3/8/11

In this class we are talking about 20th Century Jerusalem. 1882- marks the beginning of Secular Zionist. At this point, there was an increase in importance of Changing demographics in Jerusalem. There was a fund established to buy land in Palestine so they can colonize for Jews. But the Orthodox Jews reject Zionism as impious (saying you need to live the lifestyle of a Jew). Theodore Herzel calls for a state for Jews. The Sanctity of Jerusalem plays no role in Herzl’s vision. What was important to them was a Jewish state. Zionists build Tel Aviv (Not Jerusalem, it’s built a new city from scratch). Tel Aviv has modern problems just like LA

Next we discussed the rise of Anti- Semitism and Immigration. With the rise of European Nationalism- where was the land of the Jews? When the Jews become very established and very successful in Europe people began to get angry and blame them for the problems. They weren’t “like them” so they marginalized them. Often it was the Christians/ Catholics that were instigating Anti-Sematism in 1840. It wasn’t just a German problem, and it didn’t stop when Hitler was killed. The percentage of Jews rose from 19% to 28% in Palestine.

Everything changed with WWI (1914-1917). The Ottomons align with Germany against France and Britain. The Armenians flee genocide in Turkey and the Armenian quarter swells. The British use Palestine to break “stalemate”. In the Balfour Declaration (1917) the Brits are very quietly going to support the formation of a Jewish state in Palestine because before this, the Ottomons controlled Palestine so long as the existing civil and religious rights of existing non jewish communities are preserved. From 1918-1948 the Brits take control. They attempt to protect the holy places of all faiths. Churchill’s white paper clarified how Britain viewed the Balfour Declaration. At first, Britian supported a continuation of a Jewish community in Palestine but also Palestinian communities but there was confusion between whose side they were on… the Palestinian state or the Jewish state- they both thought they were going to help them. White papers did not really clarify just said the same thing “louder”. Jewish and Arab militant factions are starting to grow in response to this white paper, fighting one another.

The Peel Commission 1937 called for partisan of Palestine. They propose a 2 state nation. The Jewish state in Galilee, Upper Jordan Valley, Coastal Plain and the Arab state in Central Hills, West Bank, and Negev. Jerusalem was accepted as an “international city” and it was accepted by the UN. The Jews said that it was a bare minimum, they accepted it but would not accept anything less. The Arabs rejected it since in their mind they controlled all of it. Fights began to break out in Jerusalem and a civil war begins. Israel got a state out of it and Jordan got a state out of it. Israelis and Jordanians are the “Winners”. Today, the temple mount is owned by the Jordanians