Religiöse Minderheiten in Israel

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Religiöse Minderheiten in Israel Religiöse Minderheiten in Israel Diplomarbeit zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades einer Magistra der Naturwissenschaften an der Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz vorgelegt von Anna Christina SCHRIEBL am Institut für Geographie und Raumforschung Begutachter: Ao. Univ. Prof. Dr. ČEDE, Peter Graz, 2019 Eidesstattliche Erklärung Ich erkläre eidesstattlich, dass ich die vorliegende Arbeit selbstständig und ohne fremde Hilfe verfasst, andere als die angegebenen Quellen nicht benutzt und die den Quellen wörtlich oder inhaltlich entnommenen Stellen als solche kenntlich gemacht habe. Die Arbeit wurde bisher in gleicher oder ähnlicher Form keiner anderen inländischen oder ausländischen Prüfungsbehörde vorgelegt und auch noch nicht veröffentlicht. Gender-Klausel Aus Gründen der Textökonomie werden in der vorliegenden Arbeit weibliche Formen nicht explizit angeführt. An dieser Stelle wird jedoch ausdrücklich darauf hingewiesen, dass sich alle personenbezogenen Formulierungen grundsätzlich gleichermaßen auf Frauen und Männer beziehen. _______________________ ________________________ Ort, Datum Anna Christina Schriebl Vorwort Die vorliegende Diplomarbeit mit dem Titel „Religiöse Minderheiten in Israel“ ist die Abschlussarbeit meines Lehramtsstudiums der Unterrichtsfächer Biologie und Umweltkunde und Geographie und Wirtschaftskunde an der Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz. Im Rahmen meines Studiums absolvierte ich im Jahr 2017 das geographische Seminar „Israel“ und im Jahr 2018 eine geographische Exkursion nach Israel. Seither setze ich mich zunehmend mit der Rolle Israels im Nahen Osten auseinander. Seit dem Jahr 2015 engagiere ich mich freiwillig bei der Hilfe von geflüchteten Menschen. Im Zuge meines Studiums habe ich Grundkenntnisse in der arabischen Sprache erworben, die auch hier Einsatz finden. Mein Interesse an anderen Kulturen spiegelt sich bei der Thematik dieser Diplomarbeit wider. Durch das lehrreiche Seminar und die äußerst interessante Exkursion vermittelte mir mein Diplomarbeitsbetreuer, Herr Professor Peter Čede, das Basiswissen dieser Arbeit. Im Zuge der Gestaltung imponierte er mir durch sein eigenes Interesse an der Thematik und unterstützte mich in zahlreichen Sprechstunden mit seiner zuvorkommenden und kompetenten Art. Dafür möchte ich mich bei ihm ausdrücklich bedanken. Das größte Dankeschön gilt meinen Eltern Christine und Eduard Schriebl, die mir das Studium ermöglichten und mich tatkräftig und motivierend unterstützten. Obwohl mein Papa die letzten Jahre meines Studiums nicht mehr miterleben konnte, hat er mir die Basis für meine Zukunft gelegt. Sein Vertrauen in mich gibt mir noch immer Kraft! Weiters zu erwähnen ist mein Bruder Paul, der meine Diplomarbeit Probe gelesen und mich in jeglicher Hinsicht bestärkt hat und meine Schwester Iris. Ein großes Dankeschön gilt auch meinen Großeltern, die mir immer hilfsbereit zur Seite standen. Ein weiterer Dank gilt meinen Freundinnen und Freunden, allen voran Birgit Luttenberger, Tamara König, Nathalie Größ, Mario Poglitsch, Florian Freidorfer, Dominic Fuchs und Eric Merkus, die mich während meiner gesamten Studienzeit motiviert und unterstützt haben. I Zusammenfassung Der Staat Israel stellt das einzige Land der Welt dar, dessen Mehrheit der Bevölkerung dem jüdischen Glauben angehört. Bei der Staatsgründung im Jahr 1948 wurde durch die Unabhängigkeitserklärung das Recht auf die volle soziale und politische Gleichberechtigung aller Bürger ohne Unterschied der Religion, der Rasse und des Geschlechts gewährt. Zudem wurde die Freiheit des Glaubens, des Gewissens, der Sprache, der Erziehung und der Kultur garantiert. Neben der jüdischen Bevölkerung existieren noch viele weitere Religionsgemeinschaften in Israel, die trotz dieser Erklärung einen anderen Status als die jüdische Mehrheit einnehmen. Ungefähr 20% der israelischen Bevölkerung sind nichtjüdisch und gehören den verschiedensten religiösen, ethnischen und nationalen Minderheiten an. In der vorliegenden Diplomarbeit werden die religiösen Minderheiten in Israel behandelt. Über die Religionsgemeinschaften der Drusen, Samaritaner und Karäer erfolgt eine ausführliche Beschreibung ihrer Entstehung, Lehre und Glaubensinhalte. Neben einem historischen Überblick der Bedeutung der Minderheiten in Israel wird auch auf die aktuelle Situation der drei Glaubensgemeinschaften eingegangen, die sich vor allem im letzten Jahr zunehmend verändert hat. Durch die Unterzeichnung des Nationalitätengesetzes im Jahr 2018, welches den jüdischen Charakter des Staates Israel festschreibt, begann sich die Lage der Minderheiten zu wandeln. Aufgrund dieses Gesetzes kam es im letzten Jahr zu zahlreichen Protesten