian people from PLO to PA.

  ○ PA rule supposed to last for interim period of up to 5 years, during which “permanent status” negotiations occur

  ● PLO recognizes Israel’s “right” to exist

  ● Allowed 150,000 Palestinians from the diaspora to return to the OT (first time refugees were allowed to return)

• ● IDF gradually withdraws from parts of G and WB, with authority transferred to the PA (interim self-government authority)

  ● Oslo I basically undid everything that the 1st intifada achieved. While there was an Israeli recognition of Palestinian self-governance, Israel was still in control (Palestinians recognized this paradox).

  ● Major issues not addressed and left for “future negotiations”

Yitzach Rabin

Israeli Prime Minister assassinated by a Jewish extremist for supporting the Oslo peace process, seen as a traitor by religious fundamentalists.

Al Hadaf

Palestinian political Magazine founded in ‘69. Editor is Ghassan Kanafani

Gush Emunim

Right Wing Israeli organization founded in 1974 that was committed to building settlements for Jews only. It is an orthodox jewish political group. ⇒ Mostly Ashkenazi + Jewish fundamentalist + zionist group that called for the use of nuclear weapons against Iran, their enemy.

Views Palestinians as Cananites (the original inhabitants who the Hebrews originally conquered) and they have 3 choices: flee, accept Jewish state and live in it as secondary citizens, or fight back and be destroyed

○ Importance of talmudic studies. Messianic ⇒ Rabbi Kook Jr’s important role. He founded the Gahelet political group (nucleus of settler religious terrorist ideology)

Haredim

Ultra religious orthodox jews who are characterized by their strict adherence to Halakha and jewish traditions. They are non-zionists. This does not make them pro-palestine. They just believe that the concept of conquering land is wonderful but it is not great if it costs jewish life. ⇒ early 1950s = objected to plus sign because it is similar to cross.

○ Opposed modern innovation and represented a backlash against Jewish enlightenment (secularized movement) 

○ Primary concern: expand education, specifically talmudic study 

○ Granted special privileges, like deferments from military service 

○ Labor Party and Likud party go to the Haredim for political support; therefore, allowing Haredim to significantly influence Israeli politics 

■ Haredim Relevance to secular right aka Likud ⇒ provide religious justification for perpetual Jewish presence 

○ Israeli foreign policy is usually conducted by secular Jews but displays an essence derived from the Jewish religious past 

NRP: (National Religious Party)

 party of the religious national jews-- more religiously moderate; Political Zionist, jewish fundamentalist political party representing religious zionist movement. Founded in 1956 and dissolved in 2008, throughout its life, it drifted to the right and became increasingly associated with Israeli Settlers. Orthodox faction within zionist movement that combines the importance of establishing a jewish state following a religious way of life. Messianic 

○ They are moderate in the sense that they are willing to make specific compromises with modernity as opposed to the Haredim 

 Peace Now Movement

zionist ⇒ interested in ending the occupation of different parts that were occupied in 1967 

○ Peace now = Labor government 

○ Liberal advocacy and activist group in Israel with the aim of promoting a two state solution

Jewish Fundamentalism

• A religious-political ideology justifying violence, exclusion, and divine Jewish superiority over non-Jews and secular Jews.

  • Jews are spiritually and biologically superior to non-Jews (Jewish blood/DNA).

Non-Jews (especially Christians and Palestinians) seen as idolaters or threats.
Messiah will mark a time when non-Jews are expelled.

Shas

• A Sephardi Haredi political party representing Mizrahi Jews, initially controlled by Ashkenazi rabbis but later asserting religious and political independence.

(positive) Labor party

• Israel’s historically dominant secular party, later opposed by religious fundamentalists for supporting peace efforts like the Oslo Accords.

(negative) Likud government

• A right-wing political party often aligned with religious settlers and supportive of aggressive settlement expansion in the West Bank.

Review of Israel Shahak and Norton Mezvinsky

• problematic for many reasons!

Fundamentalist Judaism based on the interpretation of Jewish scripture, based on racial superiority of Jews, only count deaths of their own, refer to Vietnam in a racist manner, false idea that fundamentalists use nukes, minute details about how Jewish religion says horrible things about women, portrays Jewish fundamentalism as sexist

Massad's criticism of Israel Shahak and Norton Mezvinsky

• The authors draw extreme analogies without always contextualizing properly.

  • Massad notes they promote secular Ashkenazi superiority over religious Mizrahim.

  • They fail to distinguish Zionism from Judaism, especially in cases like Baruch Goldstein’s massacre.

  • Their framing unintentionally mirrors antisemitic tropes while trying to critique religious violence.

“Hilltop youth”

• refers  to the young generation of settlers in the territories, who are in revolt against the worldview of their parents and grandparents, who actually established the settlements 

Religious Zionism vs. Haredim:

• Haredim (e.g. Agudat Yisrael, Shas) believe redemption will come with the Messiah; disengaged from state institutions.

• Religious Zionists (inspired by Rabbi Kook) believe redemption is a process through the state and that settlements are sacred acts.

