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Be patient downloading.
It's worth it.
No daily sensationalism here, just the stuff to keep you informed, alert, thinking, active.
This is a not for profit site created
and funded by unpaid volunteers.
July.
2007
Edition
95
This is where we hope to keep you thinking. The site does not focus on diversionary minutia. You get enough of that incessant spin coming from mainstream media.
This is a very lengthy article and you may want to print it and read at you leisure, however the copious links would not be available in print out.
Zionism
The British Imperialism
It would be hard nowadays to determine the date Britain intended to colonize the near east but the historian Philip thought that since the 16th century England showed a special interest in colonizing the Ottoman empire for its commercial relations with India, the near and far east.
However, since the beginning of the 19th century, the British companies in India started in 1809 organized naval trips to Sues Canal and Basra. [Bernard Lewis, “The Arab in History”, p169].
In addition, the occupation of Egypt by the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in 1798 and his attempt to capture Syria (included Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan), military campaigns aimed at threatening the British Colonial Empire in India and expanding the sovereignty of the French Colonial Empire.
Therefore, the French campaign was regarded as a turning point that had a great effect on the British colonial policy.
After the end of the campaign, Britain began to conclude agreements with the princes and leaders of the Arab peninsula’s states (from Aden to Kuwait). It dominated the strategic and economic locations to avert any attack on India, the pearl of the British Empire.
The British forces assisted the Ottomans to evacuate the French forces from Egypt in 1801.
In 1807 the British general Frazier attempted to occupy Egypt but his attempt failed for being defeated by the Egyptian forces in Al Rasheed area and the British army was obliged to fall back to their military bases.
Some historians believed that the real purpose behind Britain’s occupation of Egypt was just a matter of reconnaissance and consolidation of the British economic strategy regarding the internal developments that occurred in Egypt. Such developments constricted the Mamluke’s leverage, Britain deemed as her alliance.
In the coeval period between the years 1831-1840, Egypt witnessed the reign of Mohammed Ali and his successor Ibrahim who aimed at establishing a great Arab state.
During that time, England evinced her avarice to usurp Egypt and tried to resist the developing Arab state which extended from Egypt to the borders of Asia Minor.
Moreover, Britain joined forces with the Ottoman state and the European Colonial states to expel the Egyptian forces from Syria.
In 1840, the British forces performed an effective role in retreating Ibrahim Al Masri forces from Syria.
The historian George Antonio indicated that Britain’s resistance and refusal of establishing an Arab state was one of the substantial factors that caused her fiasco.
He wrote:” the serious clash between Mohammed Ali and the British colonialism was inevitable because of the first British hegemony on Egypt and the Arab peninsula which are located on the most significant trade roads. at the same time, Mohammed Ali had a great evaluation of the English trade”.
(“The Arab vigilance” translated to Arabic by Ali al Rakabi).
On the same level, the British foreign minister Palmerton sent a letter to Britain’s ambassador to Naples 21 March 1833, writing:” Mohammed Ali’s actual aim was establishing an Arab kingdom embracing all the Arab-tongue countries. This project may contribute in dividing Turkey where there is no excuse for an Arab king to be supplanted of Turkey in controlling India’s road”. (Page 21-22).
The British Colonialism adopts the Zionists concepts before the emergence of the Zionist movement.
Nahum Solokuv, one of the Zionist movement founders, manifested the relation between the establishment of an Arab state and Britain’s adoption of a Zionist concept before the creation of any Zionist organization.
He said:” When the Zionist movement originated, it brought to existence Palestine’s question. (After the intervention of the European countries to save the Ottoman state and turning back Ibrahim’s forces to Egypt).
The idea of annexing Acre and Cyprus to the British Empire was merely prevalent among the British public opinion for Britain did occupy Acre well-fortified location”.
In addition Nahum adduced several instances concerning many British Politicians who called for the Jewish settlement in Palestine.(“The history of Zionism, the 1st volume, p104).
For instance, in 25 Sep 1840, concerning the Syrian question, the British foreign minister Palmerton suggested the establishment of a British colony (Dominion) in Syria.
He added “The area is in need of money and work and the Jews longing for return to Syria and if there were laws that achieved equality in the area, this would eliminate the Hebrew’s doubts and push them to offer their hidden capabilities”.( The second volume p 229).
During the period between 1840 and 1876, several British writers and politicians such as the Colonel Charles Henry Churchill (1814-1877) - one of the British leaders who fought the Egyptian forces in Syria 1840 - handled the eastern question and asserted the followings:
1. The necessity of occupying the near east esp. Syria (including Palestine).
2. Using the Jews as a mean to occupy Palestine or Syria, so that Britain would impose domination on the area and protect India’s road.
Moreover, Sir Austen Henry Layered (1817-1894), a member of the English parliament, said in one of his orations concerning the eastern question:” We should be aware that if Egypt was one of the ways that leads to India, Syria would be the state controlling Euphrates and Tigris as well as tyrannizing India”. (a collection of his speeches about the Turkish or eastern question, p10, published in English in 1857).
The Colonel George Growler (1796-1869), south Australia governor, delivered a speech in 25 Jan 1853, stating:” Fate brought Syria and Egypt to be located between Britain and her trade centers in India, China, the Indian archipelago and Australia. The usurpation of both countries by any other state, would threaten Britain’s trade relations.
The above statements assured the efficiency of the colonialist motive in urging the English writers and politicians to call for expanding the British leverage on east Syria (Palestine) and settling the Jewish people in Syria as a means of grasping it.
