Early Zionism andArab-Jewish Relations
in 20th C Palestine
IAFS/JWST 3650
Outline
• Development of Zionism• Zionist Settlers in Holy Land• Arab-Jewish Relations in 1880s & 1890s
Multiperspectivity
• A single viewpoint is limiting
• Seeing via other viewpoints is where the most learning happens
“Landmines”
• Ideas/phrases/events that make discussion go BOOM
• Acknowledge, inspect, defuse landmines
The Development of Zionism
• Herzl’s focus on external support• Debate over location of Jewish home:–Palestine?–Northern Sinai?–Argentina?–Cyprus?–Uganda?– Southern Sinai?
Basel Declaration (1897)
Zionist Break with Traditional Judaism
• Trad. Judaism: Jewish exile ordained by God, so Jewish return could only result from God’ redemption
• Modern Zionism: worked actively in mainly secular fashion to establish independent Jewish existence in Palestine
Herzl’s Methods
• Plan to purchase land and organize settlers
• Rhodesia as a model
First Wave of Zionist Settlers
• 1882: first Zionist settlers landed at Jaffa=first aliyah (going up to Eretz Israel)
• 1903: 20 villages, 90,000 acres of land• ~5000 Jews settled in agricultural areas
First Wave of Zionist Settlers
• ~5000 Jews settled in cities• 1890: Jews a majority in Jerusalem
First Wave of Zionist Settlers
• Inexperienced settlers faced failing farms• Bailed out by wealthy European Jewish
philanthropists• Employed Arab workers, treated them poorly
Late 1890s
• Zionist settlement progressing• Diplomatic efforts unsuccessful• Internal criticism (e.g. Achad Ha’am)
• 1901: Purpose was land purchases
• 1908: Palestine Land Development Co.
JNF Blue Box (1920)
Jewish National
Fund
Jewish National
Fund
JNF Blue Box (1947)
Second Wave of Zionist Settlers
• 1904: many BILU settlers– Socialist convictions– Focus on settling the land
Second Wave of Zionist Settlers
• Tel Aviv established• 1909: first kibbutz (collective settlement)• 1921: first moshav (cooperative village)
Sources of Conflict
• Historical Trends• Land• Labor• Arms
Sources of Conflict: Historical Trends
• Arab desire to keep region’s character• Arab desire to maintain position as rightful
inhabitants• Zionist effort to radically change Palestine via
land purchase and settlement
Sources of Conflict: Land
• 1882 settler: we must “conquer the country covertly, bit by bit”
• 1882 settler: “The ultimate goal . . . is to take over the Land of Israel . . . Arms in hand (if need be).”
Sources of Conflict: Labour
• Internal Zionist debate–Hire Arab workers (since settlers were weak
and lacked experience)?–Rely on “Hebrew Labor,” with separate Arab
and Jewish economies?
Sources of Conflict: Armed Guards
• 1908: HaShomer established• Small, semi-clandestine armed organization• Won contracts to guard some settlements
Arab-Jewish Relations
• Morris: “normal” colonial relations (exploitation, stereotypes, fear, contempt)
• Jewish effort to erase stereotype as weak• “Muscular Judaism” (Max Nordau, 1898)
Clashes
• 1880s-1890s: raids, revenge attacks, land disputes
• After initial disputes settled, daily hostility decreased
• But deep and lasting resentments remained
Conclusions
• Growing sense of Palestine as coherent entity• Disagreements within Zionism (e.g. location)• Arab-Jewish tension developed in 1880s and
1890s• Tension sometimes led to violence