Spring 2005 Quarterly Review - Theological Resources for Ministry

8/9/2019 Spring 2005 Quarterly Review - Theological Resources for Ministry

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SPRING 2005$7.00

A JOURNAL OF THEOLOGICAL RESOURCES FOR MINISTRY


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A n Important A n nou ncem ent aboutQuarterly R eview

J a n u a r y 2 0 0 5N A S H V I L L E , T e rm . In i t s e f f or t t o e x p l o r e n e w a v e n u e s a n d f o r m a t s f or c o m m u n i c a t i n g i t s m i s s i o n i n a r a p i d l y c h a n g i n g w o r l d , t h e G e n e r a l B o a r d o f H i g h e rE d u c a t i o n a n d M i n i s t r y ( G B H E M ) w i ll r e l i n q u i s h i ts i n v o l v e m e n t w i t h t h e p u b l i c a t i o n o f Quarterly Review w i t h t h e w i n t e r 2 0 0 5 i s s u e o f t h e j o u r n a l .

J e r o m e K i n g D e l P i n o , g e n e r a l s e c r e t a r y o f t h e G e n e r a l B o a r d of H i g h e rE d u c a t i o n a n d M i n i s tr y , s h a r e d t h i s i n f o r m a t i o n w i t h N e i l A l e x a n d e r , p r e s i d e n to f T h e U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t P u b l i s h i n g H o u s e , i n a l e t t e r o n S e p t e m b e r 2 7 , 2 0 0 4 .Quarterly Review h a s b e e n a j o i n t p r o d u c t i o n o f t h e t w o a g e n c i e s s i n c e i t s i n c e p t i o n i n 1 9 80 . D e l P i n o e x p r e s s e d d e e p a p p r e c i a t i o n f o r t h i s 2 5 - y e a r c o l l a b o r a t i o na n d n o t e d t h a t t h e d e c i s i o n t o d i s c o n t i n u e s u p p o r t o f t h e j o u r n a l " w as t a k e nn e i th e r e a s i l y n o r h a s t il y . "

W h i l e t h e r e s t r i c t e d i m p a c t o f t h e j o u r n a l d u e t o a d e c a d e - l o n g d e c l i n e i ns u b s c r i p t i o n s w a s a f a c t o r in t h e b o a r d ' s d e c i s i o n , D e l P i n o s a i d , t h e p r i m a r yc o n s i d e r a t i o n h a s t o d o w i t h t h e a g e n c y ' s n e e d t o r e e v a l u a t e i ts e n t i r e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s t ra t e g y w h i c h i n c l u d e s i ts p u b l i s h i n g e ff or t i n l i g h t o f G B H E M ' s n e w l ya d o p t e d S t r a t e g i c P l a n . " T h e g r o w i n g c o m p l e x i t y a n d d i v e r s i t y o f t h e c h u r c h a n dt h e w o r l d i n t h e n e w c e n t u r y c al l f or a m u l t i f a c e t e d , m u l t i d i m e n s i o n a l p u b l i s h i n g s t r a t e g y t h a t i s s i m u l t a n e o u s l y f ul ly a l i g n e d w i t h t h e b o a r d ' s s tr a t e g i c a n dm i s s i o n a l a i m s a n d a b l e t o c o m m u n i c a t e e f f e c ti v e ly a t a v a r i e t y o f l e v el s t o m u l t i p l e c o n s t i t u e n c i e s t h r o u g h a d i v e r s i t y of p r o d u c t s . W h i l e w e d e e p l y v a l u eQuarterly Review's c o n t r i b u t i o n t o t h e w o r k o f t h e a g e n c y o v e r t h e y e a r s , i t l a c k st h e e l a s t i c i t y f o r a d j u s t i n g t o t h e s e n e w p a r a m e t e r s , " D e l P i n o a d d e d .

E d i to r o f Quarterly Review H e n d r i k P i e t e r s e w il l c o n t i n u e a t G B H E M a s am e m b e r of t h e Of fi c e of I n t e r p r e t a t i o n . He w i ll b e d e e p ly i n v o lv e d in t h e d e v e l o p m e n t a n d e x e c u t i o n of t h e b o a r d ' s n e w p u b l i s h i n g e n d e a v o r . " T h e b o a r d ' s d e c is i o n r e g a r d i n g Quarterly Review d o e s n o t m e a n t h a t it i s r e l i n q u i s h in g i tsDisciplinary m a n d a te t o ' s e r v e a s a d v o c a t e f o r t h e i n t e l l e c tu a l l i f e o f t h e c h u r c h / "P i e t e r s e s a i d . " O n t h e c o n t r a r y , " h e a d d e d , " t h e b o a r d r e m a i n s u n e q u i v o c a l i n i t sc o m m i t m e n t t o n u r t u r i n g d e e p - r u n n i n g t h e o lo g i ca l d i s c o u r s e a b o u t t h e d a u n t i n gt h e o l o g i c a l i s s u e s f a c in g t h e d e n o m i n a t i o n i n r e g a r d t o i t s u n d e r s t a n d i n g a n dp r a c t i c e of h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n a n d a p p o i n t e d m i n i s t r y . W e a r e s i m p l y r e d i r e c t i n gth a t t h e o lo g i c a l t a s k i n n e w a n d c r e a t i v e wa y s f o r n e w a n d d i f f e r e n t t im e s . "

T h e U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t P u b l i s h i n g H o u s e is c u r r e n t l y e x p l o r i n g a v a r i e t y ofo p t io n s f o r t h e f u tu r e o f Quarterly Review. " H o w e v e r ," s a y s H a r r i e t t J a n e O l s o n ,S r. V i c e P r e s i d e n t f or P u b l i s h i n g a t T h e U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t P u b l i s h i n g H o u s e , " p u b l ica t ion o f Quarterly Review i n i ts c u r r e n t f o r m a t c a n n o t b e s u s t a i n e d w i t h o u t t h ep a r t n e r s h i p o f G B H E M , w h i c h w e h a v e e n j o y e d s i n c e 1 9 8 0. " P u b l i c a t i o n i n t h ec u r r e n t f o r m a t w il l c e a s e w i t h t h e w i n t e r 2 0 0 5 i s s u e a n d s u b s c r i b e r s w h o h a v ea l r e a d y p a id fo r a d d i t i o n a l i s s u e s w i l l r e c e iv e a n a d ju s tm e n t t o t h e i r a c c o u n t s .


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Quarterly Review, A'JOURNAL OF THEOLOGICAL RESOURCWFORMINISIIRY jV o l u m e 25, N u m b e r 1

S p r i n g 2 0 0 5

A Publication ofthe General Board of Higher Education and Ministry

and The United M ethodist Publishing House


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Quarterly Review (ISSN 0270-9287) provides continuing education resources for scholars, Christianeducators, and lay and professional ministers in The United Methodist Church and other churches.QR intends to be a forum in whic h theological i ssues of significance to Christian ministry can beraised and debated.Editorial Offices: 1001 19th Avenue, South, P.O, Box 340007, Nashville, TN 37203-0007. Manuscriptsshould be in English and typed double-spaced, including notes.QR is publ ished four times a year, in March, June, September, and Dece mber, by the General Boardof Higher Education and Ministry of The United Methodist Church and The United MethodistPublishing House. Periodicals postage paid at Nashville, Tennessee.Subscription rate: $24 for one year; $44 for two years; and $60 for three years. Students: $16 for one year;$30 for two years. For all subscription orders, single-copy orders, and change-of-address information,contact Cokesbury toll-free (800) 672-1789, M-F 7:00 A . M . - 6 : 3 0 P . M . CST and Saturday 8:00 A . M . - 4 : 0 0 P . M .CST . Inquiries may also be sent in writing to the Cokesbury Subscription Services, P.O. Box 801,Nashville, TN 37202-0801.Postmaster: Address changes sh ould b e sent to The Unite d Metho dist Publishing House, P.O. Box 801,Nashville, TN 37202-0801.QR is printed on acid-free paper.Lections are taken from Revised Common Lectionary (Nashville: Abingdon, 1992).Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New Revised Standard Version Common Bible,copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches ofChrist in the USA, and are used by permission.

Quarterly ReviewSpring 2005

Editor: Hendrik R . PieterseEmail: hpieterse^gbhem.org

Website: http://www.quarterlyreview.org Copyright 2005 by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry

and The United Methodist Publishing House
http://www.quarterlyreview.org/http://www.quarterlyreview.org/


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E d i t o r i a l"Blessed Are the Peacemakers"ISSUE THEME :T h e Is r a e l i - P a l es t i n i a n S i t u a t i o n : T h e o l o g i c a l E x p l o r a t i o n sThe Palestine-Israel Conflict: A Short History

Elaine C. HagopianReflections of a Recovered Christian Zionist

Barry E, BryantUni ted Met hod ist s and the Israeli-Palestinian Situat ion

Rhonda McCartyThe Conflict over Palestine: A Palestinian Chris tian Res pon se Patrick Streiff

A Wo r d o n Th e Wo r dLec t ionary S tudy

John G HolbertIss ues In: World Miss ionJoon-Sik Park 1


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B o o k R e v i e w sTake the Next Step: Leading Lasting Change in the Church by L o v e t t

H . W e e m s , J r. ( N a s h v i l l e : A b i n g d o n , 2 0 0 3 )Reviewers: E l i s e E s l i n g e r , E l i z a b e t h W o u r m s , R i c h a r d E s l i n g e r .

Evangelical and Methodist: A Popular History, by R i l ey B . C ase( N a s h v il le : A b i n g d o n , 2 0 0 4 )Reviewer. L a c e y e E . W a r n e r


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E d i t o r i a l

"Blessed Are the Peacemakers"B A R R Y E. B R Y A N T

Guest Editor

One of the twentieth century's greatest atrocities was the Holocaustthe result of hideous European anti-Semitism. One of that century'sgreatest injustices was the Palestinians being deprived of their landtheresult of manipulative European colonial power, Michael Lerner likens it toJews jumping from the burning buildings of Europe and landing on thebac ks of Palestinians, wit h uni nt en de d results. This com bin ati on of eventshas led to a spiral of retaliatory violence in the Middle East, raising theurgent question: What will end this senseless spiral of mutual violence and death?

The essays in this volume address this question from a variety of viewpoints in hopes of provoking a wide-ranging and ongoing theologicaldiscussion of the Israeli-Palestinian situation among United Methodistsand other Christians. While the authors have struggled hard to present thesalient issues with clarity, fairness, and balance, their convictions and viewson the matter are unmistakable. Thus, given the highly politicized nature ofthe current discussion in the culture and the church, the mutual suspicion,the vested interests, and the emotional investment on both sides, theessays are sure to anger some and disappoint others. With this in mind, itis imp ort ant to point out that two fund amen tal assum ption s r eson ateth ro ug h all five essay s. (1) Israel has a righ t to exist an d th e Pale stini ansdes er ve the pro tec tion of thei r hum a n rights. (2) To discu ss P alestinianhuman rights is not to engage in anti-Semitic rhetoric. Indeed, what isneeded is a new level of discourse that moves the discussion beyond itscurrent either-or stalemate.

In his essay, Nairn Ateek claims that Israelis want security andPalestinians want justice. Neither will happen without the other; and thedeath and violence will not end without both. In an effort to explore thedynamics of that claim and to allow a Palestinian Christian voice to be

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" B L E S S E D A R E T H E P E A C E M A K E R S "

h e a r d b y C h r i s t i a n s f r o m o t h e r p a r t s of t h e w o r l d , S a b e e l E c u m e n i c a lL i b e r a t i o n T h e o l o g y C e n t e r i n J e r u s a l e m c o n v e n e d i t s f if th i n t e r n a t i o n a lc o n f e r e n c e o n A p r i l 1 4 - 1 8 , 2 0 0 4 . T h e c o n f e r e n c e s o u g h t t o p l a c e t h eM i d d l e E a s t c o n f l i c t i n i t s h i s t o r i c a l , p o l i t ic a l , a n d t h e o l o g i c a l c o n t e x t a n dt o e x p o s e h o w D i s p e n s a t i o n a l i s m a n d C h r i s t i a n Z i o n i s m h a v e h a m p e r e dt h e p e a c e p r o c e s s . T h e o r g a n i z e r s a p p e a l e d t o a t t e n d e e s t o e x p l o r e w a y s t oe d u c a t e C h r i s t i a n s i n N o r t h A m e r i c a a n d E u r o p e a b o u t t h e p l i g h t o f t h eP a l e s t i n i a n s . S e v e r a l e s s a y s i n t h i s v o l u m e s e e k t o h o n o r t h i s a p p e a l .

