The Arab-Israeli Conflict Flashcards
What historical discrimination of the Jewish people (in Russia) led to the mass immigration of Jewish people?
May Laws of 1882 - limited Jew’s freedoms of movement and occupation led to mass emigration of Jewish people from Russia to North America.
Why were the May Laws of 1882 introduced in Russia and why did they target the Jewish people directly?
The May Laws were as a result of the assassination of Tsar Nicholas II by The People’s Will (Narodnaya Volya), a Russian revolutionary left-wing organisation. Ethnic Jews from Russia were systematically blamed for the attack despite not being solely responsible.
What was ‘Auto-Emancipation’ (1882) by Leon Pinsker and why is it significant to the Arab-Israeli conflict?
An early Zionist pamphlet - credited with inspiring Jews in Russia and throughout Europe to look towards developing the Jewish State.
A landmark in the early development of Zionism
What is Zionism?
The national movement of Jewish people who support the reestablishment of a Jewish homeland in the territory defined as the historic land of Israel (the region of Palestine)
What is an “aliyah”?
Aliyah - “ascent”
the immigration of Jews from the diaspora to the land of Israel
When did the First Aliya to Jerusalem begin and go on to? What was it motivated by?
1882 and continued until 1903. 3% of Jewish population to Jerusalem
Motivated by Jewish nationalism (Zionism)
What is the Jewish Question?
debate surrounding the civil, legal, national and political status of Jews as a minority within society
Gentile rejection or anti-Antisemitism, gentile attraction or assimilation
What is the Zionist solution to the Jewish question?
to create an overwhelmingly Jewish state in Palestine - Zionist Congress
What is the main obstacle in the realisation of the Zionist solution to the Jewish question?
The indigenous Arab population - Palestine was overwhelmingly not Jewish, Muslim and Christian Arab
What was offered to Theodor Herzl at the sixth Zionist congress in 1903?
An autonomous Jewish settlement in East Africa
What did Benny Morris discover about the Zionist leaders of the 20s/30s/40s?
They favoured the transfer of Arab populations if required for establishing a Jewish state.
What is the Balfour Declaration (1917)?
Public statement issued by the British Government during World War 1, supporting the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine.
What did the British Mandate in Palestine (created in July 1922) aim to do?
- secure the establishment of the Jewish national home
- safeguard the civil and religious rights of all the inhabitants of Palestine, irrespective of race and religion
What was the ratio of Arab:Jews in 1920?
10 Arabs: 1 Jew
What was the ratio of Arab:Jews in 1947?
2 Arabs: 1 Jew