Gush Emunim Movement

•  Emerged post-1967 war, promoting redemption through land expansion

Yitzchak Ginsburgh

(Chabad-affiliated):Praised Baruch Goldstein (who massacred 29 Muslims in Hebron), Advocates for Jewish supremacy, vengeance theology, and rejection of democracy,Sees state institutions (courts, media, Knesset) as impure “shells” that conceal the divine truth.

Messianic Strategy

• Ginsburgh seeks to take over state institutions or detach from them completely to prepare for a Torah based theocracy

Anti-democratic outlook

• Ginsburgh dismisses elections, laws, courts, calls for violent revolution similar to Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, believes the army can be repurposed as a messianic tool once its secular ethics are purged

  • Despite Ginsburg's radicalism the Israeli state funded him

The emergence of Hamas:

• Hamas’s emergence at the 1987 intifada was driven by the convergence of a series of socio-economic and political changes

• There was economic growth in the 1970s, but it was eroded by the recession of the 1980s due to Israel’s policy of de-development and bc of the growing economic pressures from the expansion of israeli settlements 

Al-Haram Al-Sharif

the Temple Mount; Muslims call it Buraq wall, Jews call it the Western wall, and Christians call it the Wailing Wall 

Ehud Barak

Prime Minister of Israel from 1999-2001, so during the Second Palestinian Intifada.

Initiated 2000 talks at Camp David after deciding that the constant agreements post-Oslo were draining

and a “final” agreement was needed. He then canceled all the interim steps that Israel was supposed to

take after Oslo (but hadn’t).

Ariel Sharon:

Served as commander in the Israeli and Prime Minister of Israel (Likud Party).

Responsible for extensive construction of Israeli settlements. Triggered Second Intifada after visit to al-Haram al-Sharif.

Palestinian Authority

The Palestinian National Authority created during the Oslo Accords to replace the PLO as the governing body of the Palestinians in the OTs only (not diaspora). Israelis insisted that the PLO could not be in charge of ruling the palestinians. But note that in all the agreements, the PLO was recognized as representative of the Palestinians. The Palestinian Authority is a subcontractor to the occupation. Controls the Areas A, B, C + police + conflict with Hamas

Mahmoud Abbas:

Was imposed as PM of the Palestinian Authority in 2003 by the Americans and the Israelis to act as counterweight to Arafat. Becomes President of the PA in 2005 after Arafat’s death. America’s puppet leader. Subcontractor to the occupation. Leads the 2007 coup against the democratically elected Hamas government. Together, they decide to put it in place. Still is not allowing elections (canceled last year’s elections) ⇒ tyrannical government

Salam Fayyad

Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority from 2007-2013 (so after the 2007 coup).

Neoliberal, educated in the US.

Islamic Jihad:

Formed in 1981 by a group of Egyptian students that breaks off from the Muslim Brotherhood, exiled after the assassination of Sadat and moved to Gaza. Major goal was the liberation of Palestine from zionist colonialism. Fundamentally opposed to the idea of the peace process because they viewed it as a normalization of Israel’s “right” to exist. As Said explains, they do not conform to Western norms/lexicon like the PLO, filling a void in forms of Palestinian resistance. Also carried out martyrdom operations (dubbed terrorist attacks by the West).

Fathi Shiqaqi:

Co-founder of Islamic Jihad. Assassinated in 1995 by Mossad agents.

Hamas

Islamist organization founded as a response to the first Intifada. It is a dynamic organization.

Low key democratic. Separation of power. Sharia + council

Sheikh Ahmed Yassin:

Spiritual leader and one of the founders of Hamas.

Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades

Military wing of Hamas established in 1992. Named after the first

martyr of Palestine.

Ismail Haniyeh

Member of Hamas, became Prime Minister in 2006 elections and was removed as PM

of the West Bank by the 2007 coup.

Jamal al-Din al-Afghani

Advocate for a united Muslim struggle against Western colonialism. Idea that

lived folk islam is unnacceptable, proper form should be a sort of aesthetic protestantism.

Max Nordau

Writes book “Muscular Judaism.” Thought as result of anti-semitism Jewish men had

become effeminate. Would set up gyms all over Europe (Bar Kochba).

Aida Maimon:

Ashkenazi Jewish Feminist. Founded women’s workers councils and finally gained two

seats in zionist labor movement

Hanan Ashrawi:

Palestinian politician (Fateh) and activist. Israelis refused to allow her to be part of the

Palestinian delegation at the Madrid Conference, so PLO chose her as a spokesperson.

Madrid Conference 1991

President Bush and associates (along with USSR) decide to convene an international conference in Madrid. Soviets’ last act: international conference in madrid to which arab states were invited but the Palestinian leadership was not. Delegation from the West Bank or Gaza (reduction of size in terms of legitimation). All the Arab states that border Israel and were at war with it are invited, but Palestinian leadership is not. Israel only allowed a Palestinian delegation from the West Bank and Gaza (so no representation for diaspora Palestinians or Palestinians in Israeli territory) and it had to attend under the Jordanian delegation. Palestinian delegation would fly back and forth to Tunisia to make it clear that they were representing the PLO. No real progress was made. Outcome is basically the Oslo Accords.

