IA1 definitions

Question 1

Abrahamic religions

Answer 1

Religions that trace their origin to the patriarch Abraham, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Question 2

Arab

Answer 2

An ethnic group primarily inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. Arabs have significant presence in Palestine.

Question 3

Balfour declaration

Answer 3

A 1917 statement by British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour expressing support for the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine.

Question 4

British Mandate

Answer 4

The League of Nations mandate given to Britain to govern Palestine after World War I, lasting from 1920 to 1948.

Question 5

David Ben-Gurion

Answer 5

The primary national founder of the State of Israel and the first Prime Minister of Israel. He proclaimed the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.

Question 6

Demographics

Answer 6

The statistical study of populations, including the analysis of data such as age, race, and gender.

Question 7

Ethnonationalism (or ethnic nationalism)

Answer 7

A form of nationalism where the nation is defined in terms of a shared ethnicity. It involves identity with and loyalty to a nation based on common ancestry, cultural heritage, and often a shared language and religion.

Question 8

Extremists

Answer 8

Individuals who hold extreme or fanatical political or religious views, often advocating for or resorting to extreme actions. These views are typically far outside the mainstream and can include radical or fundamentalist beliefs. Extremists may use or support violence to achieve their goals.

Question 9

Gamal Abdel Nasser

Answer 9

The president of Egypt who played a significant role in the Arab-Israeli conflict, particularly during the Suez Crisis and the Six-Day War.

Question 10

Golda Meir

Answer 10

An Israeli politician and stateswoman who served as the fourth Prime Minister of Israel from 1969 to 1974. She was the first woman to hold this position. Meir was a signatory of Israel’s Declaration of Independence in 1948 and held various key roles, including Minister of Labour and Foreign Minister, before becoming Prime Minister. Her tenure included significant events such as the Yom Kippur War in 1973.

Question 11

Haganah

Answer 11

A Jewish paramilitary organisation in British Mandate Palestine, which later became the core of the IDF.

Question 12

Holocaust

Answer 12

The systematic, state-sponsored persecution and mass murder of six million Jews and millions of others, including Romani people, the intellectually disabled, political dissidents, and homosexuals, by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during World War II.

Question 13

Islam

Answer 13

A monotheistic Abrahamic religion founded on the teachings of the prophet Muhammad. It is the predominant religion among Arabs and Palestinians.

Question 14

Israeli

Answer 14

A citizen or inhabitant of the State of Israel, established in 1948.

Question 15

Jews

Answer 15

An ethnoreligious group originating from the Israelites of the ancient Near East. Judaism is their traditional religion.

Question 16

Judaism

Answer 16

The monotheistic religion of the Jewish people, encompassing their cultural, legal, and religious traditions.

Question 17

King Hussein of Jordan

Answer 17

The King of Jordan who played a significant role in the Arab-Israeli conflict, including during the Six-Day War.

Question 18

MacMahon Pledge

Answer 18

Correspondence during World War I in which the British government promised independence to Arab lands in exchange for support against the Ottoman Empire.

Question 19

Middle East

Answer 19

A region that includes Western Asia and parts of North Africa. It is a significant area for the Abrahamic religions and has been a focal point of geopolitical conflicts.

Question 20

Moshe Dayan

Answer 20

An Israeli military leader and politician who served as Defense Minister during the Six-Day War.

Question 21

Nakba

Answer 21

Arabic for “catastrophe,” referring to the mass displacement and expulsion of approximately 700,000 Palestinian Arabs during and after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

Question 22

Nationalism

Answer 22

A political ideology that emphasizes the interests and culture of a particular nation. Zionism is a form of Jewish nationalism.

Question 23

Ottoman Empire

Answer 23

A vast empire that controlled much of Southeast Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries. Palestine was part of the Ottoman Empire until its dissolution after World War I.

Question 24

Palestinians

Answer 24

An Arab ethnonational group native to the region of Palestine. They have a distinct national identity and have been involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Question 25

Partition

Answer 25

Partition refers to the action or state of dividing or being divided into parts. In a historical context, partition often refers to the division of a country or territory into separate political entities, such as the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947.

Question 26

Refugee

Answer 26

A person who has been forced to leave their country to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster. Refugees often flee due to a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. They seek safety and protection in another country, as returning to their home country is not safe for them.

Question 27

Revolt

Answer 27

Refers to the various uprisings and rebellions, such as the Arab Revolt (1936-1939) against British colonial rule and Jewish immigration in Palestine.

Question 28

Self-determination

Answer 28

This principle asserts that distinct ethnic, religious, or cultural groups have the right to govern themselves and from their own nation-states. This idea was particularly influential after World War I and was championed by leaders like U.S President Woodrow Wilson.

Question 29

Six-Day War

Answer 29

A brief but pivotal conflict fought in June 1967 between Israel and the Arab states of Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. Israel’s decisive victory significantly altered the map of the Middle East.

Question 30

Suez Crisis

Answer 30

A 1956 invasion of Egypt by Israel, followed by the United Kingdom and France, aimed at regaining Western control of the Suez Canal and removing Egyptian President Nasser.

Question 31

Sykes-Picot Agreement

Answer 31

A secret treaty signed in 1916 between the United Kingdom and France, with the assent of the Russian Empire and the Kingdom of Italy. The agreement aimed to define their mutually agreed spheres of influence and control in the eventual partition of the Ottoman Empire after World War I. It effectively divided the Ottoman provinces outside the Arabian Peninsula into areas of British and French control and influence.

Question 32

Theodor Herzl

Answer 32

An Austro-Hungarian journalist and the father of modern political Zionism. He founded the Zionist Organization and promoted Jewish immigration to Palestine to establish a Jewish state.

Question 33

UN

Answer 33

An international organisation founded in 1945 to promote peace, security, and cooperation among countries. The UN played a crucial role in the establishment of Israel with the adoption of the UN Partition Plan for Palestine in 1947.

Question 34

(A) UN resolution

Answer 34

A formal text adopted by a United Nations body, such as the General Assembly or the Security Council. These resolutions express the opinions or decisions of the UN on various issues. General Assembly resolutions are typically non-binding recommendations, while Security Council resolutions can be legally binding on member states, especially those adopted under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which deals with threats to peace and acts of aggression.

Question 35

White Paper

Answer 35

A policy document issued by the British government. The 1939 White Paper limited Jewish immigration to Palestine and was seen as a betrayal by the Zionist movement.

Question 36

Yitzhak Rabin

Answer 36

An Israeli military leader and politician who served as Chief of the General Staff during the Six-Day War and later as Prime Minister of Israel.

Question 37

Zionism/Zionist

Answer 37

A nationalist movement that emerged in the late 19th century aiming to establish a Jewish state in Palestine. Theodor Herzl is considered the father of modern Zionism.

Question 38

Diaspora

Answer 38

The dispersion or spread of a people from their original homeland.

Question 39

Anti-Semitism

Answer 39

Hostility to or prejudice against Jewish people.