der nichtjüdischen Bevölkerung. Vor allem die Drusen, die der israelischen Wehrpflicht nachkommen und den Staat Israel schon während der Gründung unterstützten, fühlen sich nun als „Bürger zweiter Klasse“ abgestempelt. II Abstract The state of Israel is the only country in the world whose majority of the population is Jewish. When the state was founded in 1948, the proclamation of independence granted the right to full social and political equality for all citizens regardless of religion, race or gender. In addition, the freedom of faith, conscience, language, education and culture was guaranteed. Beside the Jewish population, there are many other religious communities in Israel, which, despite this declaration, have a different status than the Jewish majority. About 20% of the Israeli population is non-Jewish and belongs to a wide range of religious, ethnic and national minorities. This diploma thesis deals with the religious minorities in Israel. There is a detailed discription of the formation, doctrine and beliefs of the religious communities of the Druze, Samaritans and Karaites. In addition to a historical overview of the importance of minorities in Israel, the current situation of the three faith communities is described, which has changed increasingly, especially in the last year. Because of the signing of the nationality law in 2018, which establishes the Jewish character of the state of Israel, the situation of the minorities has begun to change. Because of this law, numerous protests of the non-Jewish population occurred last year. Especially the Druze, who comply with the Israeli conscription and already supported the state of Israel during its founding, now feel labeled as a "second-class citizens". III Inhaltsverzeichnis Vorwort .................................................................................................................... I Zusammenfassung ................................................................................................. II Abstract ................................................................................................................. III Inhaltsverzeichnis ................................................................................................. IV Abbildungsverzeichnis ...................................................................................... VIII Tabellenverzeichnis .............................................................................................. IX Abkürzungsverzeichnis ........................................................................................ IX 1 Einleitung ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Problemstellung und Zielsetzung ................................................................................ 1 1.2 Arbeitsgrundlagen und Arbeitsmethodik .................................................................... 2 1.3 Anmerkungen zur Schreibweise ................................................................................. 2 2 Begriffsdefinitionen ...................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Minderheit ................................................................................................................... 4 2.2 Religiöse Minderheit ................................................................................................... 5 2.3 Ethnie .......................................................................................................................... 5 2.4 Gruppe ......................................................................................................................... 6 2.5 Religiöse Gruppe ........................................................................................................ 7 2.6 Identität ....................................................................................................................... 7 3 Die Religionsgeographie .............................................................................................. 8 3.1 Stellung der Religionsgeographie ............................................................................... 8 3.2 Religion im Kontext der Wissenschaften.................................................................... 9 3.2.1 Definition von Religion ........................................................................................... 9 3.2.2 Aspekte des religiösen Lebens ................................................................................. 9 3.2.3 Klassifikation von Religionen ................................................................................ 10 IV 3.3 Stellung der Religion in der Gesellschaft ................................................................. 12 3.3.1 Religion und Gemeinschaft ...................................................................................