T h e a r t i c l e s b y A t e e k , B r y a n t , a n d M c C a r t y a d d r e s s t h e c o n f l i c t e x p l i c i tl y f r o m t h e v a n t a g e p o i n t o f C h r i s t i a n t h e o l o g y . F o r t h e m , t h e c o n v e r s a t i o n n e e d s t o t a k e p l a c e a r o u n d t h e s a c r e d n e s s o f h u m a n w o r t h , n o t j u s ta r o u n d t h e s a c r e d n e s s of l a n d . H o w e v e r , t o a r r i v e a t t h i s p o i n t , a r g u e A t e e ka n d B r y a n t. D i s p e n s a t i o n a l i s m a n d C h r i s t i a n Z i o n i s m m u s t b e r e c o g n i z e df o r t h e o b s t a c l e s t o p e a c e t h a t t h e y a r e a n d a d d r e s s e d a n d d i s m a n t l e d .E l a i n e H a g o p i a n o p e n s h e r p r o v o c a t i v e a n a l y s i s o f t h e h i s t o r y o f t h eI s r a e l i- P a l e s t in i a n c o n f l i c t w i th t h e c l a im th a t t h e p r o b l e m i s e s s e n t i a l l y p o l i t i ca l a n d r e q u i r e s a p o l i ti c a l s o l u t i o n . A t e e k a n d B r y a n t a g r e e , b u t d e m o n s t r a t e t h a t t h e p o l i t i c a l p r o b l e m h a s a l s o b e e n a i d e d a n d s u s t a i n e d b y t h ef o r m i d a b l e l o b b y i n g e ff o rt s o f C h r i s t i a n Z i o n i s t s i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s .

D r a w i n g o n t h e U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t Book of Resolutions a n d t h e Book ofDiscipline, R h o n d a M c C a r t y h e l pf u l ly t r a c e s U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t r e s p o n s e s t ot h e I sr a e l i -P a l e s t in i a n c o n f l ic t a n d s u g g e s t s c o n c r e t e w a y s i n w h i c h l a i t ya n d c le r g y c a n b e b e t t e r i n f o r m e d a b o u t t h e i s s u e s a n d b e b e t t e r p r e p a r e dt o e n g a g e i n m e a n i n g f u l e f f o rt s t o w a r d p e a c e a n d j u s t i c e .

M i c h a e l L e r n e r ' s m u n i f i c e n t , t h o u g h t f u l e s s a y r e p r e s e n t s a n i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of t h e m e a n i n g a n d n a t u r e o f t h e S t a t e o f I s r a e l t h a t i s g r o w i n g i ni n f l u e n c e a n d s a l i e n c e . T h e s i m i l a r i t i e s b e t w e e n L e r n e r ' s c a ll f or a " p r o g r e s s i v e m i d d l e p a t h t o p e a c e " a n d A t e e k ' s P a l e s t i n i a n C h r i s t i a n t h e o l o g y ofl i b e r a t i o n a r e s t r i k i n g a n d h o p e f u l . D o w e h a v e h e r e t h e s t i r r i n g s of am i n d s e t t h a t w i ll m a k e fo r l a s t i n g p e a c e a n d j u s t i c e i n t h e r e g i o n ?

M a y t h e s e a r t i cl e s s p a r k c o n s t r u c t i v e , i n f o r m e d , a n d - a b o v e a l l-e n d u r i n gt h e o l o gi c a l r e fl e ct i on a m o n g U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t s a n d o t h e r s c o n c e r n e d a b o u ta j u s t a n d p e a c e f u l s o lu t i o n t o t h e I s ra e l i - P a l e s ti n i a n s i t u a t i o n .

Barry E . Bryant is Associate Professor of United Methodist Studies at Mem phisTheological Seminary in Mem phis, Tenne ssee.

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The Israeli-Palestinian Situation: Theological ExplorationsThe Palestine-Israel Conflict:

A Short HistoryE L A I N E C . H A G O P 1 A NT he Palestine-Isra el conflict is a political conflict. Al th ou gh th e conflicthas taken on a veneer of religious fanaticism by some Israeli and non-

Israeli Jews, as well as by Palestinian Islamists, in reality it is not about religion. This will become evident as the history unfolds.

In the nineteenth century, a number of Jewish leaders in Europeconcluded that anti-Semitism at the hands of European Christians waspermanent and incurable. Although there were two strands of Zionism thatemerged in Europe, i.e., cultural and political Zionism, it was politicalZionism that became dominant. Cultural Zionism sought to create a culturaland spiritual renewal center in Palestine that would allow Jews to secure theirtraditions. Political Zionism, after exploring sites such as Libya, Cyprus, andUganda, among others, fixed on and sought to transform Palestine into aJewish state. Chief political Zionist, Theodor Herzl (1860-1904) conceptualized the Jewish state in his book Judenstat, published in 1896. It was followedby the formation of the World Zionist Organization and the convening ofthe First Zionist Congress in 1897 in Basel, Switzerland, thus launching theZionist project.

The problem was that over 90 percent of the indigenous population ofPalestine was Palestinian Arabs. Clearly, transforming Palestine into aJewish state meant that Palestinians would have to be "transferred" out ofPalestine and Jews would have to be brought in. In fact, the concept of"transfer" was and still is a constant theme in Zionist political literature andt r a c t s . 1 Quoted below is one of many examples of the Zionist intent of

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T H E P A L E S T I N E - I S R A E L C O N F L I C T : A S H O R T H I S T O R Y


m o v i n g o u t t h e i n d i g e n o u s P a l e s t in i a n s :

We cannot a l low the Arabs to block so va luable a piece of his tor ic reconstruct ion. . . . An d therefore w e mu st gent ly pers uad e th em to " t rek." After a ll . theyhave al l Arabia with i ts mill ion squa re m il e s . . . . There is no par t icular reas onfor the Arabs to cling to the se few kilom eters. "To fold th eir ten ts" and "silentlys tea l away" i s the i r p rove rb ia l habi t : l e t them exempl i fy i t now. ( I s rae lZangwi l l ) 2

I n f ac t, P a l e s t i n i a n s w e r e p r e d o m i n a n t l y f a r m e r s , m e r c h a n t s , in t e l le c t u a l s , p r o f e s s i o n a l p e o p l e , a n d s m a l l - b u s i n e s s o w n e r s .Zionism, Jewish Identity, and British Imperial InterestsI s ra e l i p s y c h o l o g i s t B e n j a m i n B e i t H a l l a h m i b r i ll i a n t l y e x p o s e s t h e w a yp o l i t i c a l Z i o n i s m r e m a d e J e w i s h i d e n t i t y f r o m t h a t d e r i v e d i n t h e s t a t e of" D i a s p o r a " i n E u r o p e i . e ., a " w e a k - k n e e d , p a s s i v e J e w o f t h e g h e t t o , t h eh u m a n d u s t t h a t m a d e u p t h e J e w i s h p e o p l e " 3 t o o n e o f a s t r o n g , a s s e r t i v e ,s e lf -s u f fi c ie n t, a n d m o d e r n i z e d s e c u l a r i d e n t i t y . I n o r d e r t o d o t h i s ,Z i o n i s m h a d t o s o m e h o w " c la im c o n t i n u i t y w i t h t h e J e w i s h p a s t . . . b u t ita l s o a t t e m p t e d ] t o c r e a t e d i s c o n t i n u i t y , t h r o u g h a n e w s p a c e o f a n a t i o n a lh o m e l a n d a n d a n e w t i m e of s e c u l a r n a t i o n a l i s m . " 4 B e i t H a l l a h m i e x p l a i n sh o w Z i o n i s m r e s o l v e d t h e c o n t r a d i c t i o n o f t h e t w o i d e n t i t i e s . H e n o t e st h a t Z i o n i s m , i.e ., i t s i d e o l o g i c a l l e a d e r s , c r e a t e d a n e w J e w i s h h i s t o r y t h a tc l a i m e d t h a t J e w i s h i d e n t i t y w a s f o s t e r e d i n P a l e s t i n e , n o t i n t h e D i a s p o r a ,a n d t h a t t h e y w e r e e x il e d a g a i n s t t h e i r w i l l b u t y e a r n e d t o r e t u r n t o t h eh o m e l a n d . F u r t h e r , Z i o n i s t s a r r e s t e d a p a r t i c u l a r t i m e i n t h e m y t h o l o g i c a lv e r s i o n o f J e w i s h h i s t o r y i n P a l e s t i n e a n d b u i l t it s n a r r a t i v e o n t h e c l a i mt h a t o n l y t h a t a l l e g e d p e r i o d w a s t h e b a s i s f o r i d e n t i f y i n g t h e " l e g i t i m a t e "o w n e r s of t h e l a n d o f P a l e s t i n e , N o p e o p l e o r p e r i o d b e f o r e o r a f te r t h a ta s s u m e d p e r i o d c o u l d h a v e c l a i m t o t h e l a n d . 5 Ipso facto, b a s e d o n t h eZ i o n i s t n a rr a t i v e , t h e i n d i g e n o u s P a l e s t i n i a n A r a b s h a v e n o a u t h e n t i c c l a i mt o t h e i r l a n d . H o w e v e r , a r c h e o l o g i c a l d e b a t e s a b o u t t h e a ll e g e d a n c i e n tI s ra e l " h a ve b e c o m e i n c r e a s in g l y a c r i m o n i o u s b e c a u s e t h e a u r a o f o b je c t i v i ty w h i c h h a s b e e n p r o j e c t e d t o c o v e r t h e c o l l u s i o n o f b i b l i ca l s t u d i e s i nt h e d i s p o s s e s s i o n o f P a l e s t i n e h a s g r a d u a l l y b e e n e x p o s e d . " 6

T h e s e c o n d h u r d l e t h a t t h e Z i o n i s t s h a d t o o v e r c o m e w a s t o c o n v i n c et h e B r it i sh , w h o h a d s t r a t e g i c i n t e r e s t s i n t h e r e g i o n , t h a t t h e Z i o n i s t s w o u l d


