Class 2: Occupied Palestine
The Birth of a Settler Colonial State
At the core of the Palestinian struggle is the onset of Zionism, a movement often presented in a sanitized manner. In reality, Zionism, rooted in a violent, racist, and white supremacist ideology, was spearheaded by Theodor Herzl in the late 1800s. Herzl's vision, as outlined in his 1896 publication ‘The Jewish State,’ was not about finding a safe haven for Jewish people but about establishing a Jewish-only ethno-state, “here, there, anywhere.” This vision disregarded the indigenous Palestinian population, aiming to replace and erase them.
The first Zionist Congress in 1897, following Herzl's vision, marked the beginning of a calculated and aggressive campaign to colonize Palestine. Organizations like the Jewish National Fund and the Jewish Colonial Trust were not mere philanthropic bodies but instruments of settler colonialism, acquiring land in Palestine for Jewish settlement without regard for the existing Palestinian population. By the early 20th century, numerous Jewish colonies had been established, signaling the impending catastrophe for the indigenous Palestinians.
The British Mandate and Escalation of Zionist Ambitions
The infamous Balfour Declaration of 1917 promised Palestine, a land with an existing indigenous population, to the Zionist Federation. The British Mandate period, starting in 1920, further facilitated Zionist objectives. This period saw a significant demographic shift due to Ashkenazi Jewish immigration, especially post-WWII. The British, by enabling Zionist aspirations, were complicit in the dispossession and displacement of Palestinians.
Al-Nakba: The Catastrophe
The year 1948 is not a marker of independence but the beginning of Al-Nakba, the catastrophe for Palestinians. The UN Resolution 181 in 1947, calling for the partition of Palestine, was the culmination of Zionist efforts. It led to the creation of the settler colony of Israel, achieved through the expulsion, massacre, and terror against Palestinians. Notorious incidents like the Deir Yassin Massacre symbolize the brutality inflicted upon the Palestinian population. This period marked the irrevocable transformation of Palestine, with Palestinians being forcibly removed from their ancestral lands to make way for the settler state.