Key Terms
What is Zionism?
The movement for self-determination and statehood for the Jewish people in our ancestral homeland of Israel
Who is Theodor Herzl?
Father of political Zionism who organized the World Zionist Congress.
What day did Israel declare its independence?
May 14, 1948
Why did Israel decide to create a West Bank Security Barrier? What did it involve? Explain the various perspectives on this decision.
The West Bank security barrier, often referred to as the separation barrier or wall, is a system of fences, walls, and checkpoints built by Israel beginning in 2002.
Purpose= to prevent terrorist attacks, particularly suicide bombings, by controlling and monitoring movement between the West Bank and Israel.
Many Palestinians and international observers view it as a form of increased Israeli occupation since much of it cuts into Palestinian territory, beyond the 1967 Green Line.
What is the Golan Heights?
Strategic region Israel captured from Syria in 1967.
What is a Kibbutz?
a unique environment where people live and work together in a shared, cooperative community. No private property (socialist system). Their goal is to create a community based on agriculture and labor in which working together is the main point.
Who is Eliezer Ben Yehuda?
Focused on Hebrew as one of the most important aspects of the new plan for Jews returning to the Land of Israel.
He wanted Hebrew to be spoken in the home and only spoke Hebrew to every Jew he met. He raised his son speaking Hebrew. He wanted to ensure that all instructions in Palestine would be in Hebrew. Lastly, he compiled a Hebrew dictionary and created many new Hebrew words for modern concepts
Describe the Dreyfus Affair.
Jewish Army Captain Alfred Dreyfus was convicted of treason for allegedly selling military secrets to the Germans in 1894. He was convicted because the handwriting was similar.
Led to a widespread outbreak of antisemitism. They thought that Jews were not loyal to France.
This event led to a realization that assimilation into European culture was not going to provide enough protection for Jews, and the need for a Jewish state was evident.
Why did Israel disengage from Gaza in 2005? Was this decision supported by all? Explain
In 2005, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon made the surprising decision to withdraw all Israeli settlers and military from the Gaza Strip. The move was motivated by security concerns, high costs, international pressure, and hopes for peace. However, the results were mixed—while some hoped it would restart peace efforts, the withdrawal created a power vacuum. In 2007, Hamas took control of Gaza and began launching frequent attacks against Israel, increasing tensions and instability in the region.
Describe the mandate system that was put in place by the Allied Powers. What was the purpose? Who controlled what areas?
Mandate system
Allied Powers would temporarily govern a territory
Claimed that the local governments/people needed to prove that they could govern themselves before the Allied Powers would leave
France to control Syria and Lebanon
Great Britain to control Iraq and Palestine
People were not happy to be living under British control
What is the Balfour Declaration?
1917 document supporting a Jewish homeland in Palestine.
Who is David Ben Gurion?
Israel’s first Prime Minister and a founder of the state.
Explain the U.N. Partition Plan. What would each side get? What would happen to Jerusalem? Was it accepted?
The U.N. Partition Plan offered the Jews 60% of the territory of Palestine (excluding Transjordan), most of which was in the infertile land of the Negev.
Zionists, although not entirely happy with the offer, decided to accept the deal to establish a Jewish state.
Arabs insisted that they were entitled to all of Palestine and started an undeclared war to prevent the UN decision from taking effect.
What was the First Intifada?
Intifada means “shaking off”
December 1987, four Palestinians were killed in a traffic accident in the Gaza Strip
Led to a series of riots and violent attacks by Palestinians
The uprising was characterized by mass demonstrations, general strikes, boycotts of Israeli goods, and civil disobedience
Frequent confrontations between Palestinian youths and Israeli soldiers
Use of molotov cocktails against IDF
Pictures of young Palestinians throwing stones at heavily armed Israeli forces were showcased internationally leading to a change in international dialogue
Explain the significance of the Deir Yassin Massacre.
Fighters from the Irgun and Stern Gang sought to capture the Arab village of Deir Yassin
This village was a strategic location as it overlooked the highway to Jerusalem
Allowed the Palestinians to fire on supply convoys trying to reach the city
Fighters from the Irgun and Lehi attacked Deir Yassin, killing more than 100 Arabs, including women and children
Arabs accused the Jews of committing a massacre
Jewish Agency immediately condemned the attack and apologized
Caused many Palestinians to flee the region
What is the Haganah?
The underground Zionist military organization that protected the majority of Jews in Palestine from 1920-1948?
Who is Yitzhak Rabin?
An Israeli military leader and politician who served twice as Prime Minister and played a key role in the peace process with the Palestinians. He signed the Oslo Accords in 1993, which aimed to achieve peace through mutual recognition, and was assassinated in 1995 by an Israeli extremist opposed to the agreement.
Explain the significance of the Six-Day War.
On June 5, 1967, Israel launched a surprise attack on Egypt after ongoing threats from neighboring Arab countries. In just six days, Israel destroyed most of Egypt’s and Syria’s air forces and won the war. As a result, Israel gained the Sinai Peninsula, the Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. The victory made Israel a major military power, but it also marked the beginning of a new phase in the conflict, as over one million Palestinians came under Israeli control.
Explain the concept of “settling the territories.” Describe the opposing viewpoints on this decision.
Israel began to allow Jews to move into the West Bank and Gaza Strip (creating settlements)
Palestinians were strongly opposed to this notion, believing that the Jews were stealing and occupying their land
Israel’s primary interest was to create strategic outposts in key locations to prevent future invasions
Later, Jews began moving to areas such as Hebron and Kfar Etzion, resettling communities where they had lived before being driven out by Arabs
Religious Zionists were excited to be able to resettle the Judean Hills and other ancestral lands in the region
What is a coalition? How does this process work/influence the Israeli government?
A coalition is a group of political parties that join to form a government when no single party wins a majority. In Israel’s proportional system, many small parties win seats, so the leading party must make deals with others to reach 61 seats. This gives smaller parties significant influence through policy or position compromises.
What are the White Papers?
The British issued a new White Paper declaring that the government intended to establish an Arab state in Palestine within 10 years
Jewish immigration would be limited to 75,000 people over five years, and no immigration after that without Arab permission
Who is Golda Meir?
What happened at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps? What role did Israel play?
During the Lebanese Civil War, Lebanese Christians and Muslims were fighting, and tensions were high. On September 16–17, 1982, Israeli forces allowed Christian Phalangist militias into the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps to find Palestinian fighters. Instead, the militias massacred hundreds of civilians, including women and children, while Israeli troops nearby did not intervene. The massacre led to international outrage, protests within Israel, and a government investigation that found Israel indirectly responsible.
Explain the importance of the Oslo Peace Accords. Who was there? What was decided? Were they successful in ultimately reaching peace?
The Oslo Peace Accords, signed in the 1990s, were a significant step in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The key figures involved were Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) leader Yasser Arafat, and U.S. President Bill Clinton, who hosted the signing at the White House. The accords led to mutual recognition between Israel and the PLO and established limited self-rule for Palestinians in parts of the West Bank and Gaza through the creation of the Palestinian Authority. While the agreements raised hopes for a lasting peace and laid the groundwork for future negotiations, they ultimately failed to resolve core issues such as the status of Jerusalem, refugees, and final borders.
What were the “Three Nos.”? How did these policies differ from those of Israeli leaders?
Israeli leaders expressed their willingness to give up most of the territory they had just gained in exchange for the guarantee of peace
Arab leaders responded with a declaration that has become known as the “Three Nos.”
No peace with Israel
No negotiations with Israel
No recognition of Israel