I read up on two more books: The Palestinians and the Disputed Territories (The World Hot Spots) and Origins and Development of the Arab-Israel Conflict (Ann M. Lesch and Dan Tschirgi).
For Palestinian & Disputed territories, I made a progression map from Ottoman Empire to the "Nakba" of Israel becoming a State. Concluding is with a question of settlement.
For Origins and Development, I took notes about the effect of European colonialism and American involvement after the Hussein-McMahon Correspondence, Sykes-Picot Agreement, and the Balfour Declaration.
The sections from each book I took notes on was about the history of the conflict, and even though I'm not done with the Palestinian question, this info will help me lead up to regional issues of resources as well as governmental roles.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
CE: Israeli Fire, Personal Account
Hey, sorry about not posting this weekend. Blogger wasn't working properly, so I could accesses the site but couldn't log in.
Any who, this Shabbas I found out some scary stuff. Israel had erupted into flames in the Carmel mountains, right by Haifa. So far two teens have been arrested and released, and one more has been taken into custody for questioning. A lot of clamor has been occurring about the arrests because they are all arab, from the local Druze village, where the fire got started. Arab vs. Israeli, once again in a time of despair. The fire destroyed Beit Oren, and to my dismay, my father only told me half the story when he informed me. I thought my friend's kibbutz was the one that burned to the ground (Beit Emek), but to my relief it was not. Sadly, however, Beit Oren has turned to ash. About 43 people were killed. Most (41 or so) were killed on a prison bus (all guards and police) while traveling to evacuate a nearby prison. They thought they could make it, but the fire swarmed the bus traveling 4,500 ft in 3 minutes. In an extremely rare case, Israel has asked foreign nations to aid the victims and fire. Surprisingly Russia and Turkey both stepped up to help. Sadly though, arabs within Israel have started celebrating the destruction of Israeli Land (even though the Druze village where the fire had started was mostly burned as well). I talked to my friend who lives in Beit Emek. We talked for two hours, joking around and such, but he stated that he could smell the fire and the morning air was covered by rising smoke. He also jokingly admitted he was sleeping, cuddled up with a fire extinguisher that night. The fire deeply worried and scared me, but luckily, no more people have been killed.
Any who, this Shabbas I found out some scary stuff. Israel had erupted into flames in the Carmel mountains, right by Haifa. So far two teens have been arrested and released, and one more has been taken into custody for questioning. A lot of clamor has been occurring about the arrests because they are all arab, from the local Druze village, where the fire got started. Arab vs. Israeli, once again in a time of despair. The fire destroyed Beit Oren, and to my dismay, my father only told me half the story when he informed me. I thought my friend's kibbutz was the one that burned to the ground (Beit Emek), but to my relief it was not. Sadly, however, Beit Oren has turned to ash. About 43 people were killed. Most (41 or so) were killed on a prison bus (all guards and police) while traveling to evacuate a nearby prison. They thought they could make it, but the fire swarmed the bus traveling 4,500 ft in 3 minutes. In an extremely rare case, Israel has asked foreign nations to aid the victims and fire. Surprisingly Russia and Turkey both stepped up to help. Sadly though, arabs within Israel have started celebrating the destruction of Israeli Land (even though the Druze village where the fire had started was mostly burned as well). I talked to my friend who lives in Beit Emek. We talked for two hours, joking around and such, but he stated that he could smell the fire and the morning air was covered by rising smoke. He also jokingly admitted he was sleeping, cuddled up with a fire extinguisher that night. The fire deeply worried and scared me, but luckily, no more people have been killed.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Glossary Updated
Edited, Revised, Updated.
Who?
Religious: Muslim ←→ Jew
Nationality: Palestinian ←→ Israeli
Ethnicity: Arab ←→ Hebrew
What?
Terrorism— an act of violence or threat of violence to further an agenda.
*Never going to be used alone! (Political, religious, economic, etc.)
Terrorist— a man or woman who partakes in an act of terrorism.
A People— a group of human beings sharing an identity trait.
Nation— A group of people with a shared ethnic identity associated with a territory.
Ethnicity— a group sharing a common and distinctive culture (religion, language, etc.)
Stateless Nation— a nation without a homeland.
A Nation-State— a nation that has a country to call its own; territory of a Nation.
State— a territory controlled by a government.
Country— a state, a piece of land without a specific demography/population.
Where?
Canaan- the western region of the Middle East, which subsume modern-day Israel, Lebanon, parts of Jordan, Syria and northeastern Egypt, as well as adjacent coastal lands on the Mediterranean; Derived from the ancient use of the word.
Zion- biblical Jerusalem
Philistia—Greek term for the coastal region of the Mediterranean Sea (modern-day Gaza).
Provincia Judea—Roman name for the land of Canaan.
Provincia Syria Palaestina— “Provincia Syria Palaestina” post-Bar Kochva Revolt.
Palestine- refers to the rhetoric of Britain at the time of Mandates, derived from “Provincia Syria Palaestina” from the Romans.
Israel- Modern State (including its territories)
The Territories- West Bank, Gaza, Golan (Israel's post-Six Day War, 1967, borders minus Sinai).
When?
Define era's by decade and/or era (ex: ottoman empire era, the 50s, post-Israel, etc.)
__________
Random House Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, Second Edition
December 2000
Sol Steinmetz, Editorial Director
Charles M. Levine, Publisher
Ethnicity: Ethnic traits, background, allegiance, or association
Sharing common distinctive culture, religion, language, or the like; origin, characteristics, classifications; MINORITY WITHIN A MAJORITY
Ethnography: branch of anthropology dealing with scientific description of individual cultures
Ethnohistory: branch of anthropology dealing with the development of cultures through archeological findings
Hebrew: a member of the Semitic peoples inhabiting ancient Palestine and claiming decent form Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; an Israelite.
Arab: a member of a Semitic people inhabiting Arabia and other countries in the Middle East; speakers of the Arabic language.
Palestinian: A native or inhabitant of Palestine; also called a Palestinian Arab. An arab advocating the establishment of an Arab homeland there.
Who?
Religious: Muslim ←→ Jew
Nationality: Palestinian ←→ Israeli
Ethnicity: Arab ←→ Hebrew
What?
Terrorism— an act of violence or threat of violence to further an agenda.
*Never going to be used alone! (Political, religious, economic, etc.)
Terrorist— a man or woman who partakes in an act of terrorism.
A People— a group of human beings sharing an identity trait.
Nation— A group of people with a shared ethnic identity associated with a territory.
