The Conflict Between the Arabs and Jews - Assignment Example

Arab and Israel Conflict One of the most important conflicts in the modern history which spans almost one century of political tensions and hostilities has been the Arab-Israeli conflict which continues to attract international concerns. Long before the establishment of Israel as a sovereign state in 1948, the conflict between the two sides started and it continues to challenge the peace keeping process of the region. It is important to realize that the conflict between the Arabs and Jews belonging to two nations in the region has incorporated various international issues and various international organizations and nations have involved in the resolution of the issue. "The Arab-Israeli conflict is one of the most stubborn problems of the post-war era. The partition of Palestine resulted in the creation of the State of Israel, and of the Palestine refugee problem. The dispute has resulted in major regional wars and two Palestinian Intifadas with tragedies on both sides. Throughout, there have been repeated attempts to resolve the conflict, from Bernadotte in 1948 through to President George W. Bush's roadmap in 2003." (Book Description, 2007). Therefore, the Arab-Israeli conflict, which started almost a century ago, continues to be one of the most serious issues of international dispute. Investigating the roots of the conflict, it becomes lucid that the establishment of the Zionist movement has been a major reason for the Arab-Israeli conflict. Similarly, following the Zionist movement, the modern State of Israel was established in the region which was regarded by the Jews as their historical homeland. However, the Pan-Arab movement maintained that it was a territory belonging to the Palestinians. All these issues contributed to the deepening of the conflict between the Arab and the Israelis and the religious dimension of the conflict is often emphasised. This paper makes a profound analysis of the background of the Arab-Israeli conflict, incorporating the history of the Arabs and the Jews, the religious dimension of the conflict, Judaism and Islam, and the history of the land of modern Israel, in order to determine the basic issues involved in the conflict. In a reflective exploration of the ancient history of Israel and Palestine, one comes to recognize that the ancient Jewish kingdoms of Israel and Judea were consecutively conquered and subjugated by several foreign empires and kings. One of the major empires to conquer the land was the great Roman Empire and there were several revolts against the foreign rule in the region. In 135 CE, the Roman Empire overpowered the third revolt against its rule in the region and consequently expelled the surviving Jews from Jerusalem and its surroundings. Many of these Jews were sold for slavery and the Roman province was then renamed'Palestine'. "After the Arab conquest of Palestine in the 7th century the remaining inhabitants were mostly assimilated into Arab culture and Muslim religion, though Palestine retained Christian and Jewish minorities, the latter especially living in Jerusalem. Apart from two brief periods in which the Crusaders conquered and ruled Palestine (and expelled the Jews and Muslims from Jerusalem), it was ruled by several Arab empires, and it became part of the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire in 1516." (The Arab-Israeli Conflict). Therefore, the land of the Palestine was occupied by people belonging to Arab culture and Muslim religion, although there were Christian and Jewish minorities. Represented by twenty one separate countries, the Arab nations today form a significant power in the region and there is only one Jewish nation with a tiny country in the region, i.e. Israel. To trace the history of the people of Israel (also called the 'Jewish People'), they trace their origin to Abraham of the Old Testament and they regard Abraham, his son Yitshak (Isaac), and grandson Jacob (Israel), as the patriarchs of the Israelites. It has been emphasised by several writers that the very embodiment of Jewish continuity is Israel which inherits all the elements of the ancient Israelites, including the land, the name, the language, and the God. Israel got its name from the name given to Jacob in the Old Testament and his twelve sons were the kernels of twelve tribes which developed into the Jewish nation. Similarly, the name Jew originates from the name of Yehuda (Judah), one of the twelve sons of Jacob. Therefore, the names Israel, Israeli and Jewish refer to people of the same origin and the people of Israel inherit the tradition of the Old Testament. "The people of modern day Israel share the same language and culture shaped by the Jewish heritage and religion passed through generations starting with the founding father Abraham (ca. 1800 BCE). Thus, Jews have had continuous presence in the land of Israel for the past 3,300 years." (Brief History of Israel and the Jewish People). The history of the rule of Israelites in the land of Israel starts with the conquests of Joshua