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m a i n t a i n a n d p r o m o t e t h o s e i n t e r e s t s i n r e t u r n fo r t h e B r it i s h f a c i l it a t in gt h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f a J e w i s h h o m e l a n d ( r e a d " st at e ") , I n d e e d , t h e B r i t i s he m b r a c e d t h e Z i o n i s t s , f ir s t b y t h e i s s u a n c e o f t h e B a l f o u r D e c l a r a t i o n o nN o v e m b e r 2 , 19 1 7 , w h i c h s t a t e d t h a t "H i s M a j e s t y 's G o v e r n m e n t v i e w w i t hf a vo r t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t i n P a l e s t i n e of a n a t i o n a l h o m e fo r t h e J e w i s hp e o p l e , ' 7 a n d , s e c o n d , b y a ll o w i n g t h e f o u n d a t i o n s o f t h e s t a t e t o b e e s t a b l i s h e d d u r i n g m o s t o f t h e M a n d a t e p e r i o d a n d ea r li e r, e s p e c i a l l y 1 9 2 0 - 1 9 4 8 .The Broken Trust: The Betrayal of PalestineA s W o r l d W a r I s p r e a d t o t h e M i d d l e E a s t , t h e B r i ti s h s o u g h t , a n d w e r eo f f e r ed , t h e h e lp o f A r a b s i n c o n f r o n t in g t h e c o m b i n e d f o rc e s o f t h eG e r m a n s a n d t h e O t t o m a n T u r k s i n t h e r e g io n . T h e y t u r n e d t o S ha ri f H u s a i no f M e c c a i n t h e He ja z ( w e s t e r n Ar a b i a , n o w p a r t of S a u d i Ar a b i a ) , a l l e g e d ly ad e s c e n d e n t of t h e P r o p h e t M o h a m m e d a n d l e a d e r of A r a b M u s l i m s a t t h et i m e . I n a 1 9 1 5 - 1 9 1 6 e x c h a n g e of l e t t e r s b e tw e e n S h a ri f H u s a i n a n d S i rH e n r y M c M a h o n , B r i t i s h h i g h c o m m i s s i o n e r f o r E g y p t a n d t h e S u d a n , a na g r e e m e n t w a s r e a c h e d b e t w e e n t h e p a r t i e s . I n r e t u r n fo r S h ar if H u s a i n ' so r d e r i n g a n A r a b r e vo l t a g a i n s t t h e O t t o m a n s a n d G e r m a n s , t h e B r i ti s hw o u ld f a c il i ta t e a n i n d e p e n d e n t A r a b S t a t e , b a s i c a l l y i n G r e a t e r S y r i a (S y ri a,L e b a n o n , J o r d a n , a n d P a l e s t in e ) , I r a q , a n d t h e A r a b i a n p e n i n s u l a , e x c e p t i n gA d e n . I n fu r t h e r n e g o t i a t i o n s t h e B r i ti s h e x c l u d e d s p e c i f ic a r e a s t h a t w e r e ofin t e r e s t t o t h e F r e n c h , a s we l l a s a r e a s r e l a t e d t o s p e c if i c Br i t is h a g r e e m e n t sw i t h t r i b a l c h ie f s. N o n e t h e l e s s , P a l e s ti n e w a s n e v e r e x c l u d e d f r o m t h e a g r e e m e n t , t h o u g h t h e B r i ti s h a t t e m p t e d l a t e r t o a r g u e t h a t i t w a s .

I n a n y c a s e , t h e B r i t i s h a n d F r e n c h , t h e m a i n n e g o t i a t o r s of t h e 1 91 6S y k e s - P i c o t a g r e e m e n t ( R u s s ia w a s a l s o i n v o l v e d r e l a t e d t o s o m e of t h eT u r k i s h a r e a s) s e c r e t l y a g r e e d o n h o w t h e y w o u l d s p l i t u p G r e a t e r S y r i aa n d I r a q a ft e r t h e wa r . P a l e s t i n e wo u l d b a s i c a l l y b e i n t h e Br i t i s h z o n e ,e s p e c i a l l y t h e p o r t c i t i e s o f H a i f a a n d A c r e . 8 T h e S y k e s -P i c o t a g r e e m e n tw a s f o l l o w e d b y t h e 1 9 1 7 B a l f o u r D e c l a r a t i o n , n o t e d a b o v e . B o t h t h e S y k e s -P i c o t a g r e e m e n t a n d t h e B a l f o u r D e c l a r a t i o n w e r e i n d i r e c t c o n f l i c t w i t ht h e 1 91 5- 19 16 H u s a i n - M c M a h o n a g r e e m e n t . I t w a s i n d e e d a b r o k e n t r u s t , ab e t r a y a l o f P a l e s t i n e . T h e B r i t i s h h a d c o m e t o t h e c o n c l u s i o n t h a t a J e w i s hh o m e l a n d i n P a l e s t i n e w o u l d s e r v e B r i t i s h i n t e r e s t s b e t t e r t h a n a l l o w i n gP a l e s t i n e t o b e p a r t o f a n i n d e p e n d e n t A r a b s t a t e o r t o f a c i li t a te s e p a r a t es t a t e h o o d f or P a l e s t i n e i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h A r t i c l e 2 2 , p a r a g r a p h 4 , o f t h eL e a g u e of N a t i o n s ' C o v e n a n t r e g a r d i n g t h e m a n d a t e s y s t e m . 9 I n d e e d , t h e

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B r i t i s h k e p t s e c r e t t h e D e c l a r a t i o n ' s t e x t f r o m P a l e s t i n i a n s f o r s e v e r a l y e a r ss o a s n o t t o a l e r t t h e m t o t h e b e t r a y a l .Wilson and the King-Crane Commission of 191 9 K n o w n a s t h e " c h a m p i o n " o f s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n i n h i s s p e e c h e s f r o m1 9 1 6 - 1 9 1 9 , P r e s i d e n t W i l s o n a d m i t t e d t o p a r t i a l i t y i n t h e w a y s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n w a s t o b e a p p l i e d . H e t o o k c a r e n o t t o a d v o c a t e i t s a p p l i c a t i o n if itw o u l d s t e p o n B r i t i s h a n d F r e n c h c o l o n i a l i n t e r e s t s i n t h e M i d d l e E a s t .

M o r e o v e r , W i l s o n w a s g r e a t l y i n f l u e n c e d b y A m e r i c a n Z i o n i s tS u p r e m e C o u r t J u s t i c e L o u i s B r a n d e i s , w h o w o r k e d c l o s e l y w i t h t h eB r i ti s h. H e c o n v i n c e d t h e P r e s i d e n t t o c h a m p i o n Z i o n i s m i n h i s o w nf o r e i g n p o l i cy . S i x m o n t h s b e f o r e t h e B a l f o u r D e c l a r a t i o n , B r a n d e i sp r e s e n t e d a d o c u m e n t o f Z i o n i s t t h i n k i n g f r o m L o n d o n t o t h e U .S . S t a t eD e p a r t m e n t T h e d o c u m e n t e s p o u s e d t h e d e n i a l o f t h e r ig h t of t h e i n d ig e n o u s p e o p l e of P a l e s t i n e t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n i n j u s t a b o u t e v e r y o n e of i t sp r o v i s i o n s . " P a l e s ti n i a n S e l f - D e t e r m i n a t i o n c o u l d n o t b e , t o u s e t h e w o r d sof W i l s o n ' s S e c r e t a r y of S ta t e , R o b e r t L a n s i n g , ' h a r m o n i z e d w i t h Z i o n i s m ,t o w h i c h t h e P r e s i d e n t i s p r a c ti c a l ly c o m m i t t e d . ' " 1 1

C l e ar ly , W i l s o n h a d m a d e u p h i s m i n d o n s u p p o r t i n g Z i o n i s m w e l lb e f o r e t h e 1 91 9 P a r is P e a c e C o n f e r e n c e d e b a t e s o n P a l e s t in e . R e p o r t sr e c e i v e d b y W i l s o n a t t h e c o n f e r e n c e f r o m t h e U . S. C o n s u l i n J e r u s a l e mw a r n e d h i m t h a t t h e " i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f Z i o n i s t g o a l s w o u l d l e a d t o b l o o d s h e d i n t h e a r e a . " 1 2 W i l s o n w a s p r e s s u r e d i n t o s e n d i n g a c o m m i s s i o n , k n o w nl a t e r a s t h e K i n g - C r a n e C o m m i s s i o n , t o in v e s t i g a t e t h e s i t u a t i o n i n t h e f a ll enO t t o m a n E m p i r e . H o w e v e r , W i l s o n e m p h a s i z e d t o t h e C o m m i s s i o n " t h a t t h eq u e s t i o n s of P a l e s t in e a n d M e s o p o t a m i a [ I r a q ] w e r e v i r t u a l l y " 1 3 c lo s e d b y t h ep o w e r s . T h e a r e a w a s u n d e r o c c u p a t i o n b y t h e v i c t o r i o u s B r it i s h a n d F r e n c h ,w h o h a d t h e i r o w n c o l o n i a l d e s i g n s o n t h e s t r a t e g i c a r e a .

T h e C o m m i s s i o n f o u n d t h a t t h e J e w i s h m i n o r i t y ( o n e - t e n t h of t h ep o p u l a t i o n o f P a l e s t i n e i n 19 19 ) f a v o r e d a J e w i s h n a t i o n a l h o m e i nP a l e s ti n e , w h i l e t h e m a j o r i t y A r a b s o p p o s e d w h a t t h e y c al l ed " t h e u s u r p a t i o n " of th e i r h o m e l a n d . T h e la t t e r p r e f e r r e d t o b e r e u n i t e d w i t h G r e a t e rS y r ia o r t o h a v e a n i n d e p e n d e n t P a l e s t i n i a n s t a t e . T h e C o m m i s s i o n r e c o m m e n d e d r e u n i t i n g P a l e s t i n e w i t h G r e a t e r S yr i a a n d g r a n t i n g it i n d e p e n d e n c e , a d e m a n d t h a t e m a n a t e d f r o m t h e J u l y 19 1 9 m e e t i n g of t h e d e m o c r a ti c al ly e l e c t e d S y r i a n N a t i o n a l C o n g r e s s , c o m p o s e d o f r e p r e s e n t a t i v e sf r o m L e b a n o n , S y ri a , a n d P a l e s t in e . T h e C o m m i s s i o n e m p h a s i z e d " t h a t


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B r i t a i n a n d F r a n c e j u s t i f ie d t h i s a r r a n g e m e n t o n t h e b a s i s t h a t t h e A r a b sw e r e n o t s u ff ic i en t ly p r e p a r e d t o g o v e r n t h e m s e l v e s w i t h o u t e x p e r i e n c i n g ap e r i o d o f E u r o p e a n g u i d a n c e . A l t h o u g h i t t o o k u n t i l 1 9 2 2 f o r t h e m a n d a t o r y s y s t e m t o d e v e l o p i n S y r i a a n d P a l e s t i n e ( fo r m a ll y i m p l e m e n t e d i nP a l e s t i n e i n S e p t e m b e r 1 9 2 3) a n d u n t i l 1 9 2 4 i n I r a q , t h e F r e n c h a n d Br i t i s ha s s e r t e d t h e i r a u t h o r i t y i n t h e a r e a i m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r S a n R e m o .

