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The Palestinians
Introduction
Palestine was one of the names for the territory known as the
Land of Israel (Eretz Yisrael). The name was derived from the
Hebrew "Pleshet" - the southern coastal part of the country which,
in biblical times, was inhabited by the Philistines, a people
of Agean origin. The Romans gradually applied the name Palestine
to the entire Land of Israel.
In the second century C.E., the Romans named the southern part
of the Roman province of Syria -- which included the Kingdom of
Judea "Syria Palestina". From Byzantine times it became the accepted
name of Eretz Yisrael in non-Jewish usage.
The name "Palestine" was applied to a clearly defined territory
after the British conquered Eretz Yisrael in 1917-1918. The inhabitants
of both sides of the Jordan river were referred to as "Palestinians".
After the eastern part of "Palestine" became known as Transfordan,
the name "Palestine" was applied to the territory west of the
Jordan river. The Jews of the Yishuv refused to be called Palestinians.
The local Arab population in Eretz Yisrael (Palestine), in the
course of time became identified as Palestinians.
Today, there are some 4 million people who define themselves
as Palestinians. Their main centers (estimated numbers) are:
- Jordan (900,000);
- Judea and Samaria (900,000);
- The Gaza Strip (700,000);
- Israel (650;000);
- Lebanon (150,000);
- Syria (150,000);
- The Arab oil producing states - 250,000.
- More than 600,000 Palestinians still live in refugee camps.
Only in Israel and in Jordan did Palestinians become citizens.
From British Rule to the War of Independence (1918 - 1948)
The Balfour Declaration and
the British conquest of Eretz Yisrael were accompanied by the
growth of the Palestinian Arab national movement.
In the beginning, the Palestinian Arabs defined themselves as
part of "Southern Syria". In the course of time, the Palestinians
demanded the abolition of the Balfour Declaration and the establishment
of a local government in Palestine to be elected by the pre-World
War I inhabitants of the country. In 1920, an Executive Committee
was elected. In 1923, the Palestinians rejected the British proposal
to establish a self-governing body. After the clashes in 1929
(see: The 1929 Disturbances),
the British rejected the Palestinians' proposal to establish a
legislative assembly, where the Arabs would have a majority.
In 1931 a terrorist organization led by Sheikh Izz al-Din al-Quassam
was formed. In 1934 the grand mufti of Jerusalem, Sheikh Amin
al-Husseini, rose to leadership with the support of the younger
and more radical generation of Muslim activists, who believed
that Jewish immigration and settlement had to be prevented by
use of force. The failure of the plan for a legislative council,
at the beginning of 1936, led to the outbreak of the "Arab
Revolt" of 1936 -1939. In July 1937, the Palestinians rejected
the Peel Commission proposals.
Although the publication of the White
Paper of 1939 seemed a significant achievement to the Palestinians,
it was rejected by their leadership.
During World War II, many Palestinian Arab leaders supported
the Nazis; some of them even spent the war years in Berlin and
Rome. In 1945, the Arab League established the Higher Arab Committee
as the representative body of Palestinian Arabs. The organization
opposed every compromise offered by Britain in 1946 and rejected
any solution that did not recognize Palestine as a purely Arab
country. The Arab Higher Committee rejected the UN
Partition Plan of November 29 1947, and announced its detemination
to prevent its implementation by force.
The Refugee Problem (see map)
Between April and December 1948, some 700,000 Palestinian Arabs
abandoned their homes and fled to nieghboring Arab countries as
well as to parts of Palestine later occupied by Jordan (Judea
and Samaria, which were annexed by Jordan as the "West Bank"),
and Egypt (the "Gaza Strip").
- Many of them were encouraged to do so by the Arab leadership,
who promised them a quick return in the wake of the victorious
Arab armies.
- The flight was accelerated by rumors, spread by the Arabs,
of Jewish atrocities.
- As a result of the invasion by the Arab states' regular armies,
on May 15, 1948, many Arab villages were evacuated by their
leaders.
During the fighting of subsequent months, their flight continued
into the Arab - held areas of Judea and Samaria across the Jordan
river into Transjordan, into the Gaza Strip and -- to a lesser
extent -- into Syria and Lebanon.
The refugee problem was born out of the Arabs' determination
to frustrate the UN Partition Resolution of November 29, 1947
(see map).
The refugees were kept in crowded filthy camps and their plight
exploted by the Arab states for political ends. Except for Jordan,
where refugees were granted Jordanian nationality, the Arab states
did nothing to improve the refugees'distress. In the 1960's, economic
development in Jordan had a direct effect on the refugees living
in in that country: many left the refugee camps, found employment
and integrated into society. The core of the problem remained,
however, the refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, where hundred of
thousands of refugees were crowded into a small area and not permitted
to leave.
