Zionism and the Birth of Israel

8/9/2019 Zionism and the Birth of Israel

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Foundation of political zionism ; TheodoreHerzl an Austrian journalist

In 1896 he published a book DerJudenstaat (The Jewish State)

Features of Jewish State:

Gradual development and building of a

state by the Jews in need of a national home


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Funding of proposed state by Jewish capital andmoney

Infrastructural development such ascommunication, farms enterprises

Organisation of an efficient army to protect thestate and development of banks and other

institution


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Herzls programmeAppealed the Jews all over to seek their cooperation

Jews should cease to be aliens

A Commission to be appointed to survey possibleterritories on which the proposed Jewish state to befounded


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Conference of Jews: BasleAug 1897 Herzl convened the first zionist Congress at

Basle, Switzerland

197 delegates attended and the World ZionistOrganisation was founded

Four measures were listed to attain the goal of aJewish state

a. Promotion of colonization of Palestine on suitableline by Jewish agricultural, industrial workers andtraders.


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Organisation and binding of all Jews using localand international institutions in the country

which they livedStrengthening the national consciousness and

awareness among the Jews

Securing consent of governments of Europe

Conference emphasized on having Jewish army,multi-lingual press, and a Jewish national fund foracquisition of land


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Result of Herzls effortIn 1904 Chamberlain died

Hence Palestine the only alternative

Herzl wrote in his journal I founded the Jewish State perhaps in 5 years, and certainly

not in 50, every one will know it


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Immigration of the Jews in PalestineBy 1904 the Jews numbered 25, 000 mainly from

Eastern Europe: Poland and Romania.

1917-1933 Most of them immigrated from Russia,David Ben Gurian , influenced by socialist ideas. Hefounded the first city Tel Aviv.

1933 onwards maximum Jews from Germany


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Colonisation of PalestineColonisation carried out systematically:

Palestine Land Development Company which

trained the workers for settlement on land.Establishment of school, institutions, theaters,

sports clubs, trade union, labour owned factories,own newspapers , land purchased from local Arab

land lords and cultivated them., establishedcooperative and collective agricultural enterprise Kibbutz


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Zionism and World War IWest Asia geo-political significanceWeizmann, a chemical scientist from Europe

managed to obtain the Balfour Declaration fromBritish colonial Secretary, Arthur James Balfour,Mark Sykes on 2 Nov. 1917

Balfour Declaration: His majestys government(Britain) view with favour the establishment with

Palestine of a national home for Jewish people,and will use their best endeavour to facilitate theachievement of this object, it being clearlyunderstood that nothing shall be done which


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may prejudice the civil and religious non-Jewishcommunities in Palestine and the rights and politicalstatus enjoyed by Jews in other countries.


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Growth ofZionism from 1919 - 1939

Paris Peace Conference, 1919- Palestine mandatedterritory of Britain in 1922

Many Jews migrated to PalestineCo-existence with the Arabs of Palestine became

difficult

Outbursts of violence, both Jews and Arabs were

killed.- called Wailing Wall incident in 1929


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Reasons for Arab backwardness

Arabs 73% population lived in rural areas out ofwhich 65,000 were nomads

Arabs agricultural methods were primitiveOnly 25% of muslims children attended schools

Jews 100% literary

Jews secured financial help from outside

Jews well organized


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Commissions set up

Shaw Commission 1929

Peel Commission in 1937tWoodhead Partition Commission in 1938

1939 White Paper Document- restricted immigrationand terminated British commitment to Zionism

Jews condemned it as monstrous document


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The Biltmore ProgrammeZionist conference held at Biltmore in New York, Ben

Gurian adopted a resolution- rejected white paper

document and favoured unlimited immigrationSuch aggressive policy brought in direct confrontation

with the Palestinians.

Significance- Jews turned to USA


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Birth ofIsrael - 1948Britain referred Palestine issue to United Nation in

Feb. 1947U.N. appointed a special CommitteeIt proposed the territory of the British mandate

west of the Jordon River to be partitioned intoArab state and Jewish state with Jerusalem underinternational control.

On 29 Nov. 1947, U.N. adopted a partition planU.S and USSR voted in favour, England abstained,

56% of Palestine territory went to Israel


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On 11 Dec. 1947 end of British Mandate14 May, 1948, the Jewish National Council proclaimed

the State of Israel at Tel Aviv.

Both US and USSR accorded recognition.


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Arab-Israel War(1948)Neighbouring states: Egypt, Syria, Jordon, Iraq and

Lebanon declared war on Israel

Israel inflicted defeat on ArabsArabs poorly equipped , and divided

King Abdullah of Jordon interested in seizing the areaof Palestine west of the River Jordon- the West Bank

Israel massacred the Arabs in Israel


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Arabs fled to neighboring areas-created refugeeproblems and miserable condition

US, Br and France guaranteed Israel Frontiers, butArab states refused the ceasefire as permanent.


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The Suez War(1956)Events leading to Sinai Crisis:

Sep 1955 Egypt announced an arms deal with

Czechoslovakia, a CommunistIn Dec. 1955 World Bank agreed to provide $20

million to build Aswan Dam in addition toAmerican loan of $56 million and Britain $14

million , Condition laid that Nasser loosened histies with the communists. Nasser did not comply

America and Britain withdrew the promised aid


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Nationalization of Suez canalNasseer nationalised the suez canal to finance the

Aswan dam.

Br and Fr objected as they were major shareholders.

Conference held at London - August 1956

Nasser formed a joint military command with Syriaand Jordon, blocked the Straits of Tiran, so hold overRed sea


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France, proposed a plan, where by Israel shouldcounterattack in the Sinai Peninsula.