Ethnicity— a group sharing a common and distinctive culture (religion, language, etc.)
Stateless Nation— a nation without a homeland.
A Nation-State— a nation that has a country to call its own; territory of a Nation.
State— a territory controlled by a government.
Country— a state, a piece of land without a specific demography/population.
Where?
Canaan- the western region of the Middle East, which subsume modern-day Israel, Lebanon, parts of Jordan, Syria and northeastern Egypt, as well as adjacent coastal lands on the Mediterranean; Derived from the ancient use of the word.
Zion- biblical Jerusalem
Philistia—Greek term for the coastal region of the Mediterranean Sea (modern-day Gaza).
Provincia Judea—Roman name for the land of Canaan.
Provincia Syria Palaestina— “Provincia Syria Palaestina” post-Bar Kochva Revolt.
Palestine- refers to the rhetoric of Britain at the time of Mandates, derived from “Provincia Syria Palaestina” from the Romans.
Israel- Modern State (including its territories)
The Territories- West Bank, Gaza, Golan (Israel's post-Six Day War, 1967, borders minus Sinai).
When?
Define era's by decade and/or era (ex: ottoman empire era, the 50s, post-Israel, etc.)
__________
Random House Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, Second Edition
December 2000
Sol Steinmetz, Editorial Director
Charles M. Levine, Publisher
Ethnicity: Ethnic traits, background, allegiance, or association
Sharing common distinctive culture, religion, language, or the like; origin, characteristics, classifications; MINORITY WITHIN A MAJORITY
Ethnography: branch of anthropology dealing with scientific description of individual cultures
Ethnohistory: branch of anthropology dealing with the development of cultures through archeological findings
Hebrew: a member of the Semitic peoples inhabiting ancient Palestine and claiming decent form Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; an Israelite.
Arab: a member of a Semitic people inhabiting Arabia and other countries in the Middle East; speakers of the Arabic language.
Palestinian: A native or inhabitant of Palestine; also called a Palestinian Arab. An arab advocating the establishment of an Arab homeland there.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Thesis Paper: Regional: Palestinians- Modern Usage
The Modern Use of “Palestine:”
In 1920’s, post WWI, the British took control of Palestine, formerly under the Ottoman Empire’s rule, from the Treaty of Versailles. They named it the Mandate of Palestine. However, a few questions of settlement arose when Jews from Europe came to settle back in the land they were thrown out of (by the Romans and later the oppressive Fatimid Dynasty and Crusades). Who were the inhabitants? How did they arise?
As put by PalestinianFacts.org: “The disparate peoples recently assumed and purported to be "settled Arab indigenes, for a thousand years" were in fact a "heterogeneous" community with no "Palestinian" identity, and according to an official British historical analysis in 1920, no Arab identity either:
The people west of the Jordan are not Arabs, but only Arabic-speaking. The bulk of the population are fellahin.... In the Gaza district they are mostly of Egyptian origin; elsewhere they are of the most mixed race. "
This raises many more questions. If they are not Arab, what are they? If there was never a land of Palestine, who are they? PalestinianFacts.org continues to explain whom the “mixed races” were compiled of. These Palestinians spoke fifty or more languages, and in short of words, the ethnology of Palestine is a conglomeration of everyone who has ever conquered or crossed paths of the Middle East. Including, but not limited to: Assyrians, Persians (Motowila), Romans, Egyptians, Armenians, Greece, Italians, Turks (Circassion), Germans, Kurds, Bosnians, Bedouins, Algerians, and Sudanese. So, the people we call the “Palestinians” today are a collaboration of foreigners taking root in the cross roads of the world.
Therefore, the term “Palestinian” that will be used in conjunction of how Encyclopedia Britannica describes it as, “the Arabs of the former Mandate of Palestine, excluding Israel.” But, still, who are they?
The Arab identity in Palestine had been developing for the last 200 years. But the notion of an independent people had only come about with the rise of Israel, the Jewish State. In fact, the Palestinians never had their own state, further questioning their identity as a nation. If they are stateless, can they be a nation? They could be described as a stateless nation, as the Jews have been in the Diaspora. However, that would mean they have an ethnic identity. Which, in theory, is Arab. But why, then, wouldn’t they simply be “Arabs,” or simply belong to another Arab state such as Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, or Syria. Or one of the ___ states in the Middle East?
Such questions hope to be answered by their history in the making: Palestinians today.
In 1920’s, post WWI, the British took control of Palestine, formerly under the Ottoman Empire’s rule, from the Treaty of Versailles. They named it the Mandate of Palestine. However, a few questions of settlement arose when Jews from Europe came to settle back in the land they were thrown out of (by the Romans and later the oppressive Fatimid Dynasty and Crusades). Who were the inhabitants? How did they arise?
As put by PalestinianFacts.org: “The disparate peoples recently assumed and purported to be "settled Arab indigenes, for a thousand years" were in fact a "heterogeneous" community with no "Palestinian" identity, and according to an official British historical analysis in 1920, no Arab identity either:
The people west of the Jordan are not Arabs, but only Arabic-speaking. The bulk of the population are fellahin.... In the Gaza district they are mostly of Egyptian origin; elsewhere they are of the most mixed race. "
This raises many more questions. If they are not Arab, what are they? If there was never a land of Palestine, who are they? PalestinianFacts.org continues to explain whom the “mixed races” were compiled of. These Palestinians spoke fifty or more languages, and in short of words, the ethnology of Palestine is a conglomeration of everyone who has ever conquered or crossed paths of the Middle East. Including, but not limited to: Assyrians, Persians (Motowila), Romans, Egyptians, Armenians, Greece, Italians, Turks (Circassion), Germans, Kurds, Bosnians, Bedouins, Algerians, and Sudanese. So, the people we call the “Palestinians” today are a collaboration of foreigners taking root in the cross roads of the world.
Therefore, the term “Palestinian” that will be used in conjunction of how Encyclopedia Britannica describes it as, “the Arabs of the former Mandate of Palestine, excluding Israel.” But, still, who are they?
The Arab identity in Palestine had been developing for the last 200 years. But the notion of an independent people had only come about with the rise of Israel, the Jewish State. In fact, the Palestinians never had their own state, further questioning their identity as a nation. If they are stateless, can they be a nation? They could be described as a stateless nation, as the Jews have been in the Diaspora. However, that would mean they have an ethnic identity. Which, in theory, is Arab. But why, then, wouldn’t they simply be “Arabs,” or simply belong to another Arab state such as Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, or Syria. Or one of the ___ states in the Middle East?
