“What Were the Major Reasons for the Creation of the State of Israel?
07677
SOUTH WEST ASIA
ASSIGNMENT 1
“WHAT WERE THE MAJOR REASONS FOR THE CREATION OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL?
WAS THE BALFOUR DECLARATION THE TURNING POINT IN THE ZIONIST QUEST FOR ISRAEL?”
Lecturer: Ms S. Chappell
Student: Mark Walker-Roberts
Lecture / Tutorial Group: Wednesday 9 - 12 p.m.
Due Date: 04 September, 1996
INTRODUCTION
The state of Israel emerged on May 15, 1948. It was the first Jewish state to be established in nearly 2,000 years and was the culmination of efforts by the Jews to secure a homeland for themselves.
This paper will explore the major reasons for its creation. It will be shown to be a long enduring quest that has biblical origins. Subsequently both biblical history and geography will be worthy of mention as they are integral to the question - I will furthermore suggest that the Jewish belief from the bible forms a basis for motivation for the creation of a state.
Allied with this belief is the persecution sufferred by Jews when they dispersed worldwide during exile. This persecution, they felt, could end if they were able to realise a state of their own, whereby they would be able to govern and protect themselves from others who would persecute them.
However, the bible and events thousands of years ago have been ‘stepping stones’ in the outcome of 1948. Accordingly, I will concentrate on the more recent ‘stepping stones’ that facilitated the creation of the Israel state. Some of the areas that have been selected include the Zionist Movement, World War One, World War Two and myriad of politics that came to the fore during this period. In particular I will discuss the Balfour Declaration and its effect on the situation, and comment on whether it was a turning point in the Zionist quest for the creation of the state of Israel.
2
Two more points are worthy of mention. Firstly, this paper does not intend to debate or suggest an Arab versus Israel, Jew versus Muslim situation even though their religions are different and
SOUTH WEST ASIA
ASSIGNMENT 1
“WHAT WERE THE MAJOR REASONS FOR THE CREATION OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL?
WAS THE BALFOUR DECLARATION THE TURNING POINT IN THE ZIONIST QUEST FOR ISRAEL?”
Lecturer: Ms S. Chappell
Student: Mark Walker-Roberts
Lecture / Tutorial Group: Wednesday 9 - 12 p.m.
Due Date: 04 September, 1996
INTRODUCTION
The state of Israel emerged on May 15, 1948. It was the first Jewish state to be established in nearly 2,000 years and was the culmination of efforts by the Jews to secure a homeland for themselves.
This paper will explore the major reasons for its creation. It will be shown to be a long enduring quest that has biblical origins. Subsequently both biblical history and geography will be worthy of mention as they are integral to the question - I will furthermore suggest that the Jewish belief from the bible forms a basis for motivation for the creation of a state.
Allied with this belief is the persecution sufferred by Jews when they dispersed worldwide during exile. This persecution, they felt, could end if they were able to realise a state of their own, whereby they would be able to govern and protect themselves from others who would persecute them.
However, the bible and events thousands of years ago have been ‘stepping stones’ in the outcome of 1948. Accordingly, I will concentrate on the more recent ‘stepping stones’ that facilitated the creation of the Israel state. Some of the areas that have been selected include the Zionist Movement, World War One, World War Two and myriad of politics that came to the fore during this period. In particular I will discuss the Balfour Declaration and its effect on the situation, and comment on whether it was a turning point in the Zionist quest for the creation of the state of Israel.
2
Two more points are worthy of mention. Firstly, this paper does not intend to debate or suggest an Arab versus Israel, Jew versus Muslim situation even though their religions are different and
References: Encyclopaedia Brittanica, 15th Edition, (1982), International Press, New York, U.S.A., Volume 10 p 886; Volume 1 p 758 Barker, A.J. (1980), Arab Israeli Wars Ian Allan Ltd., Shepperton, Surrey, England, pp 9 - 43 Bible (1976), Old Testament American Bible Society, pp 4 - 88 Bromley, S. (1994), Rethinking Middle East Politics Edited by Polity Press, Cambridge, U.K. pp 6 - 16 Cattan, H. (1971), The Palestine Problem: The Palestinian viewpoint in the Middle East: a handbook Edited by M. Adams, Great Britain, Anthony Bland Ltd., pp 146 - 160 Harper, P. (1986), The Arab - Israeli Issue. Wayland Publishers, West Sussex, England, pp 8 - 43 Mansfield, P. (1992), A History of the Middle East Penguin Books, London, England, pp 1 - 7 ; pp 85 - 135 Miller, A. (1988), The Palestinians: the past as prologue Current History, Volume 87, number 526, pp 73 - 76 ; pp 83- 85