During and after the Six Day War,
there was another large-scale population movement - over 200,000
people from the West Bank into eastern Jordan, and over 100,000
from the Golan Heights into Syria.
The Government of Israel has always maintained that the refugee
problem can and should be resolved only in the framework of an
overall Israel-Arab peace settlement.
The Palestinians from 1948 to 1967
As a result of the War of Independence
(see also Armistice Agreements),
the Palestinian Arabs no longer existed as a political entity.
Those who remained in Israel became Israeli citizens; those who
were under Jordanian rule were granted Jordanian nationality.
In the Gaza Strip, the refugees preserved their Palestinian identity
but lacked internalleadership.
At the beginning of the 1960s, the idea of a Palestinian Entity
was raised again, with Egypt and Iraq striving for the sponsorship
of the plan. The Arab summit conference, held in January 1964,
passed a resolution calling for the unification of Arab efforts
on behalf of Arab Palestine.
The Palestinian Conference, held in May 1964, established the
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), with Ahmed Shkeiry as
its head, as coordinating council for all Palestinian refugees.
In its early years, the organization's effectiveness was limited:
its leaders were appointed by the Arab League and its operation
had to be approved by the Jordanian king. In January 1965, the
Al Fatah* organization, headed by Yasser Arafat, started operating
against Israel.
In June 1964, the Palestinian National Covenant was drafted.
The document, which serves as an ideological basis for the Palestinians'
struggle against Israel, declared that the Palestinians would
struggle for the liberation of all Palestine as the country belonged
to the Palestinians alone. According to the Palestinian National
Covenant, only those Jews who lived in the country before 1917
(the time of the Balfour Declaration) would be considered Palestinians
and be permitted to live in Palestine after its "liberation".
On the eve of the Six Day War, the Palestinian national movement,
which had been practically paralyzed since the Arab defeat of
1948, was reappearing on the political scene.
The Palestinians after the Six Day War
The Six Day War had a far-reaching effect upon the subsequent
development of the Palestinian national movement. As a result
of the war, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, which had been under
Arab control (Egypt and Jordan) until June 1967, now came under
Israeli rule. Israeli occupation of the whole of Eretz Israel
(Palestine) reawakened the question of the political definition
of the Palestinian Arabs. For the first time since 1948 it was
possible to relate to the Palestinians as one political body.
The Palestinian National Covenant, drafted in 1964, was revised,
stating clearly and explicitly that the PLO regarded Israel as
an illegal country and that the organization committed itself
to establishing a Palestinian state once the State of Israel was
destroyed.
After the Six Day War the Al Fatah organization [see above],
founded January 1965, became the most prominent Palestinian body.
In 1969, it gained control over the PLO. At the Palestinian National
Conference, in February 1969, Al Fatah and its supporters achieved
a majority; Yasser Arafat was elected chairman of the PLO.
In 1974, the PLO was recognized by the Arab states as the sole
legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. At the same
time, the organization also achieved international recognition.
In 1982, the PLO was weakened when -- as a result of the Peace
for Galilee War -- PLO members quartered in West Beirut were dispersed
to other Arab countries. In December 1987, violent demonstrations
of young Palestinians in the Gaza Strip launched the Palestinian
uprising - the intifada - which spread throughout the occupied
territories and aimed to oust the Israeli military forces and
to establish a separate Palestinian state. Within a few weeks,
the PLO responded to the Palestinian uprising by proclaiming the
establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
In 1991, with PLO agreement, Palestinian representatives participated
in the Madrid Conference. Secret negotiations between the PLO
and Israel led to mutual recognition (September 1993) and a series
of subsequent agreements aimed at ending the history of conflict
between the two peoples.
Israel-Palestinians Agreements: The "Oslo Accords"
In April 1993, representatives of the Government of Israel began
a series of behind-the-scenes talks with PLO members. Most of
the meetings, separate from the publicly held peace talks, took
place in Oslo, with Johan Joerger Holst, Norway's Freign Minister,
acting as mediator.
- In August 1993, details about the secret negotiations became
known. While much of the world rejoiced at the news, hard-liners
on both sides were outraged as details of a tentative agreement
came out.
- On August 31, 1993, the Israel government approved in principle
the plan for interim Palestinian self-rule.
- On September 9, 1993, Yasser Arafat sent a letter to Prime
Minister Rabin, in which he stated that the PLO recognized Israel's
right to exist in peace and security. In his letter, Arafat
also renounced terrorism and other acts of violence. In return,
the Government of Israel decided to recognize the PLO as the
representative of the Palestinian people.
Oslo accords: map
- On September 13 1993, some 3,000 invited guests attended
the signing of a joint Israeli Palestinian Declaration of Principles.
The ceremony took place on the White House lawn. Foreign Minister
Shimon Peres signed for Israel and Mahmoud Abbas, a negotiator
in the secret talks leading to the agreement, signed for the
PLO. The ceremony concluded with the historic handshake between
Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat.
