STATE

OF EX
CEPT
ION
 State of Exception
An Artist Publication
by Chase Carter

Copyright 2017 Chase Carter

All rights reserved
First published in 2015
Third Edition, 2017
www.chasecarter.nu
For there is a link to be made between what
happened to the Jews in World War II and
the catastrophe of the Palestinian people, but
it cannot be made only rhetorically, or as an
argument to demolish or diminish the true
content both of the Holocaust and of 1948.
Neither is equal to the other; similarly, neither
one nor the other must be minimized. There is
suffering and injustice enough for everyone.
But unless the connection is made by which
the Jewish tragedy is seen to have led directly
to the Palestinian catastrophe, by let us call it
necessity (rather than pure will), we cannot
coexist as two communities of detached and
uncommunicatingly separate suffering.

Edward Said
 Introduction

This book seeks to bring about a dialogue related

to the connections and conflations between
Palestinian- and Jewish-American personal and
collective identity, memory, and politics. This is
not a sociological, or anthropological survey. This
is not meant as a comprehensive representation
of opinions. It is merely an attempt to magnify a
few voices in the crowd. It is also an attempt to
demonstrate that, within each group, there is no
unanimous agreement. Judith Butler, reminding us
all of the old Two Jews, Three Opinons joke, stated
during a recent lecture, There is no Jewish consensus
on Israel. There is no Jewish dinner table that has
consensus on Israel.

It is also essential to remember that these identities

do not equate with one another, however both share
commonalities: the experiences of diaspora, the
memories of persecution and exile, and of course
Israel
the land of Palestine.
 Pre-1947

Pre-1947 refers to the British Mandate of Palestine, before the establishment of Israel.
/4 STATE OF EXCEPTION

What comes to mind when you

think of Israel?
/6 STATE OF EXCEPTION
Adam: A lot of things come to mind. I mean, oppression is
really the overarching theme whenever I think of Israel,
because as a Palestinian in America, anytime the topic of
Israel comes up, its almost always as a story that ultimately
means more oppression for Palestinian people. It was
actually not until recently, when I started doing start-ups
and working in entrepreneurship, and Israel has a pretty
decent entrepreneurial community, that I ever saw Israel
in a non-political sense, because other than that its the
people that are stealing land and creating this ridiculously
effective propaganda machine against my family, my peo-
ple, and the way I grew up. I want to not say the word evil,
because it paints a black-and-white picture of someone,
but the word does come to mind. I think its an important
distinction that when I say Israel and this is something Ive
come across within my life where you get called anti-Se-
mitic and all these things so when I say Im against Israel,
Im against all of these things, it means that youre against
the Israeli government and Israeli policies. Its not even
that youre against the people, unless they support those
policies. Jewish, non-Jewish, if you support the policies of
Israel, you are a part of this machine that I think has to be
reformed, not only for the Palestinian culture but for the
Israeli culture itself.
Ron: Of Israel? Oh many things. The homeland of the
Jews. Conflict. Having been to Israel, it has left a different
impression on me than before. It was actually really nice
to go there. It was really interesting. Although, I didnt
know who the Palestinians were, everyone else did. They
all knew who they were.
Anwar: Im gonna say, yknow, a lot of good things be-
lieve it or not. Yknow they have born a lot of technology
and foresight and development to the country. But at the
same time, I would say that the first thing that comes to my
mind is that they have built a country on the back of other
peoples lands and resources and its wrong. It should be
corrected in one way or another.
STATE OF EXCEPTION /7
Anna: The conflicts are the defining thing of Israel to me.
I dont really think about the people. I mean, I think about
the people, but only in terms of the conflict. If I probe
deeper, I start thinking about how I have family there.
How I have family that have traveled there, how many
friends I have who have traveled there, and how they all
tell me I have to go. But, the first thing that comes to mind
is conflict.
Yasmine: Oh god. I just think, I dont know. The oppres-
sor. Yeah, I guess I would say that. I think of those tense
moments when someone says theyre Israeli and I say Im
Palestinian, and its that uhh... reaction, when were both
faced with that moment.
Roxanne: I think about the beauty of the country, the
progress theyve created in the sixty years theyve been
around. I think about how every cornerstone is paved with
the blood of a young Jewish person, from wars when they
first started out attacked by so many different countries,
during their growth process. I think about the universi-
ties and the tremendous advancements theyve made in
medicine, in technology - the country theyve developed.
Ahmed: A prejudiced country. A fascist country. They
take the land of our people. It is not their land. They want
no peace. They want no peace.
Chase: I think about the flag of Israel the Star of David,
with the blue and white colors. I think about the desert,
and camels, and imagery Ive seen through tourism sites.
I also think about Tel Aviv, and the white modernist hous-
es and apartments. Then, I think about the conflict. I think
about how Ive been told how different Israelis lives are
than my own in regards to the danger they feel every
day. I also think about how conservative it is there, and
how things are moving toward the right wing. I also think
about how its supposed to be the Jewish homeland.
/8 STATE OF EXCEPTION