T h e F r e n c h m a n a g e d t o p r e s s u r e F e i sa l o u t o f S y r ia . H e w e n t t oP a l e s t i n e . U l t im a te ly , t h e Br i t i s h e s t a b l i s h e d F e i s a l a s K in g o f I r a q , b u t u n d e rs t r i c t B r i t i s h c o n t r o l a n d a u t h o r i t y . T h e y c r e a t e d T r a n s - J o r d a n ( n o w t h eH a s h e m i t e K i n g d o m of J o r d a n ) a n d p l a c e d A b d u l l a h o n t h e t h r o n e t h e r e .A b d u l l a h w a s al s o b e h o l d e n t o t h e B r it is h . N e i t h e r m o n a r c h w a s p o p u l a r ,b u t A b d u l l a h b e c a m e t h e m o s t h a t e d f o r h i s c o l l u s i o n w i t h t h e Z i o n i s t sa f t e r t h e 1 9 4 8 wa r , h i s a n n e x a t io n of t h e W e s t Ba n k , a n d fo r h i s a t t e m p t t om a k e P a l e s t i n e g e o g r a p h i c a l l y a n d l i n g u i s t i c a l l y d i s a p p e a r . 1 7 H e w a s a s s a s s i n a t e d b y a P a l e s t i n i a n i n 1 9 5 1 in J e r u s a l e m . H i s s o n , T a la l, s u c c e e d e d h i mf o r a y e a r , b u t w a s d e t h r o n e d b y A b d u l l a h ' s o l d a d v i s o r s , a l l e g e dl y b e c a u s eo f a m e n t a l d i s o r d e r b u t m o r e l i ke l y f o r b e i n g t o o m u c h o f a n A r a b n a t i o n a l is t . H i s s o n , H u s s e i n , b e c a m e k i n g a t t h e a g e o f e i g h t e e n a n d c o n t i n u e dh i s a n d J o r d a n ' s d e p e n d e n c e o n t h e B r i ti s h ( n o w t h e U n i t e d S t a te s ) .A t t e m p t s w e r e m a d e t o a s s a s s i n a t e J o r d a n ' s K i n g H u s s e i n fo r t h e s e c r e tm e e t i n g s h e h a d w i t h I s ra e li l e a d e r s a n d h i s d e p e n d e n c e o n t h e U n i t e dS t a t e s . H e s u r v i v e d , a n d n o w h i s s o n , K i n g A b d u l l a h I I, r e i g n s i n J o r d a n .T h e B r i t i s h M a n d a t e P e r i o d i n P a l e s t i n eA l t h o u g h t h e M a n d a t e w a s f or m a l ly i s s u e d i n S e p t e m b e r 1 9 2 3 , i n e ff ec t t h eB r i ti s h M a n d a t e b e g a n i n 1 9 2 0, w i t h t h e a p p o i n t m e n t of t h e fi rs t H i g hCo m m is s io n e r f o r P a l e s t i n e , He r b e r t S a m u e l , h im s e l f J e wi s h . P a l e s t i n e wa sp l a c e d u n d e r t h e Br i t i s h Co lo n i a l Of f i ce , fo r e t e l li n g it s f u r th e r c o lo n i z a t i o n b yJ e w s . D u r in g a n d a f t e r W o r ld W a r I, C h a im W e iz m a n , l a t e r t o b e t h e f i rs t p r e s i d e n t of Is r a el , e s t a b l i s h e d s t r o n g r e l a t i o n s h ip s w i th t h e Br i t i s h , a s s u r in g t h e ma lwa y s t h a t a J e w i s h S t a t e wo u ld b e i n Br i t a in 's b e s t i n t e r e s t s i n t h e r e g io n .W e i z m a n n w a s c o n c e r n e d a b o u t S a m u e l 's a p p o i n t m e n t b e c a u s e h e d i d n o tk n o w if h e wa s o n e of t h e li b e r a l Br i t i s h J e w s w h o o p p o s e d Z io n i s m . L a t e r h ef o u n d o u t t h a t S a m u e l h a d w r i t t e n a 19 15 m e m o r a n d u m o n t h e su b j e c t of aJ e w i s h S t a te i n P a l e s ti n e . H e n c e , S a m u e l ' s a p p o i n t m e n t ( 1 9 2 0 - 1 9 2 5 ) w a s a nim p o r t a n t v i c to r y fo r Z io n i s t s t o i n i t i a t e t h e t r a n s f o r m a t io n o f P a l e s t i n e . 1 8

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Br i t i s h o ff ic i al , h e a c tu a l l y u s e d h i s p o s i t i o n t o l a y t h e f o u n d a t i o n s f o r aJ e w i s h S t a t e i n P a l e s t i n e , H e w a s n o t i m p a r t i a l . A m o n g h i s m a n y a c t i o n sa n d p o l i c i e s a r e t h e f o l l o win g : H e a s s u r e d a l i be r a l J e w i s h i m m i g r a t i o n p o l i c y a i m e d a t d e m o g r a p h i c

d e n s i t y . H e f a c il i ta t e d J e w i s h l a n d a c q u i s i t i o n , i n c l u d i n g a l t e r i n g t h e O t t o m a n" l a n d u s e " d e f i n i t i o n o f o w n e r s h i p o f s t a t e l a n d s ( l a n d s h e l d b y t h es t a t e i n o w n e r s h i p t r u s t f o r t h e l a n d u s e r s ) , w h i c h w e r e a c q u i r e d b y t h eB r i t i s h a s t h e M a n d a t e A u t h o r i t y o f P a l e s t i n e . H e s e p a r a t e d " l a n d u s e "f r o m " l a n d o w n e r s h i p " s o t h a t w h e n J e w s a c q u i r e d s o m e of t h a t l a n d ,t h e y c o u l d e v i c t t h e P a l e s t i n i a n " l a n d u s e " o w n e r s a n d a m a s s t e r r i t o r i a la n d e c o n o m i c f o o t i n g in P a l e s ti n e .

H e f ac i li ta t ed c o n t i g u o u s J e w i s h s e t t l e m e n t s f or p o l i ti c a l a n d e c o n o m i cd e v e l o p m e n t of t h e J e w i s h c o m m u n i t y . H e a d o p t e d a p o l i c y o f l a r g e p u b l i c i n v e s t m e n t s a n d d e fi c i t f i n a n c i n g t oe m p l o y t h e e co n o m i c a l l y u n a b s o r b e d J e w i s h i m m i g r a n t s .

H e d e v e l o p e d a f a v o r a b l e c u s t o m s p o l i c y t o a l l o w J e w s t o i m p o r t n e e d e dm a t e r i a l s c h e a p l y t o d e v e l o p a J e w i s h e c o n o m y .

H e c o n s u l t e d r e g u l a rl y w i t h C h a i m W e i z m a n n . H e w o r k e d c l o s e ly i n P a l e s t i n e w i t h t h e Z i o n i s t C o m m i s s i o n , t h e

N a t i o n a l C o u n c i l f or J e w s , a n d t h e J e w i s h C o n s t i t u e n t A s s e m b l y (Va'adLeumi), p r e c u r s o r o f t h e I s r a e l i Knesset. S i m u l t a n e o u s l y , h e b l o c k e de v e r y e f fo r t b y t h e m a j o r i t y P a l e s t i n i a n s t o g a i n a u t h o r i t a t i v e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n , w h i l e g r a n t i n g t h e Z i o n i s t m i n o r i t y c o n s i d e r a b l e p o w e r . I n f ac t,h e ga v e n e w J e w i s h i m m i g r a n t s i m m e d i a t e p r o v i s i o n a l c i t i z e n s h i p s ot h a t t h e y w o u l d h a v e e l e c t o r a l i m p a c t . H e t r i e d t o c r e a t e c o l l a b o r a t i o n i s t P a l e s t i n i a n p a r t i e s ( as o t h e r c o l o n i a l p o w e r s h a v e d o n e i n t h e i rc o l o n i e s ) t o d i v i d e t h e P a l e s t i n i a n s a n d p r o v i d e a f a c a d e o f P a l e s t i n i a np o l i t i c a l p a r t i c i p a t i o n . 1 9I n t h e e n d , t h e Z i o n i s t s a c q u i r e d l e s s t h a n 6 p e r c e n t o f t h e l a n d of

P a l e s t i n e , w i t h a n a d d e d 1 p e r c e n t l e a s e d t o t h e Z i o n i s t s b y t h e B r i t i s h , f ora t o t a l o f l e s s t h a n 7 p e r c e n t .R i o t s , V i o l e n c e , a n d S t r i k e i n P a l e s t i n e : T h e 1 9 3 6 P e e l C o m m i s s i o na n d t h e 1 9 3 7 P a r t i t i o n P l a nP a l e s t i n i a n s b e c a m e i n c r e a s i n g l y a w a r e o f t h e f a c t t h a t t h e Z i o n i s t s w e r ef o r g i n g a t a k e o v e r of P a l e s ti n e . T h e Z i o n i s t s h a d e s t a b l i s h e d p r o t o - s t a t e

S P R I N G 2 0 0 5 13


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i n s t i t u t i o n a l s t r u c t u r e s i n P a l e s ti n e , w i t h p a r a m i l i t a r y o r g a n i z a t i o n s a t t h er e a d y . B y t h i s t i m e , D a v i d B e n - G u r i o n . l e a d e r of t h e L a b o r S o c i al i st P a r t y,h a d b e c o m e t h e d o m i n a n t Z i o n i s t f i gu r e i n P a l e s ti n e . B e n G u r i o n w a s ab r i l l i a n t s t r a t e g i s t a n d t a c t i c i a n .

Ben-Gurion, and the rest of the lef t-wing leadership , a lways looked moderateand reasonable , denying ei ther a confl ic t with the Arabs or the wish for aJewish state. This was a brilliant ruse, a great tactical posture, but behind it heknew that t he only way to defeat the Palest in ians was throu gh mil i tary force [aposition that has defined Israel 's Arab policy of force and more force to bringthe Arabs to heel] , which he c rea ted . Whi le r igh t -wing leaders made f ie ryspeech es about a great Jewish army, Ben-G urion quiet ly created i t H e [Ben-Gurion] knew very l i t t le about social is t theories and did not need to s tudysocialism [the idealized Zionist con stru ctio n of ret urn to the land, Jewish self-sufficiency, etc., wh ich ap peale d to Eu rop ean Jews imm igratin g to Palestine] toachieve his goal, which was the goal of the movement: Jewish sovereignty inPa les t ine . 2 0

P a l e s t i n i a n s k e p t p r e s s i n g t h e B r i t i s h t o l i v e u p t o t h e 1 9 1 5 - 1 9 1 6 a g r e e m e n t a n d t o t h e L e a g u e o f N a t i o n s ' C o v e n a n t , A r t i cl e 2 2 , p a r a g r a p h 4 ,w h i c h s t a t e d :

Certain communit ies formerly belonging to the Turkish Empire have reached as tage o f deve lopment where the i r ex is tence as independen t na t ions can beprovis ionally recognized subject to the rendering of adminis tra t ive advice andassis tance by a Mandatory unti l such t ime as they are able to s tand alone. Thewishes of these communit ies must be a principal considerat ion in the select ion of the M anda to ry . 2 1

I n N o v e m b e r 1 9 3 4, P a l e s t i n ia n s a p p r o a c h e d t h e B r i ti s h h i g h c o m m i s s i o n e r a b o u t " t h e f o r m a t i o n o f a L e g i s l a t iv e C o u n c i l a s a f ir s t s t e p t o w a r dP a l e s t in i a n s e l f - g o v e r n m e n t e n v i s i o n e d i n t h e m a n d a t e . " 2 2 I n N o v e m b e r1 9 3 6 , t h e P a l e s t i n i a n s s u b m i t t e d a l is t o f d e m a n d s t o t h e h i g h c o m m i s s i o n e r t h a t i n c l u d e d :

1. T h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t of d e m o c r a t i c g o v e r n m e n t i n a c c o r d a n c e w i th t h eCov enant of the League of Nation s and A rticle 2 of the Palestine M andate .


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2. Prohibition of the transfer of Arab lands to Jews.3 . The immedia te cessa t ion o f Jewish immigra t ion and the fo rmat ion o f acompetent committee to determine the absorptive capacity of the country andlay down principles for immigrat ion. 2 3

T h e P a l e s t i n ia n s u n d e r s t o o d t h a t u n r e s t r a i n e d J e w i s h i m m i g r a t i o n ,c o m b i n e d w i t h Z i o n i s t p o l it i ca l a n d m i l i t a r y i n s t i t u t i o n a l d e v e l o p m e n t ,w a s l e a d i n g t o t h e t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f P a l e s t i n e i n t o a J e w i s h s t a t e a t t h e i re x p e n s e . B y t h i s t i m e , P a l e s t i n i a n s w e r e c o n s c i o u s o f t h e 1 9 1 7 B a l f o u rD e c l a r a t i o n a n d o t h e r s e c r e t d o c u m e n t s a i m e d at d i s p o s s e s s i n g t h e m .R e b e l l i n g i n 1 9 3 6 , t h e P a l e s t i n i a n s c a l l e d fo r a s t r i k e , a n d v io l e n t d i s t u r b a n c e s b r o k e o u t . T h e B r i ti s h s e n t t h e P e e l C o m m i s s i o n t o i n v e s t i g a te t h ec a u s e s o f t h e v i o l e n c e . I n it s r e p o r t i n J u l y 1 93 7, t h e C o m m i s s i o nc o n c l u d e d t h a t t h e d e s i r e f o r a n i n d e p e n d e n t P a l e s t i n i a n s t a t e c o u l d n o t b er e c o n c i l e d w i t h J e w i s h n a t i o n a l i s m a n d r e c o m m e n d e d p a r t i t i o n ofP a l e s t in e a n d t h e t e r m i n a t i o n of t h e B r i ti s h M a n d a t e . B e n - G u r i o n a c c e p t e dt h e p a r t i t i o n p l a n a s a t a c t i c a l s t e p t o w a r d a c q u i r i n g a ll o f P a l e s t i n e . H i sZ i o n i s t d e t r a c t o r s c r i t i c i z e d h i m f o r a c c e p t i n g t h e i d e a of a J e w i s h s t a t e i np a r t o f P a l e s t i n e . " L e c t u r i n g t o M a p a i a c t i v i s t s o n 2 9 O c t o b e r 1 9 3 7 , B e n -G u r i o n e x p l a i n e d t h a t t h e r e a l i z a t i o n of t h e J e w i s h s t a t e w o u l d c o m e i nt w o s t a g e s ; t h e f ir st , ' t h e p e r i o d o f b u i l d i n g a n d l a y i n g f o u n d a t i o n s , ' w o u l dl a s t t e n t o f i f t e e n y e a r s a n d w o u l d b e b u t t h e p r e l u d e t o t h e s e c o n d s t a t e ,' t h e p e r i o d o f e x p a n s i o n . ' " 2 4 I n a n y ca s e , t h e p l a n w a s n e v e r i m p l e m e n t e d ,e s p e c i a ll y a s w a r l o o m e d o n t h e h o r i z o n .

