Foundations of Faith and the Israel/Palestine Conflict

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers key concepts in the Abrahamic religions, the practices of Islam, historical treaties in the Middle East, and terms related to the Israel/Palestine conflict.

Abraham

The central patriarch in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; regarded as the common ancestor of all three faiths.

Abrahamic Religions

The three major monotheistic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) that trace their spiritual lineage back to Abraham.

Monotheism

The belief in the existence of only one God.

Allah

The Arabic word for God, used by Muslims as well as Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews.

Muhammad

The final prophet in Islam who received the revelation of the Qur'an from God via the Angel Gabriel.

Islam

The name of the religion/faith system.

Muslim

An individual person who practices the faith of Islam.

Judaism

The oldest Abrahamic religion, based on the Torah and the covenant between God and the Jewish people.

Christianity

An Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.

Five Pillars

The core duties of a Muslim: 1. Shahada (Faith), 2. Salah (Prayer), 3. Zakat (Almsgiving), 4. Sawm (Fasting), and 5. Hajj (Pilgrimage).

Shahada (Faith)

Publicly declaring there is no god but God and Muhammad is His messenger.

Salah (Prayer)

Performing ritual prayers five times daily.

Zakat (Almsgiving)

Giving a portion of one's wealth to help the poor.

Sawm (Fasting)

Abstaining from food/drink during daylight hours in the month of Ramadan.

Hajj (Pilgrimage)

Traveling to the holy city of Mecca once in a lifetime if able.

Ramadan

The holy month of fasting, prayer, and reflection.

Qu’ran

The holy book of Islam, believed to be the literal, unchanged word of God.

Mosque

A Muslim place of worship.

Mecca

The holiest city in Islam (located in Saudi Arabia) and the birthplace of Muhammad.

Kaaba

The cube-shaped building in Mecca that Muslims face during prayer; it is the most sacred site in Islam.

Jerusalem

A holy city for Jews (Temple site), Christians (Jesus' crucifixion/resurrection), and Muslims (Al-Aqsa Mosque/Night Journey).

Sunni

The largest branch of Islam; they believe leaders should be chosen by community consensus.

Shi’ite

The branch of Islam that believes leadership should have stayed within Muhammad's direct family (starting with Ali).

McMahon-Hussein Correspondence

WWI letters where Britain promised Arabs an independent state in exchange for a revolt against the Ottomans.

Sykes-Picot Agreement

A secret 1916 deal between Britain and France to divide the Middle East into "spheres of influence."

Mandates

A system where European powers (Britain/France) controlled former Ottoman lands to "prepare" them for independence.

Arab Nationalism

The political ideology that all Arab people belong to one nation and should be unified.

Zionism

The movement for Jewish self-determination and the establishment of a Jewish state in their ancestral homeland.

Balfour Declaration (1917)

A British statement expressing support for a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine.

Israeli Partition (1947)

UN Resolution 181 to divide Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states; accepted by Jews, rejected by Arabs.

Gaza

A small, coastal Palestinian territory currently governed by Hamas.

Hamas

A Palestinian Sunni-Islamic militant group that has controlled Gaza since 2007.

West Bank

Landlocked territory between Israel and Jordan; home to many Palestinians and Israeli settlements.

Settler / Settlements

An Israeli citizen living in communities (settlements) built on land captured during the 1967 war, mostly in the West Bank.

PLO

The Palestine Liberation Organization, the internationally recognized representative of the Palestinian people.

Intifada

Palestinian uprisings (1987 and 2000) against Israeli occupation.

One-state solution

A proposal for a single democratic state for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Two-state solution

A proposal for an independent Palestine existing alongside an independent Israel.

Post-1948 Arab-Israeli Wars

Conflicts starting with the 1948 independence war, the 1967 Six-Day War (Israel gains land), and the 1973 Yom Kippur War.