Reading Response for Wednesday, Sept. 7

The readings for September 7^th, “Jerusalem: Then and Now,” by Mick Dumper, “The History of Jerusalem,” by Rashid Khaladi, “Jerusalem: The Holy City through the Ages,” by Rehav Rubin, and “A Brief History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict,” by Jeremy Pressman, all give detailed accounts of the historical context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the implications of that in today’s world. In the article, “Jerusalem: Then and Now,” Dumper gives a historical account of the different conquests of Jerusalem and the different religions that all revere Jerusalem. He notes that the popularity and sacredness of Jerusalem must come from religion, because it does not have natural resources or a good geographical location (5). As all the articles touch on, Jerusalem belonged to the Canaanites, then the Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Egyptians, Maccabeans, Romans, Arabs, Crusaders, then back to Muslims, Ottomans, British, then Israelites. This long string of leadership and different ethnic and cultural groups that have ruled the city make it an important site for many people. Most news articles support the idea that Jerusalem’s original citizens were the Jewish people. However, from the perspective of Rashid Khalidi, an Arab, the Palestinian people are the descendants of the original people, not the Jewish people. Throughout his article he reinforces the idea that much of history has been taught wrongly, yet people do not question its validity because it has always been said or told in such a way. It is interesting that Khalidi would have this different perspective because he is Arab, and it reminds me of people having told me that they were raised to believe Israeli is “their land” because they are Jewish. Khalidi must have been taught the exact same thing. 

The readings also discuss the present day conflict, beginning in the early 20^th century with the Zionist movement gaining popularity. The different authors more or less relate the same story, however, the usage of different words and the framing of the story differs. For instance, Pressman, Khalidi and Dumper allude to the ‘uprooting’ of the Palestinian people, and although they discuss some of the attacks carried out by Palestinians, mostly focus on the wrongs of the Israeli state. In Khalidi’s eyes, Jersualem still remains a highly segregated city where confusion reigns, while Rubin states, “Jerusalem, with all its municipal and political complexities, became a united city where Jews and Muslims, some secular and some religious could live side by side” (5).  The author’s background and religion has a major impact on how he or she views Jerusalem. 

Finally, in “A Brief History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict,” Pressman gives detailed accounts of the modern-day struggle for autonomy and Israel’s fight for recognition. In regards to the value of this reading, I believe that it gave me a lot of insight and information on matters that had previously been confusing. As the author explained the years leading up to the creation of Israel and how Israel has had so much success, I understand the disorganization of the Palestinian people and the organization of the Jewish people. Through this article I was surprised to learn about the extent that Palestinians have suffered. Loss of freedom, lack of economic means, and lack of citizenship among refugees all show the plight of the uprooted people. However, his article rarely focuses on the struggles of the Jewish people in Israel. Pressman also touches on two very important effects that the struggle has had on both nations. He states, “Palestinians still lack a nation-state, the basic unit of international affairs. They are widely dispersed, and the original generation that lost their homes in 1948 is gradually dying off” (14). He also highlights the struggle that Israel has: “…lacks a sense of normalcy with its wider region. Recognition, legitimacy, and normalcy remain elusive objectives” (15). 

I was interested in learning the different perspectives of the authors and how their backgrounds affected the way they saw the problem. Through the readings I also gained a better understanding of what the creation of Israel meant for different groups. What was liberating for some was a death sentence for others.