THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT & PEACE PROCESS LESSON 1

DOCUMENT 1: The Jewish State (1896), Theodor Herzl

Herzl (1860-1904), a Jewish journalist from Vienna, became increasingly concerned about the growing
antisemitism across Europe at the end of the 19th century. Despite the fact that many Western European
countries had emancipated Jews, he noted that Jews, even those in high positions, were not safe from
antisemitism. He concluded that the only solution to the antisemitism that he saw around him was to
establish a Jewish state. He detailed his vision of this state in his book, Der Judenstaat (“The Jewish
State”). Herzl's Zionism was the most significant source of Jewish nationalism in the late 19th and early
20th centuries; he is viewed as the father of modern political Zionism.

EXCERPT
The idea which I have developed in this pamphlet is an ancient one: It is the restoration of the Jewish State.
No one can deny the gravity of the Jewish situation. Wherever they live in appreciable numbers, they are
more or less persecuted. Their equality before the law, granted by statute, has become practically a dead
letter. They are debarred from filling even moderately high positions in the army, or in any public or private
institutions. And attempts are made to thrust them out of business also: “Don’t buy from the Jews!”
Attacks in Parliaments, in assemblies, in the press, in the pulpit, in the street, on journeys...are increasing by
the day.
Can we hope for better days..? I say that we cannot hope for the current to shift.... The nations in whose
midst Jews live are all either covertly or openly Anti-Semitic....
We are one people--our enemies have made us one without our consent, as repeatedly happens in history.
Distress binds us together, and thus united, we suddenly discover our strength. Yes, we are strong enough
to form a State, and, indeed, a model State. We possess all the requisite human and material resources.
The whole plan is in its essence perfectly simple....Let sovereignty be granted us over a portion of the globe
large enough to satisfy the rightful requirements of a nation; the rest we shall manage for ourselves.
Source: This passage has been excerpted from The Jewish State translated by Sylvie D’Avigdor in 1896 and printed by the American
Zionist Emergency Council in 1946 and from The Zionist Idea: A Historical Analysis and Reader, ed. by Arthur Hertzberg and published
by the Jewish Publication Society (Philadelphia) in 1959.

KEYWORDS
antisemitism: hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious or ethnic group
appreciable: significant, large
dead letter: a law or policy that is not enforced
emancipated: permitted to become citizens on the countries in which they lived; freed from previous laws
and policies that restricted full Jewish participation in society
requisite: necessary
sovereignty: independence, self-government

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DOCUMENT 2: First Zionist Congress (Basel, Switzerland, 1897)

Shortly after he published his book, The Jewish State, Theodor Herzl called for the First Zionist Congress in
Basel, Switzerland. During this assembly, Jewish delegates from all over the world established the World
Zionist Organization and approved the following goals.

EXCERPT
The aim of Zionism is to create for the Jewish people a homeland in Palestine secured by public law. [This
would be achieved by:]

 The settlement in Palestine of farmers, artisans and laborers in such a manner as serves the
purpose [of creating a national home].
 The organization and union of the whole of Jewry in suitable local and general bodies, in
accordance with the laws of their respective countries.
 The strengthening of Jewish national feeling and national consciousness.
 Preparatory steps to obtain governmental consent necessary to achieve goals of Zionism.

Source: Elon, Amos. Herzl. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1976.

KEYWORDS
Jewry: a collective term for Jews; the Jewish people as a group
Palestine: In 135 CE, the Romans renamed the province which had been called Judaea to Syria Palaestina
to remove obvious Jewish connection to the land; in the Ottoman period, the shorter term Palestine was
used informally to describe the area south of Syria; after World War I, the League of Nations established the
British Mandate for Palestine, which originally also included what is today Jordan
Zionism: an expression of Jewish nationalism; a movement that began in the 19th century with the hopes
of reestablishing a Jewish homeland in the ancestral homeland, the land of Israel; became the official term for Jewish
efforts to reestablish a national homeland in the British mandate for Palestine

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DOCUMENT 3: Selected Writings of Sati’ al-Husri (early 20th century)

Among scholars, al-Husri is considered one of foremost thinkers and educators in the development of the
concept of Arab nationalism. For him, this meant that all Arabs shared a national identity. For al-Husri,
being part of a nation did not mean being ruled by the same government or living in the same country or
region. In the excerpt below he points to language and history as the most significant elements that a
group of people must share to be considered a nation.

