These final chapters of Armstrong’s book, in my opinion, were the one of the most confusing chapters in this book. I believe this is because so many different events took place during this time that I am already familiar with. I was trying to tie things in that I knew with Armstrong’s account, and this is the first time I had prior knowledge of the history.
These chapters made me wonder what would the region and conflict be like today if the Holocaust had never happened. The holocaust intensified the Zionist movement and it almost solidified the argument that the only way Jews were going to avoid discrimination was to have their own homeland. Armstrong seems to have implied an almost pity to the people who suffered from the Holocaust. To make up for the atrocities they faced, the UN and other western countries wanted to give the Jews what they desired so they supported the movement to Israel. It seems the Holocaust was a contributing factor to the creation of the state of Israel. I do not know if the UN would be so supportive the initial Israeli movement without the guilt many of the world leaders felt when they realized how long the Holocaust lasted without their help.
This past weekend, I celebrated Easter and because of this class, I find myself more focused on the land Jesus walked than the story of his Resurrection. This land is a holy land, arguably the most holy grounds on Earth, therefore, it should be the very last place for such a conflict as this. Yet, Armstrong has shown that it is part of the history of Jerusalem and this land was battled over since it has been inhabited.
I do agree with you that the Holocaust is the main driving force for the creation of a "Jewish State". And i do agree that the Holocaust was a crime against humanity, but i do believe that what happened as a long result of the Holocaust for the Palestinians is also a brutal crime against humanity and a whole nation. One thing i cannot understand is that how the victims might turn into an aggressive force directed towards another nation. Usually victims should feel with other victims and not turn into attackers of another group of people.
ReplyDeleteAh! My internet lost connection while I was trying to post my comment, now I have to remember what I just wrote. Here's the gist.
ReplyDeleteThe UN was put in an interesting place after the Holocaust. Here are a people that have suffered possibly the worst genocide in history, and they are requesting a homeland. The Zionist movement had been in full swing much before the Holocaust. The question of whether or not Israel would have been created without the tragedy of the Holocaust is a question that I have grappled with in many classes that I have taken.
I think that the Zionist movement would have eventually reached the goal of the state of Israel. However, the Holocaust acted as a catalyst. It's hard to know because what happened in history happened, and there is no way of knowing what would have been the turn out if certain events had not happened.
I had very similar thoughts pertaining to the Holocaust and the whole Zionist movement. I personally think that the Holocaust made the state of Israel come about. Without such a terrible event in our history, the Jews would have been able to keep living the way they were previously. Just like Brianna said, it is hard to tell whether history dictated the rise of a Jewish state or whether it would have happened anyways, but the Holocaust was definitely a "catalyst."
ReplyDeleteBrianna, yes the Zionist movement have reached to the establishment of the State of Israel, but on the expense of the Palestinians and home owners of the land. After the Holocaust took place, the Zionist leaders were given three choices of different locations to establish a possible Jewish homeland, and Palestine was the choice chosen.
ReplyDeleteThe Holocaust happened in history, but a daily Holocaust of destruction, ethnic cleansing, uprooting, land theft, imprisonment, etc etc etc are happening today in our modern history, and the ironic thing is that it is being happened by the survivors of the Holocaust!