Recommended publications
  • The Samaritans 2020 S1
    25/06/2020 When we hear the word, SAMARITAN, most of us think of two disparate things. Firstly, that it is a definition of good people, particularly those with a THE SAMARITANS charitable disposition. Secondly, that they were a section of the populace who lived in the time of Jesus and who would have ceased to exist many centuries ago. Both of those beliefs contain inaccuracies. Wikipedia used to have two disparate pages: • SAMARITANS which dealt with the charities of that name; • SAMARITAN which dealt with the religion, the Samaritans. The names of the pages have now been changed to SAMARITANS (CHARITY) and SAMARITANS respectively. Ironically, this makes finding the right page U3A STONNINGTON easier for new readers but harder for seasoned readers because the former TUESDAY 24th JUNE 2020 name of the charity page now leads one to the page about the religion. In most regions of the world, including Australia, charities have been set up which include the word “Samaritan” in their title. Slogans such as “Need a boost in Life? Call us.” and “Confidential, non- (ALBERT ISAACS) religious, non-judgmental” are used. 1 2 The use of the word So who are these Samaritans? by charities just highlights the fact that Some may be surprised that the present tense was used in the last sentence the word, Samaritan, but, yes, Samaritanism exists today, some 2,700 years since they split from has entered the Judaism. English language with a Despite the various Levantine meaning that is overlords, the Samaritans have somewhat contradictory had a continuous presence in the Holy Land for all that time.
    [Show full text]
  • Volume 227 August 2017
    Applied Research Institute - Jerusalem (ARIJ) P.O Box 860, Caritas Street – Bethlehem, Phone: (+972) 2 2741889, Fax: (+972) 2 2776966. [email protected] | http://www.arij.org Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem Report on the Israeli Colonization Activities in the West Bank & the Gaza Strip Volume 8, August 2017 Issue http://www.arij.org Bethlehem • Israeli Occupation Army (IOA) detained three Palestinians from the Bethlehem-area village of al-Khader, and were identified as 19-year-old Zein Sayil Issa, 16-year-old Samir Mahmoud Issa, and 19-year-old Muhammad Kamal al-Faghouri. (Maannews 1 August 2017) • Israeli Occupation Army (IOA) raided the Bethlehem-area village of Nahhalin and delivered an interrogation summons to Hassan Muhammad Najajra, 23, demanding that he show at an Israeli intelligence office for questioning. (Maannews 1 August 2017) • Israeli Occupation Authorities notified to remove a tourist tent near the train-railway in Battir village west of Bethlehem city, under the pretext of unlicensed building. The tent is owned by Muhammad Abeedallah and is 45 square meters area. (Maannews 1 August 2017) • Israeli occupation Army (IOA) detained Malek Yousif Nawawrah, 25 and Bakr Hasan Nawarah, 25, from Wadi Shaheen area in the central Bethlehem city after raiding their houses and messing with the contents. (WAFA 2 August 2017) • Israeli occupation Army (IOA) detained Mus’ab Muhammad Al ‘Imour from Tequ village east of Bethlhem city after raiding his house and messing with the contents. (WAFA 2 August 2017) • Israeli occupation Army (IOA) detained Amira Ali Hasan Taqatqa, 16, from Beit Fajjar village south of Bethlehem at the Gush Etzion junction in the southern occupied Governorate of Bethlehem and transferred her for interrogation.
