Israel-Lebanon Relations

• Tensions between Israel and Lebanon remain high despite diplomatic efforts to maintain stability
• War and violence continue to impact both regions.

Israel and Lebanon Historical Timeline:

• 1948: Israel declared independence on May 14.
• The next day, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon declared war on Israel.
• Israel pushed back the Arab forces and briefly occupied part of southern Lebanon.
• A ceasefire was signed on March 23, 1949, and Israel withdrew to its official borders.
• 1967: The Six-Day War occurred from June 5-10.
• Israel won quickly and captured the Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, West Bank, Old City of Jerusalem, and Golan Heights.
• 1982: The 1982 Lebanon War was a three-month conflict caused by Israel's invasion of Lebanon.
• Israel aimed to weaken the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and support its right-wing allies in the Lebanese Civil War.
• The war involved Israeli, Syrian, and Lebanese forces, as well as a multinational peacekeeping group.
• 2000: Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon.
• The Al-Aqsa Intifada, or Second Intifada, began in late September 2000 and lasted for several years.
• 2006: The Lebanon-Israel war occurred with ongoing border tensions.
• Israel and Hezbollah fought each other in the 2006 Lebanon War, which started on July 12 and ended on August 14.

Literary Context:

• Historical events shape literary expression in Israel and Lebanon.
• Israel and Lebanon have both experienced turbulent histories, including colonial legacies, wars, displacement, and political upheaval.
• These events have deeply influenced literary expression in both countries, shaping themes, styles, and the role of writers in society.

Israeli Literature:

• Israeli literature is closely tied to historical events like the Holocaust, the founding of Israel in 1948, and conflicts with Palestine and neighboring countries.
• Holocaust Survivors: Writers like Aharon Appelfeld and David Grossman explore Holocaust trauma and its effect on Israeli identity.
• War and National Identity: Amos Oz writes about Zionism, military service, and moral struggles.
• Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Authors like Grossman and Etgar Keret critique nationalism and military policies.
• Mizrahi Experience: Sami Michael highlights the struggles of Jews from Arab countries facing discrimination in Israel.

Lebanese Literature:

• Lebanese literature reflects the country's history of colonialism, civil war (1975-1990), and regional conflicts.
• War and Trauma: Writers like Hoda Barakat show the physical and emotional scars of war.
• Exile and Displacement: Authors like Amin Maalouf write about identity struggles from abroad.
• Sectarian Conflict: Elias Khoury explores Lebanon's divided society.
• Feminist Voices: Writers like Joumana Haddad challenge traditional gender roles and societal norms.

Social Context:

• Family & Kinship: How relationships shape personal identity and literary themes.
• Religion & Spirituality: The influence of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity in storytelling.
• Social Reforms: Literature's reflection on women's rights, nationalism, and peace movements.

Social Context of Israeli and Lebanese Literature:

• Both Israel and Lebanon have unique societal structures and cultures that shape the stories they tell.
• Israel's diverse population, and Lebanon's sectarian divisions, have led to literature that deals with themes like identity, conflict, faith, and survival.
• By looking at how these social factors impact literature, one can better understand how writers reflect on their countries' struggles and contribute to broader discussions about identity and resilience.

Religious Background - Israel:

• As of 2022, most Israelis are Jewish (73.5%), with Muslims making up 18.1%, Christians 1.9%, Druze 1.6%, and other religions 4.9%.
• Israel is the only country where Jews are the majority, and about 41% of the world's Jewish population lives there.
• In Israel, secular divisions are a significant part of the social fabric, particularly between religious and secular Jews.
• While Israel was founded as a Jewish state, it has a wide range of religious observance levels within its population, creating a complex landscape.
• Hiloni Jews (Secular)is the least religious segment among the Jewish public.
• Hiloni (secular) Judaism in Israeli literature emphasizes modern Jewish identity without religious focus, often exploring themes of nationalism, individual freedom, and the tension between secular and religious values.
• Masorti Jews (Traditional)believe Jewish law and tradition come mainly from the people's agreement over time, rather than from divine revelation.
• Masorti (Traditional) Judaism in literature reflects a blend of religious tradition and modernity, often exploring the balance between Jewish law and contemporary life.
• Dati Jews (Religious) emphasizes a commitment to Jewish law and tradition, exploring themes of faith, religious observance, and the struggles of living in a secular society.
• Haredi Jews (Ultra-orthodox) is characterized by its strict interpretation of religious sources and its accepted halakha (Jewish law) and traditions, in opposition to more accommodating values and practices.