Such questions hope to be answered by their history in the making: Palestinians today.
Thesis Paper: Regional: Palestinians- Intro & The Name
Who are the Palestinians?
The Palestinians are a fickle people to describe, as elusive as the sand they sit on. They are Arab; some are Muslim, others Christian. But where do they come from? Who are they? What features make a Palestinian a Palestinian? Or, truthfully, is there no common identity at all?
The Name Behind the Name:
The word “Palestine” originates from the original Philistia, concentrated around the coast of the Mediterranean Sea (modern-day Gaza). Around 1200BC, these Philistines invaded Canaan, by the coast, and created a dynamic kingdom, Philistia, in which the Hebrews were subjected under. Around 1000BC Saul created a Hebrew Kingdom, and conquered the much-hated Philistia. The Hebrews slaughtered them, leaving no survivors. So, if the legacy of the name is not in modern Palestinian blood, obviously there was a reason for taking on such a name.
The biblical Israel eventually broke into two: Israel and Judea. Then, they fell to the Assyrians (720BC) and the Babylonians (586BC). Only fifty years later, the Persian Empire takes control. In 333BC, Alexander the Great of Macedon took control, keeping with the Persian’s idea of self-autonomy within the empire. However, after Alexander the Great’s death, King Antiochus IV (Antiochus Epiphanes) ruled the land of Canaan and caused a huge riot among the Jews, for forcing Hellenistic culture on them. The leaders of the revolt, the Macabees, took control, ruling a new Jewish state (142 BC) until Pompey seizes it for Rome in 63BC.
Jewish revolts took place in 66AD (The Great Rebellion) and 132-35AD (Bar Kochva Revolt), under the Romans. In retaliation for the Great Rebellion, the Romans destroyed the Beis Hamikdash, the last Jewish Temple in 70 AD. And in retaliation of the Bar Kochva Revolt, the emperor, Emperor Hadrian, wanted to destroy the Hebrew’s national identity. He changed the name “Provincia Judea” to “Provincia Syria Palaestina,” not coincidental to the name Philistia. Provincia Syia Palaestina shortened and anglicized to the modern term “Palestine” over time.
The Palestinians are a fickle people to describe, as elusive as the sand they sit on. They are Arab; some are Muslim, others Christian. But where do they come from? Who are they? What features make a Palestinian a Palestinian? Or, truthfully, is there no common identity at all?
The Name Behind the Name:
The word “Palestine” originates from the original Philistia, concentrated around the coast of the Mediterranean Sea (modern-day Gaza). Around 1200BC, these Philistines invaded Canaan, by the coast, and created a dynamic kingdom, Philistia, in which the Hebrews were subjected under. Around 1000BC Saul created a Hebrew Kingdom, and conquered the much-hated Philistia. The Hebrews slaughtered them, leaving no survivors. So, if the legacy of the name is not in modern Palestinian blood, obviously there was a reason for taking on such a name.
The biblical Israel eventually broke into two: Israel and Judea. Then, they fell to the Assyrians (720BC) and the Babylonians (586BC). Only fifty years later, the Persian Empire takes control. In 333BC, Alexander the Great of Macedon took control, keeping with the Persian’s idea of self-autonomy within the empire. However, after Alexander the Great’s death, King Antiochus IV (Antiochus Epiphanes) ruled the land of Canaan and caused a huge riot among the Jews, for forcing Hellenistic culture on them. The leaders of the revolt, the Macabees, took control, ruling a new Jewish state (142 BC) until Pompey seizes it for Rome in 63BC.
Jewish revolts took place in 66AD (The Great Rebellion) and 132-35AD (Bar Kochva Revolt), under the Romans. In retaliation for the Great Rebellion, the Romans destroyed the Beis Hamikdash, the last Jewish Temple in 70 AD. And in retaliation of the Bar Kochva Revolt, the emperor, Emperor Hadrian, wanted to destroy the Hebrew’s national identity. He changed the name “Provincia Judea” to “Provincia Syria Palaestina,” not coincidental to the name Philistia. Provincia Syia Palaestina shortened and anglicized to the modern term “Palestine” over time.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Why Not?
I just finished my most recent painting.. and figured you might like to see it... specially 'cuz it's all to do with this topic... as most of them are... Anywho here it is:
Reflection of War:
As you mighttttt catch on, the colours of the flags are reverse (not where they are supposed to be). I did that on purpose. It's because even if you are fighting for your people, your flag (what you stand for) will start to change. Oh, and the Palestinian is looking at a reflection of Israeli... it's because, like brothers, they are linked.
Reflection of War:
As you mighttttt catch on, the colours of the flags are reverse (not where they are supposed to be). I did that on purpose. It's because even if you are fighting for your people, your flag (what you stand for) will start to change. Oh, and the Palestinian is looking at a reflection of Israeli... it's because, like brothers, they are linked.
My Own Beautiful Dictionary
Glossary
Due to connotations, and the like, we need to utilize words, which do not stir such strong emotions. Hence forth, I have figured a few words in which to say instead of the typical stuff.
Who?
Religion: Muslim ←→ Jew
Nationality: Palestinian ←→ Israeli
Ethnicity: Arab ←→ Hebrew
What?
Terrorism— never going to be used alone! (Political, religious, economic, etc.)
A People— a group of human beings who have any sort of tying feature.
Ethnicity—
Nation— A group of people with a shared ethnic identity
Stateless Nation-
A Nation-State— A nation that has a country to call its own.
Country— Territory of a Nation, a State
Where?
Palestine- refers to the rhetoric of Britain at the time of Mandates
Canaan- the region encompassing modern-day Israel, Lebanon, and adjoining coastal lands, including parts of Jordan, Syria and northeastern Egypt; Derived from the ancient use of the word.
Israel- Modern State (including its territories)
The Territories- West Bank, Gaza, Golan (Israel's post-Six Day War, 1967, borders minus Sinai).
When?
Define era's by decade and/or era (ex: ottoman empire era, the 50s, post-Israel, etc.)
Due to connotations, and the like, we need to utilize words, which do not stir such strong emotions. Hence forth, I have figured a few words in which to say instead of the typical stuff.
Who?
Religion: Muslim ←→ Jew
Nationality: Palestinian ←→ Israeli
Ethnicity: Arab ←→ Hebrew
What?
Terrorism— never going to be used alone! (Political, religious, economic, etc.)
A People— a group of human beings who have any sort of tying feature.
Ethnicity—
Nation— A group of people with a shared ethnic identity
Stateless Nation-
A Nation-State— A nation that has a country to call its own.
