Middle East Politics Week 14: Israel PDF

Middle East Politics Week 14: Israel The Idea of Israel as a State Dreyfus Affair happens in 1894 in France Theodor Herzl publishes “Der Judenstaat” in 1896 ○ Jews started to buy lands (7% in 1948) ○ The Balfour Declaration of 1917 revealed the British support for a homeland f...

Middle East Politics Week 14: Israel The Idea of Israel as a State Dreyfus Affair happens in 1894 in France Theodor Herzl publishes “Der Judenstaat” in 1896 ○ Jews started to buy lands (7% in 1948) ○ The Balfour Declaration of 1917 revealed the British support for a homeland for the Jews in Palestine. ○ Large migration in a set of ‘aliyah’s (420,000 - almost one third of the population in 1940s) ○ Autonomy: They established strong socio-economic (Histadrut) and military systems (Haganah, Irgun, Stern Gang, Palmah) ○ Provided the British with intelligence and armed support Breaking Up with the British The British lose their control and the trust of the Jews in Palestine in 1940s. ○ Great Arab Revolt 1936-9 ○ 1939 White Paper troubled the Jews, which signaled British support for Arab independency and sidelining of Jewish state ○ A fight against British rule started, including terrorism Some were very serious, like King David Hotel bombing, which killed a number of British officials as well as civilians The United Nations Steps In When the British left Palestine, they dumped the issue to on the laps of the newly-founded United Nations. ○ An impartial committee was established to examine the case and offer a solution ○ Jews worked hard to influence them, doing lots of lobbyist work, whereas Arabs didn’t really care about it ○ They came up with the UN Resolution 181, with a two-state solution for Jews and Arabs, on 55% and 45% of Palestine, respectively ○ Fighting started the day the Resolution passed (November 1947) The Civil War (Nov 1947 - May 1948) It started as a conflict between two communities inside the same territories. ○ It lasted until May 1948, when the state of Israel was proclaimed and other Arab states declared war against it. ○ In this period, 150,000 people were displaced. ○ The implementation of Tochnit Dalet (Plan D) to “cleanse the future Jewish state of as many Palestinians as possible” Aka the “Transfer Solution” Massacre, rape, forced displacement, looting, confiscating Deir Yassin massacre, fearing Arabs into flight The Interstate War (1948-1949) Israel was proclaimed on 14 November 1948; the next day, surrounding Arab states declared war against it. ○ This allowed Israel to play the ‘defense card’, continuing its earlier strategies that ended up displacing 800,000 people until 1949 ○ The Arab coalition (Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq) did not have a unified command, or even a unified aim. They didn’t even have armies to fight an international war (forces were designed for internal peace) Jordan, per earlier agreements with Jews, wanted to annex the West Bank. Egypt and Syria didn’t want this happen, so they fought against it. Lebanon was unwillingly dragged into this war; Iraq became very silent after the first blows. An Uneasy Peace in the Interwar Period (1949-1967) Things remained silent for 20 years. ○ Arab states faced an embarrassing defeat. Palestinian refugees were everywhere. ○ Jordan had West Bank & East Jerusalem & lots of Palestinians ○ Egypt had Gaza, closed its borders to refugees. ○ Lebanon had refugee camps. Syria had its portion of refugees. ○ Israel had 78% of Palestine. ○ Palestinian refugees started to become a tool in the hands of Arab states in their power games. Jordan, Syria, and Egypt supported different factions to weaken the others’ influence. Nasser established the PLO. The Preemptive Strike (1967) When Nasser emerged as a charismatic leader with his Arab unity ideas, he quickly gained support by Palestinians. ○ They saw Arab disunity as their main problem. ○ When Nasser embraced a war-prone discourse, accompanied by military mobilization, Israel decided to make a preemptive strike. ○ In the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel destroyed the Egyptian and Syrian air forces, captured the West Bank, Gaza, and Golan Heights from Jordan, Egypt, and Syria. ○ All Palestine under Israeli control; the birth of “occupied territories” and unlawful settlement problems ○ Still the condition today  Settlements Violation of the international law Displacement of Palestinian communities. Restrictions on Palestinian movement (checkpoints, roadblocks). Expropriation of Palestinian land and resources. Tensions and violence between settlers and Palestinians. Undermining the Two-State Solution. Expansion of settler-only infrastructure (roads). Economic hardships for Palestinians (loss of agricultural land). Erosion of trust in peace negotiations. Increased militarization and security presence in the West Bank Israel’s Regional and Global Standing Regionally, Israel became a bone in the throat. ○ Arabs declared no negotiation, no recognition, no peace ○ Refugees became a problem, not only socio-economically, but also politically PLO ousted from Syria; Jordan crackdown, Lebanese massacres, etc. Emergence of groups like Fatah and Hamas Globally, it became part of the Cold War politics. ○ US supported Israel against the rise of the USSR ○ It accepted Israeli red lines, no restitution, no repatriation ○ Compensation only to resettle Palestinians in other countries ○ Alignment in the war on terror Israel and Peace Camp David Accords (1978) ○ Mediated by the US, peace b/w Israel and Egypt Oslo Accords (1993 & 1995) ○ Mediated by Norway, the PLO recognized Israel’s right to exist, Israel recognized the PLO as a representative authority ○ The Palestinian Authority was created Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty (1994) ○ Mediated by the US, peace b/w Jordan and Israel Abraham Accords (2020) ○ Mediated by the US, normalization of relations with UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan Political System It is a secular democracy, but also a “Jewish state” ○ But some matters like marriage are governed by religious authorities The Knesset (Parliament) ○ Left/Labor/Dovish parties ○ Right/Nationalist/Hawkish parties ○ Centralists ○ Ultra-religious ○ Arab parties Usually works with coalition governments ○ A trend from more liberal/dovish to right/hawkish coalitions after the 1970s Rights and Democracy: The Current Direction Declaration of Independence (1948) Nation-State Law (2018) Strong emphasis on democracy and equality Less mention of democracy for all citizens Appeals to Arab citizens and promises full Focuses on the Jewish identity of the state civil rights More of a balance of the Jewish and Prioritizes Jewish identity over democratic democratic character principles Recognized Hebrew and Arabic as official Arabic downgraded to a “special status” languages Diversity in Israel Jews: ~ 75% ○ Ashkenazi Jews, descendants of European Jews, 30% ○ Mizrahi and Sephardic Jews, descendants of MENA and Spain & Portugal Jews, 45% ○ Russian-speaking Jews, 15% Arabs: ~ 20% ○ Sunni Muslims, 84% ○ Greek Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, Maronite, 8% ○ Druze, 8% There is a disparity between Jews and Arabs in terms of socio- economic and political terms.