During the same period where the colonialist concept found a great concern in the near east, several international crises took place. For instance, the attempt of Mohammed Ali and his son Ibrahim to establish an Arab state in Syria and Egypt as well as the question concerning the digging of Sues Canal and the tension created.
The British writer Harass Killen criticized this fact in his book “Zionism and the international policy”, where he wrote:” The idea of creating Israel could be real with regard to the practical policy and the religious standard (Believing in the Jew’s return to Palestine and in the resurrection of the Christ). The idea widely propagated in Britain and France among the Jewish people.
However, Killen reminded of the conflict between the French colonial policy and the British colonial policy on Palestine as a result of the “Israeli reanimation”.
According to Hongorth who wrote in 1952 in England (postscripts about the situation of the Jews in Palestine), the real aim behind the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine wasn’t human or rightful but was political”.
Several endeavors were made in order to ease the Anglo-French tension. The British historian Henry Dennett suggested the establishment of an international eastern association internationally advocated, whose mission is to grant the east an agricultural, industrial and commercial aid, esp. Palestine, in collaboration with the Israelis and affirmed by the British and French decision makers. (The history of Zionism, 2nd volume, p2).
Henry noticed that the British enthusiasm to the Jewish settling idea lessened in the 2nd half of the 19th century while it renovated in the 20th century.
Lenin, a Russian communist ruler, illustrated this phenomenon in his genius studies” Imperialism is the maximal level of materialism”.
He thought that the British bourgeoisie politicians were against colonialism.
Britain, who did colonize several areas before, wasn’t thinking during that period of occupying new areas but resuming her colonial policy that began since the 17th century where Britain under that colonial cover would be able to protect her commercial welfares.
Solokov asserted that the colonization of the Syrian territory resulted in increasing the British trade revenue and defense forces.( The history of Zionism, 1st volume, p 105 -106).
In addition there is another purpose behind occupying Syria that is the international balance.
It was regarded as improbable to carry out changes concerning the conditions of the Ottoman state, the thing that may grant any of the colonial states privileges more than the other.
Therefore, the international stability appeared in the two occasions that witnessed the flare up of the war between Tsarian Russia and the Ottomans.
The first occasion- known as Crimean war (1854-1856) where the Russians defeated the Ottomans at the beginning but when Britain, France, Sardinia joined the Ottomans in the battlefield and the victory of Russia turned to rout.
In addition, Paris conference was convened in 1865 to recognize the “integrity of the Ottoman Sultanate”.
In the second occasion, Tsarian Russia defeated The Ottoman state in 1876 during which Russia imposed on the Ottomans the famous treaty” San Stefano”.
Whereas Britain succeeded in enlisting several European countries and obliged Russia to be a member in Berlin’s conference and to accept all the results esp. reinstating all the occupied areas to the Ottoman Sultanate.
John Berding described in his book" A report on Syria" the Jews of Damascus as wealthy merchants and he added that most of the business establishments dealt with Britain.
Solokov thought that several political factors impelled Britain to protect the Jews from the Ottoman Sultanate during the 19th century, a period that witnessed the spread of the Zionist colonial concept.
Dr. Edward Robinson (1797-1863) shed light on the necessities of Britain's policy throughout his book "Torah excavations in Palestine" where he wrote: "Long time ago, France was the protector of the Catholic religion (Roman Catholic)….The descendants of the Orthodox Church found in the Russians powerful advocators….But there were no partials to Britain in any part of the Ottoman Empire".
However, Britain intended to defend the Ottoman Sultanate for it targeted at dividing the latter's patrimony in the near east. In addition Britain pretended to be the defender of any sect because she's in a dire need of a cult to face Russia and France.
Several questions were raised about the lessening of the calls for reanimating Israel in the last quarter of the 19th century.
Lenin cleared out that the period 1840-1860 was a scene of commercial rivalry and which give rise to the belief that the emancipation of the colonies (precisely settlements) is a predestined matter.
They were deemed as obstacles hampering the expansion and development of trade. Lenin added that colonial concept became imperial and the accomplishment of the world division is one of the imperial features.
For this reason, the strife of the colonial and imperial states on settlements became so aggravated. Therefore, during the last quarter of the 19th century esp. after the opening of Sue's canal in 1869, the Imperial struggle on the Ottoman Sultanate intensified.
The conflict between Britain and France on the near east was extremely violent. The real conflict wasn't on the leverage or economic locations but on the territories themselves because when occupying a territory, the dominant state could control its potencies and markets.
Actually, Britain did concentrate her efforts to usurp Egypt and succeeded in 1882 where France succeeded in capturing Tunisia one year before.
In his book" The diplomatic history in the international advancement in Europe", David Hill partitioned the history of the international policy - practiced by Britain in 1870 - to four stages:
"The 1st Asian stage" where Britain resisted the Russians in Asia the middle when they were tending to enter India.
"The African stage" (1885-1902) where the conflict reached its climax between Britain and France on dividing Africa and as a result Fashoda incident took place. (Fashoda is a village located on the borders of Sudan).
"The second Asian stage" where Britain concluded a treaty with Japan in order to confront Tsarian Russia.
"The European stage" where Britain withstood Germany who intended to divide the colonies.
It's worth mentioning that during the period of unrestrained competition, Britain was in need of the idea concerning the reanimation of Israel. While at the end of the 19th century, she was in dispense with it when being in strife with France where the challenge field was in Egypt and Africa.
