Ussama Makdisi, expert on Western colonialism and Zionism in the Arab Middle East, discusses the impact of political reforms, colonial rule, and the Balfour Declaration on religious coexistence. They explore the role of Western powers in shaping the Middle East through colonialism, imperialim, and sectarian divisions. They also discuss the violent history of the region and its connection to US imperialism and colonialism.
Western imperialism and colonialism fueled sectarianism across the Arab Middle East.
The nationalist Zionist project disrupted the ecumenical frame and led to the Arab-Jewish conflict in Palestine.
British colonial officials framed the violence between Arabs and Jews as sectarian, perpetuating stereotypes and misconceptions.
The loss of Arab Jewish identity due to colonial Zionism highlights the importance of reconstituting an inclusive identity.
Deep dives
The Ecumenical Frame and the Arab Identity
The podcast explores the history of the ecumenical frame and the Arab identity in the Arab region stretching from the Eastern Mediterranean to Iraq. It challenges the conventional wisdom that the Middle East is a place of timeless, inter-communal conflict. It highlights the historical efforts of Arabs to build interfaith solidarity against imperialism and colonialism, while pointing out how Western imperialism and colonialism have fueled sectarianism in the region. The episode discusses the emergence of the modern Arab identity and its challenges during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the imposition of British and French colonial rule.
The Impact of Colonial Zionism
The podcast delves into the impact of colonial Zionism on the Arab world, particularly in Palestine. It emphasizes that early Jewish settlers in Palestine were initially welcomed by many Arabs, but the gradual crystallization of the nationalist Zionist project, which sought to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine, disrupted the ecumenical frame and led to the Arab-Jewish conflict. The episode highlights the coercive nature of colonial Zionism and its exclusionary approach, which viewed Palestine as a Jewish national homeland and disregarded the rights and aspirations of the Palestinian Arab majority.
British Colonial Rule and Violence Framing
The podcast discusses the role of British colonial officials in Palestine and their framing of the violence between Arabs and Jews. It exposes how British colonialism and Zionist settlers set the stage for the ensuing inter-communal conflict. The British officials sought to portray the violence as barbaric and inherently sectarian, absolving themselves of responsibility and perpetuating orientalist discourses. This framing has had long-term consequences in shaping discourses around Arab and Muslim violence, perpetuating stereotypes and misconceptions.
Haj Amin al-Husseini and Colonial Zionism
The podcast touches upon the complex role of Palestinian leader Haj Amin al-Husseini. While acknowledging his collaboration with the Nazis, it emphasizes that his actions and ideology cannot be used to justify or generalize notions of Palestinian anti-Semitism. Haj Amin al-Husseini emerged in a context of British colonialism and Zionist colonization, and his actions should be seen as a response to the injustices imposed on the Palestinian population. The focus on Haj Amin al-Husseini obscures the broader historical context of colonial oppression and devalues the experiences and aspirations of the Palestinian people.
The Ecumenical Frame and Its Role in Arab History
This episode delves into the concept of the ecumenical frame and how it shaped Arab history. It highlights the importance of coexistence among different religious and ethnic groups and how this was disrupted by colonial Zionism. The Farhud of 1941, an outbreak of violence against the Jews in Baghdad, serves as an example of the breakdown of coexistence. The episode emphasizes that colonial Zionism's provocations in Palestine fueled resentment and ultimately hindered the reconstruction of Arab-Jewish coexistence. The potential for an inclusive, ecumenical identity is explored, and the necessity of reclaiming it is argued in order to foster a future of equality, freedom, and liberation in Palestine and the wider Arab world.
The Loss of Arab Jewish Identity and its Reclamation
This part of the podcast delves into the loss of Arab Jewish identity and its potential reclamation. It highlights the impact of colonial Zionism on Arab Jews, robbing them of their integrated identity. The discussion touches on the emergence of anti-Zionist Jewish organizations like Jewish Voice for Peace, which seek to redefine Jewishness apart from Zionism. This parallel struggle to separate religion from a political project resonates with the historical ideas of Arab Jews' coexistence without the constraints of colonial Zionism. The importance of reconstituting an Arab Jewish or Jewish Arab identity is underscored as an essential component of resolving the question of Palestine, fostering equality, freedom, and liberation.
Palestine's Universality and the Challenges Ahead
In this part of the podcast, the universal resonance and significance of Palestine are explored. The solidarity with the Palestinian struggle reflects an ecumenical framework that transcends religious and ethnic boundaries. This solidarity brings together people of diverse backgrounds and beliefs in a shared commitment to justice. The oppressive nature of Zionist ethnonationalism is contrasted with the hopeful message of a universal, ecumenical future that Palestine embodies. The current dire situation in Gaza, characterized by genocide and mass destruction, is discussed as a byproduct of US imperialism, colonial Zionism, and the erasure of an ecumenical frame. The potential for a transformative internationalism emerges from this movement, giving hope for positive directions in the future.
Featuring Ussama Makdisi on how Western colonialism and Zionism exploited, exacerbated, and imposed sectarianism across the Arab Middle East. This is the SECOND of a two-part interview.
