Israel and Palestine - Humanities Flashcards
Anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism is the prejudice and discrimination directed against Jews based on their religious, ethnic, or cultural background. It comes in various forms such as verbal or physical abuse, social exclusion, or the propagation of harmful stereotypes.
Pogroms
Pogroms refer to organized, violent attacks against specific ethnic, religious, or social groups. They are often characterized by burglary, destruction of property, and physical abuse. These events usually result in widespread fear, displacement, and loss of life among the targeted community.
Zionism
Zionism is the political movement that came about in the late 19th century with the aim of establishing a Jewish homeland in the land of Israel, known as Zion. It supports the self-determination and preservation of the Jewish people.
Hussein-McMahon letters
The Hussein-McMahon letters are a series of letters exchanged between Sherif Hussein of Mecca and Sir Henry McMahon, the British High Commissioner in Egypt during World War I. These letters included promises regarding Arab independence and British support. Later these letters became a source of disagreement and dispute in the post-war period.
Sykes-Picot agreement
The Sykes-Picot Agreement was signed in 1916, and was a secret agreement between Britain and France during World War I. The agreement included their strategies for establishing zones of influence over the previous Ottoman Empires in the Middle East. This ultimately shaped the borders of several modern-day countries in the region.
Balfour Declaration
The Balfour Declaration was a statement published by the British government in 1917 supporting the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine. The statement had significant implications for the Zionist movement and the creation of the state of Israel.
National self-determination
National self-determination is the principle that each nation has the right to determine its own political status, form of government, and economic system without any external input. This was important because it allowed the people of a nation to independently determine their own future.
King-Crane Commission
The King-Crane Commission was a group assembled by the American government in 1919 to look into the goals of Middle Eastern citizens in the aftermath of World War I. It was established with the aim of making recommendations for the future political situation of the area and was called after its two leaders, Henry Churchill King and Charles R. Crane.
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization that worked in the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948. The name “Haganah” translates to “defense” in Hebrew, which shows its primary goal of protecting Jewish settlements and communities.
Lehi
Lehi is a Hebrew name that has historical and biblical significance. In the Old Testament, Lehi was the name of a prophet and the father of the prophet Nephi, who played a crucial role in the Book of Mormon. The name “Lehi” is often connected to strength, leadership, and spiritual guidance.
Mandate (in the League of Nations)
In the context of the League of Nations, a mandate referred to a territory that was placed under the executive control of a particular country or countries. This arrangement was planned to ensure the watch and development of the mandated territory until it was deemed ready for self-government.
The UNSCOP Partition Plan
The UNSCOP Partition Plan refers to the United Nations Special Committee on Palestine’s proposal in 1947 to divide the British Mandate of Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, as well as an internationalized zone for the city of Jerusalem. The plan aimed to address the ongoing conflict between Jewish and Arab communities in the region by creating separate organizations. But this has mixed reactions and led to further tensions and the Arab-Israeli War of 1948.
Arab Higher Committee
The Arab Higher Committee refers to a political organization formed in the mid-20th century, including Arab leaders from Palestine and other Arab nations. It played an important role in supporting Arab interests and addressing the Palestinian question during the period leading up to the establishment of the State of Israel.
European Jewish Diaspora
The European Jewish Diaspora refers to the scattering of Jewish communities from their traditional homeland in Europe to various parts of the world. It contains the historical migration and settlement patterns of Jews in different countries and regions outside of Europe. This led to the establishment of diverse Jewish communities with different cultural, religious, and historical experiences.