The Zionist Movement
The Development of the Zionist Movement
The Jewish ideologist Nathan Birnnabawm was the first to use the term Zionism derived from the word Zion. The main target of Zionism is to reunite the Jewish people in Palestine.
The Jews believe that the Savoir Christ will come in the last days to return them all to the promise land and rule the world from Zion Mount. The Zionists attempted to put into effect this religious conviction into a political program and apply the heavenly slogans to earthly emblems.
However, despite the various Zionist trends (right and left, religious and atheistic, socialist and capitalist). All the Zionist trends hold the idea of The Jewish people which means that the Jewish people don’t compose a religious minority with different racial and national affiliations but a nation, distant from its real home The Promised Land, Palestine.
The Zionists believe that the Jews suffered racial discrimination and loss of Jewish identity as a result of being in Diaspora.
Therefore, they think that the only solution for the Jewish dilemma, with its social and psychological dimensions, is through settling in Palestine.
They considered that the roots of the Zionist movement – or the national Judaism as they call it – is related to Judaism itself, and the history after the shattering of their temple on the hands of the Romans, is a history of a banished nation waiting for redemption and salvation .
The Learners of Judaism are aware that the foundation of the Jewish state is rooted in Torah and according to the religious conviction, it can’t be fulfilled on the hands of any Political movement such as: the World Zionist Organization because such attempt exemplifies heresy and blasphemy.
That’s why when the Zionist Movement appeared, it was denied by all Jewish organizations, for instance, the Nattori Cartta group whose main center is located in the United States.
The Various Types of Zionism:
A-The Religious Zionism:
It is made up of four pillars:
1. The belief in one God (Monotheism)
2. Believing that the Jews are God’s chosen people
3. Believing in the resurrection of Christ to save humanity
4. The belief in the Jewish return to their homeland
The religious Zionists propagate their beliefs as follows:
The Jews derived their aspirations from a lesson they had learned in the past. They construed what is stated in Torah to their own convictions and they also believed that their ancestors lost the Holy Land because of their sins and abandonment of God.
Judaism in its essence is a covenant, even if it differs from one generation to another; it remains the same because God promised them the land and a prosperous living.
But in return the Jews must cling to morality and faith, the same as the Profits of God explained in all ages.
However, the religious Zionism differs from the political one whose members decided in Basel Conference 1897 to return to the holy land and didn’t wait for any divine miracle.
Whereas the religious Zionism didn’t see a way of return in any political conference or even in the aftermath of the Holocaust or the Nazis Camps.
Pragmatically, it is hard to translate religious Zionism to an active political movement and accordingly the religious Zionists consider the creation of Israel as null because it is based on a political order and not on the fulfillment of the divine promise.
However, several sayings and stands explained the religious Orthodox point of view in the Batesburg petition in 1885 which states: we’re not a nation but religions groups and that’s why we don’t expect any return to Palestine.
B- The Cultural or Spiritual Zionism:
Its philosophy of national Judaism springs from the priority of the moral and cultural heritage as well as Hebrew language.
Despite the importance given for reuniting the Jews in Palestine, it refused the claim of the Political Zionism on the pretext of violating and aggravating Semitism and the deteriorated political and economical circumstances that surrounded the Jews.
Instead, it realized that the great menace for the Jews’ survival till the last decade of the 19th century lies in the internal weakness of the Jewish societies and the loss of the sense of unity as well as feigning adherence to traditional values, ideals and hopes.
Before the appearance of Herzl, a great number of Jewish thinkers such as: Moses Hess and Pirez Smolenskin asserted on the importance of the cultural factor in arousing the Jewish national spirit.
Moreover, the Zionist cultural concepts were developed by the virtue of Ahad Ha’am who used to emphasize Hebrew language and historical values as well as taking an advantage from the European countries endeavor of independence that started intellectually by Separating Languages from Latin which boosts the national feeling of the people, flourish the sense of their entity and pushed them to revolt for the sake of freedom.
Mr. Ha’am criticized those who sought settlement in Palestine through his essay The Wrong Road published in1889 where he said: there is no hope for the success of settling in Palestine by deluding the arriving people. Instead, they must awaken the people’s patriotism and love for Zionism because this will boost their spirit to overcome all difficulties.
Ahad Ha’am launched media- warfare at Basel Conference, and accused Herzl of neglecting the cultural aspect by which Ha’am considered it’s revival as the only guarantee against the absorption of Jews in the societies. In addition, he is afraid that the diplomatic campaign may spoil things early.
C-The Pragmatic Zionism:
It was well known as an active movement in the history of Zionism.
After the leadership of Herzl and his political program, the practical Zionists realized that the running of the Diplomatic activity after promises and international assurances as a waste of time. So, they disagreed with Herzl and limited their efforts to develop the illegitimate settlements in Palestine and encourage immigration to impose facts on the grounds.
Nevertheless, this doesn’t deny the existence of the Pragmatic Zionism that can be seen in the activities of the Zionism Lovers Society movement.
D- The Political Zionism:
An idiom used to differentiate between the Zionism Lovers Society which depend on the wealthy Jews and the appearance of Herzl’s political platform which transformed the concepts of Judaism to a Political agenda and created an organized movement limited in both: means and targets.
The Pioneers of Zionism esp. Pinsker who laid the foundations outset the callings that were regarded the main urge in creating Political Zionism and in 1897 it was emanated by Herzl.
