Colonialism was initially seen as a positive force by Europeans, but World War II changed that perception. The Zionist movement re-branded itself as anti-colonial, aided by the British. The British wanted to control Palestine for strategic reasons, but also envisioned a plan for both Palestinians and Israelis to coexist. This raises the question of how the land would be partitioned between the two groups.
People with no direct connection to the Middle East have taken to seeing the Palestinian cause as an anti-colonial struggle connected to their own experience. Columbia historian Rashid Khalidi explains why “decolonization” is resonating worldwide.
This episode was produced by Haleema Shah, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Serena Solin and Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King.
Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained
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