Club Z Sayeret Final Exam Study Guide

Terminology: Jews are an ethno-religious group and tribe originating from the Kingdom of Judah (Judea). "Jew" (Yehudi) literally means "of Judah."
Zionism: Defined as the movement for the "return of the Jewish people to their ancestral land with self-determination."
Zion: Originally a Jebusite fortress on a hill in Jerusalem; the term now refers to the entire Land of Israel.
Religious Significance: Jerusalem contains Mount Moriah (Temple Mount), site of the two holy temples and the "Foundation Stone."
Israel: Means "wrestle/struggle with God," based on the biblical renaming of Jacob. Jacob’s twelve sons became the Children of Israel.
Geography: Judea and Samaria are the biblical heartlands. Hebron (Judea) is Judaism’s second holiest city, containing the Cave of the Patriarchs and serving as King David's first capital.

Roman Rebrand: Following the Second Jewish Revolt ( $132-135\,CE$ ), Roman Emperor Hadrian renamed Judea "Syria-Palestina" to disconnect Jews from their homeland.
Etymology: The word "Palestine" derives from Philistia (Philistines), which comes from the Hebrew Plishtim, meaning "invaders." The ancient Philistines were Greek mercenaries, not related to modern Palestinians.
Identity Genesis: The Arab "Palestinian" identity was developed in the $1960s$ by the Soviets to reframe the conflict as an anti-colonial struggle.
Demographics: Many current "Palestinians" descend from Muslims who migrated from surrounding regions like Turkey, Bosnia, and Egypt during the late Ottoman and British Mandate periods ( $18^{th}-20^{th}$ centuries).

Aliyah: The "going up" of Jews to Israel. Despite centuries of colonial rule (Roman, Arab, Crusader, Ottoman), a continuous Jewish presence remained.
Status under Islam: Following the $7^{th}$ century Islamic Conquest, Jews were classified as dhimmis (protected persons). This was an inferior legal status requiring a special tax to practice their faith.
Jihad and Waqf: Modern opposition to Zionism is often rooted in the concepts of Jihad (holy war) and Waqf (land endowed to Muslims that can never be ceded to non-Muslims).
Modern Operations: Efforts to bring Diaspora Jews home include Operation Magic Carpet (Yemen), and Operations Moses and Solomon (Ethiopia).

Balfour Declaration ( $1917$ ): British statement supporting a national home for Jews.
San Remo Resolution ( $1920$ ): An internationally binding treaty that turned the Balfour Declaration into international law.
Uti Possidetis Juris: A principle of international law stating that a new country takes the borders of the previous sovereign; in Israel's case, the British Mandate’s borders from the river to the sea.
Partition Plans: The Jews accepted the $1947\,UN$ Partition Plan; Arab leaders rejected it, rendering it null and void.

War of Independence ( $1948$ ): Following Israel's declaration of independence on May $14$ , $1948$ , five Arab armies (Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Syria) invaded. Israel lost $1\%$ of its population ( $6,000$ people) in the war.
The Six-Day War ( $1967$ ): Triggered by Egypt closing the Straits of Tiran. Israel launched a preemptive strike and gained the Sinai, Gaza, Judea, Samaria, Golan, and Jerusalem.
Occupation and Renaming: In $1950$ , Jordan renamed Judea and Samaria the "West Bank" to erase Jewish historical ties.
The "Nakba": Originally a term for the humiliation of Arab military failure, it was later marketed as a narrative of Palestinian displacement starting in $1998$ .
Forgotten Refugees: $850,000$ Jews were expelled or fled from Arab/Muslim nations starting in $1947$ , with most finding refuge in Israel.

UNRWA: Uniquely among refugee agencies, its mission is to prolong the refugee status of Palestinians rather than resettle them, serving as a propaganda tool.
Lawfare: The use of legal systems and institutions as a weapon of war against Israel.
Critique: UNRWA facilities have been linked to Hamas operations, and its curriculum is noted for promoting antisemitism.

Khartoum Resolution ( $1967$ ): The Arab League's "Three No’s": No peace, no negotiations, and no recognition of Israel.
Oslo Accords ( $1993$ ): Established the Palestinian Authority (PA) and divided Judea/Samaria into Areas A (PA control), B (Mixed), and C (Israeli control).
Intifadas: Periodic uprisings characterized by suicide bombings and lynchings. The period saw the rise of "Pallywood"—staged footage designed to elicit international sympathy.
Gaza Disengagement ( $2005$ ): Israel withdrew all civilians and soldiers from Gaza. Hamas subsequently took control, leading to rocket warfare and terror tunnels.

October $7$ , $2023$ : Hamas launched a massive attack, murdering nearly $1,200$ people and taking $251$ captive. It was the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust.
Gaza War: Israel's goals are destroying Hamas and the return of hostages (Pidyon Shevuyim).
Standard of Conduct: The IDF uses leaflets, text messages, and phone calls to warn civilians before strikes, despite Hamas using human shields.
Hostage Rescue: Notable operations include Entebbe ( $1976$ ) led by Yoni Netanyahu, and the rescue of four hostages (including Noa Argamani) in current operations.

IHRA Definition: Prohibits labeling Israel as a racist endeavor or comparing it to Nazi Germany.
Sharansky’s 3D Test: Distinguishes criticism from antisemitism using the criteria of Delegitimization, Demonization, and Double standards.
Anti-Zionism: Viewed as modern antisemitism, as it seeks to destroy the Jewish state and deny Jews the right to self-determination.
Five Fingers of Fakestine: A framework used to debunk symbols of the Palestinian narrative (e.g., the flag created by Sir Mark Sykes and the appropriated Keffiyeh).