EXCERPTS
 Language is the most important spiritual tie which binds an individual to the rest of mankind
because it is the medium of communication amongst individuals… Since languages differ between
[peoples], it is natural that we find groups of individuals who share the same language drawing
nearer to each other than to other groups, thereby forming a nation which is distinct from other
nations.
 Nationalist feeling depends on historical memories more than anything else… We do not
exaggerate when we say that generally… the struggle for independence and unity begin only by
recalling the past....Love for independence is nourished by memories of the lost independence; the
longing for power and glory begins with a lament for the lost power and diminished glory; faith in
the future of the nation derives its strength from a belief in the brilliance of the past.
 [A common language and a shared history] form the fundamental bases of nation formation. The
union of these two spheres leads to the fusion of emotions and aspirations, of sufferings and
hopes, and of culture. And in this, people see themselves as members of a unitary nation distinct
from other nation… If we want to specify the roles of language and history in the formation of a
nation, we can say: language is the soul and the life of the nation; history its memory and
its cognizance.

Source: Dawisha, A. I. Arab Nationalism in the Twentieth Century: From Triumph to Despair Princeton: Princeton University Press,
2016.

KEYWORDS
bind: tie or attach
cognizance: self-knowledge or awareness
fusion: blending or combining
lament: an expression of sadness or grief
nourish: maintain, keep in mind

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DOCUMENT 4: First Arab Congress (Paris, 1913)

Nationalist ideas began to spread among Arabs in the late 19th century. Still part of the Ottoman Empire,
Arabs initially took interest in nationalism as a literary and cultural movement to re-establish the
prominence of Arab language and culture and to promote a positive ethnic identity. In 1911, a group of
Arab students in European universities formed a group called al-Fatat (“the Young Arab Society”) to
discuss their growing interest in nationalist ideas. In 1913, the group called for a meeting of the First Arab
Congress where they made the following resolutions. See the accompanying map.

EXCERPT
 Radical and urgent reforms are needed in the Ottoman Empire.
 It is important to guarantee Ottoman Arabs the exercise of their political rights by giving them
meaningful roles in the administration of the Ottoman Empire.
 It is important to establish decentralized governments in each of the Arab and Syrian
administrative districts [giving them more autonomy within the Ottoman Empire] according to their
needs and abilities....
 The Arabic language must be recognized by the Ottoman Parliament and considered the official
language in Syrian and Arab regions.
 Military service of those living in the Syrian and Arab administrative districts will be regional [rather
than throughout the Ottoman Empire], except in extreme cases....
 These resolutions will be communicated to the Imperial Ottoman Government.
 These same resolutions will also be communicated to those powers friendly to the Ottoman
Empire....

Source: British Imperial Connexions to the Arab National Movement. Translated from the French. World War I Document Archive. Web.

KEYWORDS
Arabs: a people who originated in the Arabian Peninsula and spoke Arabic; today, Arabic-speaking people
who live mostly in the Middle East and North Africa
Arabian Peninsula Middle East and
North Africa

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levant: geographical term which refers to Eastern Mediterranean region

sanjak: district within the Ottoman Empire; a group of sanjaks together would form a vilayet
vilayet: province in the Ottoman Empire; similar in function to a state in the United States

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DOCUMENT 5: Arab Nationalisms

Arab Nationalism took a number of different forms, beginning in the 19th century and developing and
changing throughout the 20th century. See below for two voices on Arab Nationalism.

Rifa‘a Rafi‘ al-Tahtawi (c 1873)

Tahtawi was an early advocate of Egyptian nationalism. As an intellectual who had studied in France,
Tahtawi argued that Islam and modern Western thought were compatible with each other and that
integrating the two was critical to Egypt’s future. In this excerpt, the “homeland” or nation that he talks
about refers to Egypt.

EXCERPT
The homeland [nation] is the nest of man, where he toddled and from which he emerged, the congregation
of his family, and part of his inner self. It is the homeland whose soil, food, and air have raised him, whose
breeze has reared him and in which he grew up… Generous people long for their beloved ones like the lion
who longs for its jungle... Free people do not prefer any country to their homeland, and are never patient
being away from it.
Source: Kurzman, Charles. Modernist Islam, 1840-1940 a Sourcebook. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002.

Islam and the National Idea (1932), Rashid Rida

Rida was an Islamic reformer who was concerned about preserving Muslim unity, identity, and culture.
Rida viewed education, especially modern western education, as critically important to bringing about
reform in the Islamic world. In this document, which reflects some of his later thinking, he focuses
specifically on the relationship between Islam and nationalism.

EXCERPT
As for the kind of nationalism that should adorn [belong to] the Muslim youth, it is that he should set a good
example to the inhabitants of his homeland [nation] irrespective of their religion and sects [groups within a
religion], and that he should cooperate with them in every legitimate action to further the independence of
the homeland and to raise it up in learning, virtue, strength, and wealth.... The Muslim youth must not
forget, while serving his homeland and his people, that Islam has honored him...[and that as a Muslim] he is
a member of a body bigger than his people, his own personal homeland is only a part of his religious
homeland.
Source: Haim, Sylvia G. Arab Nationalism: An Anthology. Berkeley, CA: Univ. of Calif. Press, 1976.

