Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Palestine
City located within Palestine region, it is the sacred place for Christians,
Jerusalem Muslims and Jews.Jerusalem is the Capital of Israel, (although not
recognized by some countries).
Tel Aviv
Knesset
Mossad
What is imperialism?
When a country establishes its economic and political dominance over other
nations- it is known as imperialism.
There are many ways to achieve imperialism: one of them is colonialism- that is
what Britishers did in India and Africa. Colonialism means practice of acquiring
colonies by conquest (war) or purchase or any other thuggery and making them
dependent on your home country (UK).
After end of Second World War, most of the colonies achieved independence. But
nowadays the powerful nations such as US and China, colonize poor countries via
providing financial aids, weapons to kill opposing sects/tribes, installing puppet
regime etc. this is known asNeo-Colonialism.
Between 1800 and 1900, majority of Asia and Africa had been colonized. Britain and
France were main players here.
Earlier, Germany was made up of small princely states. It was Otto von Bismarck,
who unified them and created the modern German empire. Our Sardar Vallabhbhai
Patel is often called Bismarck of India for this reason.
But the challenges that Sardar Patel faced, were tougher, both in size and complexity
than of Bismarcks.
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Anyways, after the unification, Germany transformed into an economic
powerhouse.
By 1914, Germanys iron ore, steel production =higher than France + Germany.
Germany had entered the shipping trade in a big way. Similarly Italy too was rising.
France and Britain didnt like it- not one bit.
For them, Germany = A serious economic threat to their status and their colonies.
USA had not yet become supercop, superpower of the world. On July 4, 1776, it
declared independence from Britain. But the Northern and Southern States of USA,
had opposing idea about abolition of black slavery. That led to their internal Civil
War from 1861 to 1865. So, USA was busy with its domestic troubles.
The superficial reason for First World War (1914-1918) = Assassination of Archduke
Ferdinand, but actually it was this rivalry between nations for economic reasons and
control over colonies. The world was divided into two gangs
Britain
France
USA
Russia (October revolution- Lenin in power,
Withdrew from war)
5. Italy
6. Japan +some misc. nations
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2.
3.
4.
Germany
Austria
Hungary
Ottoman Empire (led to Khilafat
movement in India)
Prior to First World war, the Jerusalem and surrounding Palestine region was under
the control of Ottoman Turks.
But as you can see from above table, they had sided with Central Powers (Germany)
in First World War.
During the course of First world war, British army captured Jerusalem and put this
Palestine region under military administration.
This created resentment among the Native Arabs residing in Palestine. Especially
after the Jewish people started immigrating here, due to the oppression by Hitler.
The Allied nations (US,UK,France) forced Germany to sign this treaty else face another
military invasion. So Germany had to sign this humuliating treaty under which
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2.
3.
4.
5.
Hyperinflation
The German economy had already collapsed due to heavy loss of man and material
during World War I.
The treaty of Versailles only added insult to this injury.
During this time, German Government resorted to printing more currency. (Name
of German currency=Mark)
That led to hyper-inflation (because truck load of paper-cash on one side but not
truckload of potatoes on the other side).
So paper currency lost its value. Check this photo: A German woman burns currency,
because its paper was cheaper fuel than coal!
Result of Hyper-inflation
1. A loaf of bread that cost 20,000 marks in the morning would cost 5,000,000 marks
by nightfall.
2. Restaurant prices went up while customers were eating.
3. It took 4.2 trillion German marks to buy a single American dollar!
4. A lifetime of savings would no longer buy even a railway ticket!
5. Pensions planned for a lifetime were wiped out completely.
Rise of Hitler
During these hard times, Hitler used to attract German crowds with his charismatic
and fierce speeches.
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Nazism
Under Hitlers laws, Jews could reside in only some specific areas, known as as
Ghettos.
Ghettos were enclosed with walls and gates and kept locked at night.
Outside the ghetto, Jews had to wear a yellow colored identifying badge.
