Palestine
Adapted from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestine
The term "Palestine" comes via ancient Greek from a Semitic toponym for the general area dating back to the late second millennium BCE, a reflex of which is also to be found in the Biblical ethnonym Philistines. The term "Palestine" has been used to refer to the area at the southeast corner of the Mediterranean Sea beside Syria. In the 5th century BCE, Herodotus, in his work The Histories, used the term to describe a "district of Syria, called Palaistínē", in which Phoenicians interacted with other maritime peoples.
Currently, the terms "Palestine", "State of Palestine", and "occupied Palestinian territory (oPt or OPT)" are interchangeable depending on context. Specifically, the term "occupied Palestinian territory" refers as a whole to the geographical area of the Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967. Palestine can, depending on contexts, be referred to as a country or a state, and its authorities can generally be identified as the Government of Palestine."
A Palestinian Identity
"Palestine became a predominantly Arab country with a Muslim majority in the late seventh century. Known to the entire Muslim world by its Arabic name, Filastin, Palestine’s physical characteristics and boundaries were consolidated in the seventh century. In the case of the Palestinian version of Arabic Nationalism, language was also crucial to the formation of a national identity. At the turn of the 20th century, the Ottoman Empire and all its constituents started losing land and power, many provinces, including Palestine, were left to consider their options. Standard Arabic provides a medium of communication over the vast geographical area whose numerous and widely diverse local dialects it transcends and the Levantine Arabic spoken by Palestinians in the Diaspora gives the Palestinians in many countries a sense of identity and awareness of their common cultural heritage."
Border Conflict in Palestine
Look at the graphic to the left. What do you notice about the spread of the Palestinian and Jewish populations in Pre-Mandate Palestine?
Supporters of Israel have stated that the conflict could have been avoided if the Arabs accepted the 1947 Partition Plan. Discuss both side of this claim.
This was known as The Nakba (the Catastrophe). To what extent did the events of 1948 lead to, or exacerbate, conflict between the Palestinian people and the State of Israel?
Discuss the claim that the occupations of the 1967 war were a legitimate use of military authority.
Consider the historical and cultural significance of Jerusalem. How does control of this city translate to political power?
Rights
"Israel continued to commit the crimes of genocide and apartheid. The population of Gaza was subjected to mass starvation, killings and displacement alongside destruction of homes and other civilian infrastructure, which persisted despite ceasefire agreements. In the West Bank, escalating attacks and killings by settlers and Israeli armed forces alongside other human rights violations caused the forcible transfer of the civilian population. Inside Israel, Bedouin villages remained subject to demolition and forced eviction. Israeli forces killed 56 Palestinian journalists and media workers. Thousands of Palestinians remained detained without charge or trial; dozens died after being subjected to torture and other ill-treatment. Impunity for such crimes was rife."