History of the Israel Palestine Conflict

Statement of Zionist purpose adopted in 1897 to create a home for Jews in Palestine. They wanted to promote Jewish colonization of Palestine, foster Jewish national settlement, and obtain government consent to this aim

What is the Basel Declaration?

The founder of modern political Zionism

Who was Theodore Herzl?

1896

When was ‘The Jewish State’ published?

He argued that Jews are persecuted wherever they are and nations could be educated to overcome prejudice but this would take too long, thus they need to create their own state

What did Herzl argue in ‘the Jewish State’?

They would have a Jewish Company to facilitate immigration, the poorest would go first to build roads and railways, this labor would create trade, trade creates markets, which attracts new settlers

How did Herzl plan to accomplish the Jewish State?

Where Jews should go or what they should do, whether they should stay and keep trying to assimilate or attempt a new state, because persecution follows them regardless of where they are

What is the ‘Jewish Question’?

He was a prominent Ottoman Empire politician and mayor of Jerusalem between 1870-76 and 1878-9

Who is Yusuf Diya Pasha al-Khalidi?

He is trying to convince al-Khalidi to allow increased Jewish immigration to Palestine. Says that Zionist idea is not hostile, the immigration of Jews would bring positive aspects like intelligence and enterprise, they will make great neighbors

Main points of letter from Herzl to Yusuf Diya Pasha al-Khalidi

That the Zionists have not addressed their Arab people which is an issue, and they should not try to forcibly dispossess people because it’s ungodly and they wouldn’t leave without a fight

What does Yitzhak Epstein argue?

They must not conquer or uproot people, when they buy the land must check whose it is and try to acquire land not already being cultivated. When they buy cultivated lands they won’t evict tenants but leave them on estate, better their conditions, Arabs will understand their good intentions over time

How does Yitzhak Epstein argue they should address the problem he described? 

The son of Hussein, Sharif of Mecca, and became king of Iraq in 1921 and a leader of the Arab Revolt in the 1930s

Who was Emir Faisal?

He was a Zionist leader who was president of the Zionist Organization, key leader and organizer of the movement and agreements

Who was Chaim Weizmann?

Agreement about how to approach Jewish/Arab coexistence. Faisal agreed to support Jewish immigration and settlement in Palestine/recognized Balfour Declaration. Weizmann pledged to help development of future Arab state.  Faisal’s caveat was that agreement would be null if Britain didn’t fulfill its promises

What was the Faisal-Weizmann Agreement?

1919

When was the Faisal-Weizmann Agreement published?

It was a League of Nations mandate formalizing British rule over the territory of Palestine. Mandatory has powers of administration, supposed to put Balfour Declaration into effect, ensure rights of Arabs are protected

What is the British Mandate?

He was an author/solider and founder of Revisionist Zionist movement, helped co-found Jewish Legion of the British Army in WW1

Who was Vladimir/Ze’ev Jabotinsky?

Argues that voluntary reconciliation will never happen because natives would never consent to colonization. Thus, their colonization should either stop or just continue against the will of the native population, and Zionism is either moral or immoral, since Zionists have decided it’s moral they have ethical duty to act on it, must happen thus regardless of opposition, so it’s necessary to use force to do it

What did Jabotinsky argue in ‘On the Iron Wall’?

It is a political strategy arguing Arabs would only accept Jewish settlement in Palestine when they realized they could not prevent it. This requires building an “iron wall” of military and political strength, secure Jewish majority until Arabs agree

What is the ‘Iron Wall’ Jabotinsky discusses?

The Balfour Declaration

What does Rashid Khalidi argue is the first declaration of war on the Palestinians?

Began seeing Zionism as more of a threat, especially because referred to Arab majority as ‘non-Jews’, alarm at success of Jewish immigration. Increasing Palestinian nationalism, hopes for liberation

Effect of the Balfour Declaration according to Khalidi

Made it seem like Palestinians were previously an amorphous religious groups with no collective existence or history, created a Jewish agency with quasi governmental status but nothing for Arabs, recognized areas formerly part of Ottoman Empire as existing independent nations but not Palestine

Palestinian issues with British Mandate for Palestine

Lord Peel headed commission investigating tensions, suggested partition which both sides disagreed on 

What was the Peel Commission?

