After a short tour through Mondoweiss, it has come apparent to me that anti-Zionists in the West are very persistent in their arguments about the illegitimacy of the national cause of the Jewish people (i.e. Zionism) as compared to the national cause of the Palestinian Arabs. In an attempt to counter their arguments, I will present to you a short overview of the institutions and symbols of the these two national movements.
But first, I want to say the following:
While I view the Palestinian people as a real people with a common heritage and history deserving of at least some part of the historic British Mandate of Palestine, their national consciousness has come after the modern Zionist movement. But this is common to all national movements. The main aim of this post isn't to show that the Palestinian national cause isn't as real as other national movements. My aim is to show that Jewish nationalism isn't anymore artificial than the Palestinian one by virtue of its followers realizing it, building it, and expressing it sooner than the latter. I'm hoping to show anti-Zionists why the creation of the State of Israel was natural result of a real people expressing themselves and fighting towards self-determination.
And now for the overview:
I. Institutions
Political and Infrastructure - I'm admitting ahead of time that my selection of organizations/institutions is debatable (some more than others). My criteria is that the organizations were significant vehicles or advocates within their movements.
| Israel | Palestine |
| World Zionist Congress (1897-present) Jewish National Fund (1901-present) Jewish Agency (1929-present) Assembly of Representatives/Knesset (1920-present) | Palestinian Arab Congress (1919-1928) Arab Higher Committee (1936-1948) Palestine Liberation Organization (1964-present) Palestinian National Authority (1994-present) |
Education - I picked the top three based on size, prestige, and date of establishment. Not scientific.
| Israel | Palestine |
| Technion (1914) Hebrew University (1918) Tel Aviv University (1956) | Islamic University of Gaza (1978) Birzeit University (1953*) Al-Quds University (1984) |
*1953 is when the institution began offering first-year university level courses.
II. Symbols and Documents
| | Israel | Palestine |
| Declaration of Independence National Anthem (adopted) Flag | 1948 Hatikva (1897) First Zionist Congress (1897) | 1988 Fida'i (1996) PLO (1964) |
1 comment:
Have you any evidence for the existing of Arab Palestinian people in the 1st half of the 20 century in Palestine? What are the borders of "your Palestine"? Why such a people doesn’t mentioned in any British, Arabic and Hebrew document from that period of the mandate time?
There were in Palestine, Palestinians Jews next to other religions Palestinians, Christians and Muslims. Look at Balfour decleration, British mandate documents, 181, 242 UN resulations.... where do you see an "Arab Palestinian” people?
Many people are confused by the awakening of the Arab People in the beginning of the 20th century and are mixing it with the creation of a new Palestinian people.
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