Country— Territory of a Nation, a State
Where?
Palestine- refers to the rhetoric of Britain at the time of Mandates
Canaan- the region encompassing modern-day Israel, Lebanon, and adjoining coastal lands, including parts of Jordan, Syria and northeastern Egypt; Derived from the ancient use of the word.
Israel- Modern State (including its territories)
The Territories- West Bank, Gaza, Golan (Israel's post-Six Day War, 1967, borders minus Sinai).
When?
Define era's by decade and/or era (ex: ottoman empire era, the 50s, post-Israel, etc.)
THESIS TOPICS:
Marking Period II: Regional
Preliminary:
~How will we define our areas of interest? (maps)
~Boundaries?
~Which word choice should we use?
Who are the Palestinians? Nation/People
- Where did they come from/originate?
- Are they a Nation/People
- How are they defined today?
- Do the Palestinians retain their identity in the diaspora?
What are the regional conflicts in Canaan? ***
-Resources: Land, Water, Oil
-How does religion play a role?
What kind of governments rule the area?
-Democracy, Theocracy, etc.
-Which states? (Israel, Territories, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt)
What are the ethnic & cultural boundaries?
-Christian/Muslim Palestinians; Different types of Jews & Muslims
-Does fragmentation play out in greater conflict?
Marking Period III: World
How do we define terrorism?
-Who are terrorists?
-What kind of terrorism (political, religious, etc) spilled out of the Middle East?
The West's influence
-Significance of America post-9/11
-Who was the War on Terror targeting?
-Europe throughout Cold war, etc.
The United Nations
-What is it's role?
-Is it helping or hurting?
-Who is it predominately helping?
- Is it a pure form of Diplomacy?
Marking Period IV: MY Solution
Solution, prospects, resolution
-Two state Solution?
.... Would it work?
.... How would it work?
.... Where would it be?
.... Borders? Countries involved?
-Distribution of resources
- Parties involved?
-To use the U.N. or not to use the U.N.?
Preliminary:
~How will we define our areas of interest? (maps)
~Boundaries?
~Which word choice should we use?
Who are the Palestinians? Nation/People
- Where did they come from/originate?
- Are they a Nation/People
- How are they defined today?
- Do the Palestinians retain their identity in the diaspora?
What are the regional conflicts in Canaan? ***
-Resources: Land, Water, Oil
-How does religion play a role?
What kind of governments rule the area?
-Democracy, Theocracy, etc.
-Which states? (Israel, Territories, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt)
What are the ethnic & cultural boundaries?
-Christian/Muslim Palestinians; Different types of Jews & Muslims
-Does fragmentation play out in greater conflict?
Marking Period III: World
How do we define terrorism?
-Who are terrorists?
-What kind of terrorism (political, religious, etc) spilled out of the Middle East?
The West's influence
-Significance of America post-9/11
-Who was the War on Terror targeting?
-Europe throughout Cold war, etc.
The United Nations
-What is it's role?
-Is it helping or hurting?
-Who is it predominately helping?
- Is it a pure form of Diplomacy?
Marking Period IV: MY Solution
Solution, prospects, resolution
-Two state Solution?
.... Would it work?
.... How would it work?
.... Where would it be?
.... Borders? Countries involved?
-Distribution of resources
- Parties involved?
-To use the U.N. or not to use the U.N.?
CE: Collaborate
Hey, I'm sitting in the library so I have internet =)
Anywho, I wrote on a few current events. Off the top of my head, my current events talk about:
1) Yigdal Amir's sentencing in solitary confinement (the man who assassinated Yitzhak Rabin)
2) A Palestinian blogger who is being attacked for making satire of the Koran
3) Netanyahu's 90 day peace agreement.
I think I have a few more... but these were the really interesting ones. I'll show you my hardcopies of my responses on day two.
Anywho, I wrote on a few current events. Off the top of my head, my current events talk about:
1) Yigdal Amir's sentencing in solitary confinement (the man who assassinated Yitzhak Rabin)
2) A Palestinian blogger who is being attacked for making satire of the Koran
3) Netanyahu's 90 day peace agreement.
I think I have a few more... but these were the really interesting ones. I'll show you my hardcopies of my responses on day two.
Friday, October 15, 2010
CE: Abbas Declines Deal
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/abbas-we-ll-never-sign-deal-demanding-recognition-of-israel-as-jewish-state-1.319329
Basically, Abbas wants peace only when Israel recognizes a Palestinian state as of the 1967 borders. Whereas Israel agrees of stopping the settlements being built in the West bank, only, if Abbas agrees to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. This is all reminiscent of when my brother and I would wrestle. He'd pin me down and I'd have to yell the word "uncle" in order to be released. And, on the rare occasions I would be able to hold him down, he would have to yell the same word.
Israel and the Palestinians are playing the same game: Who pins who down. Who says it first. I suppose this all boils down to who is "morally" right, legitimately there, but in reality it is who is more powerful. Even the simile of David and Goliath is overplayed because while world-view paints the Israelis as Goliath, we are still being pelted by quassams and suicide bombings. Even while the Palistinians are being painted as the political Goliath, their government is suppressing their own people. It doesn't matter who was on top, or more powerful with me and my brother's wrestling matches. In the end one we would still be going back and forth, with out an ultimate winner: just another round.
Basically, Abbas wants peace only when Israel recognizes a Palestinian state as of the 1967 borders. Whereas Israel agrees of stopping the settlements being built in the West bank, only, if Abbas agrees to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. This is all reminiscent of when my brother and I would wrestle. He'd pin me down and I'd have to yell the word "uncle" in order to be released. And, on the rare occasions I would be able to hold him down, he would have to yell the same word.
Israel and the Palestinians are playing the same game: Who pins who down. Who says it first. I suppose this all boils down to who is "morally" right, legitimately there, but in reality it is who is more powerful. Even the simile of David and Goliath is overplayed because while world-view paints the Israelis as Goliath, we are still being pelted by quassams and suicide bombings. Even while the Palistinians are being painted as the political Goliath, their government is suppressing their own people. It doesn't matter who was on top, or more powerful with me and my brother's wrestling matches. In the end one we would still be going back and forth, with out an ultimate winner: just another round.