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DOCUMENT 6: Zionisms
Just as there were many different visions of Arab Nationalism that emerged over time, the same was true
with Zionism. The forms of Zionism that you encounter below differed significantly from Theodor Herzl's
political Zionism although having a presence in the ancient homeland was critical to all of them. While
different visions remained and are reflected in Israel’s political makeup, ultimately, Herzl’s vision carried the
day.

The Jewish State and Jewish Problem, Ahad Ha’Am (1897)

Over the course of his life, Ahad Ha’Am became a central figure in the Cultural Zionist movement, which
was dedicated to renewing Jewish life and culture. Ha’Am wanted to create a Jewish cultural center in the
land of Israel that would act to reinforce Jewish life in the Diaspora and that would allow Jews to explore
and excel in areas of life that were often denied them in Europe (i.e., farming, higher education).

EXCERPT
[Judaism] needs not an independent State, but only the creation in its native land of conditions favourable
to its development: a good-sized settlement of Jews working without hindrance [obstacles] in every branch
of culture, from agriculture and handicrafts to science and literature. This Jewish settlement [community],
which will be a gradual growth, will become in course of time the center of the nation, wherein its spirit will
find pure expression and develop in all its aspects up to the highest degree of perfection of which it is
capable.

The Manifesto (1902), The Mizrahi

As part of a larger movement of Religious Zionism, the Mizrahi sought to establish the people of Israel in
their ancient homeland according to the values and principles of their sacred texts and traditions.

EXCERPT
In the lands of the Diaspora the soul of our people—our Holy Torah [sacred texts and traditions]—can no
longer be preserved in its full strength, nor can the commandments, which comprise the entire spiritual life
of the people, be kept in their original purity, because the times are besieging us with difficult
demands....Against his will each loses his Jewish self in the [non-Jewish] majority....
The people has found one remedy for this affliction—to direct their hearts to that one place which has
always been the focus of our prayers, that place wherein the oppressed of our people will find their longed-
for respite: Zion and Jerusalem.

Source. Both passages can be found in: Mendes-Flohr, Paul R. The Jew in the Modern World: A Documentary History. New York:
Oxford University Press, 2011.

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Prior Knowledge Assessment

WHAT DO I KNOW? HOW DO I KNOW? WHAT DO I WANT TO

What is the Arab-Israeli What are the sources of your LEARN?
conflict about? knowledge? Social media, TV What aspects of this conflict
news, books, family, friends, etc. and peace process would you
Who is involved?
like to know more about?
How reliable do you think that
How long has it been going on?
your sources are?

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What is the difference between Nationalism vs. Patriotism?

DIRECTIONS:
With each phrase in the center column, put an arrow either toward Nationalism or Patriotism, indicating
whether or not it might be more one than the other. If you can’t decide, circle the phrase.

NATIONALISM vs. PATRIOTISM

Pride in one’s country

Group that desires

sovereignty for country

Love of country

Belief that one’s country

is better than all others

Willingness to sacrifice for country

Violence often plays a role

Group’s belief in the right to

self-determination of country

Often involves symbols

and civic celebrations

Group identity around shared

values, language, history, etc.

Phrase you would add:

Phrase you would add:

1. Which phrases would you definitely include in the definition of Nationalism?

2. Which phrases would you definitely include in the definition of Patriotism?

3. Which lean more toward Nationalism? Toward Patriotism?

4. Which phrases were the most difficult to categorize? Why?

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Zionism & Arab Nationalism Primary Source Analysis

DOCUMENT 1: The Jewish State, Theodor Herzl

Write a brief response in your Provide citations from the text to support
Questions
own words. your answer.

Why did Herzl think that

Jews needed their own
nation?

What did Herzl believe

that Jews had in
common that made
them one people?

DOCUMENT 2: The First Zionist Congress

Write a brief response in your Provide citations from the text to support
Questions
own words. your answer.

What is Zionism?

What kind of nation did

Zionists at the First
Zionist Congress want
to establish? Where?

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DOCUMENT 3: Selected Writings of Sati’ al-Husri

Write a brief response in your Provide citations from the text to support
Questions
own words. your answer.

What did nationalism

mean for al-Husri?

What did al-Husri

believe that Arabs had in
common with each
other, making them one
people?

DOCUMENT 4: The First Arab Congress

Write a brief response in your Provide citations from the text to support
Questions
own words. your answer.

What makes someone

an Arab?

What were the goals of

the Arabs who attended
the First Arab Congress?

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Exit Slip

1. Describe how Jews, Christians, and Muslims are connected to the ancient land of Israel.

2. How was this region impacted by surrounding nations and empires from its earliest days up to
the beginning of the 20th century?

3. What are some of the reasons that nationalism emerged among European Jews and Arabs in the
Middle East? What kinds of nations did these groups imagine?

4. What are some similarities between early Zionism and early Arab Nationalism? Differences?

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