Second Palestinian Intifada (2000-2005):

Triggered by Ariel Sharon bringing religious fanatics into the al-Aqsa mosque, violating the Palestinian muslim endowment that administers the mosque. Protested Israeli occupation but also the misery brought by the Oslo Accords. While the first intifada was characterized by civil disobedience and throwing of stones, the second intifada would be much more violent with many more casualties. Israel wanted this in order to justify putting down the uprising with extreme violence (bombings, building of apartheid wall).

2007 Coup D’etat: 

Coup d’état led by the Americans, Abbas, and the Israelis to overthrow the democratically elected PM who was a member of Hamas (2006 elections). Ismail Haniya was deposed. The US wanted the collaborators to stay in power. Put Fayyad in power who was a neoliberal and the US’ darling child xx.

Tried finding new leadership but basically what the Israelis did is that they struck at the perfect time touse the PLO themselves as the force to legitimize their claims on the land. The PLO lived long enough to be the villain

Oslo II Accords (1995):

Signed in Taba, Egypt. Divided the West Bank and Gaza into three areas.

● Area A - The Palestinian Authority has administrative and security control. About 18% of the West Bank.

● Area B - PA can exercise administrative control, but Israel has security control. 24%

● Area C - Full Israeli control (administrative and security). About 58% of the West Bank and 60% of Gaza.

● East Jerusalem doesn’t fall into any of these areas because it is considered the “unified” capital of the Israeli State.

Hebron Agreement (1997):

One of the interim agreements that followed the Oslo Accords. Protocol to alter the control of these areas and have the IDF withdraw from Hebron. Signed by PM Netanyahu and the PLO under US supervision, but was never ratified. Hebron Agreement was not subject to new divisions of areas A, B, and C

Gaza Jericho Agreement (1994 Cairo Agreement)

Basically the trial cities for the Oslo Accords I. Divided into 3 areas. Details of Oslo were agreed upon. This would then be implemented into the Oslo Accords II. Creates the Palestinian civil Police force + Integrated the Palestinian Economy into the Israeli economy

Jordan-Israel peace treaty 1994: 

After the Oslo Accords, King Hussein sees an opportunity to get close to Israel, which it couldn’t have done while so much of its population was Palestinian. Signs peace agreement with Israel and the opposition to it in Jordan is huge - similar to opposition to Sadat after Camp David. Lesson: Israel likes to make agreements with unpopular dictators against the will of thot population. Israel respects jordan’s role in the caretaking of the muslim holy places (beef with SA)

Nation-State Law (2018):

Claims that only Jewish people have a right to self-determination in the land of Israel. By using the term “land” and not “state,” Israel can make the law apply to whichever lands it considers belong to it. Even organizations that are typically Pro-Israel have recognized the racism of this law.

Abraham Accords: 2020:

Normalization of diplomatic relations with UAE and Bahrain led by Trump, Jared Kushner, and Netanyahu. (Through Blackmail). Legitimation of Israeli apartheid.

Trump Peace Plan/ AKA Deal of the Century

Trump moving the embassy to West Jerusalem + recognition of the Golan Heights (illegal under international law) + recognition of 30% more annexations of the WB ⇒ from Tel Aviv in 2017 + 2019 for Golan Heights (Trump Settlement) ⇒ in response PA gets mad ⇒ Trump cuts off its funding!!Netanyahu proposes annexation of ⅓ of the West Bank (not counting West Jerusalem or the areas already occupied by Jewish settler colonies). Wanted to annex the Jordan valley to prevent Palestinian bantustans from having a border with Jordan - goal is to have them fully surrounded by Israeli settlements. Never came to fruition because PA rejected it

Palestinian Muslim Endowment of the Haram Al Sharif:

Muslims were endowed control of Al Haram al Sharif “Temple Mount” through the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf (precedent set by Israel after the 1967 war). Related to Israel’s frantic search for Hebrew places and invention of tradition and religious Jewish sites by the settler movement.

Operation Summer Rains/ Operation Autumn Clouds:

Israel bombings of Gaza in June 2006 and November 2006. Majority killed were Palestinian civilans. 70 Palestinians were killed in Operation Autumn Clouds.

Mounib Al Masri’s

(Palestinian Billionaire) demand for an apology from the british

“Demographic Holocaust”

 Refers to Israel’s peristent concern that they will be overtaken demographically by the Palestinian population. Related to their seeing women as the reproducers of the Jewish nation and race, especially after so many Jews had died in the Holocaust. In 1967 a Demographic Center was created by Israel to fight the “demographic holocaust” and develop policies to reward reproductive families

Palestine Papers

Confidential documents about the Israeli- palestinian peace process leaked to Al Jazeera in 2011. Papers included negotiations on permanent borders in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Early ‘72, Obri Solomon

concerned that elements in the american left who are critical of Israel (Chomsky + Aiev Stone) ⇒ these jews suffer from self hatred ⇒ white christians manifesting a new antisemeiticm movement in the left ⇒ branded as anti semitism ⇒ new form of antisemitism