    [Show full text]
  • Dictionary of Palestinian Political Terms
    Dictionary of Palestinian Political Terms PASSIA Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs, Jerusalem PASSIA, the Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs, is an Arab, non-profit Palestinian institution with a financially and legally indepen- dent status. It is not affiliated with any government, political party or organization. PASSIA seeks to present the Question of Palestine in its national, Arab and interna- tional contexts through academic research, dialogue and publication. PASSIA endeavors that research undertaken under its auspices be specialized, scientific and objective and that its symposia and workshops, whether interna- tional or intra-Palestinian, be open, self-critical and conducted in a spirit of har- mony and cooperation. Copyright PASSIA 3rd updated and revised edition, December 2019 ISBN: 978-9950-305-52-6 PASSIA Publication 2019 Tel.: 02-6264426 | Fax: 02-6282819 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.passia.org PO Box 19545, Jerusalem Contents Abbreviations ……………………………………………………………………………………………. i Foreword …………………………………………………………………….….…………..……………. iii Dictionary A-Z ………………………………………………………………………….………………. 1 Main References Cited…………………………………………..……………………………… 199 Abbreviations ACRI Association for Civil Rights in PCBS Palestinian Central Bureau of Israel Statistics AD Anno Domini PFLP Popular Front for the Liberation AIPAC American Israel Public Affairs of Palestine Committee PFLP-GC Popular Front for the Liberation ALF Arab Liberation Front of Palestine – General ANM
    [Show full text]
  • Judaism and Jewish Philosophy 19 Judaism, Jews and Holocaust Theology
    Please see the Cover and Contents in the last pages of this e-Book Online Study Materials on JUDAISM AND JEWISH PHILOSOPHY 19 JUDAISM, JEWS AND HOLOCAUST THEOLOGY JUDAISM Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people, based on principles and ethics embodied in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) and the Talmud. According to Jewish tradition, the history of Judaism begins with the Covenant between God and Abraham (ca. 2000 BCE), the patriarch and progenitor of the Jewish people. Judaism is among the oldest religious traditions still in practice today. Jewish history and doctrines have influenced other religions such as Christianity, Islam and the Bahá’í Faith. While Judaism has seldom, if ever, been monolithic in practice, it has always been monotheistic in theology. It differs from many religions in that central authority is not vested in a person or group, but in sacred texts and traditions. Throughout the ages, Judaism has clung to a number of religious principles, the most important of which is the belief in a single, omniscient, omnipotent, benevolent, transcendent God, who created the universe and continues to govern it. According to traditional Jewish belief, the God who created the world established a covenant with the Israelites, and revealed his laws and commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai in the form of the Torah, and the Jewish people are the descendants of the Israelites. The traditional practice of Judaism revolves around study and the observance of God’s laws and commandments as written in the Torah and expounded in the Talmud. With an estimated 14 million adherents in 2006, Judaism is approximately the world’s eleventh-largest religious group.