Savage British suppression, death or exile of key leaders, prime minister issued a paper trying to appease Palestinians because needed Arab support in WW2 but then Churchill took over, ardent Zionist 

Consequences of Arab Revolt

An inquiry sent to former Ottoman territories in the Middle East in 1919 to determine the wishes of local populations. Found that most favored independent, united Syria and were opposed to Zionist plan, recommendations of limited Jewish immigration largely ignored

What was the King-Crane Commission?

The revolt and its repression were inevitable results of Balfour Declaration policies, even though Balfour seemed to think there’d be no negative reaction

What did Khalidi argue about the consequences of the Balfour Declaration? 

British commission investigating cause of riots in Palestine in August 1929, concluding they stemmed from Arab racial animosity and fear for economic future, disappointment in political aspirations due to growing Jewish immigration

What was the Shaw Commission?

Jews put up a divider because orthodox Judaism men and women pray separately, Arabs disliked this because already tense about Jews at the wall in the first place

What was the dispute over the Western Wall?

To Jews because it is remnant of Temple Mount, holiest site in Judaism, and to Arabs because site where Prophet Muhammad is believed to have tethered his steed

Why was the Western Wall sacred to Jews and Arabs?

Hebron events were more explicitly a massacre where hundreds of Arabs stormed Jewish homes, while Jerusalem there were casualties on both sides and unclear how it started

Hebron vs Jerusalem events

Triggered by very exaggerated rumors claiming Jews had killed many Muslims in Jerusalem

Underlying causes of events in Hebron

Culmination of tensions about Jewish rights to pray and who had authority over the Western Wall 

Underlying causes of events in Jerusalem

Argued for Jewish and Arab canton with one central federal gov’t but two separate gov’ts for internal affairs, neutral holy towns like Jerusalem

What was Ahmad Salih al-Khalidi’s cantonization proposal?

Cantonization would have one overarching federal gov’t then two smaller gov’ts for each canton, while partition establishes two completely separate states

Cantonization vs partition

It limited Jewish immigration and the Jews felt it was a reversal of the Balfour Declaration 

What was Britain’s 1930 White Paper?

Referred to as the “Black Paper” by the Arabs because it cancelled White Paper statements 

1931 MacDonald letter to Weizmann

Growth of a distinguished Palestinian movement, desiring independence for themselves

Results of the Arab Revolt for the Palestinians

Growing sophistication of military apparatus and overall further economic separation from the Arabs in Palestine

Results of the Arab revolt for the Yishuv

In 1935, ‘Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam led groups in fight against the British, they had found shipment of smuggled Jewish weapons, believed were planning serious, wanted to respond. Ended up surrounding, Al-Qassam killed by British police and became a martyr 

Al Qassam Revolt

Failure of commission recommendations to make a change, intensifying Jewish immigration, Arabs losing land/property and increased taxation, Jews smuggling arms 

Main issues leading to Arab Revolt

Born to notable al-Husayni family, was Mufti of Jerusalem beginning in 1865. One of most vocal opponents to Jewish immigration/land purchases, tried to block the sale of land to them. Later proposed investing in more restrictions on immigration or letting them settle if became Ottoman subjects

Muhammad Tahir Efendi ibn Mustafa al-Husayni response to Zionist aspirations

Three time mayor of Jerusalem, international education, Ottoman Parliament in 1877, one of first to respond to political Zionism. Said Zionism is a logical solution to Jewish question but Palestine is already part of Ottoman Empire, Jews should find somewhere else. Herzl tried to reassure him Jews are peaceful but knowingly misled him

Yusuf Diya’addin Pasa al-Khalidi response to Zionist aspirations

1901, Jewish Colonization Association got large estates in Northern Palestine, tried to remove tenants, Arslan sided with the tenants, resisting de-Arabization 

Emir Amin Arslan response to Zionist aspirations

Prominent Islamic thinker born in Lebanon, started journal al-Manār alerting Arabs of threat of Zionist interests, believed Jews would choose Palestine for national home, Arabs needed to wake up. 