What comes to mind when you

think of Palestine?
/10 STATE OF EXCEPTION
Ron: Well, again, conflict. The idea that there is a group
of people who are the Palestinians, who consider them-
selves having a rightful interest in a particular region of
land. I really dont know that much about Palestine. I know
thats what it was called before it became Israel. Thats
about it.
Anwar: Im Palestinian, so what comes to mind is the
lovely people that Ive met really nice people. Olive
trees come to mind. Kunafa, which is a Palestinian sweet
from Jerusalem comes to mind. The place that my fathers
from, and my fathers father, and his father. And, our lands
that I love and hope to live out a latter of a part of my life in
happiness, hopefully, in no occupation.
Anna: Similarly. I think of conflict. I cant think of Palestine
as concretely as Israel, because all the images I see of
Palestine are of destruction, of Gaza or the other cities.
And so, it doesnt really seem like a tangible place to me,
because its defined by conflict and destruction.
Yasmine: Some sad shit. My dad. Family. People dying.
But then, I think of political Palestine and then cultural Pal-
estine. I think of Palestinian and Arab culture and how
theyve been an oppressor to other Arabs - specifically,
to my moms people from Morocco. So, I also think of the
negative side of Palestinians and how I dont even have
a good relationship with that side of my family. But, I also
think of a solidarity with them and the political issue,
because I am Palestinian.
Roxanne: I think of oppression, of ghettoism. I think that
these are a people who are controlled by a government
they have no say in, and nothing really to do about whats
happening to them. I think that they, the people them-
selves, have no political voice. I think that theyre being
terribly persecuted. I think its wrong whats being done
to these people.
STATE OF EXCEPTION /11
Ahmed: Palestinian people, you know, they lost their
country. They want to live like any human being, any peo-
ple who want their own country. And, they dont ask for
much, from the Israelis. Israelis dont want to give them
nothing. They want to take the whole thing. They try to
make peace. But, Israel, they want no peace.
Chase: Well, in regards to landscape and imagery, I think
about similar things the desert, white and beige homes.
But, I think about how all those things are destroyed, or in
disrepair, or dont have clean water or proper electricity,
or things like that. That its this place that in all respects
should be the same as Israel, because its the same land,
but its in disrepair. I also think about the activism thats
going on both nonviolent and violent. I think about the
Arab people that live there, and yeah, thats it.
Adam: Good food! I mean it comes at the opposite of all of
these issues. Unfortunately, in my lifetime, these two ideas
come hand-in-hand. Most of the time, the Palestinian side
of the issue have been the victims or the demonized. You
know, you have terrible crimes of suicide bombings and
all these things, but people dont look at the bigger context
of those issues. So, for me, it starts off being the culture,
the food, the family, going to a wedding and seeing all
these things. But, by and large it really means this greater
struggle that every Palestinian inherits, because were a
people that are spread across the entire world now. You
know, theres a lot of analogies between what the Jewish
people claim 150 years ago and what the Palestinians are
experiencing right now. Being Palestinian, the thought
of Palestine is an oppressive burden, where you some-
how have to maintain your culture in a place where your
people are demonized for a place where your people are
oppressed, and its kind of a sad series of circumstances.
But, first things food, and thats always happy.
/12 STATE OF EXCEPTION
Have you ever been to, or
lived in Palestine?
Israel
STATE OF EXCEPTION /13
Anwar: Yes, Ive been to Palestine at least fifteen times.
I went to school there when I was 11 and 12 at a Quaker
school in Ramallah called Friends Boys School. Ive trav-
eled good parts of Israel and good parts of Palestine and
I love it all. I just wish there was piece.
Anna: No, I havent, but Im going on Birthright this January.
Yasmine: No.
Roxanne: I have been to Israel. I have been to Palestine,
maybe thirty years ago. I was there in Israel and Palestine
as guests of the Tel Aviv University Theatre Department,
and we went through some of the Bedouin areas. We went
through some of the villages that are probably the same
today thirty years later than they were at that time. There
was terrible poverty and neglect, and you saw children
who shouldve been in school, playing in the streets, filthy
dirty. And, it broke your heart. Going through on the bus,
they told us we had to be very careful, and there were
certain places we could not go.
Ahmed: I was born there August 10, 1949. I left Palestine
in 1972, and Ive been back twice since then. The first time
I went back was in 1998. It was bad when I went back. They
had no jobs, people were struggling. They got no land to
live in, too many people, but not much space. Ive also been
to Israel it was beautiful. I just went through - from the Tel
Aviv airport to Gaza. I just saw along the road going to Gaza.
They built it nice, they built it beautiful. Clean, very nice.
Chase: No, I havent, but I am planning on going to both
Israel and Palestine this January.
Adam: One time. I went to Palestine after I graduated col-
lege in 2011. I went for three weeks. So that was the only
time I was ever there.
Ron: Well Ive never lived there. Ive been twice to Israel.
Ive never been to Palestine. Although when you drive in
Israel, I believe you pass through Palestine.
/32 STATE OF EXCEPTION

Do you have any relatives that

live in Palestine?
Israel
/34 STATE OF EXCEPTION STATE OF EXCEPTION /35

Anna: I have a few distant cousins that live in Israel.
Yasmine: Yes, I have two half-sisters that live in Gaza. I
probably have more family, but I dont know who or where
exactly.
Roxanne: No relatives that live there, no.
Ahmed: My house is still there, which is where one of my
daughters Aneesa lives. I still have twenty relatives there, in
Gaza. Some of them also live in Saudi Arabia, in Lebanon,
in Syria, all over.
very pious Jews. I dont know how they make a living at all,
but they live in Israel to be Jewish, on all levels. But, they
certainly dont recognize my approach to Judaism.
Anwar: Yes, I have cousins and aunts, and my last uncle
has traveled back and forth, and I have a lot of dear friends
that live in Palestine. Some of my in-laws live in Palestine,
who I love dearly. Yes, I do have quite a bit of family who
live there, in Palestine. I do know a lot of Israelis who travel
back and forth.

Chase: No, I dont.

Adam: Tons. Our village is still really close. I dont know

how true that is across the world. But, the people in New
Jersey and especially the people from my village, our
connection with the people who live over there is very
close. Everyone goes back once in every five years at least.
This is what my dad does. We send money there. We try to
support each other. The communication is back and forth.
My step-mom has siblings that live over there, and across
the United States as well. So, yes, I have family there.

Ron: Well, we have our Israeli relatives who originated

in Israel came to Palestine before it became a country
[pre-1948]. And, they are kibbutzniks. Ive met some of
them, though the ones Ive met are quite elderly. They are
contemporaries of my parents, so they are in their 70s and
80s. And, I met their mother, who was my great-aunt, and
she came to my Bar Mitzvah. So, I knew her a little bit. They
all originate from my grandfathers side of the family, as do
more recent immigrants to Israel, who have moved there
in the last 30 years French cousins who have moved to
Israel. They were extremely observant, in France when
they were there, and now that they are in Israel. Even
though the parents didnt move, the children, who are my
contemporaries, moved to Israel for religious purposes.
Specifically, to be able to pray at the Western Wall, and
to be able to study the Talmud and Torah, and to be very,
 1947

These borders refer to the 1947 UN Partition Plan to divide Palestine into two lands, one for Jews
and one for Arabs, with Jerusalem operating under international governance. This partition plan
was never implemented due to its rejection by Arab leaders.
Palestine is a land without a people,
for a people without a land.

Attributed to many Christian and Jewish Zionists during the late 19th Century, but most famously
to Anthony Ashley-Cooper, Israel Zangwill, and William Eugene Blackstone.
/40 STATE OF EXCEPTION

