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