AT THE end of the nineteenth century, the rise of anti-Jewish sentiment in Eastern Europe resulted in the first modern waves of Jewish emigration to Palestine. There they joined those Jews who had remained since the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE.
In 1917, Britain stated in the Balfour Declaration: "His Majesty's Government views with favour the establishment in Palestine of a nation home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object ...."
Arab leaders welcomed the establishment of peaceful relationships between Jews and Arabs. At the 1919 Paris Peace Conference, Emir Faisal, future King of Iraq, signed an agreement with Chaim Weizmann, future President of Israel, which stated "mindful of the racial kinship and racial bonds existing between the Arab and the Jewish people ... the surest means of working out the consummation of their national aspirations is through the closest possible collaboration of the development of the Arab state and Palestine."
Frustrated with increasing violence in the region, Britain turned Palestine over to the United Nations. On Nov. 29, 1947, the UN Special Committee on Palestine recommended the partition of Palestine into two independent states: Arab and Jewish. The Jews accepted the UN proposed plan while the Arabs rejected it, calling for a singular Arab state. In a vote of 29-12, the UN accepted the partition plan.
On May 14, 1948, the Jewish territories under this partition plan were declared as the State of Israel. Egypt, Syria, Transjordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Iraq immediately invaded. Azzam Pasha, Secretary General of the Arab League, said on May 15, 1948, "This will be a war of extermination and a momentous massacre...." Israel survived, and an armistice was signed in 1949.
Israel's peace was short-lived. In 1956, Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal, and attacks from Egyptian soil escalated. In response, Israel, Britain, and France retaliated against Egypt. Israel withdrew from the Sinai after receiving "maximum protection" guarantees from the UN and US.
In 1967, Arab attacks into Israel once again escalated. After moving his troops into the Sinai desert, On May 18, President Nasser of Egypt asked the UN peacekeeping forces to move from Israel's borders. On May 22, Egypt blockaded the straits of Tiran, cutting off the Israeli port of Eilat to Israeli shipping. On May 30, Nasser proclaimed, "The armies of Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon are poised on the borders of Israel...to face the challenge, while standing behind us are the armies of Iraq, Algeria, Kuwait, Sudan and the whole Arab nation."
In response to the blockade and other threats, Israel launched a pre-emptive strike against Egypt on June 5, 1967 and counterattacked Jordan on June 8th after Jordan denied an Israeli appeal to stay out of the war and attacked West Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. On June 9, Israel attacked Syria, which had shelled hundreds of homes and fields from the Golan Heights. In six days Israel captured the entire Sinai Peninsula, Gaza strip, West Bank, East Jerusalem and Golan Heights and retained these extended borders until 1973.
Violence struck again on Oct. 6, 1973. On this date, Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, during which the entire country fasted and prayed, Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack against Israel. After losing ground initially, Israel was successful in repelling the Arab nations' attacks.
Today, the peace process seeks to normalize relations in the Middle East. Israel, in both its 1978 peace treaty with Egypt and current negotiations with the Palestinians, offers tangibles: such as land, water and strategic observation points. In return they receive intangibles: promises of peace and security.
Israelis no longer want to see their sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, or friends and neighbors sacrificed in battle. Nor do they want to fear riding a bus, shopping in a market, or going to school, wary of terrorist attacks.
The current peace process began in 1993 with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel's mutual recognition in the Declaration of Principles. Israel has sought to fulfill its end of the agreements, by handing over land and moving towards final status talks. Unfortunately, the Palestinian Authority (PA) has not worked with as much vigor to complete its end of the agreement. The PA Police have attacked Israeli authorities and regularly release jailed terrorists.
The history of Israel is one of great difficulty and drama. It gives us the context with which we must analyze current events. You have an opportunity to hear the Israeli perspective on current events. On Dec. 4, at 5p.m. in Newcomb Hall room 168, Aviva Shechter, Counselor for Public and Cultural Affairs at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, will be speaking about the situation in Israel today. This is your chance to hear the "other" side of the story. Come out. Get the facts.
(Melinda Moshell is president of the Greater Hillel Council.)
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