Are Israel and Palestine important

to you?
/42 STATE OF EXCEPTION
Yasmine: Yes. Its important to me as a person whos Ara-
bic, whos Palestinian, as a person whose fathers pained
everyday by whats happening over there. So, its ex-
tremely important to me to be politically aware of whats
happening there, but its also frustrating because theres
nothing I can do.
Roxanne: Yes. Israel is important to me because I lived
through the Second World War, I lived through the Ho-
locaust, fortunately in America. But, being informed
through the news and media, we knew what was going
on, and when the people were dispersed from the camp,
they had nowhere to go. They didnt want to go back to
the cities and countries where they were persecuted, and
they needed a place to go. So, yes, Israel is important to
me because Im a Jew. And, knowing what the Jews have
been through persecution for so many years it was im-
portant for them to have a state to go to, and have a place
to call home. They had no homes. Since the dispersion
of the Jews from Israel thousands of years ago, theyve
really had no homes. Theyve been persecuted in every
country theyve lived in, and constantly pushed out. So,
yes, Israel is important to me for those reasons. Palestine
is important to me because these people have a right to
survive. Because the Arabs that live there are also per-
secuted at this time, and its important for them to have a
home as well. A lot of them have been expelled from their
own countries of origin from Jordan, some from Syria,
from different parts of the Middle East.
Ahmed: Important to me?! Because it is my country. Its
my home, I was born there, grew up there.
Chase: Yeah, theyre really important to me. Theyve be-
come more important over the last six months or so, since
this summer of violence in Gaza. For most of my life, it was
supposed to be important to me, where it was supposed to
be a place I wanted to go visit. A place where Jews would
be happy to live. I was never really interested in Israel. I
wasnt very religious, and so it never seemed that appeal-
STATE OF EXCEPTION /43
ing to me. But, as Ive gotten older, Im really interested in
politics of all sorts, and so Israel, politically, because of
the conflicts there, has become really important to me.
Its really important to me because as a Jewish person,
whether I like it or not, Im connected to Israel. And so,
Im kind of embracing that. Im obviously not embracing
the identity of feeling Israeli or something, but embrac-
ing that people are going to connect me to Israel, and so
how am I going to represent my own views on Israel, and
how am I going to represent my Judaism differently than
Israel represents Jewishness. But, Palestine is important
to me for a lot of the same reasons. While Im interested
in politics and human rights and things like that, I guess
I focus more on the Palestinian issue nowadays because
I feel that in one way or another, while Im not actually in
any way connected to the people who commit violence
against Palestinians Israelis and the Israeli army I
am connected to them in that they represent my culture.
I dont feel that all Jews have the responsibility towards
Palestinian people, towards Israel. If you want nothing to
do with it, thats fine, but I feel because Im Jewish I do
have a responsibility to care about Israel and care about
Palestine. In the same way that I feel, as a human being, I
have a responsibility to care about all human beings.
Adam: Quite. Very important. Why is it important? I
mean, as a human being I think its this grave human in-
justice that has occurred. As a Palestinian, its my heri-
tage, where the customs I grew up with originated, and
it seems to be a threatened culture that who knows how
long it will last if the state of things continue on this way. So
its very important, not just personally for my identity and
for Palestinians identity, but I think its also a grave civil
rights abuse, human rights abuse that all people should
be concerned with.
Ron: Well, Israels important to me as a place for Jewish
people to be able to live, more as an idea. For me, its
not an important destination as far as a place to live, for
me personally, but I recognize as a Jewish homeland it

I
am a third generation Jewish-American. My
paternal grandfathers parents, Helen and
David, immigrated to the US from Poland in
1929. They were not religious, but Dave came from
a very observant family who was resistant to the
idea of leaving Poland. Helen and Dave arrived in
the US in the early 1930s, raised my grandfather
in Brooklyn, and watched nervously from afar as
their family experienced increased antisemitism.
Some of my relatives who did not immigrate before
the war perished in the Holocaust. Starting when I
was young, my father loved to tell me the story of
one of the few relatives who survived, his great-
aunt Anna.
Anna was sent to a camp where she and others were
gathered together and were told that they would be
killed the next day. That next day, she was trans-
ferred to Auschwitz. At the next camp, they made
the same threat. Amazingly enough, the following
day was liberation. After the war, she aided in the
Red Cross for some time to help refugees. During
this time, she arranged passage to New York.
Prior to the war, Annas fianc, Hymie, had emi-
grated from Poland to New York and Anna had
planned to follow soon after. They lost contact during
the war, but Hymie kept his faith that Anna would
return. Hymie was unsure of Annas status and he
went to the port everyday to wait for her to come in.
He had no way to know what had happened to her,
that she had been taken to a camp, but he continued
to check for her. Finally, one day, she arrived and he
was there waiting and they were reunited. Soon they
married and lived the rest of their lives together.
STATE OF EXCEPTION /45
provides a little possibility of sanctuary for Jews, not in a
religious sense, but the idea that you have a place where
you can go and achieve instant citizenship. In regards to
Palestine, I believe all people deserve to have a home. I
dont know much about the conflict in regards to Palestin-
ians and their interest in Palestine. So it has importance to
me, because its sad that theres so much fighting in that
region, but I dont know if it has anything to do with the
actual territory, as much as it has to do with harder to de-
fine problems.
Anwar: Well, Israel and Palestine are both important to
me. The reason is thats where my parents come from
and my grandparents. Thats where my history comes.
Though, Ive been born and raised in the United States,
which is a country that I love and feel just as strong about.
I feel my attachment to Palestine, or Israel, or whatever
youd like to call it, is very strong. I feel that one day, Id
like to retire there and enjoy my life there just feel com-
fortable in my skin there.
Anna: I feel like Im told theyre supposed to be important
to me. Jews and Americans in general are encouraged
to give a lot of attention to that conflict in particular. I also
give it attention because youre studying it, because so
many friends and family have been to Israel. Theyre
also important generally to me because Im concerned
with human rights. Obviously, there are violations going
on there. Personally, when I think about myself, my main
concern is not this conflict, but its important to me like a
lot of other issues are. Its been growing in importance
for me for a few reasons. Ive encountered more antisem-
itism in the past year than I ever have before. I grew up
in a very Jewish area, and while I was aware antisemitism
existed in the world, I never came face to face with it until
this past year when I was abroad [in the UK]. So, I feel a
stronger kinship to Jews than I used to. And then, for that
reason, and because a lot of Jewish discussions revolve
around Israel, its taken on more importance.
There were no such thing as Palestinians.
When was there an independent
Palestinian people with a Palestinian
state? It was not as though there was a
Palestinian people in Palestine considering
itself as a Palestinian people and we came
and threw them out and took their country
away from them. They did not exist.

