The Modern Arab Israeli Conflict: The Effects and Influences of Ethnicity, Arabism, Imperialism and Early 20th Century History

With the several interpretations of the Israeli perspective of the Arab-Israeli conflict present in literature, news, and media, it becomes paramount that the Palestinian outlook on the issue be explored, as well. In order to achieve peace in the region, the Palestinian perspective must be evaluated in order to propose fair solutions to the issue. This paper analyzes the effects and influences of ethnicity, Arabism, imperialism, and early Palestinian history on the Arab Israeli conflict and its escalation.

Some Muslim Arab nationalists proclaim that all Muslim Arabs from around the globe should see each other as "brothers" and should form one country (Morris 8). It should be the "Arab Nation", as they call it, and would be an Arab home for the Arab people under Islamic rule (Kramer). These Muslim Arabs see their unity in the fact that they have a natural gift of interpreting the Quran and following Islam. Also, their unity stems from the fact that only fellow Muslim Arabs can understand each other and their daily life and culture, which are tightly linked to Islam (Kramer).

Arabism, or Arab nationalism, was created as a result of the need to protect the Muslim Arab culture and identity. The Muslim Arab identity formed over centuries and was influenced by various events in history. Therefore, it is important to analyze these events to witness their effect on Arabism. Such analysis is needed to understand the minds of Muslim Arab nationalists at the beginning of the 20^th century as they encountered Zionism (Kramer).

To begin, the roots of the conflict and the clash between Zionism and Arabism are present in the ancient history of the Arabs in the region. The identity, culture, and religion of Muslim Arabs were formed long before the birth of Arabism. The Muslim identity that drives both Arabs and Palestinians had its roots in ancient times. In 638 A.D., Palestine was conquered by Muslim Arab invaders (Tessler 69). These invaders brought with them a new culture, an Arabic language, and Islam. As the Muslim Arab invaders expanded their empire more people began adopting Arabic and Islam (Kramer). Muslim Arabs from Africa, Asia, and Europe felt connected to each other since they shared a common language and religion. After conquering Palestine, the Muslim Arabs ruled the region for the next 1,300 years (Kramer).

However, in 1517 the Ottomans of the north defeated the Arabs (Tessler 95). The Ottomans, who were mostly Muslim Turks speaking Ottoman Turkish, installed their own government. The Arabs in general were not discontent with the government since they received fair representation at first and an equal share of the legislative powers. But, in the beginning of the 20^th century the Turkish-speaking Muslims of the empire began to see themselves as a separate people. They saw themselves as "Turks" and enforced the use of Turkish within the empire, causing discontent with the Arabs, who spoke Arabic (Kramer). The Arabic language was intertwined with the Arab identity and Islam. Muslim Arabs saw their language as the factor that made their culture, identity, and religion unique since the word of God in the Quran was written in Arabic and was sent down to an Arab prophet named Muhammad. This process of Turkification, where the Turks tried to enforce their culture unto the empire, angered the Arabs who saw that their culture and identity were at stake. During this time period awareness of the much-needed unity of all Muslim Arabs grew (Kramer).

The powers of European imperialism and colonialism also nourished the developing seeds of Arabism. Before WWI, the Ottoman government tried to westernize itself to appear more like European nations. Again, the Muslim Arabs felt uneasy with the new changes around them. Westernization threatened their Muslim Arab culture (Kramer). The discontent of the Muslim Arabs, their interest in retaining Arabic, Islamic culture and rejecting European culture came to be known as the Arab "awakening". The Muslim Arabs could never accept a European culture, one with completely different customs centered on a different religion (Kramer).