The Declaration of Principles outlines the arrangements for the
proposed 5 year interim of Palestinian self-rule. According to
the Declaration of Principles, negotiations on the permanent status
of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank would begin no later than
the 3rd year of the interim period. The permanent status agreement
would take effect after the 5 year interim period.
Since the signature of the Declaration of Principles, Israel
and the Palestinians have signed the following agreements:
- The Gaza Jericho Agreement (May 4, 1994)
- The Agreement on the Preparatory Transfer of Powers and Responsibilities
(August 29, 1995)
- The Israel Palestine Interim Agreement on the West Bank and
the Gaza Strip (September 28, 1995)
Negotiations on the permanent status arrangements commenced
on May 5, 1996.
Note: The
agreements between Israel and the Palestinians are also known
as the "Oslo Accords".
Oslo Accords under the Likud Government (Hebron - Wye) 1996-1999
By Neil
Lazarus
1. Protocol Regarding Israeli Redeployment in Hebron
January 17 1997
The Protocol on Israeli redeployment from areas of Hebron is
very significant in terms of the city's historical Jewish associations;
moreover, the document was the continuation of Oslo commitments,
as Israel went from a Labor to a Likud coalition government after
the 1996 elections.
The redeployment left a Jewish enclave in the heart of Hebron
and established a temporary UN observer force there - the TIPH.
Full text of agreement:
http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH00ql0
Maps :
Hebron Outline Map:
http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH00s00
http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAJ01v50
Redeployment:
http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAJ00hl0
2. The Wye Agreement - November 1998
The Wye Agreement was the second agreement between Israel and
the Palestinians under the government of Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, brokered by the US Clinton administration. It was intended
to restart the peace process that had stalled as a result of Palestinian
protest over a controversial new Jewish community planned in Har
Homa, Jerusalem, and as a result of a growing mistrust between
both sides.
Netanyahu's attitude to the peace process differed from that
of Rabin, Peres and Barak, in that there was a demand by the government
of Israel for reciprocal implementation ("reciprocity")
on the part of the Palestinians. Netanyahu refused to offer more
concessions until the Israeli needs for security were met, including:
· The amendment of the PLO Covenant;
· Palestinian Authority action against Hamas and its terrorist
activities;
· Cessation of the PA's so-called "revolving door
policy" of releasing terrorists from prison after a few months.
The Wye agreement was intended to be implemented over twelve
weeks.
· The first two weeks were to see the handing over of
2 percent of the West Bank and the annulling of clauses of the
PLO charter which referred to the destruction of Israel.
· Week Two would see the confiscation of illegal weapons
by the Palestinian Authority and the reduction of the size of
the Palestinian Police force (at over 40,000 policeman it was
nearly double the size agreed under the original Oslo Accords).
· At the end of week three Israel would relinquish another
five percent of the land conditional to a PNC vote canceling all
clauses in the PLO charter calling for the destruction of Israel.
· In the last 6-12 weeks, Israel would transfer another
6 per cent of the West Bank, on the condition that all illegal
weapons had been collected.
The Wye agreement was never more than partially implemented,
as it precipitated the collapse of the Netanyahu government:
- The Right wing voted no confidence in Netanyahu's government
because it wanted to concede too much land;
- The Left voted against Netanyahu for conceding too little.
New elections were held in May 1999 and Ehud Barak was voted
Prime Minister.
Wye Accords Map
Links:
From Oslo to Wye (Current Issue Archive)
http://www.jajz-ed.org.il/actual/wye/index.html
Concepts - Struggle & Defense
http://www.jajz-ed.org.il/100/concepts/d4.html#palest
The Sharm el Sheikh Memorandum , September 4, 1999
by Neil Lazarus
Following the election of Ehud Barak in May 1999, the Palestinians,
who had become frustrated by progress in the Peace process, greeted
the change with great expectations. The Sharm el Sheikh agreement
was a rapid intervention by the new Prime Minister to put the
Peace Process back on track by setting target dates for a staged,
but relatively rapid implementation.
The Sharm el Sheikh Memorandum established new and extended old
deadlines in a bid to finally resolve the conflict between Israelis
and Palestinians by September 13 2000. It aimed to move the sides
to finalize bilaterally all major final status talks by this date,
including: Jerusalem, refugees, settlements, water and Palestinian
statehood.
However, while many subsidiary redeployment, freepassage, airport
and other arrangements, did emerge, the major issues were not
addressed in the pressured time scale, and a new summit was called
by the US in mid-summer 2000, shortly after Israel withdrew the
IDF from Lebanon. Redeployment was only very partially implemented
and subsequent attempts to proceed with new interim agreements
or move to a permanent settlement did not meet with success.