More recently, the term ghetto has come to apply to any urban area exclusively
settled by a minority group. In the United States, Mexicans and blacks have been
compelled to live in ghettos, by economic and social pressures.
Holocaust
What is Anti-Semitism?
What is Zionism?
What is Zion?=Name of the hill on which the Temple of Jerusalem was located.
Zionism is the term used to describe the Jewish political movement of the late 19th
century.
Their Objective= to unite the Jewish diaspora all over world and settle them in
Palestine.
They started taking donations from wealthy Jews, helped the Holocaust survivors to
migrate to Palestine and surrounding regions.
This movement led to establishment of Israel in 1948.
Recall that after First World War, Palestine region was under British Administration.
Official policy of British = Prevent Jews from settling in Palestine region because it
was leading to riots between Jews and native Arabs.
But during the course of World war II, the US army discovered Nazi extermination
camps. This created deep sympathy for Jewish people in USA. The Senators and
Congressmen of USA, started lobbying for Zionist cause.
Therefore U.S. President Truman requested British Government to immediatly admit
1 lakh Jewish Holocaust survivors into Palestine, and unrestricted Jewish
immigration in Palestine in future.
Arab Nations
As the second world war came to an end (1945), the neighboring Arab countries
began to take a more direct interest in Palestine.
They held a conference in Egypt and made official statement. The gist of
their position was
1. Weve sympathies for the European Jews who suffered under Hitlers dictatorship.
2. But the issue of European Jewish survivors ought not to be confused with Zionism.
3. If you (Allied champions:US,UK) allow Jews to settle in Palestine, itll cause great
injustice to the Native Arabs and therefore we will oppose it.
End of World War II, 1945
The Jews that survived holocaust and extermination camps, had no home of their
own- everything was destroyed in the war. The Zionists helped them immigrate and
settle in Palestine.
But the Palestinian Arabs decided that no more Jews should arrive and that Palestine
should achieve independence as an Arab state. (in 1946 there were 12 lakh Arabs
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and 7 lakh Jews in Palestine). There was rioting and violence everywhere, from
both sides.
The area was still under British administration. But during this time, Britain lacked
the money, political will and military force to maintain hard control over its colonies.
In Feb 1947, Britishers were busy negotiating independence of India. They were also
eager to decrease costly military presence in Palestine.
So British Government decided to handover the Palestine question to United
Nations.
UN resolution on Palestine
In late 1947, The United nations General Assembly passed a resolution: This
Palestine region be partitioned into an Arab State and a Jewish state, and Jerusalem
will become an International centre. (something like Chandigarh between Punjab
and Haryana). Check the map:
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Soon after the UN resolution, rioting and civil war broke out in Palestine, between
the native Arab and Jews. You can imagine the hardship of people- similar to
partition of India-Pakistan.
As the civil war, rioting, murder, loot, plunder, assassinations spread, on 14th May
1948, the Last British high commissioner left Palestine.
Immediately, the Zionist leaders declared Israel a free Nation. Within a few hours,
USA also recognized Israel as a nation.
In the upcoming days, the Arab nations: Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt sent their
armies but were defeated by Israeli forces. (this is known as First Israel-Arab War)
West Bank
Recall that UN General Assembly had favored the partition of Palestine region into
an Arab State and a Jewish state.
While Jewish State (Israel) came into existence, but there was no Palestine Arab
State because Palestinian Arabs were not organized, unlike Zionists, they lacked 12
the money and gun power of their own. They relied on the armies sent by Syria,
Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt, to fight for their cause.
The problem was: What to do with Jerusalem city?
After The First Israel-Arab war, the Jerusalem city and surrounding was divided
between Israel (West) and Jordan (East).
West Bank is the region on the west side of Jordan River.
From 1950 to 1967 it was ruled by Jordan.
But Israel captured it in 1967s war (also known as 6 Days war, or Third Israel-Arab
war).
Again recall that UN General Assembly had favored the partition of Palestine region
into an Arab State and a Jewish state.
Under that resolution, UN General Assembly had said that Gaza strip will be given to
Arab State. (observe the map).