Arabism evolved into an anti-European and anti-imperialistic movement during WWI. When the war broke out, Britain and France fought together against the Ottoman Empire. The British knew about the discontent of the Arabs with their Turkish rulers and therefore decided to negotiate with the Arabs, whom they saw as potential allies. In 1915, a man by the name of Sharif Husayn of Mecca, who was the protector of sites holy to Islam, made an agreement with the British (Morris 70). The British promised Husayn that if the Arabs fought against the Ottoman Empire on the side of the British in WWI, he would receive land where his people can have their independence. Since many Muslim Arabs at the time were thinking about an "Arab Kingdom", Husayn cooperated with the British to win land for his people and the agreement came to be known as the McMahon-Husayn agreement (Morris 69). But, the Arabs were betrayed since in 1916 the British signed the Sykes-Picot agreement, which placed most of the northern Levant under French control and was a contradiction to the agreement that the British signed with Husayn in 1915 (Morris 69). The Arabs were insulted by the betrayal and developed a hatred for the imperialistic policies of Europe. The Arabs despised the disrespect that they witnessed Europe's exploitation of the people and the region (Morris 72).

As the French and British controlled the region and made various political and social modifications in numerous countries, the Arabs became outraged. For example, the British citizens who lived in the occupied regions of the Levant were forgiven for any crime they committed against the local Arabs, even if the crime was murder (Kramer). Also, the British openly acknowledged that in their mind the local Arabs were uncivilized and should be more European (Morris 128). The Arabs did not want to give up any part of their culture or life, though. Instead they held on to their values more closely and demanded that a government of their own administer the Arab people. The survival of their identity was at risk as they were battered with European influence (Morris 111). Arabs fought against their rulers in WWI to establish their own country but were now faced more alien rulers. At this time Arabism finally appealed to many. Arab nationalists believed that "good government is not a substitute for self government," an indication that the Muslim Arabs wanted independence (Kramer).

Over time, Arabs in some regions got their independence and formed countries like Syria, Jordan, and Iraq. However, a minority of Arabs, the Palestinians, did not win their independence. These people lived on the land of Palestine for centuries. They were descendants of the Canaanites, who ruled Palestine before the ancient Muslim invaders (Morris 4). The Palestinians had always lived in Palestine. An overwhelming majority of the Palestinians were Muslim Arabs, and their identity was very strong and ancient. For example, even in the 9^th century A.D., about 90% of Palestinians were Muslims (Morris).

Although Arabs in neighboring regions began gaining their independence and forming countries, the Palestinians did not want to give up their land to the Jews. The Palestinians claimed that the land on which they lived belonged to their ancestors and was owned by their families for centuries. The Palestinians could have moved to Transjordan or Syria but did not want to give up their life. The situation that the Arabs faced was in many ways similar to that of the Jews, who did not wish to settle for any land besides Palestine (Morris 57). The Palestinians made a home for themselves but were now being dispossessed by European Jews who bought the land from the British without the consent of the Palestinian owners. Outrage spread over the fact that Palestinians were forced to pay for the crimes of Europe against the Jews (Tessler 156).

The Arab-Israeli conflict began when Palestinian nationalism, which was nourished all along by its parent, Arabism, clashed with Zionism. It is important to note that Palestinian nationalism aimed at the creation of a Palestinian state. Palestinian nationalism was similar to Arabism, only on a smaller scale and applying to one region and one people. As the discontent Palestinians watched the continuing immigration of the Zionists and Jews into Palestine, they developed a strong hatred toward them (Morris 57). All of the events from Arab and Palestinian history that were mentioned earlier became connected to the Jews. Now, as the Zionists and Jews settled Palestine with the approval and help of the British, purchased lands, and began spreading their culture in Palestine, the Palestinian Arabs made the Jews into their enemies (Morris 58). Violence spread as fear spread among the Palestinians and Arabs that the Jews were acting to create a European colony in the region.

When the United Nations passed the Partition Plan of 1947, the Palestinians declared war on the newly formed Israel. The Palestinians fought along with Arab countries but the "Arab Nation" that was professed before disappeared from the minds of people as a result of the benefits that they saw from having borders and separate governments (Kramer). The Palestinians struggled and lost the war of 1948, but their hearts did not rest as they continued to fight for their independence and still do so today.

Martin Kramer, "Arab Nationalism: Mistaken Identity." Martin Kramer on the Middle East.

Mark Tessler, "A History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict." Indiana University Press.

Benny Morris, "Righteous Victims: A History of the Zionist-Arab Conflict." Knopf.