Pretext to Br and Fr to reoccupy the Canal Zone toprotect it

Oct. 1956 Israel invaded the Gaza strip and theSinai Peninsula, and advanced towards the SuezCanal.

Eng and Fr issued an ultimatum demandingwithdrawal of both Israel and Egyptian forces fromthe Canal.


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On 31 Oct, Israel accepted the ultimatum, butEgypt refused.

Eng and France entered the conflict by attackingthe Egyptian bases.

Fortunately U.S and USSR demanded a ceasefireand forced Br, Fr and Israel to withdraw.

United Nations Emergency Force stationed troopson the frontier between Israel and Egypt


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Significance of the WarIsrael proved more stronger than EgyptAnti-west feeling increased among the Arabs, pan

Arabic spirit increased which culminated in theUnited Arab Republic in 1958

Nasser emerged stronger as a hero of Arabnationalism,- a leader of the Arab world

Palestine Liberation Organisation set up under

Arafat to fight for justice for the Arabs in 1964USA alarmed by the growing popularity of NasserBritish and France suffered humiliations


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The Six-Day War(1967)Arabs determination to destroy Israel, joined

hands together-Lead was taken by Iraq, Syria andEgypt.

In May 1967, Cairo Radio announced All Egypt isnow prepared to plunge into total war which willput an end to Israel.

Nasser called for the withdrawal of US EmergencyForce, received support from Saudi Arabi and Iraqand Jordon and closed the Strait of Tiran

Prime Minister Levi Eshkol of Israel appointedGeneral Moshe Dayan as Defence Minister


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Moshe ordered a surprise attack on the EgyptianAir Force followed by an attack on all fronts.

In 6 six day, Israel occupied the Gaza strip andwhole of Sinai Peninsula up to the east bank of theSuez canal, the rest of Jerusalem and the WestBank from Jordon, and the Golan Heights fromSyria

By the time the UN Security Council called forcease fire, the Arabs had suffered a majorpsychological and military defeat.


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The Yom Kippur War(1973)Nasser died in 1970 Anwar Sadat, the President of

Egypt

In 1973, Egypt and Syria launched a new attack on6 October, the holiest day in theJewish Calendar.

After initial success, Israel succeeded in holdingthe territory captured in 1967, attacked Suez Canalinto Egypt, and across the Golan Heights towardsDamascus , Syria lost further 300 square miles ofterritory


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Arab oil producing states reduced supply of oil towestern powers and US resulting in oil crisis

OPEC(Organisation of Petroleum ExportingCountries) increased the oil prices causing inflationin the world.


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Egyptian-Israel PeaceSadat convinced about peace as a solution to the

problems.

Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger of US playedthe intermediary role

By the end of 1975, the Suez Canal which wasclosed since 1967 was opened

Egyptian and Syrian troops withdrew from theconfrontation positions

President Nixon visited West Asia and Sadat toWashington


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Peace treaty between Israel and Egypt :

1979

In 1977, Sadats position in Egypt was threatenedby riots and unrest due to inflation , low std ofliving.

Most of the Arab world contd to be anti- Israel

Yet Sadat announced for peace settlement withIsrael Prime minister, Begin

Inspite of opposition from the Arab league, thePeace treaty was signed between Egypt and Israelin Washington in March 1979 with Carter asintermediary.


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Terms of the TreatyIsrael promised to withdraw her troops from Sinai.

Egypt promised not to attack Israel again

Egypt guaranteed to supply oil and Israeli shipscould use the Suez Canal

Within five years self-governing authorities will beestablished in the West Bank of the Jordon, andGaza strip and Syria

Treaty condemned by PLO and most Arab States.


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In Nov. 1980 Begin announced Israel would not returnGolan Heights and West Bank.

Extremist Muslim soldiers assassinated Sadat while hewas watching a military parade in October 1981. Theybelieved that he had betrayed the Arab and Muslim .


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Invasion of Lebanon by IsraeliJune 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon and defeated PLO,

Syrian armed forces,

Followed by raids and counter raids

Resulted in Intifada- uprising in 1987 in Israeloccupied Palestine areas- because of miserableconditions, they boycotted Israel goods, attackedIsraels soldiers

Israel resorted to armed suppression of the revolt.


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Peace Between Israel and PLO1992 Rabin, the newly elected Prime Minister

believed in negotiation and concessions to achievelasting peace.

Yasser Arafat responded favourably and both flewto US agreed to sign the historic peace agreement.

By the peace accord Israel formally recognised PLOand vice versa

Israel agreed to establish self rule in Gaza strip andWest Bank


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Extremist groups of both Israel and Palestine opposedas In Palestine they wanted complete independenceand Israeli settlers in West Bank were against all

concession to the PLOYet in July 1994 Rabin and King Hussein of Jordon

signed a peace agreement ending 46 years of conflictand strained relations.


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Taba Agreement 1995Sep 1995, Rabin and Arafat signed the Taba

Agreement in WashingtonProclaimed self-rule for PalesteniansIsrael agreed to withdraw its troops from most of

the West Bank in stages over several years andhanding over both civil and security powers to thePLO

All Palestinian prisoners held by Israel would bereleased in three phasesYigal Amir, a Jewish student hostile to the

agreement assassinated Rabin on Nov 4, 1995


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Hamas, Palestinian militant group and

HizbollahHamas carried four suicide bombings in 1996

claiming 63 lives in IsraelHizbollah, militant Shiate Islamic group attacked

northern Israel from LebanonToday peace process between the Israelis and the

Palestinians had remained a distant dream.Rigid stand taken by the extremist on both side,

the terrorist activities of the Palestinian militant

group Hamas, especially the suicide bombing inIsrael killing the people and the ruthless attacksby Israeli armed forces, especially targeting theHamas leadership has strained relations.

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Zionism and the Birth of Israel