    [Show full text]
  • The Semi-Annual Report on the Demolitions Committed Against
    Holding the Consultative status of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC) Holding the observer status at the Arab Standing Committee on Human Rights - the League of Arab States The semi-annual report on the demolitions committed against Palestinian houses and facilities by “Israel”, the occupying power in the occupied Palestinian Territory The first half of 2020 The Human Rights and Democracy Media Center “SHAMS” April, 2020 1 The Executive Summary 3 An introduction about the Human Rights and Democracy Media Center “SHAMS” 5 The right to housing in international and domestic legislation 8 The narrative of demolishing the houses of indigenous Palestinians based on a 01 repealed mandate law: indulging in crimes legalization Demolition as a war crime: The hammer of the Rome Statute and “Israel” considering 00 itself as a power above the law Demolition as a collective punishment: undermining the individualization of 01 punishment principle The imposition of the American plan: a thorn in the International Law’s side 03 The United States of America - the missing link and the illegal interference 05 A qualitative & quantitative analytical reading of in 2020: indicators and implications 01 First - The geographical distribution of demolitions and notifications: the targeted 11 areas Second – the frequency of demolitions, confiscations, and evictions: targeting time 12 Third - the population affected by demolitions, confiscations and evictions: the 18 geography of no-shelter and child victims Fourth - feminization of demolitions
    [Show full text]
  • Modern Risk of Extinction of the Scholar Librarian1
    14, 19th & 20th C Extraordinary Scholar Librarians In Their Historical Context and the Post-modern Risk of Extinction of the Scholar librarian1 By David B Levy PhD; MLS Values Held Dear by Great Librarians [including Scholarly 20th Century Luminaries]: Reverence, Cherishing, and Love of the Sefer The reverence, respect, and love for Jewish books as the vessels of potential transmission (masorah) of sacred teaching and knowledge, expanding consciousness (mogen gedolut) via a living teacher is found in Jewish law and custom. Abraham ibn Ezra referred to tomes as “sheaths of wisdom.” The Vilna Gaon known as the GRA expresses the attribute of malchut (royalty) in in comparing the 62 tractates of the Babylonian Talmud to the 62 Queens, and the other many 100s of thousands of Rabbinic works to the “maidens who serve the Queens.” The GRA also noted that his sacred tomes where his most precious possessions for just as “his feet allowed him to walk in this world, his books allow him to walk in higher worlds, even outside of history and time.” The higher worlds to which the GRA refers are the Hechalot, the 7 heavens, or palace of Hashem, where according to Rabbinic texts, angelic doorkeepers guard gates, allowing certain priviledged souls who have attainted the highest levels of intellectuality and cognitive knowledge to enter into rooms where the soul is delighted and refressed by angelic discourses of fountains of wisdom. This motif is found in texts such as Rambam’s Moreh Nevukhim chapter 52 Part II linked on our Rambam library guide at: , http://libguides.tourolib.org/rambam and Orhot Tzadikim.
    [Show full text]
  • Digital Samaritans Revised Pages
    Revised Pages digital samaritans Revised Pages DIGITAL RHETORIC COLLABORATIVE The Sweetland Digital Rhetoric Collaborative Book Series publishes texts that investigate the multiliteracies of digitally mediated spaces both within academia as well as other contexts. We encourage submissions that address, among others, topics such as: • new convergences and economies; • shifting ideologies and politics; • global contexts and multilingual discourses; • reconstructions of race, class, gender, sexuality, and (dis)ability; • emerging theories and technologies; and • reconfigured divisions and connections within these spaces. We welcome born- digital as well as digitally enhanced submissions—in the form of collections, monographs, or teaching materials of varying lengths and genres— that engage with digital rhetoric’s histories and futures; its border- fields and transdisciplines; its ethics and aesthetics; its materialities, networks, praxes and pedagogies. Series Editors: Anne Ruggles Gere, University of Michigan Naomi Silver, University of Michigan Revised Pages Digital Samaritans rhetorical delivery and engagement in the digital humanities Jim Ridolfo University of Michigan Press ann arbor Revised Pages Copyright © 2015 by Jim Ridolfo Some rights reserved This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution- Noncommercial- No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by- nc- nd/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA. Published in the United States of America by the University of Michigan Press Manufactured in the United States of America c Printed on acid- free paper 2018 2017 2016 2015 4 3 2 1 A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the British Library.
    [Show full text]
  • REPORT of MISSION Religious Freedom in Israel and The
    REPORT OF MISSION Religious Freedom In Israel and the Palestinian Territories April 2008 This Report was prepared as pursuant to the ECLJ mission to Israel and the Palestinian Territories in January 2008, in conjunction with the official visit by the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief. European Centre for Law and Justice American Center for Law and Justice 4, quai Koch 201 Maryland Ave., N.E. 67000 Strasbourg, France Washington, DC 20002 Phone: +33 (0)3.88.24.94.40 Phone: (202) 546-8890 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Website: www.eclj.org Website: www.aclj.org Gregor Puppinck, Counsel Jay Alan Sekulow, Chief Counsel Terrence McKeegan, Counsel Stuart Roth, Senior Counsel Kris Wenberg, Associate Counsel The European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ), is a public interest law firm that specializes in protecting religious freedom and other human rights at the European institutions as well as internationally. The ECLJ is a non-governmental organization with Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) is a public interest law firm specializing in American constitutional law. The ACLJ has participated in numerous cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, Federal Court of Appeals, Federal District Courts, and various state courts regarding freedom of religion and freedom of speech. 1 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................................2 ISRAEL............................................................................................................................................5 I. Legal Status of Religious Communites in Israel .....................................................................5 II. Process of Recognition of Religious Leaders .........................................................................7 III. Right to Build, Buy, and Operate Places of Worship in Israel ...............................................8 IV.