In other words, Zionism was found in a world of notions, until Herzl came and turned those notions to active political movements. Herzl was aware of the benefits he’s going to acquire from the schemes of the Western Imperialism – through his attempt to colonize Palestine – regarding the break up of the Ottoman Empire and the raging strew of the imperialists to settling in Palestine.
Herzl didn’t have the chance except during the First World War when the Arabs clarify their intentions to attain unity and independence, the thing that threaten the imperial welfares. As a result, this period witnessed the making of Balfour’s declaration and the appearance of the Zionist British Imperial marriage. On the other hand, the Political Zionism influenced all the Zionist trends.
E- The Socialist Zionism:
The socialist Zionists concentrated on the social and economic aspects and not on the religion. Perhaps the most important trends of the social Zionism was found in Gordon School. The School advocates the new concepts of the national Judaism.
The Pioneers of the Second Jewish Immigration started to establish socialist organizations such as: Zion Laborers, The Youth Laborer and The Young Guard. Those organizations which became later main socialist parties - composed of Zionist settlers – brought political and economic organizations such as: the Hestdrot, kibbutz, Haganah and Palmach. Such organizations formalized all the necessary means to invade Palestine.
There are other Zionist trends, did not succeed for many reasons, one of the main reasons was the domination of the Political Zionism on the advancement of the Zionist ideology that brought to reality the main goal of Zionism that is the creation of Israel. There are other various trends of this political Zionism such as: The Regional Zionism, The Revisal Zionism, The Reconciliation Zionism, Diaspora Zionism, The Radical Zionism, The General Zionism and Colonial Zionism.
The development of events
The Zionist movement took from religion a reason to demand a national home for the Jews in Palestine at a time where nationalism represented the European era. Meanwhile, Zionism appeared as a contemporary example of the national state.
The creation of Israel was and still the main strategic goal of the Zionist movement in order to dominate the Middle East. The Zionist movement worked hard to encourage the immigration to Israel. The main goal of the Zionist movement was obvious from the very beginning which is expelling the Palestinian natives even by adopting any Machiavellian ways. Either by rubbing the land or through conspiring with the ruling authorities such as: the Ottomans or the British. Besides, they attempted to buy the land from Arab brokers by resorting to tricks and imposing pressures.
The movement earmarked on an enormous amount of money for the settling purpose to facilitate the immigration of the Jews to Palestine.
The Zionist movement searched for a great colonial power to adopt its goals by the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. Thus Zionism adopted two schemes: Some Zionist leaders thought that Germany would win the war, and hence they should begin negotiations to ensure Germany’s approval for Zionist covetousness in Palestine. Other Zionist leaders considered Britain as the new ally of Zionism that would strengthen them for being the greatest colonial power.
Consequently, the second idea was mostly preferable and the Zionist leaders who lived in Britain hastened to clarify the necessity of creating a Zionist state in Palestine.
This period witnessed development of many events as well as the issuing of Balfour Declaration in the 2nd of November 1917.
The Zionist movement exploited the occasion of the First World War and stood firm by the Allies to carry out its political goals.
The first official declaration issued by the Zionist leaders, was prior to Britain’s declaration of the war on Germany.
However, when Britain declared war on Germany in 29 August 1939, Weizmann a Zionist leader assured the British Prime Minister, Chamberlain that the Jews will join Britain in the war.
Moreover, the Jewish Agency demanded an independent army to support the British army but the Mandatory Government didn’t agree at first because forming such army would strengthen the Jews’ position and hence, agitate Arabs hostility. The Agency insisted on the demand especially after the entry of Italy to the war in June 1940.
Furthermore, the alliance of ‘Al Hajj Alhusini’ with Germany brought the Jews closer to Britain and the Allies. In September 1940, a Palestinian force was composed of Arab and Jews.
Moreover, an agreement was assigned between the ‘Haganah’ and the leadership of the Middle East under which the ‘Haganah’ cooperated in the private operations, in case Germany invaded Palestine. Accordingly, the ‘Haganah’ was armed and trained on the Guerrilla-warfare. In addition a legitimacy defense description was granted to 15 thousands of Jews composing the guards of settlements. While those who were voluntarily enlisted in the British army reached 27 thousands.
On the International level, the World Zionist Movement still resuming its activities during the war and took from the United States a new political place. It was merely clear that the Zionists started to propagate their callings in the American grounds instead of the British.
The first marked evidence was choosing ‘New York’ city for holding the Biltmore conference which was called by the Extraordinary Zionist Conference from 6 may to 11May 1942.
Moreover, another conference was held in October 1942 which aimed at uniting the Jewish American Organization for sustaining Biltmore’s program.
As a result of its succession, Zionism saw herself as representing the overwhelming majority of the American Jews and it struggled in order to gain the Public American Opinion.
The achievements of the Zionists continuous campaigns were:
1. The back up of 33 American states’ Legislative Councils for the Zionist program.
2.A great number of American clergymen, deputies, scholars and senators advocated the Zionist program.
Meanwhile, a great number of petitions started to flow at the offices of the American Presidency.
The peak of this heavy activity was the memorandum presented by the Senators and the deputies in December 1942 demanding the reconstruction of the Jewish national homeland.
The Government didn’t issue any official pledge during that year, taking into consideration the Allies welfares in war, especially in the lower East and North Africa where the Arab natives stood against Zionism.
After being sure of the ultimate victory, the United States firmly and openly supported the Zionist Movement.
