The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a complicated and multi-dimensional conflict. In many contexts, it is very hard, if not impossible, to assess the violence between Palestinian and Israeli society today without resorting to a developed theory rather than emotion. However, many scholars and politicians hold the assumption that Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict cannot be properly understood with the frameworks, categories and concepts employed to understand other countries and conflicts . We shall endeavour to counter such beliefs and develop exactly that, a framework for analysing Israeli-Palestinian relations and conflict, allowing us to put the conflict into perspective and further develop a structural investigation into the root causes of conflict. We will do this at the example of the Algerian uprising against French colonialism. To develop such a framework, we will draw on classic texts such as the writings of Fanon and Memmi, as well as works by writers such as Bregmann, Barnett and Khader, but also on others, cross-referencing continuously between texts on colonialism, Israel-Palestine, and Algeria.
As the title of this text indicates, the author holds the view that the relationship between Israel and the Palestinians living in the Occupied Territories is essentially a colonial one. This is not to say that we should consider the Territories a colony. Algeria was not a colony. What we want to say is that we believe in the existence of a colonial relationship between the two populations, based on the principles of colonialism.
Why Algeria? We have chosen French colonialism in Algeria for the structural basis of our framework for a number of reasons. First, because France, like Israel, denied the colonial character of Algeria’s situation; second, because analysts appear to have regularly felt the urge to draw attention to the parallels between the Battle of Algiers and Israel’s reaction to the Palestinian’s uprising, while the evacuation of French settlers from Algeria is being cited in Israel as a precedent for the Israeli disengagement from the Occupied Territories; and third, because of the immense impact the Algerian War had on the conceptual world of resistance movements around the world – including the then-young PLO hoping to repeat the FLN’s tactics of national liberation in Palestine.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- 1st part – On Colonialism, Occupation and the Algerian War
- What is Colonialism?
- Distinctions - Why Occupation and Colonialism are not the Same
- Grievances, Decolonisation and Violence
- 2nd part – The Fundamentals of Israeli Occupation
- The Fundamentals of Israeli Occupation
- Characterising Israeli Occupation
- Reconsidering the Occupation’s Character
- Why does Israel maintain this Relationship?
- 3rd part – On Grievances, Violence and an Exit Strategy
- Concerning Violence
- Saving Colonialism by Modernizing it?
- Looking Ahead: Post-Colonialism or Neo-Colonialism?
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This text aims to develop a comprehensive framework for analyzing Israeli-Palestinian relations and conflict, drawing on parallels with the Algerian uprising against French colonialism. It challenges the notion that Israel cannot be understood through frameworks used for other countries, arguing that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict shares many characteristics with 'classical colonialism'.
- The nature of colonialism and its distinction from occupation
- The socio-economic grievances caused by colonialism
- The role of violence in colonial situations and its relation to decolonization
- The specific characteristics of Israeli occupation and its colonial nature
- The potential for a post-colonial future in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: Introduces the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the need for a new framework for understanding it. The author argues that the relationship between Israel and Palestinians in the Occupied Territories is essentially a colonial one, and that French colonialism in Algeria provides a valuable comparative case study.
- 1st part – On Colonialism, Occupation and the Algerian War: Explores the nature of colonialism and its distinct features from occupation. Discusses the socio-economic grievances caused by colonialism, leading to the development of nationalism and violence. The Algerian War of Independence is examined as a prime example of the grievances and complexities of anti-colonial warfare.
- 2nd part – The Fundamentals of Israeli Occupation: Examines the historical context of Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, emphasizing the role of socio-economic factors and Israeli policies in shaping the conflict. It analyzes the unique character of Israeli occupation and its impact on Palestinian society, highlighting the systematic exploitation of land, labor, and resources.
- 3rd part – On Grievances, Violence and an Exit Strategy: Discusses the causes of violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, emphasizing the role of socio-economic grievances and the dehumanizing aspects of occupation. It explores the failures of past peace efforts and the challenges to achieving a lasting peace, considering both the potential for a post-colonial future and the risks of neo-colonialism.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The main keywords and focus topics of the text include colonialism, occupation, Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Algeria, decolonization, violence, socio-economic grievances, relative deprivation, nationalism, settler-native relations, peace process, neo-colonialism, and post-colonialism.
- Quote paper
- M.A. Florian Heyden (Author), 2006, Israel’s Colonial Predicament, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/79875
