How Jews first migrated to Israel and how Israel was born

Subject :IR

Section: Places in news

Context: Israeli military orders Gaza City civilians to evacuate amid potential ground offensive in ongoing conflict.

What is Anti-semitism and Zionism:

The Hebrew Bible defines ‘Israel’ as the name given by God to Jacob, a descendant of Abraham, who is a key figure in the three Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
The descendants of Abraham settled in Canaan, which corresponds to the approximate territory of modern-day Israel.
Over the course of history, Canaan was part of various empires, including the Greeks, Romans, Persians, Crusaders, and Islamists.
In the late 19th century, the land of Canaan was under Ottoman rule, and the Jewish population, scattered in various countries, faced vulnerability and persecution, particularly in Europe.
Incidents such as the 1880s pogroms in Imperial Russia and the 1894 Dreyfus affair in France highlighted prevailing anti-Semitic prejudices.
A growing sentiment within the Jewish community emerged, emphasizing the need for a secure homeland, leading to the movement known as Zionism.
In 1896, Theodor Herzl, an Austro-Hungarian, published a pamphlet called ‘Der Judenstaat,’ outlining his vision for a Jewish nation, establishing him as the father of political Zionism.
Initially, potential locations for a Jewish homeland included countries like Uganda and Argentina.
However, the focus eventually shifted to Palestine due to its historical importance in Judaism and the presence of numerous holy sites.

Before World War I:

Jewish migration to Palestine, known as Aliyah, commenced in the late 19th century.
The initial wave, termed the First Aliyah (1881-1903), saw Jewish migrants buying and farming large tracts of land, leading to losses for the native Palestinian population.
Palestine was then part of the Ottoman Empire, and its residents identified themselves in various ways, with land often owned by absentee landlords.
New Jewish settlers didn’t assimilate, rarely interacted with Arabs, and employed fewer Arab laborers.
Arab tenants lost their homes and communities when Jews purchased land.
The Jewish settlers maintained distinct European sensibilities, introduced modern technologies, and were financially supported by wealthy Jews abroad.
Growing tensions and resentment among the local population resulted from the changing demographics and land ownership.
In 1908, after the Young Turks revolution overthrew the Ottoman Sultan, Jewish migration efforts became more streamlined.
Efforts to gain international support for the Jewish cause were underway outside of Palestine.

The Balfour Declaration:

The Balfour Declaration of 1917 was a significant event that changed the course of West Asia.
It was a letter from a British official, Arthur James Balfour, to Baron Lionel Walter Rothschild, expressing British support for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine. The British government aimed to secure Jewish support for its World War I efforts.
This framework influenced future resolutions but often lacked substantial action on Palestinian rights.
Palestinian nationalism was rising, but internal divisions hindered their efforts, while a long-standing conflict had bred deep-seated hostility and sporadic violence between Jewish and Palestinian communities.

British Mandate and World War II:

After World War I, following the Ottoman Empire’s defeat, Palestine came under British mandate.
Over three decades, despite numerous commissions, white papers, and resolutions, violent conflicts persisted. Arab resentment grew against Jewish settlements and British rule, while Jews established disciplined militias.
Moderate Jewish voices advocating for Arab rights lost influence, and two main Arab factions emerged, led by the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and the Nashashibi family.
World War II and the Holocaust garnered international sympathy for Jews, strengthening Jewish armed groups.
The years 1936-1938 marked significant bloodshed, leading to proposals for partition and a British White Paper in 1939 favoring Palestinians.
Ultimately, in 1947, the British withdrew from Palestine, leaving the issue to the UN amidst deep-seated distrust and hostility.

UN resolution and wars:

During this period, Jewish determination to secure their homeland was evident, even though they were a minority.
In 1947, the UN voted to divide Palestine into Jewish and Arab states. The Palestinians rejected this, and Israel declared independence in 1948, leading to civil war and the exodus of many Palestinians.
Israel successfully defended itself against neighboring countries, leading to more Arab-Israeli conflicts.
Today, 139 UN member states recognize Palestine, while 165 recognize Israel, but Gaza and the West Bank remain under Israeli military control.

Situation after the independence of Israel:

Arab Israeli war 1948– Israel declared statehood in 1948 leading to invasion by neighboring Arab states i.eEgypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria.It resulted in Israeli survival and signing of Armistice Agreements with territorial changes.
- The territory was divided into 3 parts
- The Jewish Israel
- The Arab West Bank
- Gaza Strip
The agreement established temporary borders between Israel and neighboring Arab states.
- West Bank– It was controlled by Jordan.
- Gaza Strip– It was administered by Egypt
Suez crisis 1956-Israel, France and UK launched a military campaign against Egypt over nationalization of Suez Canal.During this period, Israel captured Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip but withdrew under international pressure in 1957.
1967 Six day war- Israel gained territory including Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights (Syria).
1973 Yom Kippur War- Also known as October War, it began with the surprise attack by Egypt and Syria on Israel during Yom Kippur, the holiest and most solemn day in the Jewish calendar.
Camp David Accords 1978 – It established the “Framework for Peace in the Middle East” and brought about the end of simmering conflict between Egypt and Israel.
Egypt became the 1st Arab country to conclude a peace treaty with Israel.