Golda Meir, Prime Minister of Israel, 1969-1974

/48 STATE OF EXCEPTION

How do you feel your identity

(cultural, ethnic, religious, or national)
Israel
affects your relationship to Palestine?
/50 STATE OF EXCEPTION
Roxanne: I think that because I grew up at the time that I
did in the 40s, particularly I was very young and very
impressionable. What was happening to the Jewish pop-
ulation in Europe was on everyones tongue. People were
talking about it constantly, and there was a great fear that
it could come here. They used to have Nazi-bund meet-
ings in the United States, and people were afraid at that
time that we could also be persecuted, as Jews, like the
European Jews were. There was a lot of antisemitism I ex-
perienced growing up. So, Israel is important to me be-
cause Im from a generation of people that lived through
the Holocaust. Who had friends whose families were mur-
dered, whole families just slaughtered for no reason just
because they were Jews. I dont agree with all the politics
that go on in Israel, but then, Im an American and I dont
live there. Its hard for me to speak as an Israeli citizen
might speak, because they have a different point of view
than I do as an American. As an American, I see that they
break the rules of humanitarianism, and that affects me. I
would like to see things changed there.
Ahmed: I still have family over there. I still have cous-
ins. My people are over there. Its nothing changed. I am
American. I love the United States, but I still have a lot of
feelings for my country. Nothings changed for me since
moving to America and becoming an American.
Chase: Well, I answered this a bit already, but essentially
because Im Jewish, I grew up with a lot of education
about Israel. To be honest, it was all really superficial. I
never really learned anything about the Knesset, or the
Prime Ministers, or even the wars. Just that Israel was a
wonderful place, it was beautiful, it was prosperous, it
had amazing advancements, it was democratic, and that
we should support it because antisemitism will never
go away. Because antisemitism will never go away,
theres this fear that its a constant form of racism that
just goes up and down in history. And so, Israel is a safe
place for Jews and its a place where Jews can be Jews
STATE OF EXCEPTION /51
without being judged. And, thats a really cool thing. Ive
never been to Israel, but even imagining Israel, I dont
think I would ever want to live there, but I often do like
living in places where there are lots of Jewish people. It
makes me more comfortable. And so, I can understand
the connection to Israel that Jews have. But, on the other
hand, Israel, due to both Jews, non-Jews, people who love
Jews, and anti-Semites, Israel represents all Jews, and
therefore represents me. I would like to, in a way, deny
that representation. The Israeli government, first and
foremost, only really represents its government. Second,
it represents Israeli people, not all Israeli people, but some
Israeli people. And, it represents people who donate to
Israel, including Jewish people, Evangelical Christians,
and our government the US. So thats how my cultural
identity relates to Israel. I have to say that if I wasnt Jewish
I wouldnt care about Israel and Palestine as much. If I
werent Jewish, but still American, I still think I would have
some sort of responsibility around the issue because the
Israels actions cannot continue if the US stops its support
for it. I mean, country after country is condemning Israels
actions, but the US chooses not to. So, as an American, I
would like to be involved in changing the US opinion of
Israels actions. In regards to Palestine, well, I guess Ive
answered that already. My relationship to Israel through my
culture and my national identity affects my relationship to
Palestine, for all those reasons. That I feel Im responsible,
not responsible for whats happening in Palestine, but if
I choose to ignore it, Im responsible for it continuing.
Adam: Well I definitely side more with Palestinian causes
than I do with Israeli causes. Id like to think its because
Im a passionate human being that cares about human
rights. Whenever I talk to people about Palestinian-Israe-
li issues, I always go along and say, yknow what were
going to have differing opinions, were going to think that
one side deserves more than the other, but lets just start
off with the basic fact that people should stop murdering
other people. And, when you have 1,200 people die in

M
y dad was born in 1949 in Gaza. My dad
always described Gaza as a paradise.
He would say, Yasmine, you wake up
in the morning, you drink a cup of tea, you sit on
your porch and relax, you go to the beach, you
catch fish, it is beautiful, but Yasmine, here in
America life is work.
My dad as a child would go to the beach every-
day, and when he came here when we were young
he would take us to the pool or the beach at least
once a week, he loved the sun, the sand, the free-
dom. Around the age of 18, my dad left Gaza for
Beirut to study at the university there, and majored
in Geography. I am not sure at what age my dad
left for America exactly, because, to be honest, I
do not know much about my father. Everything I
know about him is stories that his sister told her
kids, who told my mother because she speaks to
them. However I do know my dad left for America
because his sister lived there; he moved for the
same American rhetoric the land of opportunity.
That was the last time my dad lived in the Middle
East, and specifically he hasnt been to Gaza since
he was 18. I am not entirely sure about how my
dad felt about America upon initially moving to it,
but most importantly I do know how my dad feels
about America now. He hates it, plain and simple.
He is absolutely miserable. Gaza was his dream,
his paradise that has forever been ingrained into
his memory as the place he left it in 1966, the place
where he grew, the place he loved.
I believe my dad hates America for multiple rea-
sons - work, family, quality of life. In the Middle
East, a lot of the work environment is less stressful
STATE OF EXCEPTION /53
a weekend because of rocket attacks and schools being
shut down and energy being stopped, you start to feel
with the Palestinians more. So, I definitely side more with
that side of the issue, but also my national identity really
comes to play in America. When Im talking about the is-
sue, I really feel like I have to be an expert for somebody
to believe me, or theyll just assume that anything Im say-
ing is just because Im Palestinian. So, for me, the bat for
activism is so much higher because Im not even trusted,
or my opinion isnt taken for what it is. Im okay with that. I
think everybodys opinions should be criticized heavily,
but my opinions are definitely more than the next guys
are, which Im fine with because I know my stuff, so Im
fine with answering any question anybody might have.
Ron: I dont think of a relationship to Palestine in regards
to an immediate identity of mine. I dont think of it as a
destination. In regards to national identity, I dont have
the same interest that the US has in protecting Israel on
a national level, because of interest in oil [in the Middle
East]. I think its not a good reason, but I guess if we need
a reason, and thats the only one the US can stand behind,
then I guess we have to live with that. I approach Judaism
from a cultural standpoint. So, thats my cultural stance in
regards to the desire to see an Israel exist. To me, I think
the idea of the Diaspora is that by virtue of being Jew-
ish, not necessarily through deity, we are actually on the
outposts. We are actually intended to be where we are,
that we shouldnt be in Israel. That we are bringing Israel
elsewhere and the idea of Jewishness and Jewish ideolo-
gy and Jewish charity and tzedakah and all of that. And
bring that to other parts of the globe, and when we travel
to other parts of the globe, that arent Israel, we seek it out
and identify with it. My mother, every time she would go
traveling, no matter where it was, would open the phone
book to see if there was a temple. She was always interest-
ed. She would look up all the Jewish names in the phone
book, just to identify. I think thats an important thing the
concept of Jewish geography. We like to know. Ask my