Lebanon:

• The sectarian divide in Lebanon is a deeply rooted and complex aspect of the country's social, political, and cultural landscape.
• Lebanon is home to numerous religious groups, including various Christian denominations (such as Maronite, Greek Orthodox, and others), Sunni and Shia Muslims, Druze, and smaller minorities.
• Lebanese writers often reflect the complexities of sectarianism through themes of identity, conflict, and social fragmentation.

Family & Relationships:

• Israelis consider family to be a very important aspect of their life.
• Since Israeli society contains a blend of both individualistic and collectivistic cultures, there are many different family structures.
• The bar mitzvah (for boys) and bat mitzvah (for girls) are significant ceremonies marking the transition to adulthood, occurring at age thirteen for boys and twelve for girls.

Israel:

• Family dynamics reflect the balance between personal independence and communal responsibility.
• The tension between personal freedom and familial duty is a central theme in many Israeli stories.

Lebanon:

• Family Dynamic Lebanese families tend to be close-knit and loyal.
• In rural areas, it is customary for more than one generation to live in the same house.
• Cousins maintain as close relationships as brothers and sisters.
• Urban families usually are smaller than rural families.

Gender Roles - Israel:

• In secular (Hiloni) Jewish communities, men and women are generally treated equally and have the same opportunities.
• In conservative religious communities, traditional gender roles are more common.
• In religious (Dati) and ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) families, having many children is seen as a holy act.

Lebanon:

• Literature often focuses on traditional gender roles, with women challenging societal expectations.
• The right of Lebanese women to vote was recognized in 1952, and since then Lebanese women have made great strides in advancing the women's empowerment agenda.

Historical Context and its Impact on Literature:

• Ancient Civilizations: The literary legacies of Mesopotamia, Persia, and Phoenicia.
• Colonial & Postcolonial Influences: The effects of colonialism and postcolonial struggles on storytelling and identity.
• Conflict & Literature: The Arab-Israeli conflict, Lebanese civil wars, and their impact on literary expression.
• Ancient civilizations have deeply influenced the development of literature in the Middle East, including the literary traditions of Israel and Lebanon.
• Phoenicia, located in present-day Lebanon, was a significant center of literary and commercial activity, particularly through its development of the alphabet.
• The colonial history of Lebanon and Israel significantly shaped their modern literary expression.
• Postcolonial literature from both regions often reflects the fragmentation of identity and the search for meaning within these new political realities.
• The Arab-Israeli conflict and the Lebanese Civil Wars (1975-1990) have profoundly influenced the literature emerging from both Israel and Lebanon.
• Lebanese writers have sought not only to depict the horrors of war but also to probe the possibility of reconciliation and peace.

"Song of Peace" by Yaacov Fottblit:

• Theme: The longing for peace in a divided land
• Poetry as Unity: Literature as a call for reconciliation and healing
• Tone: Melancholy and Hopefulness
• Fottblit expresses both the pain of war and the hope for unity.
• In this song, Fottblit invites people to believe in peace.

"History and the Nation" by Khalil Gibran:

• Theme: National identity and unity
• Gibran's Vision: History, belonging, and spirituality in nation-building
• Gibran portrays national identity as a tapestry woven from the collective experiences, traditions, and histories of its people.
• Gibran emphasizes that unity arises from a shared understanding and appreciation of history.
• Gibran integrates spirituality into his vision of nation-building, suggesting that a nation's soul is shaped by its spiritual and moral values.

Cultural Aesthetics, Reflection, and Final Project:

• Dominant Literary Themes: Love, mysticism, identity, and peace in Middle Eastern literature.
• Islamic Art & Literature: The role of calligraphy and aesthetics in Middle Eastern poetry.
• Storytelling & Cultural Identity: Literature's role in preserving Middle Eastern heritage and shaping collective identity. Middle Eastern literature often explores themes of love, mysticism, identity, and peace themes are deeply rooted in the region's cultural and historical context.
• Calligraphy is a fundamental element of Islamic art and literature and is a artistic expression that combines beauty and spirituality.
• Storytelling has played a crucial role in preserving Middle Eastern heritage and shaping collective identity.