Map
Links:
Current Issues Activity - The Sharm Accords -
http://www.jajz-ed.org.il/actual/wye/sharm.html
http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH01gt0
enlarged http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go-visual.asp?MFAJ00ja0
From Camp David II to The Disturbances
By the Editor
1. Camp David II - July 2000
During the July negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians
at Camp David, many of the issues of conflict were bridged. However,
the issues of Jerusalem and the right of return for Palestinian
refugees proved too difficult to resolve. Ehud Barak offered major,
controversial concessions on Jerusalem, together with some on
the reunification of families, while the Palestinians did not
move from their initial negotiating position, namely: that Israel
relinquish all of East Jerusalem, as well as allowing all refugees
since 1948 the right to return. With the breakdown of talks, Barak
withdrew his compromise offer and declared it null and void. Following
US pressure, Chairman Arafat agreed not to make unilateral declaration
of Palestinian independence at the end of the official Oslo Accords'
extension, due on September 13th 2000 - at least, until after
the US Presidential elections
Map of Jerusalem
Links:
Backgrounds on Jerusalem:
http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0hld0
http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0hle0
Refugees:
http://www.jajz-ed.org.il/100/maps/refuge.html
Struggle & Defense - The Peace Process - The Palestinians:
This file
2. The Disturbances - Autumn 2000
From July to September, Israel waited anxiously to see whether
Peace talks would resume, or whether there would be a deterioration.
There were an increasing number of incidents in late September.
On 29th September, the eve of Rosh Hashana - the Jewish New Year
- Israeli Opposition leader Ariel Sharon visited the Temple Mount,
the holiest Jewish site. The Palestinians claimed this was massive
provocation and launched violent attacks and riots against Israeli
soldiers and civilians in and around Israeli settlements, using
children and youth to lead the way, while PA Police participation
and armed militia provided fire-power. Israeli reaction was restrained,
but the death toll was tragically mounting, especially of the
younger and child participants. The world media focused on the
armed response by the IDf, rather than the intentions of the violent
and armed demonstrators - which was highly damaging to Israel's
image, and put her at a disadvantage on the diplomatic scene.
For a while, some aligned Israeli Arab groups in the North and
coastal areas joined in a coordinated campaign to attack Jewish
Israeli civilians, cut communications and set forest fires across
Israel, but this was soon calmed by community leaders. Some Jewish
Israeli groups with criminal elements rioted in the North and
Galilee, but police reaction was swift to stop this and arrest
those responsible; Israeli leaders appealed to the beleaguered
public for self-restraint, and a tense calm ensued.
The subsequent kidnapping of 3 Israeli soldiers and a private
Israeli citizen by Hizbullah led to international and UN efforts
to break the cycle of escalating violence, but endeavors to bring
Israel and the Palestinians to talks met with negative response
from the PA at a Paris summit and a walk-out by Arafat. The lynch
of 2 Israeli soldiers in Ramallah generated a pro-active, but
focused, response by the IDF on evacuated PA buildings in Ramallah
and Gaza. This led to further international efforts to calm the
region, and a multi-party international brokerage of a cease-fire
in Sharm followed, but did not produce substantial results.
At the Arab League summit in Cairo, the PA gained substantial
support and Arafat declared that the Palestinians were moving
towards Jerusalem as capital of their independent state. There
was an intensification of Palestinian night-time sharp-shooting
into the homes of private citizens in the Gilo suburb of Jerusalem
from nearby Beit Jala village, near Bethlehem - and at Psagot,
near Ramallah, which prompted directed IDF response. The bombardment
of Israeli neighborhoods adjacent to the PA was understood as
an attempt to influence the borders, which are to be established
in a permanent settlement between Israel and the Palestinians.
It was also presumed to be a lead-up to a further escalation and
unilateral declaration of statehood by the PA.
The Peace Process, and even bilateral or mediated dialogue, had
ground to a halt; the fate of the entire framework of the Oslo
accords hung in the balance. A last ditch attempt was made by
Shimon Peres to negotiate a cease-fire with Yasser Arafat, and
this yielded significant success in terms of armed street riots.
However, Lebanon-style roadside bomb attacks and sniping increased
at several foci: Netzarim, Gush Katif, Karni, Erez; Psagot, the
connecting roads; and Gilo continued to come under fire.
P.M. Ehud Barak's lacked a parliamentary majority on its peace
policy; as an alternative, it was unable to form an emergency
or national unity government to face the crisis; this forced him
to declare early elections.
Map of Gilo
See Activities, Resources and Links from:
1. Israel & the Palestinians: The Test of Leadership
http://www.jajz-ed.org.il/actual/conflict/oct2000.html
2. Israel & the Palestinians: hadracha guidance, questions
http://www.jajz-ed.org.il/actual/conflict/hadracha.html
3. Discussion Forum for above units:
http://www.jajz-ed.org.il/forums/Thread.cfm?CFApp=17&Thread_ID=588&mc=1
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