than a lot of jobs in America. My dad owns a grocery
in one of the most dangerous streets in Ameri-
ca, Tamarind Ave [West Palm Beach, Florida],
where he has seen the worst of the worst of peo-
ple. His perception of Americans has been creat-
ed out of his negative experiences working there.
Also, my dad explains his father as being one of
the most important people in Gaza. People would
come to his father for advice, help, conversation,
fun. He explains his house as being a place where
everyone could gather to drink some tea, and
actually experience life. Nothing compared to
how life is experienced here. Which brings me
to quality. Over all, I believe that my dad values
quality of life much more in Gaza than anything
compared to the quality of life in America. People
are weak here, cruel and ready to take your mon-
ey at any moment. In Gaza, my dad was surround-
ed by people he trusted, loved, and cared for.
The thing is though, I am not entirely sure if my dad
sees Gaza in the condition that it stands today. He
has somehow created his own depiction of Gaza as if
it is frozen in time from when he had left it. I believe
that my father has created some deeply ingrained
hatred towards himself and everyone around him
for the life he has to experience now, or the fact that
he is not experiencing life whatsoever and has not
experienced life since hes come to the US. The only
way he acknowledges the state of Palestine today
is by hating everything around him. I dont intend
this to be me speaking ill of my father, he still is a
hard working man who has provided me financial
support my entire life, even with his emotional state,
but his emotional state has affected us as a family.
My dad certainly feels extremely strong towards
STATE OF EXCEPTION /55
children: anytime we talk about someone who has done
something, oh, you know they were Jewish! It comes up
all the time. Its like the NAACP, started [in part] by Jew-
ish people, because we feel the importance of that - not
to be righteous or to be praised for doing something, but
to do something because its the right thing to do. Israel
is not conceptually a place, but as its been posed to me
by rabbis and texts, its the people. The people is what
Israel is. We are the people, and therefore we make up
what Israel is. We are Israel. We are the ambassadors. We
are the people who are in our various outposts, bring-
ing that kind of ideology of what Judaism is to people. To
me, thats more important than just being in a tiny spot of
land. First of all, it couldnt accommodate us all. If we all
moved there, Hey, were all here! Ohboy these rooms
are small. Wed just be crowded there. The [Jewish] ide-
ology, you feel it when youre there. You hear about Pal-
estinian schools that are started by Jews, and all sorts of
outreach by progressive Jews to support Palestinian- and
Jewish-Israeli dialogue, resolutions, and things like that.
The fundamentalists dont generally do so well in the out-
posts, because theyre so darn strident. We know how to
take things with a grain of salt.
Anwar: Like I said I was born and raised in America, so
when you live in America, youre used to all the freedom
and liberties America gives you which is more than what
most countries around the globe so indeed you might
say Im spoiled in that matter, or thats the way it should be.
So, when you travel to Palestine, the first place you stop
off is Ben-Gurion Airport, which is Israeli territory, and
you start feeling the discrimination and racism of being a
Palestinian right at the door, right at the gate, right in the
plane. The effect is that you dont get used to it. You learn
how to live with it, or around it, but you just dont get used
to being occupied. Its not a good feeling. I dont think the
Israelis would like it either if they were occupied. I think
they would rebel and do something about it as well. Yet,
being Palestinian in the Occupied in Palestine, I dont

Gaza, but has never made any attempt to return to
the Middle East or Gaza in general, or even visit,
even though he hates America. I am not sure entirely
why, maybe its fear, the fear of seeing the truth of
what has actually happened to your people, your
state, the place you last saw your parents, where
they died. Maybe he uses America as a shield to
protect himself from the actual horrors of Gaza,
but that simultaneously makes him hate himself
and everything else because he cannot come to
physical terms with Gaza, if he was to return from
the place he has created in his mind. It is easy to
sit inside a country to criticize its policies, to con-
tribute to lack of change of your environment and
be apart of the cycle of irrational hate, and thats
what he has done, what many defeated people have
done. Hes hidden himself from the place that hurts
him the most.
STATE OF EXCEPTION /57
like to call them the Occupied Territories, because its
Palestine.
Anna: I was raised Jewish, I had a bat mitzvah, and I was
confirmed in the Jewish faith. For most of my life, I did not
associate my Judaism with Israel, at all. When I had my
bat mitzvah, they told me I was now eligible for a trip to Is-
rael and encouraged me to go. To me, Judaism was much
more of a cultural and learning experience than it was
related specifically to Israel. I am not as well acquainted
as I should be for someone that went to Hebrew school for
so long, but Judaism tends to promote certain tenets, and
I feel theres a disassociation between those tenets and
Israels policies towards Palestine.
Yasmine: I think that, one, it gets kind of annoying be-
cause when people hear me say Im pro-Palestine, it is
only based off me being Palestinian. There is no sort
of rationality to me being pro-Palestine, which is super
frustrating. Clearly, I agree with Palestine on the political
issues. So, I think its completely bullshit that my nation-
ality has been infused with my attitude towards it. I like
to think that Im a more rational person that can separate
themselves from their nationality and their identity, which
I have been doing my entire life while being also Ameri-
can. With Israel, its a threat to my people - the death of my
people. So thats how it affects my relationship to Israel.
 1967