I n 1 9 3 9, G e o r g e A n t o n i u s w a s p a r t o f t h e P a l e s t i n i a n d e l e g a t i o n t h a tw e n t t o K i n g J a m e s C o u r t t o a r g u e f o r B r i t a i n ' s i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f t h e l eg a lc o m m i t m e n t m a d e t o S h a ri f H u s a i n i n 19 1 5 - 1 9 16 . H i s 1 9 3 8 b o o k , T h e ArabAwakening, p r o v i d e d a ll o f t h e i r re f u t a b l e l e g a l e v i d e n c e , i n c l u d i n g d e t a i l e da n a l y s i s a n d m a p s , o f B r i t a i n ' s p r o m i s e s t o t h e A r a b s . H o w e v e r , " N o m a t t e rh o w A n t o n i u s c a u g h t t h e B r i t is h b y t h e le g a l a n d m o r a l ta i l, G r e a t B r i t a i nc o n t i n u e d t o fa v o r t h e Z i o n i s t s , w h o s e l e g a l c a s e w a s b a s i c a ll y n i l . " 2 5 T h eJ e w i s h A g e n c y w a s a l s o i n v i t e d t o t h e s a m e 1 9 3 9 c o n f e r e n c e t o s e a r c h f or as o l u t i o n i n l i eu of t h e 1 9 3 7 P a r t i t i o n P l a n , u n a c c e p t a b l e t o A r a b s ; a n d t h eZ i o n i s t s w e r e u n e n t h u s i a s t i c a b o u t it . A s a r e s u l t, t h e B r i ti s h , g r o w i n g e v e rm o r e c o n c e r n e d a b o u t w ar , i s s u e d a W h i t e P a p e r a i m e d a t p l a c a t i n g b o t hp a r t i e s . I t s t i p u l a t e d t h a t


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(1) Britain would continue to rule Palestine for a ten-year period. If the Arabsand Jews were able to work together sat isfactori ly during this period, theywould be given an increasing role in the Palestine government, and Palestinewould be es tab l i shed as an independen t s ta te wi th in ten years . Otherwise ,ind epe nde nce wo uld be pos tpo ned . (2) Seventy-f ive thou san d Jewish imm igrants would b e allowed to ente r Palestine over a five-year period. Any imm igra t ion a f te r tha t would be sub jec t to the acqu iescence o f the Arabs . (3 )Stringent restrictions would be placed on land sales to Jews in certain areasand comple te p roh ib i tion in o ther a re as . 2 6

T h e o u t b r e a k o f W o r l d W a r II p o s t p o n e d f u r t h e r t h i n k i n g o n P a l e s t in e .Post-World War I I DevelopmentsV i o l e n c e a n d t h e A n g l o - A m e r i c a n C o m m i t t e e R e p o r tA t t h e c l o s e o f t h e w a r, v i o l e n c e r e s u r g e d i n P a l e s ti n e . T h e Z i o n i s t s p u s h e df o r a l l o w i n g u n r e s t r i c t e d J e w i s h i m m i g r a t i o n . T h e A r a b s f e a r e d b e c o m i n g am i n o r i t y i n t h e i r o w n c o u n t r y , e v e n l o s i n g t h e i r c o u n t r y e n t ir e l y . E x h a u s t e db y wa r , B r i t a in f o u n d i t i n c r e a s in g ly d if f ic u l t t o c o n t r o l t h e s i t u a t i o n i nP a l e s t i n e .

I n O c t o b e r 1 9 4 5 , B r i t a i n p e r s u a d e d U . S . P r e s i d e n t H a r r y T r u m a n t ou n d e r t a k e a j o i n t s t u d y of t h e P a l e st i n e p r o b l e m . T h e y f o r m e d t h e A n g l o -A m e r i c a n C o m m i t t e e a n d s u b m i t t e d t h ei r r e p o r t o n M a y 1,1946. T h e i r b a s i cr e c o m m e n d a t i o n s w e r e t o i s s u e , f or 1 9 4 6 , 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 p e r m i t e n t r i e s t o J e w s t oim m ig r a t e t o P a l e s t i n e ; t o c a ll f o r a b in a t i o n a l s t a t e i n P a l e s t i n e , w i th e q u a lr e p r e s e n t a t i o n f o r J e w s a n d P a l e s t i n i a n s ; t o m a k e P a l e s ti n e a U N T r u s tT e rr it o ry , w h i c h w o u l d p r e p a r e t h e t w o c o m m u n i t i e s f o r i n d e p e n d e n c e i n ab in a t i o n a l s t a t e ; a n d t o b a s e f u tu r e im m ig r a t i o n t o P a l e s t i n e o n m u tu a l a g r e e m e n t . T r u m a n a c c e p t e d o n l y t h o s e p a r t s of t h e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s f a vo r ab l eto Z io n i s t s . B r i t a in f a v o r e d t h e wh o l e b u t s a id t h a t it c o u ld n o t a d m i t 1 0 0 ,0 0 0r e f u g e e s i n t o P a l e s t i n e u n t i l t h e Z i o n i s t p a r a m i l i t a r y g r o u p s w e r e d i s b a n d e da n d d i s a r m e d . B e n - G u r i o n r e j e c t e d t h e w h o l e r e p o r t , f o c u s i n g i n s t e a d o nJ e w i s h s t a t e h o o d . H e w a s n o t i n t e r e s t e d i n s h a r i n g t h e s t a t e w i t hP a l e s t i n i a n s , a l t h o u g h J e w i s h i n t e l l e c t u a l s l i k e B u b e r a n d M a g n e s w e r e . 2 7

T h e Z i o n i s t p a r a m i l i t a r y o r g a n i z a t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g t h e Z i o n i s t Irgun( h e a d e d b y M e n a c h e m B e g i n) a n d S t e r n G a n g t e r r o r i s t g r o u p s , c o n t i n u e dt h e i r c a m p a i g n a g a i n s t t h e B r i t i s h . A s K h a l i d i n o t e s :


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E L A I N E C , H A G O P I A N

S P R I N G 2 0 0 5 17

The Jewish campaign against the Br i t ish did not m ean th at Ben -Gurion considered his relationship with the Brit ish to be a "mili tary" one or that he soughtan all-out confrontation with them. Quite the contrary, as we are assured byTeveth [Ben-Gurion's biographer] , he saw the relat ionship as an exclusively"polit ical" one. In other words, all Ben-Gurion wanted from Britain at this stagewas to clear out the way so that he could pursue his "mili tary" relationshipwith the Palest inians and the Arab coun tr ies. An d purs ue i t he did . . . in amassive program of arms acquisi t ion and mil i tary bui ldup. 2 8

T h e U N G A P a r t i t i o n R e s o l u t i o n o f N o v e m b e r 1 9 4 7B e f o r e t h e U N G A R e s o l u t i o n 1 8 1 c a l li n g f o r t h e P a r t i t i o n of P a l e s t i n e i n t oa J e w i s h s t a t e a n d a n A r a b s t a t e w i t h J e r u s a l e m a s a corpus separatuma d m i n i s t e r e d b y t h e U N w a s a c t e d u p o n , t h e U N S p e c i al C o m m i t t e e o nP a l e s ti n e ( U N S C O P ) w a s s e n t t o P a l e s ti n e . T h e c o m m i t t e e r e c o m m e n d e dt o t h e G e n e r a l A s s e m b l y t h a t t h e J e w i s h re f u g e e p r o b l e m b e c o n s i d e r e d a ni n t e r n a t i o n a l r e s p o n s ib i l it y . H o w e v e r , n e i t h e r t h e U N a s a w h o l e n o r t h eU n i t e d S t a t e s r e s p o n d e d t o t h i s . I n f ac t, t h e Z i o n i s t s m a d e e v e r y e f fo r t t or e s t r ic t r e f u g e e m i g r a t i o n t o c o u n t r i e s o t h e r t h a n P a l e s t in e , w i t h t h e i n t e n to f i n c r e a s i n g d e m o g r a p h i c d e n s i t y i n P a l e s t i n e . 2 9 W hi l e w ar w as s t i l l r ag i ng ,P r e s i d e n t R o o s e v e l t f a v o re d a n i m m i g r a t i o n p l a n t h a t w o u l d o p e n t h ed o o r s of v a r i o u s c o u n t r i e s t o E u r o p e a n r e f u g e e s , e s p e c i a l l y J e w s , e a c hc o u n t r y d e s i g n a t i n g a s p e c i fi c n u m b e r i t w o u l d b e a b l e t o a b s o r b . H e l i n e du p se v e r a l . R o o s e v e l t 's r e p r e s e n t a t i v e , M o r r i s E r n s t , w a s s e n t t o G r e a tB r i t a i n d u r i n g t h e w a r t o d e t e r m i n e h o w m a n y t h e B r i t i s h c o u l d t a k e . T h eB r i t i s h s a i d t h e y w o u l d t a k e 1 5 0 , 0 0 0 if t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s w o u l d t a k e t h es a m e . R o o s e v e l t k n e w t h e U .S . w o u l d b e a h a r d s e ll g i v e n t h e l a b o r u n i o n s 'f ea r o f f o r e i gn w o r ke r s ; b u t t h e p l an f el l t h r o ug h , i n an y cas e . E r n s texp l a i ned t he de f ea t o f t he p l an a s f o l l ow s :

[T]o me it seemed that the failure of the leading Jewish groups to support withzeal th i s immigra t ion program may have caused the Pres ident not to pushforward wi th i t at tha t t ime. . . . I was amaz ed a nd ev en felt insul ted w he nact ive Jewish leaders dec r ied, snee red and t he n at tack ed m e as if I we re atra ito r. . . . I was ope nly accuse d of furthering this plan for freer imm igration inorder to unde rmin e pol i tical Zionism. . . . I think I know th e reason for muc hof the opposit ion. There is a deep, genuine, often fanatical emotional vested


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in terest in putt ing over th e Palest in ian m ove me nt [ i.e. , the Zio nis t project inPa les t ine ] . 3 0

A f t e r al l t h e Z i o n i s t e f f o rt s t o i n c r e a s e p o p u l a t i o n d e n s i t y , J e w s f o r m e do n l y o n e - t h i r d of t h e p o p u l a t i o n i n P a l e s t i n e w h e n t h e U N G A p a r t i t i o np l a n w a s p a s s e d o n N o v e m b e r 2 9 , 1 9 4 7 .

