#2 - Fear and Loathing in the New Jerusalem, pt. 2
Jun 19, 2015
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The podcast delves into the intricate challenges of articulating Zionism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict amid the chaos following World War I. It highlights the contrasting historical experiences of Palestinian Arabs and Zionists shaped by colonialism. The evolution of identity and community is examined, showing the tension between personal loyalties and national unity. The legacy of Jewish soldier Joseph Trumpledore and the violent Jaffa riots are discussed, revealing the complexities of identity during a deeply fractured period.
Faisal betrayed by British and French, straining Arab alliances and making compromises difficult.
Devastating effects of war and famine in Greater Syria lead to psychological and moral trauma, hindering unity.
French and British colonial powers impose control in Palestine, deepening resentment and fueling resistance.
Neby Musa riots isolate Palestine, shift towards emphasizing Palestinian national identity.
Challenges in fostering Palestinian national identity due to traditional and tribal structures.
Deep dives
Betrayal and Broken Promises
Faisal, leader of the Arab forces in the fight against the Ottoman Empire during World War I, finds himself betrayed by the British and French after the war. Despite promises of independence, the British make secret deals with the French to divide up the Middle East. The Balfour Declaration also complicates matters, as it promises a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Faisal's attempts to negotiate with the French and make compromises strain his relationship with his Arab allies.
The Impact of War and Famine
The war and subsequent famine in Greater Syria have devastating effects on the population. A third of the Arab population in the region dies due to famine, diseases, and the impact of war. Survivors are left traumatized psychologically and morally. The experience of famine leads to a breakdown of trust, as people are forced to do unimaginable things to survive, including resorting to cannibalism. The profound damage caused by this trama makes the idea of unity and building a larger symbolic identity extremely challenging.
Colonialism and the Mandate System
The colonial powers, France and Britain, impose their authority in the former Ottoman territories through the mandate system. However, the Arabs in Palestine, led by Faisal's allies, refuse to accept this colonial occupation. The French and British try to justify their control by claiming they are preparing the Arab territories for future independence. However, the Arab population is not fooled and sees through the thinly veiled attempt to dominate and exploit. The mandate system only deepens their resentment and fuels resistance against colonial rule.
Neby Musa Riots and the Breakdown of Arab-Zionist Relations
The Neby Musa riots, a violent outbreak between Arabs and Jews in Palestine, served as a turning point in Arab-Zionist relations. The Zionist Commission and official Zionists were accused of provoking the crisis through their impatience and attempts to force the administration's hand. The British military, which had relied on Arab support during the war, was frustrated with the Zionists' behavior and believed they were using the British army to protect them from the Arabs. The British government suppressed a report investigating the causes of the riots that highlighted the responsibility of both Arab gangs and Zionist actions. The riots led to the isolation of Palestine under the British mandate and a shift towards emphasizing a distinct Palestinian national identity.
French Occupation and the End of Arab National Independence
The French, seizing the opportunity presented by the Neby Musa riots, mounted a League of Nations conference and declared war on Faisal, the leader of the Arab Kingdom of Syria. Faisal surrendered without a fight, leaving Palestinian Arabs without a unified national project to rally behind. With the collapse of the Syrian kingdom, focus shifted to developing a specifically Palestinian national identity. Illiteracy rates and rural populations posed challenges for the nationalist movement, as nationalism historically thrived in urban, literate populations. However, Palestinian Arab leaders began the arduous task of building a unified Palestinian identity from scratch.
The Burden of Tradition and Homogeneity
The challenge of fostering a Palestinian national identity was compounded by the deeply rooted traditional and tribal structures of the Arab population in Palestine. These structures, tied to ancestral homelands and extended family networks, posed obstacles to the formation of a homogeneous and transitory urban identity typical of modern capitalist societies. Capitalism, like communism, corrodes differences and promotes homogeneity, making it difficult for individuals to maintain traditional identities and resist the fluid and transient nature of modern society. Meanwhile, traditional agricultural societies foster strong identities, anchored in history, heritage, and ancestral ties.
The Difficulty Faced by Palestinian Nationalists
The podcast episode discusses the challenges faced by Palestinian nationalists in 1921. The speaker emphasizes the difficulty of convincing Palestinian Arabs to give up their autonomy and join a national project, as it would require them to sacrifice their freedom and have less control over their lives. The concept of a nation-state was unfamiliar to the Palestinian Arabs, and their historical experiences with empires and colonization further shaped their skepticism towards statehood. The episode highlights the contrasting situation of the Zionists, who had a head start in building a national identity due to their familiarity with state legitimacy and institutions.
Herbert Samuel and the Ambivalence of Zionism
The podcast also delves into the role of Herbert Samuel, the British-appointed High Commissioner of Palestine. Samuel, an assimilated British Jew and committed Zionist, is portrayed as a complex figure torn between his loyalty to Britain and his dedication to Zionism. Despite his belief in gradually establishing a Jewish homeland, Samuel faced challenges in balancing his liberal principles and the need to garner British support. The episode highlights Samuel's efforts to improve the image of British rule and the Zionists in Palestine, while also navigating the tensions between the Husseini and Nashashibi families, who played vital roles in British strategies to divide and control the Palestinian Arab population.
The Importance of Language Revival
The podcast discusses the significance of language in maintaining a sustainable culture. It highlights the unique case of the revival of the Hebrew language, which had died out and was reconstructed to become a first language for millions of people. Language shapes how we perceive ourselves and the world, and the revival of Hebrew preserves the cultural memory and deep structures of Jewish identity.
The Shift towards Militancy in Zionism
The podcast explores the shift in the Zionist movement towards a more militant approach after the Jaffa riots of 1921. Political Zionism, led by figures like David Ben-Gurion, rejected compromise and emphasized the establishment of a Jewish state, disregarding the concerns of the Arab population. This marked a departure from the idealistic and forward-looking cultural Zionism of figures like Ahad Ha'am, who believed in building a Jewish homeland while respecting the rights and culture of the Arab inhabitants.
The Arabs and the Zionists in Palestine struggle to get their bearings in a ruined world. The smell of gunsmoke still lays thick over the landscape, and the ink is still wet on the Balfour Declaration and the several new international agreements. The First World War is over, and people around the world are demanding their independence in the new world order. But building a national identity takes more than just drawing lines on a map or running a rag up a flagpole.
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