These borders refer to the Green Line set during the 1949 Armistice Agreements, following
what is referred to as either the War of Independence, or the Nakba (Arabic for Catastrophe).
These were the borders between 1949 and 1967.
/62 STATE OF EXCEPTION
What are your thoughts on Birthright?
According to its website, Taglit-Birthright Israel provides a gift of peer group, educational
trips to Israel for Jewish young adults ages 18 to 26. Taglit-Birthright Israels founders created this
program to send young Jewish adults from all over the world to Israel as a gift in order to diminish
the growing division between Israel and Jewish communities around the world; to strengthen the
sense of solidarity between Israeli youth and Jewish communities throughout the world; and to
promote the idea of a trip to Israel for all Diaspora Jews as a critical part of Jewish life outside of
Israel. More information can be found at www.birthrightisrael.com.
STATE OF EXCEPTION /63
Ahmed: Its a problem. The Israelis think they are Gods
chosen people. Everybody else is no good. They are the
only people close to God. The rest is bullshit. Its different
than Islam. Islam believes in everybody. We believe in
Moses, we believe in Jesus Christ, we believe in everybody.
But Israelis dont believe nobody except Moses. They are
very serious with religion. They dont like anybody. But, I
feel bad about Birthright. The Jewish come from all over.
See, Europe in the 1900s, they wanted to get rid of the
Jewish, thats why they gave them Palestine, to get rid of
them. To keep them over there, and to control the Arabs.
To help them fight the Arabs and keep them weak.
Chase: Its basically a propaganda tour of Israel for young
Jews that are pretty impressionable. I think that it was
created in the last twenty years because the generation
after the generation that went through the Holocaust, and
one generations after that generation the grandchildren
of the people who went through the Holocaust arent as
religious, arent as connected to antisemitism, and arent
as connected to Israel. I wouldnt say most Jews, but a lot of
us young Jews see Israel as it is now havent seen it form
and grow. We havent seen a world without Israel, where
Jews were being persecuted and had nowhere to go. So,
I think Birthright is a propaganda tour to foster connec-
tion between Jews and Israel. And, its also a program to
match-make young Jews, so yknow, they can continue the
bloodline and raise more Jewish children. I have yet to go
on it, but Im curious to know how educational it actually
is. Because, Ive seen a lot of my friends from high school
that have gone on it, and what they have to come back and
tell me never has anything to do with the history, never. It
has to do with how much fun they had, who they hooked
up with, how many parties they went to in Tel Aviv, and
how much they drank. And, secondary, yes, a lot of people
have come back more religious. But, its never really about
Israel, its never about the history, its never really about a
kind of authentic connection. I think its really constructed,
what people come back with. I also think its really unfair
/64 STATE OF EXCEPTION
that Jews have a right to this free trip and Palestinians dont.
The problem is Palestinians dont have a right to return to
their own land, but American Jews who have never had
one family member live in Israel can suddenly go there for
free, be accepted and welcomed, and get citizenship with-
out any effort. So, I think thats really unfair and Birthright
just perpetuates that it is our right as Jews. Nevertheless,
Im going on Birthright. Im going on Birthright as a part
of research. I can educate myself only so much about the
issues, without actually going to the region. I feel that in
order to gain a fuller understanding, I should live there,
but the next best thing is to visit. But, to be honest, even
if I wasnt doing research on Israel, I would probably still
go on Birthright. Its free, and I think that if I werent going
on the trip, somebody would be going on the trip in my
place. I think Im strong-willed enough, and strong in my
opinions enough, that I wont be brainwashed. Im also only
going with the intention to extend my stay and also travel
to Palestine, and to see that perspective. Because I would
feel very guilty if I did not do that. Yknow, so Im using
Israels private conservative funding to actually be able to
go to Israel and go to Palestine, and get both perspectives,
which is not what they want.
Adam: Its disgusting. I hate that program so much. The
idea behind it is nice. Its one more Lego piece in this giant
house of propaganda. Its telling people who havent been
there that they have a right to be there. When I went over
there, I got questioned before being able to enter the coun-
try, for like an hour. I got guns pointed at my face when Im
trying to go, not where yknow 3,000 years ago someone
may have lived, but to where my grandfather was born and
where we have a house and my family lives there. So, the
idea that its so hard for me to get to where my family is,
and its like a Spring Break for people to go over there. Its
like, oh yeah, yknow Im Jewish, so I have a birth right to
be there. Just those two words are so appalling. Its a huge
slap in the face to the Palestinian people.
STATE OF EXCEPTION /65
Ron: Well, I kind of equate it to almost like a time-share kind
of thing. The idea that youre going to go to Israel, and youre
going to have a very big sales pitch. Youre gonna have a
sales pitch on multiple levels. Its supported by Jews in the
US, who fund most of Israels existence, as I understand to
be the case, and by Israelis. And, the reason they want you
to go is to identify with Israel. But, I think its a good thing.
I think its a good thing to go and see Israel. I think its an
important place for all people to go. Its interesting. When
I made my presentations [during a business trip to Israel], I
was in a room of 400 people, and it was the first time I was
in a room with 400 Jewish people and I wasnt praying, or
doing some sort of social action thing. Im serious. Its very
unusual. And, to have that commonality with people, its
nice, its comforting. For lack of a better reference, its a little
bit like going to New York going to Brooklyn or going to
where theres a high concentration of Jewish people. But, I
think the Birthright thing is good, but I also think its going
to be a bit of a head-trip for my daughters, Anna and Sara.
They can play on you a lot. Youre single, youre Jewish,
and you should marry a Jewish boy and get married right
away! Im serious. This is a very strident thing, and thats
why I refer to it like a time-share. Time-shares are like
the joke yknow what I mean. You go to a time-share, and
people get a free weekend in Palm Springs, and they end
up buying a time-share theyd never thought theyd buy a
time-share! Youre going to go to Israel and yknow. When
I was in Israel, people would talk about people getting reli-
gious. People who never thought they would get religious,
go to Israel! Whatever their religion, they would just get
religious when they were there. All of a sudden they would
discover their religion. Well, that didnt happen to me. A
friend of mine was walking me around different really holy
parts of Jerusalem, for Jews or Christians or Muslims, and
hes like this is really important and Im like, I have to
tell you, I dont know what it is, I dont know what its refer-
encing, and Im not going to remember it, so dont tell me
too many of the details. Its more of a concept than a site
to me. But, I do think Birthright is a good thing. I think its
/66 STATE OF EXCEPTION
important to go with your peers, with people of your age.
I think that you will get a very biased point of view, and it
will be good for you to get that biased point of view. I think
its a valuable opportunity. But maybe Ill have a different
opinion after speaking with someone after they come back
from it, because Ive never directly spoken to anyone that
has been on it. Right now, there are a lot of conflicts going
on in Israel but there has been for a long time so youre
always wondering what kind of risk are you at of being in
harms way. This is one aspect of it that I do not take lightly.
Anwar: Truthfully, if the government wants to pay for that
trip, I have no problem with that, but not on the backs of
the lands of the Palestinian people. I dont mind living
next to Jews, as long as they behave like citizens of the
world. Theres not a problem with that. And, yknow that
they reimburse the people that theyve taken their prop-
erty and livelihoods from. They need to be reimbursed at
whatever expense, in my opinion. I mean they are a rich
and powerful nation. Its time they start paying back the
people that they built the wealth on. It would be really nice
to have a country and a house and property given to me,
starting from there, starting my life from there.
Anna: [Big Sigh.] Im very mixed about going. On one
hand, I recognize fully that its a tool for propaganda, or
even not necessarily that strong of a word, but I know its
trying to influence how I think about the political situation,
but its also an incredible opportunity that Ive decided to
take advantage of. Its uncomfortable and weird to have
something literally called Birthright, because I dont think I
have any right to Israel as an American from LA. The name
is very strange, but travel is expensive and Id really like
to see Israel, so this is how Im going to do it. I dont think
its possible, politically and financially, for Palestinians to
have the equivalent kind of trip. Though, it would be the
most instructive to have both groups go together on the
same trip, but since thats not the political agenda of the
organizers, theyre not going to do that.
STATE OF EXCEPTION /67
Yasmine: Wheres my Birthright? Its as simple as that.
Wheres my Birthright?! Its fucking ridiculous. I dont agree
with Birthright clearly. Its completely unfair. Its completely
manipulative. It brainwashes people if you dont go in there
already knowing your stance. If youre not socially and
politically aware, if you dont critique things, then youre
totally going to align yourself with Israels political views.
Its so money-oriented. It just encourages people in America
to fund Israel further, and attack the Palestinian people. So,
fuck Birthright. Honestly. Sorry...
Roxanne: I think its a wonderful thing. I only know that it
is an opportunity for any and all young Jews to go to this
country, to see this wonderful country that these people
have built up in sixty years. Also, to see the antiquities, the
ancient roads, the digs, to see all the things you learned
about as a child regardless of your religion in your
Sunday School. All the different ethnicities, religious differ-
ences. You see the twelve steps of Christ, the ancient Jewish
antiquities, and the Muslim antiquities. Its an amazing place,
its an amazing country, because it has everything there for
every [Abrahamic] religion. I think that its wonderful that
the Israelis have kept Jerusalem and all of the sites open
to all people. I think Birthright is an amazing thing, for all
young people of Jewish ethnicity.
Would you go on Birthright if it were
offered to you?
/72 STATE OF EXCEPTION STATE OF EXCEPTION /73

Chase: Yes, with the intention, like I said earlier, of visit- Yasmine: Yeah Id go on Birthright! Except, itd be no fun
ing Palestine too. though on the Palestinian side, right. It would be like a
very scary Birthright. Its so sad that Palestinians cant
Adam: Of course I would. I dont fault the people who go even do Birthright. Theres no sort of funding for it. It
on Birthright for going on Birthright. At the very least, its just doesnt make sense. Its not a real thing. Like, were
a free vacation. Even if you dont identify with it, youre gonna bring you here because you connect to this land?
going to a wonderful place where history is just every- That makes no sense. People connect to the land without
where. Its beautiful, theres so much culture there to be it even being physical most of the time, like when people
had. The people who go there are not the problem. Its the who have migrated to a certain country connect to their
organization that created it and what theyre trying to do. homeland. Its just this fabricated thing.
Everything thats set up is meant to try and erase the idea
of the Palestinian people having a right to be there. A lot Roxanne: Absolutely.
of people will go and try to defend the Israeli culture at
large, when they say like, oh, this is Israeli government Ahmed: I would go right away. I would leave everything
policies not people, you have to draw a distinction. And, and go. No question. I would pack up and leave. I wouldnt
in general, I agree with that statement. You have to always even pack up. I would go immediately same day!
remember government does not equal public opinion.
But, unlike in America, something that really should be
looked into is that everybody has to be in the military for
three years, or two years if youre a woman, which means
that you are indoctrinated a the age of eighteen to fight in
the Israeli Defense Force, an organization that is charged
with defense by the title, and by and large that defense is
against Palestinians. So, youre taught to see Palestinians
as the enemy. Is it the peoples fault? No. I feel Birthright
is the same place where those types of things come into
play. Its indoctrinating the people to make Palestinian
identity irrelevant or demonized.