Concerning immigration, the American president Franklin Roosevelt declared in the 6 of March: “The American Government didn’t at all agree on the White Paper of the year 1939 and me the President so satisfied because the gates of Palestine are widely opened for the Jewish refugees.”
In the middle of the election race, Zionism succeeded to give a special support of its goals to the election programs concerning the Democratic and Republic parties.
Finally, the unanimous decision issued by the Congress in January 1945 assured the full American advocation. The decision approved the Jewish immigration to Palestine’ and the creation of a national homeland for the Jews.
On the British official level, the Zionist pressures led the standing parties to take a new move.
For instance, the real move of the liberal party was nullifying the White Paper and encouraging the immigration to Palestine. While the labor Party appealed for more. It called for Arab’s evacuation from Palestine and widening the borders of actual Palestine, the things that the Zionist Movement itself didn’t dare to demand openly.
Thus, just as soon as the Second World War ended, the Zionist Movement got a new American Balfour and this was its glorious political victory.
Moreover, the Zionist Movement accomplished most of its military preparations, including: trainings, weapons and supplies.
This was its greatest military victory that came before the Palestinian war “Nakba” 3 years or more.
The Jewish Population in Palestine pre 1948
Since the 2nd century A.D, the number of the Jews living in Palestine was trivial in one period and negligible in the other.
King Hadrian a Roman ruler exercised harsh measures against the Jews and the prevented them from entering Jerusalem in 135 A.D that caused their dispersion.
But wherever they dispersed or settled, they’d lived as ethnic religious groups. Undoubtedly, their economic and social conditions were contrast with respect to the place and time.
Despite the tyranny of Hadrian, a few number of Jews stayed in Palestine during his reign. They looked at the Roman rule as a nightmare threatening them but later they were liberated by the Arab Moslems. This fact was admitted by the foreign historians and Jewish intellectuals even though they mentioned it through short sentences, as stated in the Jewish Encyclopaedia:” The first stage of the Arabian conquer ( 638-1100 A.D) was a salvation for the Hebron Jews and for the others in Palestine, in the wake of the arbitrary Byzantine reign.”
While during the rule of the Ottomans, Mamlukes and Ayyobians they lived in peace. In addition, a number of Jews escaped to Palestine for being persecuted in Spain and Portugal.
The Ottoman Empire welcomed them where they became one of its citizens and under its protection. But due to the fact that the Jews of Spain (the Sephardim) outnumbered the Jews of Palestine, the new comers were able to absorb the natives and spread their Latin tongue among them.
Therefore, since the 16th and 17th centuries, the Jews of Palestine became to be known as the Sephardim.
Since his arrival to Palestine (1474-1546), the Spanish Rabbi Pirap was calling for the establishment of a Supreme Religious Authority for the Jews but his attempt failed.
Joseph Nassi, a privileged banker by the Ottoman Palace, managed in 1565 to attain a piece of land near Tiberius and settled some immigrants knitting woven fabrics.
Since the 17th century, the Sephardim elected a chief Rabbi called Richton Ltseon meaning (The First Zionist).
In 1842, the Ottoman government awarded the highest rabbi an official rank, a power to issue the judicial rules concerning the disputations between the Jews and the authority to choose his assistants from the Jewish judges. He had an official designation same as the senior leaders in Jerusalem. In addition, he represented the Jewish sect in all relations with the Christian sects. As a result, the Ottomans set him an office, close to the offices of the Christian priests.
The new Ottoman regulations had notable influence on the Jewish sect in Palestine after the issuing of the famous Hallihamayan law in 1856. The Jews of Europe (the Ashkenazim) infiltrated into Palestine, under the protection of the foreign consulates.
Their infiltration was striking to the Jews of Palestine (the Sephardim) who didn’t welcome the new comers but this caused no troubles at first because of the Sephardim’s numerous numbers. But due to the augmentation of the Ashkenazim’s numbers, troubles were great esp. that the Ottomans recognized only the senior rabbi of the Sephardim while ignored the others.
Most of the Sephardim were poor and residing particularly in cities which the Jews deemed as sacred throughout their history in Palestine, those cities were: Jerusalem, Tiberius, Safad and Hebron.
The Sephardim mainly survived on charities which were sent from abroad, the handouts of the wealthy people and almsgiving.
Sir Moses Monteviori found out that only 500 Jews lived in the area between “Tel AlKadi” northern Palestine and “Beer Shiva” at the south. Those Jews were suffering from poverty and deterioration.
The Zionist Political and Military Organizations
First: the Political Organizations
-The World Zionist Organization
-The Jewish Colonization Association
Zion Lovers Society
It is a translation for the Hebrew term “Hovivi Tesseon”, a dub given to the Zionist societies established in Russia 1881 after the issuing of April Laws that restrained the Jewish minority in the period 1881-1883, which by turn hindered the movement of the immigrants coming from Russia, Polonius and Romania to Palestine (1st emigration 1881-1904).
The main goal of the Zion Lovers Society’s movement was fighting the Jews’ merging in the societies and “going back to Zion”. It also adopted a slogan “to Palestine” and encouraged emigration in order to buy the lands in Palestine as well as supported the Jewish settling right there.
The Zion Lovers Society’s movement linked between what is called the Pioneers of Zionism in the middle of the 19th century as well as the beginning of the political Zionism with the appearance of Theodore Herzl and the convening of the first Zionist conference in 1897.