Potential Topics for Papers
Research ? Topics:
-Israel Vs. Arab Conflicts--------------- H & CR
-Palestinians-----------------------------H
-Israel in the Media (UN) ------------------C/E
-American influence--------------------H & T
-Resources (oil, land, money)------------H & CR
-WMDs--------------------------------C/E
-Two State-Solution-----------------------T
| *KEY*
| H = History
| T = Theorize
| CR = Conflict Resolution
| C/E = Cause & Effect
10/19/10 Outline for Year's Research Questions:
Research Questions:
1) Basic Information Research
2) Regional
~ Who are the Palestinians?
~ Conflict over Resources (Land, Water, Oil, Religious)
~ Ethnic & Cultural boundaries (Christian/Muslim Palestinians; Different types of Jews & Muslims) [Fragmentation play out in greater conflict?]
3) World
~ Terrorism/ Violence/ Political Reactions
4) Solution, prospects, resolution
~ Two state Solution
Pressure? Influence?
-Israel Vs. Arab Conflicts--------------- H & CR
-Palestinians-----------------------------H
-Israel in the Media (UN) ------------------C/E
-American influence--------------------H & T
-Resources (oil, land, money)------------H & CR
-WMDs--------------------------------C/E
-Two State-Solution-----------------------T
| *KEY*
| H = History
| T = Theorize
| CR = Conflict Resolution
| C/E = Cause & Effect
10/19/10 Outline for Year's Research Questions:
Research Questions:
1) Basic Information Research
2) Regional
~ Who are the Palestinians?
~ Conflict over Resources (Land, Water, Oil, Religious)
~ Ethnic & Cultural boundaries (Christian/Muslim Palestinians; Different types of Jews & Muslims) [Fragmentation play out in greater conflict?]
3) World
~ Terrorism/ Violence/ Political Reactions
4) Solution, prospects, resolution
~ Two state Solution
Pressure? Influence?
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Introductory Notes: Ideologies & Aspirations
Secular Ideologies:
-Islamic Nationalism in late 1800s
-Arab revolt during WWI
-European Mandates became a huge blow
-Arab elites turned toward European liberalism, constitutionalism, & parliamentary democracy
-Egyptian WAFD ("the Delegation") unsuccessfully pled for liberty during Treaty of Versailles
-Nationalists were superseded by post-WWI & Israel independence war ideologies
-Gamal Abdel Nasser- Pan-Arab Nationalism (not well-articulated, but stressed nationalism, anti-imperialism, state socialism, & reform social inequalities)
-Nasser seized power in 1952 by a bloody coup
-Followed by other coups of the 50s and 60s (ex: Iraq, Syria, Libya)
-Baath Socialist Party (40s) took simmilar view
-Arab Cold War took place between traditional monarchies and new ideology
-Israel was unique, founded on zionism (nationalism) and socialism.
-Arabs found faults within progressive governments, regimes became more self-serving, and monarchies prospered
Islamist Ideologies:
-State corruption and disillusionment with Secular ideologies
-Led to religious ones
-Jamal al-Din al-Afghani (an early reformer) combined Islamic values and European sciences & saw problem with lack of modernity
-Newer reformers ("Rejectionists" thought Europe was subjugating their world.
-Receptionists sought to return to a "pure" Islam
-Islam was never divorced from government (Islamic states under Shari'a law)
-Muslim Brotherhood (Egypt, 1928) advocated return to Islamic Values
-Wahhabism (named for 1700s reformer Muhammad Abd al-Wahhab) denounces corruption of a pure Islam, and is a conservative Sunni Islamic movement. It created a...
-Religious police enforce shari'a law.
-Radical Islamists (Islamic extremists) were forming. This led to groups such as...
-al-Jihad a violent extremist group who assassinated President Anwar al-Sadot (1981) and attacked tourists.
-Iranian Revolution took place in 1979, led by Ayatollah Ruhollah, deposed the authoritarian monarch (the Shah), reversed secularization, vocalized justice for working class, and forced religious observance. It put Mullahs (religious leaders) in charge.
-Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) gained popularity in Algeria in 1992, causing the government to cancel elections because they thought the FIS would change the constitution and elminate the voting process.
-Led to long & brutal civil war during 1975-1976.
-Hezbollah started to form, for militant defense.
-Failure of PLO led to Islamic Jihad and Hamas.
-These two ideas/groups gained notoriety during the Al-Aqsa Intifada (2000), which dispatched suicide bombers against Israeli military and civilians.
Political Handbook of the Middle East 2006.
Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, 2006. Print.
-Islamic Nationalism in late 1800s
-Arab revolt during WWI
-European Mandates became a huge blow
-Arab elites turned toward European liberalism, constitutionalism, & parliamentary democracy
-Egyptian WAFD ("the Delegation") unsuccessfully pled for liberty during Treaty of Versailles
-Nationalists were superseded by post-WWI & Israel independence war ideologies
-Gamal Abdel Nasser- Pan-Arab Nationalism (not well-articulated, but stressed nationalism, anti-imperialism, state socialism, & reform social inequalities)
-Nasser seized power in 1952 by a bloody coup
-Followed by other coups of the 50s and 60s (ex: Iraq, Syria, Libya)
-Baath Socialist Party (40s) took simmilar view
-Arab Cold War took place between traditional monarchies and new ideology
-Israel was unique, founded on zionism (nationalism) and socialism.
-Arabs found faults within progressive governments, regimes became more self-serving, and monarchies prospered
Islamist Ideologies:
-State corruption and disillusionment with Secular ideologies
-Led to religious ones
-Jamal al-Din al-Afghani (an early reformer) combined Islamic values and European sciences & saw problem with lack of modernity
-Newer reformers ("Rejectionists" thought Europe was subjugating their world.
-Receptionists sought to return to a "pure" Islam
-Islam was never divorced from government (Islamic states under Shari'a law)
-Muslim Brotherhood (Egypt, 1928) advocated return to Islamic Values
-Wahhabism (named for 1700s reformer Muhammad Abd al-Wahhab) denounces corruption of a pure Islam, and is a conservative Sunni Islamic movement. It created a...
-Religious police enforce shari'a law.
-Radical Islamists (Islamic extremists) were forming. This led to groups such as...
-al-Jihad a violent extremist group who assassinated President Anwar al-Sadot (1981) and attacked tourists.
-Iranian Revolution took place in 1979, led by Ayatollah Ruhollah, deposed the authoritarian monarch (the Shah), reversed secularization, vocalized justice for working class, and forced religious observance. It put Mullahs (religious leaders) in charge.
-Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) gained popularity in Algeria in 1992, causing the government to cancel elections because they thought the FIS would change the constitution and elminate the voting process.
-Led to long & brutal civil war during 1975-1976.