T h e U . S. h a d p r e s s u r e d c o u n t r i e s t h a t h a d m i s g i v i n g s a b o u t t h e p a r t i t i o n p l a n t o v o t e f o r it . T h e U S S R v o te d f o r i t a l s o , b e c a u s e i t s a w i t a s aq u i c k w a y t o g e t B r i t a i n o u t o f t h e M i d d l e E a s t . T h e S o v i e t s a l s o h o p e d t h a tt h e C o m m u n i s t a n d S o c i a li s t J e w s i n P a l e s t i n e w o u l d j o i n w i t h P a l e s t i n i a n so n t h e b a s i s o f c l a s s, o v e r t h r o w n a t i o n a l i s t Z i o n i s t s , a n d e s t a b l i s h a p r o -S o v i e t c o u n t r y i n P a l e s t i n e . T h a t , o f c o u r s e , d i d n o t h a p p e n .

T h e A r a b s t a t e s c h a l l e n g e d t h e l e g al it y o f t h e U N G A p a r t i t i o n p l a na n d it s p r o v i s i o n s . A m o n g t h e r e q u e s t s m a d e b y t h e A r a b s w e r e t h a t

th e Internationa l Cou rt of Just ice be asked for i ts opin ion on . . . a) wh eth er o rnot Palest ine was included in the Arab terr i tor ies that had been promised indepe nd en ce b y Britain at the e nd of World W ar I; . . . c) w he th er partitio n wasconsis tent with the principles of the UN Charter ; d) whether i ts adoption andforcible execution were within the competence or jur isdict ion of the UN; ande) w het her i t lay with in the power of any UN m em ber or grou p of mem bers toimplement part i t ion without the consent of the majori ty of the people l iv ingwi th in the coun t ry . 3 1

T h e A r a b c h a l l e n g e w e n t d o w n to a U .S . - p r e s s u r e d 2 1 -2 0 v o t e o n ac o u n t e r c h a l l e n g e t h a t i n s i s t e d t h a t t h e U N d i d h a v e a u t h o r i t y t o p a r t i t i o n .I n a n y c a s e , t h e Z io n i s t s a c c e p t e d t h e 1 9 4 7 p a r t i t i o n p l a n a s a t a c t i c a l m o v eth a t wo u ld l e a d t o e s t a b l i s h in g a " l e g a T f o o th o ld i n P a l e s t i n e f r o m wh ic h t oe x p a n d i n t o al l o f P a l e s t i n e a n d b e y o n d . B e n - G u r i o n w a s o n r e c o r d i n t h e1 9 4 2 B i l t m o r e H o t e l m e e t i n g o f t h e W o r l d Z i o n i s t O r g a n i z a t i o n a s c o m m i t t e dt o t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f P a l e s t in e a s a J e w i s h c o m m o n w e a l t h , a s c o n t r a s t e d t ot h e n o t i o n o f p a r t i t i o n c a l l i ng f or a J e w i s h c o m m o n w e a l t h i n P a l e s ti n e .Ho w e v e r , b y 1 9 4 6, h e r e v e r t e d t o h i s t a c t i c a l a c c e p t a n c e o f p a r t i t i o n . H ee x p la in e d h i s a c c e p t a n c e t o h i s f e l lo w Z io n i s t s a s s im p ly a f i rs t s t e p t o wa r df ul fi ll in g t h e t r a n s f o r m a t io n o f P a l e s t i n e i n to a J e w i s h C o m m o n w e a l th ." T e v e t h [ B e n - G u r i o n ' s b i o g r a p h e r ] p a r a p h r a s e s B e n - G u r i o n ' s t h o u g h t s a sf o l l o w s : ' O n l y t h o s e w i t h d e e p Z i o n i s m w o u l d a p p r e c i a t e h i s d o c t r i n e o f


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g r a d u a l i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f t h e i d e o l o g y . 1 " 3 2 T h e A r a b s r e j e c te d t h e p a r t i t i o np l an . A f ew fi gu res w il l de m on s t r a t e j u s t ho w un f a i r t he pa r t i t i on p l a n w as .U n d e r t h e p l a n : J e w s r e c e i v e d 5 5 p e r c e n t o f t h e b e s t l a n d i n P a l e s t i n e , w h i l e o w n i n g l e s s

t h a n 7 p e r c e n t i n a ll o f P a l e s t i n e a n d l e s s t h a n 1 1 p e r c e n t i n t h ea l l o t t e d a r e a , w h i l e P a l e s t i n i a n s w e r e a l l o t t e d 4 5 p e r c e n t o f t h e i r l a n d ,

T h e p r o p o s e d P a l e s t i n i a n s t a t e w o u l d h a v e 8 1 8 , 0 0 0 P a l e s t in i a n s ,i nc l ud i ng t he 71 , 000 Pa l e s t i n i ans i n t he seacoas t c i t y o f J a f f a ,s u r r o u n d e d b y w h a t w o u l d b e t h e J e w i s h s ta t e , a n d f e w e r t h a n 1 0 ,0 0 0J e w s . T h e J e r u s a l e m corpus separatum w o u l d h a v e 1 0 5 , 0 0 0 P a l e s t i n i a n sa n d 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 J e w s . T h e J e w i s h s t a t e w o u l d h a v e a b o u t 4 9 9 , 0 0 0 J e w s a n da b o u t 4 3 8 , 0 0 0 P a l e s t i n i a n s ,

E i g h t y p e r c e n t o f t h e l a n d i n t h e J e w i s h s t a t e w a s o w n e d b y P a l e s t i n i a n s ,w h e r e a s o n l y 1 p e r c e n t o f t h e P a l e s t i n ia n l a n d w a s o w n e d b y J e w s . T h e b e s t l a n d s w e r e i n c o r p o r a t e d i n t o t h e J e w i s h s t a t e w h e r e P a l e s t i n i a n sh a d c i tr u s a n d c e r e a l p r o d u c t i o n a r e a s , t h e i r m a i n e x p o r t s . M o r e o v e r ,4 0 p e r c e n t o f P a l e s t i n i a n i n d u s t r y a n d t h e m a j o r s o u r c e s o f t h ec o u n t r y ' s e l e c t r ic a l s u p p l y f ell w i t h i n t h e e n v i s a g e d J e w i s h s t a t e .

T h e p l a n a ls o l ef t P a l e s t i n i a n s w i t h o u t a i r a c c e s s o r h a r b o r s a n d p o r tf ac i l i t i es , except for i so la t ed Jaf fa . 3 3M a i n s t r e a m Z i o n i s t s d e m a n d e d w h a t t h e y fe lt w a s r e a li s ti c i n t h e

1 9 4 0 s : a J e w i s h s t a t e i n t h e g r e a t e r p a r t o f P a l e s t i n e , w h i c h t h e p a r t i t i o np l a n o f f e r e d . P a l e s t i n i a n h i s t o r i a n W a l i d K h a l i d i n o t e s t h a t t h e Z i o n i s ta c c e p t a n c e o f t h e p a r t i t i o n p l a n w a s i n e s s e n c e a c c e p t a n c e o f t h e Z i o n i s t s 'o w n d e m a n d . H e s t a t e s f u r t h e r , T t i s d i ff ic u lt t o s e e w h y a m o r a l k u d o sa p p e r t a i n s t o t h e p a r t y t h a t a c c e p t s i t s o w n p r o g r a m , a n d e t e r n a l o p p r o b r i u m a t t a c h e s t o t h e p a r t y t h a t r e j e c t s a t r a n s a c t i o n i t p e r c e i v e s t ot h r e a t e n i ts n a t i o n a l e x i s t e n c e . " 3 4 S i n c e t h a t t i m e , I s r a el i s h a v e s a i d c o n t i n u a ll y t h a t h a d t h e P a l e s t i n i a n s a c c e p t e d t h e p a r t i t i o n p l a n , t h e y w o u l d h a v e aP a l e s t i n i a n s t a t e t o d a y . H o w e v e r , g i v e n t h e fa c t t h a t t h e 1 9 4 7 p r o p o s e dJ e w i s h s t a t e h a d a l m o s t a n e q u a l n u m b e r o f P a l e s t i n i a n s i n t h e a r e a a l l o t te dt o t h e Z i o n i s t s , i t w o u l d n o t h a v e b e e n t h e J e w i s h s t a t e c a l l e d f o r i n Z i o n i s tc o n g r e s s e s a n d li t e r a t u r e b u t a b i n a t i o n a l s t a t e , a c o n c e p t e a r l i e r r e j e c t e db y B e n - G u r i o n . M o r e o v e r , g i v e n o u r c o n t e m p o r a r y k n o w l e d g e o f t h ep l a n n e d e x p u l s i o n s , m a s s a c r e s , e x p a n s i o n s t r a te g y , a n d e f fo r ts t o d a y t od e n y P a l e s t i n ia n s t a t e h o o d o n t h e 1 9 6 7 I s r a e l i - o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s , s u c hp r o n o u n c e m e n t s r i n g h o l l o w ,

S P R I N G 2 0 0 5 19


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T he 1948 WarT h e U N G A 1 81 (II) w a s n e v e r i m p l e m e n t e d . I n M a r c h 1 9 4 8 , t h e Z i o n i s tP l a n D a l e t ( a k a P l a n D ) w a s f i n a l i z e d . B u i l d i n g o n p r e v i o u s p l a n s , P l a nD a l e t w a s d e s i g n e d t o s e c u r e t h e a r e a s d e s i g n a t e d a s t h e J e w i s h s t a t e i nt h e p a r t i t i o n p l a n a s w e l l a s t o s e c u r e a r e a s b e y o n d t h o s e b o r d e r s . 3 5 W el lb e f o r e t h e 1 9 4 8 w a r , P a l e s t i n i a n s w e r e r e s i s t i n g w h a t t h e y c o n s i d e r e d t o b eZ i on i s t co l o n i a l i sm , w h i l e Z i o n i s t s p r e f e r r ed t o ca l l i t a c i v il w a r . O n M ay14 , 1 9 4 8 , t h e J e w i s h P e o p l e ' s C o u n c i l , r e p r e s e n t i n g J e w s i n P a l e s t i n e a n dt h e Z i o n i s t M o v e m e n t , d e c l a r e d t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f t h e s t a t e o f I s r a e l .Th ey r oo t ed t h e dec l a r a t i on i n t h a t pa r t o f U N G A 181 (II) t h a t ca l led f o r aJ e w i s h s t a t e w h i l e i g n o r i n g t h e p a r t s t h a t c a l l e d f o r a n A r a b s t a t e a n d t h ei n t e r n a t i o n a l i z a t i o n o f J e r u s a l e m . B e n - G u r i o n r e s i s t e d in i t ia t iv e s t h a t c o u l dh a v e p r e v e n t e d t h e w a r t h a t f o l l o w e d t h e d e c l a r a t i o n , b e c a u s e h e f e a r e dt h e y w o u l d l e a d t o a P a l e s t i n i a n s t a t e a s w e l l. " It w a s o n l y B e n - G u r i o n ' sp r o f o u n d o p p o s i t i o n t o t h e c r e a t i o n of a P a l e s t in i a n s t a t e t h a t u n d e r m i n e dt h e P a l e s t i n i a n s ' r e s i s t a n c e t o t h e M u f t i ' s c a ll [ t o l a u n c h a w a r a g a i n s t t h eZ i o n i s t f o r c e s ] . " 3 6

W a r b e t w e e n t h e A r a b a r m i e s a n d t h e f o r c e s o f t h e n e w l y d e c l a r e dI s r a el e n s u e d . B y t h e t i m e t h e w a r e n d e d , I sr a e l h a d c o n q u e r e d 7 8p e r c e n t o f M a n d a t o r y P a l e s t i n e a n d h a d e x p e l l e d o r m a d e t o f le e f r o mt h e a r e a s o m e 7 5 0 , 0 0 0 P a l e s t i n i a n s (I s r a e l s a y s f e w e r ; P a l e s t i n i a n s s a ym o r e ) of t h e 9 0 0 , 0 0 0 w h o h a d o r i g i n a l l y r e s i d e d t h e r e . S o m e 1 5 0 , 0 0 0m a n a g e d t o s t a y w i t h i n w h a t b e c a m e Is r a el . T h e P a l e s t i n i a n r e f u g e e se n d e d u p p r i m a r i l y i n c a m p s i n t h e r e m a i n d e r of P a l e s t i n e , i.e ., G a z a a n dt h e W e s t B a n k , a n d i n L e b a n o n , S y ri a , a n d J o r d a n . S o m e 4 0 0 t o 5 0 0v i ll a g e s ( d e p e n d i n g o n w h e t h e r s u b s e c t i o n s of l a r g e r v i ll a g e s w e r ec o u n t e d a s v il la g es ) w e r e d e m o l i s h e d a n d H e b r e w n a m e s g i v e n t o t h ea r e a s . 3 7 W i t h i n w h a t b e c a m e Is ra e l, a n u m b e r of t h o s e w h o m a n a g e d t os t a y b e c a m e i n t e r n a l r e f u g e e s , d i s p o s s e s s e d o f t h e i r l a n d s . T h e t o t a ln u m b e r of P a l e s t i n i a n r e fu g e e s t o d a y i s a p p r o x i m a t e l y 5 m i l li o n ,i n c l u d i n g t h o s e d i s p l a c e d i n t h e 1 9 6 7 w a r , 3 . 6 m i l l i o n of w h o m a r e re g i s t e r e d f or a i d w i t h t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s R e li ef a n d W o r k A g e n c y ( U N R W A ) .T h e y c o n s t i t u t e 6 2 . 5 p e r c e n t of t h e e s t i m a t e d 8 m i l l i o n P a l e s t i n i a n A r a b s .

