This aspect of my blog will be updated often, examining important terms and people regarding their contributions the the Israeli-Palestine conflict.
Theodore Herzl: founded zionism in 1896
Zonionism: a Jewish political movement trying to creating a Jewish state in Palestine
Arthur Balfour: British politician who tried to establish the Jewish population in Palestine
HAMAS (also known as the Islamic Resitance Movement): a military terrorist organization made by the Palestinians
The United Nations: an international organization founded to promote peace and security world wide.=
PLO: Palestine Liberation Organization founded in 1964
Yasser Arfat: Palestine leader who funded terrorist attacks against the Israelis
Fatah: Arfat's political party
Anwar Sadat: first Egyptian president who vistied Palestine and was assasinated in 1981
Yitzhak Rabin: Israeli politian and general and was assasinated in 1995
Friday, 15 April 2011
The West Bank Wall
Before I go in depth into the historical influences in the Israeli-Palestine conflict, I will address the most pressing issue at the time: the controversial West Bank Wall. The West Bank Wall is a separation of Israel (the Jewish territory) and Palestine (the Arab). When completed, it will be four times as long and twice as high as the Berlin wall. The wall will be 650 kilometers long and 8 meters high. This image shows the geographical separation of the land:
This wall has been disputed, as many Palestinian professionals believe that it does not strictly follow the borders of the territories. The wall is heavily guarded by security and enforces strict rules of travel. The Israeli population supports the construction of the wall while the Arabic population rejects it. This can be simply examined through language. The Hebrew word for the barrier is gader meaning fence, while the Arabic word is jidar meaning wall.
The barrier has helped protect the citizens from terrorist, but it also proposes another problem: how can the communities unite, ultimately ending the crisis, if they live in segregated communities? And furthermore, is there even a reason to unite if the populations can remain separate?
Many citizens believe this wall is an atrocity and is segregating people from their communities, including essential needs such as hospitals and schools. Farmers are also affected by the wall because of the large shadow the wall casts disrupts the fertile land.
In my opinion, the West Bank Wall is a perfect solution for the short term. The Wall will not end the crisis but will sooth the tension for the time being. If the people feel safe in Israel for even a bit of time, then the wall has done its job. I do think that the wall will be broken down in the future just like the Berlin Wall, hopefully signifying the end of the crisis in Israel.
Perry, N. (2003, July 1). ei: Is it a Fence? Is it a Wall? No, it's a Separation Barrier. ei: The Electronic Intifada. Retrieved April 15, 2011, from http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article1775.shtml
Wednesday, 13 April 2011
Brief Geography and the People
Israel was formed as a country in May 14, 1948 and is east of the Mediterranean Sea. Jerusalem is the capital city and has been fought over for many years by different religions. The coastline is very prosperous and the cities are very industrious and modern. The climate is regularly hot and dry, similar to a desert.
As stated earlier, the capital city of Jerusalem has been the centre for religious disputes for many years. This is because Catholics, Muslims, and Jewish people all consider Jerusalem as their holy land imperative to their faith. The ethnic breakdown of the population is:
Total population: 7 515 400
Jewish: 76%
Arabic: 16%
Catholic: 3%
Other: 5%
(as of 2009)
Geography and Map of Israel. (n.d.). Geography Home Page - Geography at About.com. Retrieved April 13, 2011, from http://geography.about.com/library/cia/blcisrael.htm
Why I Chose the Israeli-Palestine Conflict
I chose the Israeli-Palestine conflict because I am very interested in how religions affect societies. Israel is the best example of how religion can alter politics due to the geographical connection of two varying cultures: the Jewish population and the Arab. Through studying the conflict I hope to gain the knowledge of how diverse societies can cause conflict, an idea contradictory to the mosaic culture of Canada. Furthermore, I hope to gain the understanding of why the conflict is happening regarding the history of the conflict and what solutions can be found based upon modern changes in Israel.
The World wants the state of Israel to be forced into the
last ghetto for Jews. (2009, November 9).News that
Matters. Retrieved April 13, 2011, from
http://ivarfjeld.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/
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