The epoch that came before the emergance of this movement, witnessed a flow of different ideas and projects created by many characters such as: the rabbis: Calisher, Al Kley and Hess. In addition to the authors: David Gordon, Pierz and Smolenski.
This period witnessed the establishment of several Jewish associations working on settlement in Palestine.
Those associations shared the same idea that the Jews won’t be relieved unless they go back to “Zion”.
This movement widely spread among the Jewsh population in Russia, Western Europe, Romania and the United States. Even if some of its members felt afraid of suspecting their patriotism and of their ambiguous loyalty. An educational theoretical trait dominated the movement in the west and middle of Europe. On the other hand, it tried hard to strife merging laid the foundations of the Zionist political movement accompanied with the Herzl’s arrival at the forum of Zionism.
The movement tried to express its ideas specifically and give it a national peculiarity: dreaming to get rid of banishment, animating the national life, spreading the Hebrew education, returning to the land and nature, creating an economic life and putting an end to the Jewish roaming.
The Zion Lovers Society was developed on the hands of Leon Pinsker in his book “Auto emancipation” where he pointed out that the Jews aren’t only mere religious groups but an independent nation.
Their relief from persecution could be attained if they liberated themselves by themselves in order to live independently and share a liberal national life in Palestine or elsewhere.
With the appearance of Herzl as well as the establishment of the World Zionist Organization, most of the Zion Lovers Society’s associations and their activists acceded to the Zionist Movement.
The Zion Lovers Society resumed its practical activities, for instance: they established settlements in Palestine and offered aids to the Hebrew schools. In 1900 a special delegation headed by Ahad Aham, went to Palestine in order to examine the settlement conditions.
Another delegation asked the Baron Rot shield to cancel the employee’s trusteeship on the Jewish Yishuv in Palestine and to introduce some changes in the management of the settling affaires.
The Society offered many contributions to the situated settlements and encouraged the establishing of more.
In August 1882 many were constructed such as: Rishon Litseon, Roshbena, Jasod Hamalah to the west of Al Hula lake northern Palestine and Zmarine which was known later as Zcaron Jacob for immortalizing the memory of the Baron’s father after he pledged to accord a monetary aid to the settlement. The Zion Lovers Society association spent 87 thousand sterling pounds on the construction of settlements in Palestine till the end of the 1st emigration in 1903.
-The World Zionist Organization
Herzl’s efforts succeeded in convening the first Zionist conference in Basle city-Switzerland 29/8/1897. The conference accomplished two resolutions:
-The Basle’s Zionist program
-The establishment of the World Zionist Organization to implement “the aim of Zionism is creating a national homeland for the Jews in Palestine guaranteed by the General Law.”
The organization established in 1901 the Jewish National Fund (Keren Kayemet) and set up the Zionist Bank known as “The Jewish Colonial Trust” with several branches to finance the activities and projects of Zionism.
At the end of the World War I, the World Zionist Organization was reorganized and completed the establishment of Keren Hayesod (the principal financial institution) specialized in financing emigration and settlement activities.
The out breakage of the World War II in 1939 caused the undermining of the Zionist Organization’s conditions. Furthermore, it succeeded in executing its programs effectively and increased the number of the Jews in Palestine from 80 thousand (equals 11% of the native’s total number in 1922) to 650 thousand (equals 33.3% of the native’s total number in 1948) by the virtue of the American and British uphold, despite the Palestinians strives.
After the year 1947 many political developments took place in the United Nations and Palestine. The Zionist Organization established a national council as a parliament of the coming Zionist state as well as a national administration as the government of the state.
The Jewish Colonial Association
It was founded in 1891 as a philanthropic association whose main goal was” working on the development of the immigration concerning the poverty-stricken Jews from Europe because of being vanquished and deprived of their own political rights, to any other place where they could enjoy their human rights.
The association was established by the initiative of the Baron” Morris de Hirsh”, a Jewish business man and a banker of a German nationality who lived in France, mingling with the colonial and monopolistic medias supporting the Zionist projects.
In 1893 as a joint-stock company, the association listed its 1st capital of 2 millions SP in London which increased to 8 millions.
Its administration council, headed by the Baron Hirsh, was composed of Jewish personalities correlating with the capital monopolies in Britain, Belgium, France and Germany.
One of the council’s prominent figures was Baron Edmund De Rot Shield who became the supervisor of the Jewish settlement’s affaires in Palestine and set up a special service for this purpose under his control in Hebron city (1886-1890).
At the beginning, the Association intended to settle the Russian and Eastern European Jews, in agricultural settlements in the North and South America esp. Argentina, where it got 750 thousand hectares to house about 3500 Jewish families who emigrated from Western Europe. The number of its members ranged between 35 and 40 thousand.
The activity of the Jewish colonial association began since 1896 when it replaced Rot shield’s administration in supervising the Jewish settlements built in Palestine then. For this purpose, a fund was established under the influence of De Hirsh, including 15 millions francs as a capital.
The association offered aids in the form of loans to the settlements. In addition, it started to buy lands in order to construct new Jewish settlements in Palestine since 1900 and established se4veral settlements in the eastern Lower Galilee area as well as Tiberius.
Its activities last till the year 1923, for it started working under the title of “The Jewish Colonial Association in Palestine-Peeka” and classified its efforts in the settling field, in cooperation with the Jewish Agencies institutions and the World Zionist Organization. However, it turned to work independently in 1929.
Since the creation of Israel, the Jewish Colonial Association concentrated its efforts in sharing both the Israeli Government and the Jewish agency the settlement’s affaires as well as contributed in the establishment of 41 settlements till the year 1968.