and it flourished through the 'Period of the Kings' including King David and his son Solomon. However, various superpower empires gained control over the land ever since the year 587 BCE and these foreign powers include Babylonian, Persian, Greek Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine Empires, Islamic and Christian crusaders, Ottoman Empire, and the British Empire. Significantly, the Jewish people migrated to Europe and North Africa following the exile by the Romans and they established rich cultural and economic lives in the Diaspora. "In the first half of the 20th century there were major waves of immigration of Jews back to Israel from Arab countries and from Europe. During the British rule in Palestine, the Jewish people were subject to great violence and massacres directed by Arab civilians or forces of the neighbouring Arab states. During World War II, the Nazi regime in Germany decimated about 6 million Jews creating the great tragedy of The Holocaust." (Brief History of Israel and the Jewish People). The national attachments of the Jewish people who were eager to return to Israel were materialised when the Jewish Community in Israel re-established sovereignty over their ancient homeland in1948, under the leadership of David Ben-Gurion. Significantly, the modern State of Israel was declared an independent nation on May 14, 1948 when the last British forces left Israel. Therefore, the history of the Jewish people is closely connected with the history of the Old Testament community and the modern Israel can be realized as the very embodiment of Jewish continuity as it inherits all the elements of the ancient Israelites, including the land, the name, the language, and the God. It is also essential to make a profound analysis of the religious dimension of the conflict as religions such as Judaism and Islam have contributed heavily to the density of the conflict. Whereas both the sides are motivated for the conflict by the religious sentiments concerning the region, there are specific religious aspects affecting the efforts to resolve the issue. Significantly, the Arab-Israeli conflict can by no means be comprehended as a simple two-sided conflict with a singular point of view at either side - the Israeli side or the Palestinian side. According to the Arab Nations, the Arab-Israeli conflict is a religious conflict of the Moslems against the so called 'infidel Jews'. "The conflict is one of religion and it is considered by Hamas to be a clash between faith and unbelief, between Islam and the infidels (the Jews), between the true religion - that which supersedes all previous religions: Islam and Judaism which it nullifies. The struggle is between Islam and Judaism. This is so because the Jews themselves, upon arriving in Palestine, launched their struggle in the name of religion. This belief in the Promised Land, one writer says, had preoccupied the Jews for hundreds of years before Zionism achieved what they had yearned for, and it had motivated them in their war against the Muslims." (Eid) Thus, the religious dimension of the Arab-Israeli conflict is an essential reality and both the sides are motivated mainly by their religious beliefs and sentiments which make the conflict a struggle between Islam and Judaism. It is also essential to realise that both the communities include individuals and groups who advocate complete territorial removal of the other community. One of the important questions concerning the Arab-Israeli conflict is whether it is an ancient ethnic/religious rivalry or not. Although there have been several attempts on both sides to organize people on the basis of ethnic and religious identity, the Arab-Israeli conflict remains basically a political issue over territory. However, the religious dimension of the Arab-Israeli conflict cannot be ignored. "Arab Nations frequently present the Arab-Israeli conflict as a religious conflict of the Moslems against the so called 'infidel Jews'. Thus, the Arab countries at war with Israel use Islamic religion as an ideology to mobilize the Arab as well as non-Arab Moslem nations against Israel." (Eid) Therefore, there is an undisputable religious dimension of the Arab-Israeli conflict, in spite of the fact that the conflict is basically a political issue over territory. A reflective exploration of the origin and religious beliefs of the Islam religion can enhance one's understanding of the religious dimension of the Arab-Israeli conflict. In other words, it is fundamental to comprehend the expansion of the Muslim empire in recent history and its ideology and goals in order to understand the role of religion in the Arab-Israeli conflict. The Islam religion, started by Mohammad in the 7th century, believes in the idea of jihad (holy war) to spread Islam by the use of force. "According to Islam, the Caliph is the religious and government authority that rules the Muslim empire. After the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632, the Caliph assumed his authority which was later transferred among different Islamic