Ron: Well, this thing, this program, didnt exist when I

was in high school. I probably would have gone, because
at one point I thought about being a rabbi. That was prob-
ably a very short-lived thought. I was a little embarrassed
to go to Israel and inform people that I had gone 48 or 49
years without actually ever going there.

Anwar: Of course, absolutely. Why wouldnt I?

Anna: Yes.
/74 STATE OF EXCEPTION STATE OF EXCEPTION /75

Adam: A strange one. I mean, its the same thing like

What relationship do your relatives
have with Palestine?
Israel
me. My father was born in America, but we still feel very
close culturally, physically. Weve gone to weddings over
there. Its still a place where we culturally call home, even
though we dont live there personally. Every child that
dies feels like its one of our own children that have died.
Every attack on a house, every bulldozed home, every
evacuation. My cousin was taken out of his house the day
before what is equivalent to the SAT. He wanted to do
computer science and all this stuff, but he was taken out
of his home the night before at like 2am for questioning
and he didnt do anything and did poorly on his exams
because of that whole ordeal. Not poorly enough that it
affected his trajectory, but bad enough where it was like
very disappointing to him, where his morale was shot.
Thats the relationship that it is. You have morale hit after
morale hit, and you can do nothing but hope that things
get better. Its a hope that comes out of a desire to continue
to exist, not a hope for any reason. Theres nothing going
on that brings hope on a day-to-day basis.

Ron: I feel that they [my children] feel distanced from it. I
think my parents felt very connected to it, having visited.
Again, visiting is very different. Before that, its kind of
only a concept. But, I feel my children feel distanced from
it, because its so far. When cultural things stand out, you
go, oh wow, they do the same things we do at home.
It becomes really evident. My impression of Judaism is
that its been swinging more to the conservative over the
last 30 years, since I was your age. I think my children
are distanced from it quite heavily. They are somewhat
suspicious of it, and questioning of it, and leery of it. Its
very hard to see that kind of chaos going on, in a part of
the world where you have no experience. So, it makes
one wonder, why - why all thats going on? And, why we
cant find a solution for it. We all face that problem.

Anwar: My relatives are all associated with Palestine.

They all feel it deep in their hearts. Maybe if we had our
/76 STATE OF EXCEPTION
freedoms, wed be allowed to do something else, but
the tightening grip of the Israelis on us have made us a
stronger people, have made us a people more proud than
ever to be Palestine and more determined to push for our
liberties and our freedoms. I believe their behavior has
had a reverse effect. Even if theres just one of us left, were
going to continue the struggle against this apartheid,
abusive behavior. And one day, with the will of God and
the good people of the world, there will be peace and
freedom between the Israelis and Palestinians. After all,
we do have a lot in common, and it shouldnt be that hard
if we can get rid of the people who are pushing this in the
wrong direction. If we can just get rid of them, and send
them back to the European countries that they came from,
the rest of the people no doubt will get along.
Anna: My father has been to Israel, I think, twice, and
has really enjoyed his time there. I think he went to Israel
in his 50s or late 40s, and was very excited to get there,
and has encouraged me to go. My mother I dont think
has any real interest in Israel. Im sure if she was offered
Birthright, she would go, but there are a lot of places in
the world shed be interested in going. My sister will be
joining me on Birthright. Its important that we both go
together, and have that experience together.
Yasmine: I would say that all my relatives hate Israel. My
dad thinks that Palestinian people really need to separate
themselves from religion when it comes to politics. Thats
something he will say, but he really hates Israelis, he
really hates Jewish people. Its an instinctual feeling for
him. He understands the politics of it as well, but he would
never be a part of any sort of social change. I think thats
a huge issue that the Arab population has. Theyre just
not making the situation better. Theyll just hate Jewish
people for the rest of their lives. For most of my dads life,
he doesnt critique Israels policy, or even know that in
depth whats happening politically when thats something
hes really emotionally involved in. My mom was actually
talking to me the other day - this is funny - on how
STATE OF EXCEPTION /77
Palestinian and Jewish people are like the same fucking
thing - they both hate each other. And, how the Jews are
actually better than the Palestinians because she fucking
loves her doctor. But, no, they all hate Israel and Jews.
Roxanne: As far as my parents are concerned, theyre
from a generation even different from my generation. To
them, Israel was everything, and today, I dont think they
would be sympathetic to the Palestinians. I think today
they would be very much influenced by the rhetoric that
comes out of Israel, in the news, and they would be very
pro-Israel. To them, I think, the Arabs are the enemy.
It would be a totally different mindset that my parents
would have if they were alive today. My grandson, who
is of a completely different generation, has a more open
and honest political view of the situation in Israel today.
And, Ive learned a lot from him. Hes twenty-one. Its a
far different opinion and a far different viewpoint. And,
Im very grateful from the knowledge that I have gained
from him. I think that its the youth of today that will help
the future of the Palestinians and the Israelis. Im hoping
that will be what will happen with the moderates of
Israel, Palestinian, and the United States influence will all
come together to find peace there for these people. My
daughter Wendy I dont think she has any association at
all with Israel. I dont think she understands the political
views or is even interested. To her, its a country across
the world. You find within different families many different
points of view or points of interest. Im very happy that
my grandson is interested, politically, with what is going
on. Im glad that he is a humanitarian, and he cares about
the world and what is happening in it. My husband has a
completely different point of view. Hes like my parents.
To him, Israel is everything. He believes that Israel can
do no wrong that its a perfect child. But, hes also not
informed, and he doesnt read about it, and he has these
beliefs. And he tells me Im anti-Israel and anti-Jew. And,
thats not true. Im very pro-Israel. I want to see Israel
survive. So, in our family, were a potpourri of opinions.
/78 STATE OF EXCEPTION STATE OF EXCEPTION /79