Moreover, it offered a contribution to encourage the agricultural researches in the Hebrew University and Weitzman’s Academy for Science. It also aimed at improving the agrarian trainings at Israel Macavi School.
The association participated in the labors of the Jewish American associations “Hayes” and “Joint” which helped the Jews who were refrained from emigrating to Israel esp. helping the Jews of the Soviet Union entering the United States.
The Haloseem Association
A Hebrew term meaning Pioneers and its singular is Halots.
This term was used by the Zionist historians to name a certain trend whose members were enthusiastic young men came to Palestine during the 2nd immigration (1904-1914) to work as farmers at the Zionist settlements.
Zionist sources say the majority were part of the Russian revolutionary groups affected by the socialist and radical thoughts which were familiar among the different political organizations in Russia.
It is said that the real motives behind forming this trend was the result of the calamities that took place in Russia in1905, disturbances against the Jews and the disappointment in working out the Jewish problem in the overseas.
The Zionist historians supposed that the Pioneer did have adventurous characteristics. The first is self-sacrifice; he is able to deprive himself and to live as an ascetic. This wasn’t for the sake of deprivation itself but as duty for the group. The second represented in his deep concern of the agrarian labors and handicraft in general. The third was his attempt in reviving both the Hebrew language and education and concentrating on the effective contribution in the aspects of the social life and its activities. This mixture of different designations shaped the dynamic parts of the pioneers’ image.
The Halotseem called for rejecting the life of Diaspora or the Jews merging in their authentic societies. The main goals of the Halotseem were concise in three matters:
Developing the Hebrew language, work and land. Thus, a call for occupying the land and practicing the Hebrew labors, both became conspicuous during the second immigration period.
The Halotseem took part in the emergence of the auto-guarding concept concerning the Zionist settlements in Palestine.
The idea of establishing the kibbutz farms was the core of the Zionist military regulations established in Palestine, starting with Hasho-meer organization in 1921 and other military organization from which the Israeli army emanated in 1948.
The Karen Kayemet
It is known as the Jewish National Fund. The Jewish Math Scholar Herman Shabera (1884) suggested its establishment at the 1st Zionist conference (1847) but he didn’t get any approval until the sixth Zionist conference (1903).
Its establishment decision stipulated that its financial activities must be limited to the ownership lands for the purpose of settling the Jews in the areas including: Palestine, Syria, Asian Turkey and Siena peninsula. Those countries were considered as the Jews perpetual possessions and it was illegal to buy the lands. The only possible way was renting them.
At first, the fund was centered in Vienna and many branches were established in different parts of the world. Later it took Colin city (Germany) as its centre.
In 1907, the fund was registered as a British company and due to the eruption of the 1st world war; its location was transferred to Hugo city-Poland. In 1922 the main office was transferred to Jerusalem city.
At the end of the year 1947, its activities were seizing 933,000 dunums from an area of 1,734,000 dunums owned by the Jews then and estimated as 6.6% of Palestine’s total area (26,305,000 dunums).
At the beginning of 1954, the Knesset reformulated the location of the fund. It decided to enclose it in the lands under the control of the Israeli government.
Moreover, the funds missions were modified and the missions were directed toward the reclamation of lands, tree-planting and giving more aid for the new immigrants by offering jobs and health services for them.
In August 1961, an agreement was made in order to organize the relation between the Jewish National Fund and the Israeli government to specify the missions and financial sources concerning the donations of the Jews and the revenues of the rented estates.
The Keren Hayesod
It is the basic fund whose establishment was approved during the Zionist conference convened in London July 1920 for the purpose of colonizing Palestine.
A preparative fund was created immediately after Balfour’s declaration in 02/11/1917 and which accumulated 130,000 sterling pounds in 2 years. Actually the basic fund was established after the convening of the World Zionist conference in London.
The goal of its establishment was collecting funds to finance immigration and the settlement’s affaires because they were the fundamental means to develop and colonize the country to create a national homeland for the Jews.
Accordingly, the donations were regarded as an annual compulsory tax paid by the Jews. The official election of the fund’s administration associated with the World Zionist Organization and later with the Jewish Agency.
The fund transferred the money to the Histadrut and in the Jewish Agency. However, the actual raising of money began since the end of the year 1921 and the project was known as “The Saving Fund” which collected 760 thousand Pounds. This fund was also called the Jewish Unified Levy.
Since the 2nd World War, this fund served in the construction of 203 agrarian settlements on an area of 661 thousand dunums, settling 77,000 Jews.
It served in the establishment of the Regional Water Companies and the Distilled Water Company “Mokrot”. It also contributed in the development of Tel Aviv harbor, the Navigation Company” Tseem”, Aviron airline- known later as El Al airline- the Power Plant and the Potash Company.
Beside, financing the educational, health and social labors in the settlements by means of the Jewish Agency. The Keren Hayesod was regarded as the greatest Jewish association for fund-raising in the world. The following numbers show importance and major activities before and after the creation of Israel. It collected till the year 1948 about 26,716,000 pounds. While after the creation of Israel, the sum increased to 1,620,000,000 US$ (92% of the total amount collected since its foundation).
The Jewish National Council
Known as the National Committee, it’s the council which supported the Zionist existence in Palestine in the period between the date of its establishment in 10/01/1920 and the creation of the interim government of Israel in May 1948.