-Hezbollah started to form, for militant defense.
-Failure of PLO led to Islamic Jihad and Hamas.
-These two ideas/groups gained notoriety during the Al-Aqsa Intifada (2000), which dispatched suicide bombers against Israeli military and civilians.
Political Handbook of the Middle East 2006.
Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, 2006. Print.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Introductory Notes: Part One
OVERVIEW
Geography: arid country side, mountainous
Population: stereotypically bedouin, most are traders
Economic: industrial growth leads to large working class
Borders: hard definition to define because of cultural/geographic boundaries.
Regions: Fertile Cresent, Arabian Peninsula, Nile Valley, Maghreb
Ethnicities: Arab, Azeris, Baluch, Berbers, Kurds, Black Africans... etc.
Diversity: ... a lot
Islam: Sunni vs. Shi'ites
Christianity: Various eastern rites. Most are Protestantism.
Judaism: Israel as a Jewish state, Zionism
Time Line (circa):
600- Islam emergence in Mecca, spread across M. East
1100- Turks arrive, Ottoman Empire, unified Islam, spread to S.E. Europe
1800- Ottoman states deteriorating. Britain and France make presence in M.E.
WWI- Europe strong hold in M.E. strengthens. Britain topples Ottoman Empire.
Declerations/Agreements
Sykes: Picot agreement: 1916 divided Arab territories into European Zones.
Balfour Declaration: 1917 paved way for the State of Israel
Conflict (Jews Vs. Arab):
-Israel created in 1948
-300,000 Palestineans displace in Israel; 300,000 Jews displaced in Muslim Countries
-Transjordan absorbed the West Bank and Gaza Strip
-SUEZ WAR (Oct-Nov 1956): Israel, Britain, & France invaded Egypt. The U.S. called and end to it
-SIX DAY WAR (June 1967) border tension led Israel to sieze the Golan Heights (from Syria), West Bank and East Jerusalem (from Jordan), and the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip (from Egypt)
-YOM KIPPUR WAR (Oct 1973): Syria and Egypt surprise attacked Israel on the Holiest day to regain borders lost. Ended in stalemate, led to...
-CAMP DAVID (1979): a peace treaty returning Egypt's land and a cold peace.
-LEBANON WAR (1982): Israel invaded Lebanon to wipe out the PLO (Palestinean Liberation Organization) who were launching attacks. Israel reached Beruit, got rid of PLO, and moved to S. Lebanon and kept a presence until 2000.
Political Handbook of the Middle East 2006.
Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, 2006. Print.
Geography: arid country side, mountainous
Population: stereotypically bedouin, most are traders
Economic: industrial growth leads to large working class
Borders: hard definition to define because of cultural/geographic boundaries.
Regions: Fertile Cresent, Arabian Peninsula, Nile Valley, Maghreb
Ethnicities: Arab, Azeris, Baluch, Berbers, Kurds, Black Africans... etc.
Diversity: ... a lot
Islam: Sunni vs. Shi'ites
Christianity: Various eastern rites. Most are Protestantism.
Judaism: Israel as a Jewish state, Zionism
Time Line (circa):
600- Islam emergence in Mecca, spread across M. East
1100- Turks arrive, Ottoman Empire, unified Islam, spread to S.E. Europe
1800- Ottoman states deteriorating. Britain and France make presence in M.E.
WWI- Europe strong hold in M.E. strengthens. Britain topples Ottoman Empire.
Declerations/Agreements
Sykes: Picot agreement: 1916 divided Arab territories into European Zones.
Balfour Declaration: 1917 paved way for the State of Israel
Conflict (Jews Vs. Arab):
-Israel created in 1948
-300,000 Palestineans displace in Israel; 300,000 Jews displaced in Muslim Countries
-Transjordan absorbed the West Bank and Gaza Strip
-SUEZ WAR (Oct-Nov 1956): Israel, Britain, & France invaded Egypt. The U.S. called and end to it
-SIX DAY WAR (June 1967) border tension led Israel to sieze the Golan Heights (from Syria), West Bank and East Jerusalem (from Jordan), and the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip (from Egypt)
-YOM KIPPUR WAR (Oct 1973): Syria and Egypt surprise attacked Israel on the Holiest day to regain borders lost. Ended in stalemate, led to...
-CAMP DAVID (1979): a peace treaty returning Egypt's land and a cold peace.
-LEBANON WAR (1982): Israel invaded Lebanon to wipe out the PLO (Palestinean Liberation Organization) who were launching attacks. Israel reached Beruit, got rid of PLO, and moved to S. Lebanon and kept a presence until 2000.
Political Handbook of the Middle East 2006.
Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, 2006. Print.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Resources and Notes
To testify on behalf of my geeky interior, I have banned myself from libraries because I always want to take home all the book I can carry. Today, I had to go because of a group project and walked out with seven more books on the Middle East, Islam, Jihad, Hamas, faith, and conflict. And low and behold, I found the Holy-Grail to my independent study: Political Handbook of the Middle East 2006. I have already started taking hand-notes. I wanted to ask if there is a way I can make a digital copy (pdf, or the sort) so I can write it out to help learn it, but archive it on my computer. I figured you'd know how, or where I can scan my notes. I'll show you my progress on Wednesday, if you can meet during fourth period. =)
Books I have borrowed:
(And what I plan to do with them)
Political Handbook of the Middle East 2006
----Notes
Power, Faith, and Fantasy
----Notes
The Idea of Pakistan
----Notes
Jihad: The Trial of Political Islam
----Notes
God Has Ninety-Nine Names
----Read & Summary
Inside Hamas
----Skim & Bullet Points
Islam: Opposing Viewpoints
----Skim, Opinions, Summary
Books I have borrowed:
(And what I plan to do with them)
Political Handbook of the Middle East 2006
----Notes
Power, Faith, and Fantasy
----Notes
The Idea of Pakistan
----Notes
Jihad: The Trial of Political Islam
----Notes
God Has Ninety-Nine Names
----Read & Summary
Inside Hamas
----Skim & Bullet Points
Islam: Opposing Viewpoints
----Skim, Opinions, Summary
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
CE: Decade Alyiah
http://www.jta.org/news/article/2010/09/20/2740980/we-did-it-marking-10-years-in-israel
Dr. D, I just really like this article and decided to post it for future reference =)
Dr. D, I just really like this article and decided to post it for future reference =)
What Defines a Nation?