Ahmed: They still feel that it is there home. They are generation. She grew up during the Holocaust, around a
American, but they still have a relationship to Gaza. lot of antisemitism, and in a culture that only gave her pro-
They live over here. They cant go back, because thats a Israeli rhetoric, and so I cant blame her. Essentially, she
problem, because their home is gone. And, the relatives in is very sympathetic, very empathetic, about Palestinian
Palestine, its bad, very bad, very bad. They have nothing rights, about Palestinian lives. But, I think she has a hard
over there. They have no food, no water, no medical time seeing that Jews can be the oppressor, because we
supply. Its different in Gaza than the West Bank. Theyre never really have been until the state of Israel. And so,
surrounded. The West Bank has more things going for I think she has a hard time seeing that what Israel does
them than Gaza. In the Gaza Strip, they got nothing. And is not self-defense. She will always support Israel, but
they cant go anywhere, because no country will accept can also critique Israel. But, she still continues to have
them. stereotypes about Arabs and Palestinians. But, I feel my
mom is more open to education around the issues and I
Chase: I guess Ill talk about my grandparents, who feel the more we talk, the more educated she becomes
raised me. My grandfather, I dont talk about politics as about the issues, and the more aware she becomes.
much with him because he doesnt listen and he doesnt
want to hear your opinion on it. He is extremely pro-
Israel. He think all Arabs, whether theyre Palestinian or
Jordanian or Lebanese or Moroccan or even if youre an
Iranian Muslim, whos not even Arabic, that theyre trying
to drive the Jews into the sea. That theyre all trying to
kill Jews, and therefore, while he wouldnt say it, that if we
have to, we kill them first to defend ourselves. And so, he
thinks Israel has a right to exist, of course, and has a right
to exist as it does, which not in his eyes, but in my eyes is a
violent oppressor of Palestine and Palestinians. So hes an
unapologetic and fervent supporter of Israel. And I have to
say that while hes not nearly as progressive as I am or my
grandmother is, hes essentially pretty liberal on nearly
everything. He hates conservative politics, except on this
issue. My grandmother is much easier to talk to about
these things. A lot of my interest in Jewish identity and its
relation to Israel comes from arguing with my mother all
the time about Israel, because I believe she is not only
intelligent enough, but empathetic enough and open
enough to really learn from other people in discussions,
in arguments, and really hear the other side. Over the last
couple years, weve had really heated arguments, I mean
real arguments that turn into yelling, over Israel. Basically,
she supports Israel, which I think comes from her
 Present (2016)

These borders refer to the annexation of Israeli land through the settlement of the West Bank.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, a physical border has been created through the construction
of the Separation Barrier, or Apartheid Wall.
 Pre-1947

Pre-1947 refers to the British Mandate of Palestine, before the establishment of Israel.
The camp as a space of exception is a paradox...
In so far as the state of exception is willed, it
inaugurates a new juridico-political paradigm in
which the norm becomes indistinguishable from
the exception. The camp is thus the structure in
which the state of exception - on whose possible
decision sovereign power is founded - is realized
normally.

Giorgio Agamben
1860: First Zionist Jewish settlement is built in Palestine, near Jerusalem. 1982: First Lebanon War
1882-1903: First Aliyah. An estimated 30,000 Jews migrate to Palestine. 1987-1991: First Intifada against Israeli occupation.
1897: The First Zionist Congress meets in Basel, and establishes World 1988: PLO officially declares the Palestinian state.
Zionist Organization. 1993: Oslo Accords (Yitzhak Rabin, Yasser Arafat, and Bill Clinton).
1901: Jewish settlers build Tel Aviv, near the populous Palestinian city of 1994: Israeli-Jordan Peace Agreement
Jaffa. 1995: Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, is assassinated by an Israeli
1904-1914: Second Aliyah. An estimated 40,000 Jews migrate to Palestine. right-wing ultra-nationalist.
Mainly from Russia, they flee due to rising antisemitism. 1999: Taglit-Birthright Israel is initiated.
1914-1918: WWI. 2000-2005: Second Intifada, which is much more violent than the first.
1916-1918: First Arab Revolt. 2002: Construction begins on the Israeli West Bank Barrier, aka the Wall.
1917: Balfour Declaration, affirming British support for Israel as a home- 2005: Mahmoud Abbas, leader of Fatah, is elected President of Palestine
land for the Jewish people. over Mustafa Barghouti, an independent.
1918: End of WWI. The Ottoman Empire dissolves. 2005: Disengagement from Occupied Territories
1919-1923: Third Aliyah. An estimated 40,000 Jews migrate to Palestine 2006: Hamas is democratically elected, gaining more votes than Fatah for
1924-1929: Fourth Aliyah. An estimated 40,000 Jews migrate to Palestine. the first time.
Mainly from Poland and Hungary, they flee due to rising antisemi- 2006: Second Lebanon War
tism. 2008-2009: Operation Cast Lead. Over three weeks, 13 Israelis (10 soldiers,
1929: Palestinian Riots in Jerusalem. 4 via friendly fire and 3 civilians) are killed, and 518 injured.
1929-1939: Fifth Aliyah. An estimated 250,000 Jews migrate to Palestine, due 1,417 Palestinians are killed, 5,303 are injured, and 120 are
to the rise of Nazism in Germany. captured. 4,000 homes are destroyed, and over 50,800 Gaza
1933: Hitler is elected Chancellor of Germany.
residents are displaced.
1933-1948: Aliyah Bet (Illegal Migration). An estimated 110,000 Jews migrate
to Palestine illegally. 2011: Israels Iron Dome Air Defense System is operational. It
1936-1939: Great Arab Revolt. defends Israel from up to 90% of missiles from Gaza.
1939-1945: WWII and the Holocaust. An estimated 6,000,000 Jews (two-thirds 2012: Operation Pillar of Defense. Over 8 days, 6 Israelis (4
of the European Jewish population) are killed, and an innumerable
amount of Jews in Europe are displaced.
soldiers and 2 civilians) are killed, and 239 are wound-
1947: UN Partition Plan, proposing two states, one for the Jews and one ed. 103 Palestinians are killed, and 970 are wounded.
for the Palestinians. This plan gives approximately 55% of land to 2012: The UN partially recognizes Palestine.
the Jews, and 45% to the Palestinians.
1948: Establishment of Israel. The Nakba (Catastrophe). 2014: Operation Protective Edge. Over 7 weeks,
1948-1949:
1956:
First Arab-Israeli War. Israel wins.
Sinai Campaign.
66 Israeli soldiers are killed, 6 civilians are
1960-1962: Eichmann Trial and Execution in Jerusalem. killed, and 87 civilians are wounded. 2,189
1967 The Six-Day War. Results in a huge acquisition of land for Israel.
1972: Munich Olympic Massacre. 11 Israeli athletes are kidnapped and Palestinians (513 children, 269 women) are
murdered by a Palestinian terrorist organization. killed. 11,100 Palestinians are wounded.
1973: Yom Kippur War.
1974: Legitimization of Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) by UN. 250 Palestinians are captured. Over 17,000
1979: Egypt-Israeli-US Peace Agreement (Anwar Sadat, Menachem
Begin, Jimmy Carter) resulting in Israels withdrawal from Sinai.
homes are destroyed, leaving more than
500,000 Gazans displaced.