dynasties. The title of the Caliph was held by the Ottoman sultans from 1517 until 1924. The Caliphate institution was abolished by Ataturk who established the modern Turkey as a secular Western looking state. Many Islamist groups already declare that their aim is to re-establish one Muslim Nation (Islamic ummah) encompassing all Muslim nations, ruled by Islamic law replacing secular governments." (Arab-Israeli Conflict: Role of religion). The dream of global Islamic unity is shared by several Arab as well as non-Arab countries, such as Iran and Afghanistan. Therefore, the religious dimension of the Arabs, along with the clash of civilizations, has contributed to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Similarly, the disparity between Islam and Jewish values has been an essential aspect of the religious dimension of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Thus, the Jewish beliefs and traditions, in contradiction of Islam, are associated specifically with the Jewish People. As against the religious values of the Islam, Judaism firmly opposes forced conversions of other nations and Israel does not seek expansion beyond the Land of Israel. "The use of Islamic religion to encourage suicide bombers with the promise of heavenly life with virgins, illustrates the great gap between Islam and Jewish beliefs. The rise of Israel is seen as a threat by many believers in Islam. Yet, Judaism should be seen for what it really is: the first monotheistic religion that led to the birth of other monotheistic religions, Christianity and Islam." (Arab-Israeli Conflict: Role of religion). Therefore, it becomes lucid that there is significant disparity between Islam and Jewish values which also contributes to the religious dimension of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The significant role of religions in the Arab-Israeli conflict is often emphasised by several studies and it is fundamental to realize religion has a major role in the solution of the dispute. There is a frequently asserted view is that bringing religion into the Arab-Israeli conflict can greatly damage the various efforts for resolving the conflict. According to this view, religion consistently involves non-negotiable ideologies that complicate matters exponentially, although a limited secular political conflict can be resolved through the incorporation of religion. However, as Dr. Ben Mollov maintains, "bringing religion into the Arab-Israeli conflict cannot be avoided. It already is part of the conflict and has been from its inception even if in the public discourse the deeper cultural and religious roots of the conflict are usually omitted. The Arab-Israeli conflict is a function of a parallel renewal by both Jews and Arabs of an earlier "heroic era" that has become central to the narratives of both sides. Both stories are steeped in religious and cultural significance and must, therefore, be made integral to any conflict resolution process." (Mollov, 2009). Therefore, the cultural and religious roots of the Arab-Israeli conflict have contributed to the religious dimension of the conflict and a religiously based strategy to resolve the dispute may work on several levels. Such a religiously based strategy can encourage Israelis and Palestinians to recognize cultural commonalities and this can improve mutual perceptions and cooperation for solution of the conflict. "Finally, transcendent religious values can motivate a vision for a worthy life in the Holy Land, and serve as the underpinnings of a political process. Such an approach can reach places that purely secular conflict management approaches cannot and therefore must be taken seriously by policymakers engaged in the peace process." (Mollov, 2009). In conclusion, any strategy to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict will have to recognize the religious dimension of the dispute in order to arrive at an effective solution to the dispute. Bibliography "Arab-Israeli Conflict: Role of religion." [online]. Isral - Palestina Informatie. Last Accessed 22 February 2010 at: http://www.science.co.il/Arab-Israeli-Conflict-2.asp "Book Description." 2007. [online]. The Arab-Israeli Conflict. T.G. Fraser. MacMillan. Last Accessed 22 February 2010 at: http://www.palgrave.com/Products/title.aspxPID=275894 "Brief History of Israel and the Jewish People." [online]. Israel Science and Technology Homepage. Last Accessed 22 February 2010 at: http://www.science.co.il/Israel-history.asp Eid, Bassem. [online]. "The Role of Islam in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict." Last Accessed 22 February 2010 at: http://www.ipcri.org/files/p&d/Islam-Eid.pdf Mollov, Dr. Ben. 2009. "Why religion is part of the solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict." Common Ground News Service. Last Accessed 22 February 2010 at: http://www.commongroundnews.org/article.phpid=25530&lan=en&sid=0&sp=0 "The Arab-Israeli Conflict." [online]. Isral - Palestina Informatie. Last Accessed 22 February 2010 at: http://www.israel-palestina.info/arab-israeli_conflict.html Read More