What Makes a Nation? By: Michael E. Telzrow
http://www.questiaschool.com/read/5016654085
Max Weber, the celebrated German sociologist, wrote that on a basic level, "a nation is a community which produces a state of its own." Weber's definition is correct in that a nation is a self-defining political community. But what makes a nation? Is it merely a political community set within territorially defined borders, or is it something more? The history of [America] our nation, and that of most successful nations, tells us that it is something much more. Nationalism, or the idea of nationhood, is based upon clearly defined ideas and sentiments--feelings of distinction, a shared allegiance or a shared sense of belonging, a commitment to accepted moral and political principles, a common language, and a marriage between culture and politics that ensures the maintenance of political sovereignty.
A belief in the distinctive nature of a state's political and cultural community is a cornerstone of nationhood. Without such feelings of distinction, there is little impetus to establish a nation.
Eighteenth-century observers like David Ramsay seized upon the psychological shift in identity from colony to nation-state to push for a marriage of politics and culture. His contemporary account of the war for independence, The History of the American Revolution, published in 1789, called for strengthening America's cultural identity at a time when Americans still looked to England for much of their cultural cues.
cultural nationalists- pushed for the cohesion of cultural and political aspect of society.
A national culture is a characteristic of every nation-state, and the acknowledgment of past accomplishments is central to the unity of the nation.
A nation is much more than a line drawn on a map. It is an expression of shared principles, of a distinct culture, language, and institutions.
My Summay:
As claimed by Max Weber, the basic understanding of a nation is “a community which produces a state of its own.” However, Michael E. Telzrow adds in “What Makes a Nation,” that there is a bigger picture when it comes to a nation. Historian and President of the Contentantal Congress, David Ramsay observed a psychogical shift in the identity of the new-forming nation of America. He said that the centripetal factor for a nation, versus a colony, was the push for the combination of politics and culture. Past accomplishments, an expression of shared principles, and distinct culture and institutions help define a nation, in Telzrow’s words, help define a nation beyond the characterization of land.
http://www.questiaschool.com/read/5016654085
Max Weber, the celebrated German sociologist, wrote that on a basic level, "a nation is a community which produces a state of its own." Weber's definition is correct in that a nation is a self-defining political community. But what makes a nation? Is it merely a political community set within territorially defined borders, or is it something more? The history of [America] our nation, and that of most successful nations, tells us that it is something much more. Nationalism, or the idea of nationhood, is based upon clearly defined ideas and sentiments--feelings of distinction, a shared allegiance or a shared sense of belonging, a commitment to accepted moral and political principles, a common language, and a marriage between culture and politics that ensures the maintenance of political sovereignty.
A belief in the distinctive nature of a state's political and cultural community is a cornerstone of nationhood. Without such feelings of distinction, there is little impetus to establish a nation.
Eighteenth-century observers like David Ramsay seized upon the psychological shift in identity from colony to nation-state to push for a marriage of politics and culture. His contemporary account of the war for independence, The History of the American Revolution, published in 1789, called for strengthening America's cultural identity at a time when Americans still looked to England for much of their cultural cues.
cultural nationalists- pushed for the cohesion of cultural and political aspect of society.
A national culture is a characteristic of every nation-state, and the acknowledgment of past accomplishments is central to the unity of the nation.
A nation is much more than a line drawn on a map. It is an expression of shared principles, of a distinct culture, language, and institutions.
My Summay:
As claimed by Max Weber, the basic understanding of a nation is “a community which produces a state of its own.” However, Michael E. Telzrow adds in “What Makes a Nation,” that there is a bigger picture when it comes to a nation. Historian and President of the Contentantal Congress, David Ramsay observed a psychogical shift in the identity of the new-forming nation of America. He said that the centripetal factor for a nation, versus a colony, was the push for the combination of politics and culture. Past accomplishments, an expression of shared principles, and distinct culture and institutions help define a nation, in Telzrow’s words, help define a nation beyond the characterization of land.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
C.E. The Meaning of the Koran
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/14/the-meaning-of-the-koran/?ref=opinion
The article by Mr. Wright is a plea for interfaith piece based on solid principles of religious text and modern thinking. I appreciate his plea for peace, a goal we, liberals, strive for. However, I feel compelled by this article to read the Torah, Christian Bible, and Koran, and make my own judgements. Biased (as always), I know the foundation of the Abrahamic religions to be Judaism, my cultural identity and religion (if you must). The ideal end to Islam is heaven, but ultimately a Jihad in which all non-believers are massacred or converted. Even worse, the Christian ideal is of a second coming, where the apocalypse calls for the damned to be forever imprisoned in hell. This is, of course, proceeded by the non-believers being massacred. I don't believe converting is plan B for those who like their lives. Judaism, however, says the ideal end is when our spirits are brought from heaven to Earth. Where the nations aren't forced to convert or die, but instead see the Truth, and live harmoniously. Call me a hippie, but I'm all for the peace and love; Call me a Jew, because I think my religion has the better and more happy ending. [I'll get all the religious text-based quotes for you in a bit]. I like to look at the "end of it all, what is life worth" bit. The Koran is peaceful, at times, just like the Christian Bible and Torah. All the three texts, also, share bloodshed and dark passages, which, to say the least, are quite grim. But, again, I always liked a "happily ever after ending." Maybe this article shouldn't have focused so much on liberal-religious thought, and instead of been a more conservative piece, in which true understanding could derive.
The article by Mr. Wright is a plea for interfaith piece based on solid principles of religious text and modern thinking. I appreciate his plea for peace, a goal we, liberals, strive for. However, I feel compelled by this article to read the Torah, Christian Bible, and Koran, and make my own judgements. Biased (as always), I know the foundation of the Abrahamic religions to be Judaism, my cultural identity and religion (if you must). The ideal end to Islam is heaven, but ultimately a Jihad in which all non-believers are massacred or converted. Even worse, the Christian ideal is of a second coming, where the apocalypse calls for the damned to be forever imprisoned in hell. This is, of course, proceeded by the non-believers being massacred. I don't believe converting is plan B for those who like their lives. Judaism, however, says the ideal end is when our spirits are brought from heaven to Earth. Where the nations aren't forced to convert or die, but instead see the Truth, and live harmoniously. Call me a hippie, but I'm all for the peace and love; Call me a Jew, because I think my religion has the better and more happy ending. [I'll get all the religious text-based quotes for you in a bit]. I like to look at the "end of it all, what is life worth" bit. The Koran is peaceful, at times, just like the Christian Bible and Torah. All the three texts, also, share bloodshed and dark passages, which, to say the least, are quite grim. But, again, I always liked a "happily ever after ending." Maybe this article shouldn't have focused so much on liberal-religious thought, and instead of been a more conservative piece, in which true understanding could derive.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
The Palestinian People?
