Zionism and the Palestinians

Originally published in 1979, this book is a study of the roots of 20th century Israeli policy towards the Arabs. The point of departure is that Israeli political thinking was moulded during the pre-state period and in its crystallisation made a ritual of several basic concepts: (1) gradual build-up of an economic and military potential as the basis for achievement of political aims; (2) alliance with a great power external to the Middle East; (3) non-recognition of the existence of a Palestine national entity; (4) Zionism's civilising mission in an undeveloped area; (5) economic, social and cultural segregation as prerequisites for the renaissance of Jewish national life; (6) the concept of ‘peace from strength’. Part One of the book describes the attitudes of the Zionist leaders in the pre-state period 1917-48 towards the Arab National Movement in general and towards the Palestinian Arabs in particular; Part Two deals with the application of these attitudes in a number of critical situations which constituted turning points in Jewish-Arab relations: the Arab Revolt and the Zionist struggle for Partition in 1936-8; the ‘White Paper’ policy 1939-45; the 1948 war in Palestine. The focal point of the book is the attitude of the Zionist movement towards the Palestinian Arabs and their aspirations to national independence. The Zionist attitude towards the pan-Arab national movement has been the subject of many important studies. But little attention has been paid specifically to the Palestinian component of the problem which this book addresses.