Muhammad Rashīd Ridā response to Zionist aspirations

Born in Lebanon, educated at French/Ottoman state school, authored multiple books on the Jewish question. Wanted emergence of Arab nation under protection of European power, all rejected his idea. Thought Zionist movement was bound to conflict with Arab nationalism, and he was much more anti-Semitic than his contemporaries 

Najīb Āzūrī response to Zionist aspirations

1882-1903, 25,000-35,000 came, established moshavots, about half remained. Most from Eastern Europe, middle class backgrounds, adults or families

1st Aliyah

Practical was about purchasing land, making it productive, political about actual land charter and bigger powers on board

Practical vs political zionism

1904-1914, 35,000-40,000 Jews immigrated, about half left. Most from the Russian Empire, escaping pogroms, smaller group from Yemen. Largely young, single pioneers, influenced by revolutionary and socialist ideals

Second Aliyah

Bigger emphasis on these for Jews, first violent interaction, Tel Hai endured Arab attacks, led to development of the Haganah (defense) for Jews

1920 riots

Secret 1916 accord between Britain and France to divide the Ottoman Empire’s Arab territories into spheres of influence after WW1

Sykes-Picot Agreement

French Banker who became leading supporter of Zionist movement. 4 moshavots came under his patronage, dealt with authorities, reorganized the government system but became more controlling, hard for moshavots to achieve economic independence

Baron Edmond de Rothschild

Marxist-Zionist movement, believed Jewish probelm could be solved by Jewish proletariat establishing its own homeland, more “scientific” socialist basis for beliefs

Poalei Zion

Moderate socialist labor Zionist youth movement, less emphasis on Marxist theory, more on “practical, constructive Zionism”, cultural aspect, wanted revival of Hebrew language and education, and Jewish immigration 

Tze’irei Zion

David Ben-Gurion

Correspondence between Henry McMahon and Hussain ibn Ali where British gov’t promised to support independent Arab state in the Middle East in exchange for Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire

McMahon Correspondence

He was the ruler of Mecca who led the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire in 1916

Sharif of Mecca Hussain ibn Ali

British diplomat who served as High Commissioner in Egypt from 1915-17

Sir Henry McMahon

Delegitimize Balfour Declaration, ‘shameful document’ responsible for tragedy of Palestinian refugees

Goal of Palestinian Liberation Organization

He was the first chairman of the PLO, viewed Balfour Declaration as main issue because based on premise of non-existence of Palestinian Arabs as a people. He said that Judaism was a religion not a nationality, thus no reason to claim a national home

Ahmad Shukeiry argument

He was the founding director of the PLO Research Center, saying the Declaration was an alliance of convenience and mutual need, Zionist’s needed British to carry out their colonization and British wanted control over somewhere in the Middle East to protect interests in Suez Canal. 

Fayez Sayegh

Succeeded his brother Fayez as director of the PLO, emphasized that Hussein-McMahon Correspondence was primary argument against Balfour Declaration. Said that it was a serious British committment, but failed to keep promises, Balfour Declaration invalid because they had already made this agreement to Hussein. Critique of Hashemite family, Sharif Hussein as naive, King Abdullah for collaborating with Zionists

Anis Sayegh

Faris Yahia, author of The Palestine Question and International Law

Who had same argument as Anis Sayegh?

Tried to argue for legal validity of Hussein-McMahon agreement while using arguments against Balfour Declaration. PLO argued British had no jurisdiction over Palestine in 1917, undermines Hussein-McMahon just the same because had even less control in 1915

Logical dissonance of the PLO

Author Jonathan Marc Gribetz logical dissonance may have been deliberate. The Hashemite regime, led by Hussein’s son Abdullah, relied on Hussein-McMahon agreement to justify rule over Transjordan. This logical dissonance is subtle challenge to legitimacy of Hashemite regime

Potential reason for logical dissonance

Goal of displacing native population through land acquisition, establish Jewish homeland, and relied on external forces like the British, thus understanding that force might be necessary to achieve goals

Argument for why Zionism was settler colonialism

No mother country they came from, came from many places, some argue that early scholars said Jews/Arabs could coexist, no intention of elimination

Argument for why Zionism was not settler colonialism

Settler colonialism is specific type of colonialism where colonizers move to permanently settle in territory, displacing indigenous population to create new society. Traditional colonialism more aims for resource extraction and economic advantages

Settler colonialism vs regular colonialism