After Israel became an independent nation (1948), the Arabs from Tel-Aviv and
other parts of Israel/Palestine region, had started migrating to this Gaza strip, to
save themselves from riots and looting.
These are called Palestinian (Arab) refugees.
During the first Israel-Arab war, the Egyptian army had captured Gaza strip. But In
1967s war, Israel re-captured Gaza Strip.
But The Egyptian government did not consider Gaza Strip as a part of Egypt and did
not allow those refugees to become Egyptian citizens or to migrate to Egypt or to
other Arab countries. (their side of border was opened in 2011)
On the other side, Israel did not allow these refugees to return to their former
homes.
So these refugees are stuck from both the sides, live in poverty and food aids from
United Nations.
Ever since, there is rioting and violent street clashes between Gazas Palestinians
(refugees/Hamas) and occupying Israeli troops.
So far, the Palestinian Arabs were relying on outside support (Syria, Jordan,
Egypt, Lebanon), but later realized they had to get themselves organized to fight for
their own cause. Thus came Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
Soon, Yasser Arafat became the leader of PLO.
PLO launched guerrilla war against Israel during the 1960s to 1980s from its camps in
Jordan.
But later on PLO got into power-struggle with Jordanian King, and were expelled 13
Hamas, 1987
Theyre political-militant organization stationed in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
They run their own schools, charities, clinics, and schools in these areas.
They get money and weapons from tunnels through Egypt-Gaza border.
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They want to destroy Israel and the create an Islamic state in Palestine.
The Difference between Hamas and PLO = both started as militant movements for
Palestinian Arabs But PLO has (almost) ceased violence while Hamas continues to
remain armed and dangerous.
After many rounds of talks, Israeli Government and Yasser Arafats PLO entered into
peace agreement, according to which
1. Israel and PLO will formally recognize eachothers right to exist.
2. A new Palestine authority (PA) will be formed, itll have
elected Arab representatives.
3. Israel will gradually handover the administration of Gaza strip and West Bank, to this
Palestine Authority (PA).
But Hamas was opposed to Oslo accords.
Palestine Authority (PA)
West Bank.
Gaza Blockade, 2007
In 2007, Gaza strip was under Hamas rule. The acts of terrorism continued.
Israel declared them as a hostile entity and approved sanctions against Gaza strip-
including electricity cuts, heavily restricted imports, and border closures.
Hamas retaliated by launching rockets at Israeli cities.
So, Israel started military invasion on the Gaza, mainly to destroy those tunnels
through which Hamas gets rockets and other weapons.
In this clash, more than 1,000 were killed. Finally Israel and Hamas declared a
unilateral cease-fire.
Since then Gaza strip is in control of Hamas but Israel has blocked the whole area
with huge wall.
Some NGOs, Peace workers wanted to deliver food, other humanitarian aid and
construction materials to Gaza refugees.
They came by sea using a ship named Mavi Marmara, wanted to land on Gaza strip
But were intercepted by Israeli military.
Each side accused other one for starting trouble. Led to much uproar about human
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rights violation.
Gilad Shalit
India supports a united, independent, viable, sovereign state of Palestine with East
Jerusalem as its capital, living within secured and recognized borders side by side at
peace with Israel.
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India also supports Palestine in a variety of tangible ways, including the contribution
of millions of dollars as budget support for the Palestine National Authority and
assistance to Palestine in developing its human resources through Indias technical
cooperation programme.
For the entire archive of Diplomacy and International Relations (IR) related articles,
visit: mrunal.org/diplomacy
MCQs
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Capital
Lebanon
Damascus
Amman
2. What is the correct order of these water bodies from North to South: Red Sea, Black
Sea, and Dead Sea.
a. Black > Red > Dead
b. Dead > Black > Red
c. Black > Dead> Red
3. Which of the following countries dont share land border with Israel?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Only 1
Only 2
Both
One
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b. Only 2 and 3
c. Only 1 and 3
d. All of them
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