O n D e c e m b e r 1 1 , 1 9 4 8 , t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s G e n e r a l A s s e m b l y p a s s e dr e s o l u t i o n 1 94 (III) , w h i c h h a s c o m e t o b e k n o w n a s t h e R i g h t o f R e t u r nr e s o l u t i o n , a l t h o u g h i t a l s o s o u g h t t o r e v e r s e Is r a e li o c c u p a t i o n a n d t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f W e s t J e r u s a l e m a n d t o p l a c e t h e w h o l e of J e r u s a l e m u n d e r a


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U N t r u s t e e s h i p . T h e r e s o l u t i o n e s t a b l i s h e d a s p e c i a l l e g a l r e g i m e t o d e a lw i t h t he r e f ugee p r ob l em . F i r s t , i t c a l l ed spec i f i ca l l y and so l e l y f o r t her e t u r n o f t h e r e f u g e e s t o t h e i r o r i g i n a l h o m e s a n d p r o p e r t i e s i n w h a tb e c a m e Is ra e l. S e c o n d , c o m p e n s a t i o n s h o u l d b e p a i d t o t h o s e n o t w a n t i n gt o r e t u r n b u t a l s o t o t h o s e r e t u r n i n g " f o r l o s s o f , o r d a m a g e t o p r o p e r t yw h i c h , u n d e r p r i n c i p l e s of i n t e r n a t i o n a l la w o r i n e q u i ty , s h o u l d b e m a d eg o o d b y t h e g o v e r n m e n t s o r a u t h o r i t i e s re s p o n s i b l e . " 3 8 T h i r d , a s p e c i a l U Na g e n c y w a s c re a t e d , t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s C o n c i l i a t i o n C o m m i s s i o n f o rP a l e s t i n e ( U N C C P ) , t o " fa c il it a te t h e r e p a t r i a t i o n , r e s e t t l e m e n t a n de c o n o m i c a n d s o c ia l r e h a b i l i t a t i o n of t h e r e f u g e e s a n d t h e p a y m e n t ofc o m p e n s a t i o n . " 3 9 I n r e c o g n i t i o n t h a t t h e r e f u g e e s r e q u i r e d a s s i s t a n c e u n t i ls u c h t i m e a s 194 (III) c o u l d b e i m p l e m e n t e d , t h e U N G e n e r a l A s s e m b l yp a s s e d r e s o l u t i o n 3 0 2 (IV ) o n D e c e m b e r 8, 1 9 4 9, e s t a b l i s h i n g t h e U NR e lie f a n d W o r k A g e n c y f or P a l e s t i n e R e f u g e e s ( U N R W A ) . 4 0 T h i s a g e n c yw a s m e a n t t o b e t e m p o r a r y u n t i l t h e r e p a t r i a t i o n of r e f u g e e s w a s e f fe c t e d .

T h e U N C C P w a s u n a b l e t o g e t t h e I sr ae li s t o r e c o g n i z e a n d i m p l e m e n tU N G A 194(111) o r t o r eve r s e it s oc cu pa t i o n an d t r ans f o r m a t i o n o f W es tJ e r u s a l e m . Is r ae l w a s a d m i t t e d t o t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s i n 1 9 4 9 , a f te r a g r e e i n gt o d o b o t h t h i n g s . I t d i d n e i t h e r a n d w i t h i n m o n t h s d e c l a r e d W e s t J e r u s a l e mthe capi t a l of I s r ae l .The 1 96 7 W ar and Its Afterm ath: Stage-Two Expansionand the Demographic Dilemma for IsraelO n J u n e 5 , 19 6 7, I s r a e l i n i t i a t e d a p r e v e n t i v e w a r a g a i n s t E g y p t , J o r d a n , a n dS y r ia . I t h a n d i l y d e f e a t e d a ll t h r e e w i t h i n a m a t t e r o f d a y s , o c c u p y i n g t h eE g y p t i a n S i n a i ( r e t u r n e d t o E g y p t af te r t h e 1 9 7 8 P e a c e T r e a t y w i t h I s r a e l) ,t h e S y r i a n G o l a n H e i g h t s ( a n n e x e d t o Is r a e l i n 1 9 81 ), a n d t h e r e m a i n d e r ofM a n d a t o r y P a l e s t i n e , i.e ., G a z a , t h e W e s t B a n k , a n d E a s t J e r u s a l e m (2 2p e r c e n t o f P a l e s t i n e ) . 4 1 I s r ae l began t o p l ace se t t l em en t s i n i . e . , co l on i zet h e G o l a n H e i g h t s a n d t h e P a l e s t i n i a n t e r r i t o r i e s . U n l i k e 1 9 4 8 , t h e m a j o r i t yof t h e P a l e s t in i a n s m a n a g e d t o r e m a i n o n t h e la n d i n t h e n e w l y c o n q u e r e dt e r r i t o r i e s , a l t h o u g h t h e r e w e r e 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 " d i s p l a c e d " p e r s o n s .

Given the fact that Israel ult imately intended to keep the Occupied Territories,the existence of a large Palestinian population there recreated Israel 's originaldemographic problem. A Whole Land of Israel Movement i ssued a Manifestoin 1967 aff i rming that "no government in Israel i s ent i t led to give up [ the


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2 2 Q U A R T E R L Y R E V I E W

conquered terri tories which Zionists define as part of the whole of Israel, i .e. ,Eretz Israel] this ent irety, which re presen ts the inhere nt and inal ienable r ight toour people f rom the beginning of i t s h i s tory . " [Quoted in Nur Masalha ,Imperial Israel and the Palestinians (London: Pluto Press, 2000), 28-29.] Today,there are 3 .2 mi l l ion Pales t in i ans in the Occupied Ter r i tor i es , and over 1mil l ion [ the descendants of those 150,000 who managed to stay in Israel in1948-49] wi thin Israel proper . The Jewish pop ulat ion nu mb ers som e 5 mil lion.Hence the ratio is approximately 4 Palestinians to every 5 Israeli Jews in Israeland the Occupied Ter r i tor i es . 4 2

G i v e n t h e I s r a e l i d i l e m m a o f w a n t i n g t o k e e p t h e l a n d b u t n o t t h eP a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e r e s i d i n g o n i t, a d e b a t e t o o k p l a c e i n I s r a e l r e g a r d i n g as o l u t i o n t o t h i s d i l e m m a . T h e " s o l u t i o n s " r a n g e d f ro m d e p e n d e n ta u t o n o m y f o r t h e P a l e s t i n i a n s i n a r e a s o f t h e T e r r i t o r i e s w h i l e I s r a e lr e t a i n e d c o n t r o l o v e r t h e l a n d a n d w o u l d a n n e x b o r d e r a r e a s t o e n g i n e e r e de m i g r a t i o n ( r e a d " e t h n i c c l e a n s i n g " ) a n d de facto a n n e x a t i o n o f t h eT e r r i t o r i e s . T h e f o r m e r w a s m o s t o f t e n a s s o c i a t e d w i t h L a b o r P a r t y l e a d e rY ig a l A l l o n a n d t h e l a t t e r w a s f a v o r e d b y A r i e l S h a r o n a n d Y i t z h a k S h a m i r .I n f a c t , n o r e a l a c t i o n w a s t a k e n t o f o r m a l i z e a " s o l u t i o n . " 4 3 C a m p D a v i d Ip r o d u c e d a p e a c e t r e a t y b e t w e e n E g y p t a n d I s ra e l i n 1 9 7 8 , b u t f ai le d o nt h e P a l e s t i n i a n i s s u e s i n c e P r i m e M i n i s t e r B e g i n i n s i s t e d o n t h e c o n c e p t o fa u t o n o m y o n l y f o r t h e r e s i d e n t s o f t h e O c c u p i e d T e r r i t o r i e s w i t h o u t t e r r i t o r i a l s o v e r e i g n t y . R e f u g e e P a l e s t i n i a n s w e r e n o t c o n s i d e r e d a t all. I s r a e lc o n t i n u e d b u i l d i n g s e t t l e m e n t s i n t h e t e r r i t o r i e s a n d i n I s r a e l i - e x p a n d e dE a s t J e r u s a l e m ( w h i c h I s ra e l a n n e x e d a f t e r t h e 1 9 6 7 w a r ) , u n i t e d i t w i t hW e s t J e r u s a l e m , a n d d e c l a r e d t h e w h o l e t h e " e t e r n a l c a p i t a l o f I sr a el ." I sr a e li n t e g r a t e d t h e w a t e r r e s o u r c e s a n d e l e c t r i c g r i d o f t h e t e r r i t o r i e s , p l a c i n gt h e m u n d e r I s ra e li c o n t r o l . M o r e i m p o r t a n t , Is r ae l e m b a r k e d o n a p r o c e s so f w h a t s c h o l a r S a r a R o y c o i n e d a s " d e - d e v e l o p m e n t , " w i t h t h e i n t e n t i o n o fp r e c l u d i n g t h e g r o w t h o f a v i a b l e e c o n o m y i n t h e t e r r i t o r i e s t h a t c o u l du n d e r g i r d a p o s s i b l e P a l e s t in i a n s t a t e . 4 4

D ur i ng t he pe r i od f r om 1967 t o t he end o f t he f i r s t G u l f W ar i n 1991 ,P a l e s t i n i a n s r e s i s t e d o c c u p a t i o n , w h i l e t h e P a l e s t i n e L i b e r a t i o n O r g a n i z a t i o n( P LO ) , o p e r a t i n g o u t s i d e of Is r a e l a n d t h e O c c u p i e d T e r r i to r i e s , c o n d u c t e do p e r a t i o n s a g a i n s t I s r a e l a n d c o n t i n u e d t o a d v o c a t e f o r P a l e s t i n i a n r i g h t s .T he P LO u l t i m a t e l y pub l i ca l l y ag r ee d t o a t w o - s t a t e so l u t i on i n 1974 . I t w a sm a d e e x p l i c i t w h e n t h e P a l e s t i n e N a t i o n a l C o u n c i l ( P a l e s t i n i a n p o l i c y b o d y )