We discussed that one of the first tasks would be to determine if the Palestinians represent "a people", as distinct from Arabs or any other group. You will look at issues of what constitutes a people and discuss arguments for and against the Palestinians as a "nation". The idea is to imagine the centripetal and centrifugal forces of what may ultimately be a Palestinian state.
ANSWER:
“The word Palestine derives from Philistia, the name given by Greek writers to the land of the Philistines, who in the 12th century bc occupied a small pocket of land on the southern coast, between modern Tel Aviv–Yafo and Gaza. The name was revived by the Romans in the 2nd century ad in “Syria Palaestina,” designating the southern portion of the province of Syria, and made its way thence into Arabic, where it has been used to describe the region at least since the early Islamic era. After Roman times the name had no official status until after World War I and the end of rule by the Ottoman Empire, when it was adopted for one of the regions mandated to Great Britain; in addition to an area roughly comprising present-day Israel and the West Bank, the mandate included the territory east of the Jordan River now constituting the Hashimite Kingdom of Jordan, which Britain placed under an administration separate from that of Palestine immediately after receiving the mandate for the territory.”
“Henceforth the term Palestinian will be used when referring to the Arabs of the former mandated Palestine, excluding Israel. Although the Arabs of Palestine had been creating and developing a Palestinian identity for about 200 years, the idea that Palestinians form a distinct people is relatively recent. The Arabs living in Palestine had never had a separate state. Until the establishment of Israel, the term Palestinian was used by Jews and foreigners to describe the inhabitants of Palestine and had only begun to be used by the Arabs themselves at the turn of the 20th century; at the same time, most saw themselves as part of the larger Arab or Muslim community. The Arabs of Palestine began widely using the term Palestinian starting in the pre-World War I period to indicate the nationalist concept of a Palestinian people. But after 1948—and even more so after 1967 --- for Palestinians themselves the term came to signify not only a place of origin but, more importantly, a sense of a shared past and future in the form of a Palestinian state.”
“The events of 1948 (also called by Palestinians al-nakbah, “the catastrophe”) and the experience of exile shaped Palestinian political and cultural activity for the next generation. The central task of reconstruction fell to Palestinians living outside Israel—both in the West Bank and Gaza communities and in the new Palestinian communities outside the former British mandate
“Palestinian refugee camps differed depending on the country in which they were located, but they shared one common development—the emergence of a “diaspora consciousness.” In time this consciousness grew into a renewed national identity and reinvigorated social institutions, leading to the establishment of more complex social and political structures by the the 1960s.”
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/439645/Palestine
“The Palestinians are represented in the international arena by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), founded in 1964 by the Arab League (the regional organization which now includes 22 Arab states and the PLO).
Although the Arab League's intentions in establishing the PLO may have been to control and channel Palestinian political aspirations, the PLO gradually was transformed into a genuinely Palestinian organization.
By 1974, the Arab states recognized the PLO as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people," and the PLO was granted observer status in the United Nations by its General Assembly.”
http://imeu.net/news/article0046.shtml
Modern PALESTINIANS:
Israeli
West Bank/ Jordanian
Gaza Strip
FORCES:
Centripital: Land, economy, Arab Brotherhood, Common enemy, PLO, Islam
Centrifugal: refugees/unwanted by neighboring arab states, used as political pons, poverty, internal fighting over power, scattered, massacred
ANSWER:
“The word Palestine derives from Philistia, the name given by Greek writers to the land of the Philistines, who in the 12th century bc occupied a small pocket of land on the southern coast, between modern Tel Aviv–Yafo and Gaza. The name was revived by the Romans in the 2nd century ad in “Syria Palaestina,” designating the southern portion of the province of Syria, and made its way thence into Arabic, where it has been used to describe the region at least since the early Islamic era. After Roman times the name had no official status until after World War I and the end of rule by the Ottoman Empire, when it was adopted for one of the regions mandated to Great Britain; in addition to an area roughly comprising present-day Israel and the West Bank, the mandate included the territory east of the Jordan River now constituting the Hashimite Kingdom of Jordan, which Britain placed under an administration separate from that of Palestine immediately after receiving the mandate for the territory.”
“Henceforth the term Palestinian will be used when referring to the Arabs of the former mandated Palestine, excluding Israel. Although the Arabs of Palestine had been creating and developing a Palestinian identity for about 200 years, the idea that Palestinians form a distinct people is relatively recent. The Arabs living in Palestine had never had a separate state. Until the establishment of Israel, the term Palestinian was used by Jews and foreigners to describe the inhabitants of Palestine and had only begun to be used by the Arabs themselves at the turn of the 20th century; at the same time, most saw themselves as part of the larger Arab or Muslim community. The Arabs of Palestine began widely using the term Palestinian starting in the pre-World War I period to indicate the nationalist concept of a Palestinian people. But after 1948—and even more so after 1967 --- for Palestinians themselves the term came to signify not only a place of origin but, more importantly, a sense of a shared past and future in the form of a Palestinian state.”
“The events of 1948 (also called by Palestinians al-nakbah, “the catastrophe”) and the experience of exile shaped Palestinian political and cultural activity for the next generation. The central task of reconstruction fell to Palestinians living outside Israel—both in the West Bank and Gaza communities and in the new Palestinian communities outside the former British mandate
“Palestinian refugee camps differed depending on the country in which they were located, but they shared one common development—the emergence of a “diaspora consciousness.” In time this consciousness grew into a renewed national identity and reinvigorated social institutions, leading to the establishment of more complex social and political structures by the the 1960s.”
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/439645/Palestine
“The Palestinians are represented in the international arena by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), founded in 1964 by the Arab League (the regional organization which now includes 22 Arab states and the PLO).
Although the Arab League's intentions in establishing the PLO may have been to control and channel Palestinian political aspirations, the PLO gradually was transformed into a genuinely Palestinian organization.
By 1974, the Arab states recognized the PLO as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people," and the PLO was granted observer status in the United Nations by its General Assembly.”
http://imeu.net/news/article0046.shtml
Modern PALESTINIANS:
Israeli
West Bank/ Jordanian
Gaza Strip
FORCES:
Centripital: Land, economy, Arab Brotherhood, Common enemy, PLO, Islam
Centrifugal: refugees/unwanted by neighboring arab states, used as political pons, poverty, internal fighting over power, scattered, massacred
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)