Despite the fact that the National Council was elected in 1920 by the yishuv association as its official representative, due to a letter sent by the first British high Commissioner Herbert Samuel.
But still the council didn’t get any formal legal position until 01/01/1928 when the Israeli Knesset was legally established under the decree of organizing the religious groups, in 1926.
The council cooperated firmly with the Jewish Agency responsible for drawing the general policy of emigration, the settlement colonialism, the economic development and the military affaires.
The National Council represented the Zionist settlers in their relationships with the Mandatory Authority and the Jews of Palestine at the Mandatory Committee, observed by the League of Nation, a number of an investigation Committees as well as Fact-finding’s (UN Committee) sent to Palestine which suggested dividing the country in 1947. The council was assigned to deal with the internal issues by the Jewish Agency.
The historical significance of the Council was revealed in specifying the features of the Zionist aim to establish a state in Palestine, by means of military, economic and political programs supervised by the Jewish Agency.
The Jewish Agency
It was established in Palestine in 1922 on the basis of the 4th article quoted from the deed of the British Mandate which was merged with Balfour’s Declaration for establishing a national homeland for the Jews.
The above article stipulated that a suitable Jewish Agency would be recognized as a consultative assembly to run the affaires in Palestine as well as cooperating with her in the economic and social issues which may lead to the creation of a Jewish a national homeland the protection of the Jewish citizen’s welfares in Palestine.
The goals of the Jewish Agency were defined during the 16th Zionist conference as the followings:
Boosting the development of the Jewish emigration. The lands bought were considered as a general Jewish property.
Encouraging the agricultural settling based on the Jewish labor. The Jewish Agency was more like a government protected by the British Mandate.
After the creation of Israel in 1948, most of the jurisdictions practiced by the Jewish Agency and the World Zionist Organization were transformed to the Israeli government.
The difference between the goals of the Organization and the Agency was sanctified in the law issued by the Knesset in 1952, aiming to “Developing and absorbing the immigrants through cooperating with the Jewish Agency that is active in such domains”.
Second Millitary Organizations
-Hasho-meer ... In Hebrew, it means “the guard” and it was placed in the priority as a Zionist organization specialized in the defense of laborers and watching the settlements as well as the Jewish properties.
It was established in 1909 by Jewish immigrants who were members in “the Pargiora” ( Jewish Private association founded by Isaac Bin Zevi, Alexander Zed and Israel Shohet in 1907 for guarding purposes).
Since its establishment, Hasho-meer took care of the guarding duties but later it changed to an organized fighting force whose mission at first was protecting the Zionist settlements in Galilee and different parts of Palestine, in addition, it was responsible for constructing some settlements: “Merhabia” which was the 1st settlement located in “Bissan”, followed by “Tel Hedshim” and “Kefir Jlaadi” near Almattleh in Galilee.
During the First World War, Hasho-meer was pursued by the Turkish, esp. after the arresting of Lisanski, a member in the Zionist spying group “Nelly” and his denouncement of Hasho-meer’s private plans. However this caused the arresting of 12 members of the group.
During the British Mandate, Hasho-meer preceded its military missions against the Arabs as well as the British. It also took part in repelling the attacks committed against the Zionist settlements in Jerusalem and Tel Hay in Galilee.
At the beginning of the 1920’s, there was a great need for establishing a fighting force. Therefore, Hasho-meer decided to break up and declared the formation of the Haganah.
Several numbers of extremists refused to join the Haganah and they formed a small fighting group known as the labor’s battalions. While after, they joined the Haganah because of the blood shedding incidents that took place during the 1929th revolution.
-The Haganah ... In Hebrew, it means “the defense”. It was a Zionist settling military Organization established in Jerusalem in 1921. It headed the battle of creating Israel since 1921 till 1948 where it cooperated with similar Zionist military organizations to compose The Israeli Defense Army.
During the World War II, the Haganah sent a great number of its members to different European countries occupied by the Nazist forces to support the Jewish resistance movements and help the Jews immigrate to Palestine.
When the moment of declaring the state of Israel in 15/15/1948 the Haganah reached an extent in planning, armament and preparation and later become “The Israeli Defense Army”.
-The Irgon ... Its full Hebrew name was “Irgon Tessfi Leomi Parts in Israel”, the National Military Organization in Israel.
This private organization was established in 1931 participating with an armed group that belonged to Petar’s terrorist movement and the Haganah to protest The Haganah’s defending policy.
The Irgon became under the authority of Vladimir Jabotinski and its slogan was a symbol of a hand carrying a rifle, written down on it “Just like that”.
In 1943 Menachem Begin headed the Irgon which escalated its terrorist attacks against the Arabs, of these attacks were blowing up King David Inn in Jerusalem 22/7/1946 and the brutal attack on Dir Yassin village in 9/4/1948.
In September 1948, the Irgon merged in the Israeli army.
The Levi
After the death of Jabotinski in 1940, a certain split took place in the Irgon organization. Thus, Abraham Shtirn left it and formed a gang known as “Levi Herot Israel” meaning “The fighters for the sake of Israel’s liberty”.
In collaboration with the Zionist gangs, Levi carried out wide terrorist and ransacking operations against the Arab people and the British camps, for example, blowing up the Jaffa’s government houses in November 1947.
In 1948, Levi’s forces joined the Israeli army and after the Israeli government admitted that the military service in the Levi’s line was a service subjected to retirement.
Consequently, it discharged its members but the government paid them their pension and awarded them the state’s warrior medals.