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o f t h e P L O d e c l a r e d a P a l e s t i n i a n s t a t e i n 1 9 8 8 , r o o t i n g i t s l e g i t im a c y i n t h e1 9 4 7 p a r t i t i o n p l a n r e s o lu t i o n U N G A 1 81 ( II) , b u t t o b e l o c a t e d i n t h e 1 9 6 7 -O c c u p ie d T e r r i t o r i e s , i.e ., 2 2 p e r c e n t of P a l e s t i n e i n s t e a d o f t h e 4 5 p e r c e n t i nt h e p a r t i t i o n r e s o l u t i o n . A s p a r t of t h a t d e c l a r a t i o n , t h e P N C / P L O a c c e p t e dU N S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l R e s o l u t i o n 2 4 2 , t h e r e b y r e c o g n i z i n g I sr a e l i n t h e 7 8p e r c e n t of P a le s t i ne it c o n q u e r e d i n 1 94 8 . T h e r e is n o t h i n g i n U N S C 2 4 2 t h a tc a ll s f o r a P a l e s t i n i a n s t a t e , h e n c e t h e r e a s o n f or r o o t i n g t h e d e c l a r a t i o n i nU N G A 1 81 (II). P L O m o d e r a t i o n w a s n o t e m b r a c e d b y t h e I sr a e li g o v e r n m e n t , g i v e n t h a t I s ra e l w a n t e d t o k e e p t h e 1 9 6 7 O c c u p i e d T e r r i t o r i e s ,N o n e t h e l e s s , t h e f ir st P r e s i d e n t B u s h i n s i s t e d t h a t t h e t i m e w a s o p p o r t u n e ,i n t h e a f t e r m a th o f t h e f i r s t Gu l f W a r , t o " r e s o lv e " o n c e a n d f o r a l l t h e I s r a e l i-P a l e s t i n i a n c o n fl ic t . T h e " p e a c e p r o c e s s " w a s in i t i a t e d i n M a d r i d o n O c t o b e r3 1 , 1 9 9 1 , w i t h U N S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l R e s o l u t i o n 2 4 2 as t h e s o le l e g al f r a m e w o r k . 4 5 S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e J a m e s Ba k e r s e n t l e t t e r s o f a s s u r a n c e t o t h e p e a c ed e l e g a t i o n s . It w a s o b v io u s f r o m r e a d in g t h e l e t t e r t o t h e I s r a e l is t h a t t h e U .S .a c c e p t e d I s r a e l 's c l a im th a t UN S C 2 4 2 d id n o t ca l l f o r I s r a e l 's f ul l w i th d r a w a lf r om t h e t e r r i t o r i e s . 4 6 M o r e o v e r , t e r r i t o r i e s w e r e d e f i n e d b y I sr a e l a s administered, n o t occupied, t e r r it o r i e s. T h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o m m u n i t y d i d n o t a c c e p tth i s d e f in i t i o n , b u t U .S . b a c k in g a l lo we d I s r a e l t o m a in t a i n i t. P a l e s t i n i a n sw e r e d e n i e d r e p r e s e n t a t i o n b y t h e P L O , w h i c h r e p r e s e n t e d a ll P a l e s t i n i a n s int h e d i a s p o r a a n d u n d e r o c c u p a t i o n .

T h e P a le s t i n i a n d e l e g a t i o n w a s m a d e u p of P a l e s ti n i a n s i n t h e 1 9 6 7I s r a e l i - o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s o n l y ( w h e r e t h e d e m o g r a p h i c p r o b l e m e x i s t e d )a n d w a s m a d e p a r t o f t h e J o r d a n i a n d e l e g a t i o n . T h e M a d r i d p r o c e s s f a il e db e c a u s e t h e P a l e s t i n i a n d e l e g a t i o n i n s i s t e d t h a t t h e n e g o t i a t i o n s b e a b o u tr e m o v in g t h e I sr a e l i m i l i t a r y o c c u p a t io n , a s we l l a s t h e i ll e g al s e t t l e m e n t s .T h e P a l es t i n i a n s r e f u s e d t o a c c e p t d e p e n d e n t a u t o n o m y i n t h e t e r r i t o r i e sw i t h n o e n d r e s u l t of a v i a b l e s t a t e . T h a t i s w h e n t h e b a c k d o o r c h a n n e l w a so p e n e d t o P L O h e a d , Ya s ir Ar a f a t , i n Os lo . Ar a f a t , b y a c c e p t in g t h eD e c l a r a t i o n of P r in c ip l e s ( wh ic h d id n o t g u a r a n t e e a P a l e s t i n i a n s t a t e ) a n db y a c c e p t i n g t h e G a z a / J e r i c h o f i r s t p r o p o s a l , de facto c o n c e d e d t o I s r a e l t h e" r ig h t " t o d e t e r m in e f r o m wh ic h , if a n y , l a n d i t w o u ld w i th d r a w . M o r e o v e r ,t h e t e r m s s e t f or a ll o w i n g a P a l e s t i n i a n A u t h o r i t y i n t h e t e r r i t o r i e s w e r ec l e a r ly d e f in e d t o g iv e I s r a e l u l t im a te c o n t r o l a n d v e to p o we r o v e r t h eA u t h o r i t y a n d i t s i n s t i t u t i o n s . T h e I s ra e li i n t e n t w a s t o r i d t h e m s e l v e s o fr e s p o n s i b i l i t y f or t h e o c c u p i e d P a l e s t i n i a n s (t h e d e m o g r a p h i c p r o b l e m ) b u tt o k e e p c o n t r o l o v e r t h e l a n d a n d r e s o u r c e s . 4 7 O n c e t h e P a l e s t i n i a n A u t h o r i t y

S P R I N G 2 0 0 5 2 3


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w a s e s t a b l i s h e d i n t h e t e r r i t o r i e s , t h e P L O , r e p r e s e n t i n g a ll P a l e st i n i a n s ,d e c l i n e d i n i ts a b i l i t y t o a d v o c a t e f o r t h e r i g h t s of a ll P a l e s t i n i a n s , i n c lu d in gth e d i a s p o r a r e f u g e e s . Ar a f a t r e m a i n e d a s h e a d o f t h e P L O, b u t i n e f fe c t t h eP L O w a s " c o l l a p s e d " i n t o t h e A u t h o r i t y .

T h e O s l o p r o c e s s l e d t o w o r s e n e d c o n d i t i o n s fo r t h e P a l e s t i n i a n s .I s r a e li s w o r k e d d i l i g e n t l y t o a s s u r e t h a t a " s o l u t i o n " w o u l d n o t le a d t o av i a b l e P a l e s t i n i a n s t a t e o r t o a n y l o s s o f c o n t r o l o f t h e t e r r i t o r i e s b y I s r a e l .T h e s y m b o l s of so v e r e ig n t y f o r e x a m p l e , p a s s p o r t i s s u a n c e , s t a m p s , e tc .w e r e al l ow e d , b u t o n l y w i t h i n t h e c o n t e x t of d e p e n d e n t a u t o n o m y . It i s n o tn e c e s s a r y h e r e t o r e v i e w t h e s t a g e s o f t h e d i s i n t e g r a t i o n of O s l o ; S a r a R o y ' se x c e l l e n t " O s l o A u t o p s y " c o v e r s t h i s w e l l . 4 8

U n d e r t h e p r e s e n t [ Ju ly 2 0 0 4 ] I sr a e li g o v e r n m e n t , le d b y P r i m e M i n i s t e rA r i e l S h a r o n , I sr a e l i s p u r s u i n g t h e p r e f e r r e d S h a r o n " s o l u t i o n " o f p r o g r e s s i ve e n g i n e e r e d e m i g r a t i o n b y i m p r i s o n i n g P a l e st i n ia n s b e h i n d a n apartheidw a l l a i m e d a t p r o d u c i n g c o n d i t i o n s t h a t w i l l i n d u c e P a l e s t i n i a n s t o l e a v e o v e rt i m e , J o r d a n b e i n g t h e o b v i o u s d e s t i n a t i o n . T h e L i k u d a lw a y s m a i n t a i n e dth a t " J o r d a n i s P a l e s t i n e , " i n a n y c a s e . S h a r o n h a s d e s t r o y e d P a l e s t i n i a n i n fr a s t r u c t u r e a n d i n s t i t u t i o n s i n t h e T e r r i t o r i e s a n d h a s c r i p p l e d P a l e s t i n i a n s e c u r i t y f o r c e s . I n h i s e f f o r t , h e h a s m a n a g e d t o a p p ly t h e l a b e l o f terrorism t o t h eP a l e s t i n i a n s , i n p l a c e o f l e g i t im a te P a l e s t i n i a n r e s i s t a n c e t o I s r a e l i o c c u p a t io na n d c o l o n i a l i s m a n d t o d o it u n d e r t h e A m e r i c a n u m b r e l l a o f t h e "w a r o nt e r ro r i sm . " T h e r e c e n t e n d o r s e m e n t of S h a r o n ' s p l a n s b y P r e s i d e n t B u s h a n dt h e U . S . H o u s e o f R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s g i v e s fu ll p u b l i c c l ar i t y t o w h a t h a s b e e nt h e i m p l i c it A m e r i c a n p o s i t i o n . H e n c e t h e " r o a d m a p " f o r p e a c e a n d t h eu n o f f i c ia l " Ge n e v a I n i t i a t i v e " ( wh ic h we r e b u t s l ig h t v a r i a t i o n s of Os lo ) j o inO s l o o n t h e j u n k h e a p of f a il ed p r o p o s a l s . T h e y d o s o b e c a u s e t h e y d i d n o tc a ll f or t h e r e m o v a l of t h e o c c u p a t i o n a n d t h e r e c o g n i t i o n of t h e i n a l i e n a b l er i g h t s o f t h e r e fu g e e s a n d a l s o b e c a u s e t h e i r t e r m s i m p l ic i t ly s o u g h t t or e w a r d I s r a e li c o l o n i a l i s m b y a l lo w i n g fo r m o r e a n n e x a t i o n o f p r i m e l a n d i nt h e W e s t B a n k i n e x c h a n g e f o r l a n d u n e q u a l i n q u a l i t y .

A l l p e a c e n e g o t i a t i o n s b e t w e e n I s ra e l a n d t h e P a l e s t i n i a n s h a v ef o u n d e r e d o n t w o i s s u e s : t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f a v i a b l e P a l e s t i n i a n s t a t e( a c o l l e c t i v e r i g h t ) a n d o n P a l e s t i n i a n r e f u g e e s ' r i g h t o f r e tu r n t o t h e i r h o m e sa n d p r o p e r t i e s i n w h a t b e c a m e I sr a e l a f t e r 1 9 4 8 ( P a l e s t i n i a n i n d iv id u a l r i g h t ) .

S t a t e h o o d r e p r e s e n t s t h e c o ll e c t iv e r i g h t of P a l e s t i n i a n s t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n as e m b o d i e d i n a n u m b e r of U n i t e d N a t i o n s G e n e r a l A s s e m b l yRe so lu t ion s : 181 (I I) (1947) ; 27 87 (1971) ; 29 55 (XXVIII) (1972) ; a nd 32 36


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E L A I N E C , H A G O P I A N

( X X IX ) (1974), a s w e l l a s t h e U N D ec l a r a t i on o f H u m a n R i g h t s an d t h eF o u r t h G e n e v a C o n v e n t i o n . S t a t e h o o d i n n o w a y v i ti a te s t h e i n d i v i d u a lr i g h t o f r e f u g e e s t o r e t u r n t o t h e i r h o m e s a n d p r o p e r t i e s i n p o s t - 1 9 4 8 I s r a e l .

I n al l t h e " peace " ne go t i a t i on s an d i n i t i a t i ves , I s r ae l so ug h t t o l i m i t t h eP a l e s t i n i a n c o l l e c t i v e r i g h t t o a n o n - c o n t i g u o u s a r e a i n t h e W e s t B a n k a n dG a z a c o n t r o l l e d b y Is r a e l p o l i ti c a l ly a n d e c o n o m i c a l l y . I s r a e l f u r t h e r s o u g h tt o f o l d Pa l e s t i n i an r e f ugees ' i nd i v i dua l r i gh t s i n t o t he co l l ec t i ve r i gh ta l l eged l y " o f fe r ed" by I s rae l du r i n g t

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Spring 2005 Quarterly Review - Theological Resources for Ministry