    [Show full text]
  • Samaritan Identity
    Not Muslim, Not Jewish: Ancient Community in the West Bank Feels Increasingly Israeli For the 800 Samaritans split between Mount Gerizim in the West Bank and a suburb of Tel Aviv, the younger generation is increasingly being drawn to the Israeli way of life, sparking tensions and fears By Davide Lerner and Esra Whitehouse, May 10, 2018, Ha’aretz on-line As Jacov climbs into his white van, he notices the small blue and white Israel flags fluttering from the windows. “I’ll take these off at Ariel Junction,” he smiles. From there, his journey will take him on a side road, up winding hills deeper and deeper into the West Bank. Back home, his love for Israel cannot be freely displayed. Jacov, 43, whose surname is withheld over safety concerns, is one of the roughly 800 Samaritans split between two communities in Israel and the Palestinian territories, where he goes by the Arabic name of Yaa’kop. This ancient community – practicing an ancient religion that is a variation of Judaism, but also shares some similarities with Islam – has lived alongside Israelis and Palestinians since the formation of the Jewish state in 1948, a rare haven of neutrality in a sectarian world. Now, though, there are signs of change. “The new generation of Samaritans feels more and more Israeli,” says Jacov’s brother, Baruch (Mubarak when he’s in the West Bank). “Israel is thriving. Its economy only continues to grow, while the Palestinians seem to want everything to stay the same,” he notes. FLAGBEARER: Jacov getting ready to leave Holon for the other Samaritan community – in Kiryat Luza, near Nablus, in the West Bank.
    [Show full text]
  • Vol. XVI - No 1 Your Link to the Samaritan Update Index in This Issue on January 1, 2015, the Samaritan Community Numbered 777
    The Samaritan Update “Mount Gerizim, All the Days of Our Lives” September / October 2016 Vol. XVI - No 1 Your link to the Samaritan Update Index In This Issue On January 1, 2015, the Samaritan Community numbered 777. Heritage Auction 2016- The Samaritans number 810 souls Kedem Auction Minerva Auction Sotheby Auction Future Events Orhof Photos It has been 3655 years since the entrance into the Holy Land Sukkot (Samaritan’s typical calendar) In the News 2016 6 Shehadeh articles Festival of the Seventh Month- Saturday Oct. 1, 2016 Invitation Day of Atonement- Monday, Oct. 10, 2016 Sinai Assembly Festival of Sukkot, Third Pilgrimage- Saturday Oct. 15, 2016 Mor Lecture Festival of the Eight Day- Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016 Sicily Lecture The Eighth Month 3655 - Sunday Evening, October 30, 2016 From the Editor The Ninth Month 3655 - Tuesday Evening, November 29, 2016 Publications The Tenth Month 3655- Wednesday Evening, December 28, 2016 Forth Coming books 2017 Links The Eleventh Month 3655 - Friday Evening, January 28, 2017 Old News The Twelfth Month 3655 - Sunday Evening, February 27, 2017 Biblio The First Month 3655 - Monday Evening, March 28, 2017 Passover Sacrifice - Monday Evening between the sunsets [7:11 PM] - April 10, 2017 [Calculated by: Priest Yakkiir ['Aziz] b. High Priest Jacob b. 'Azzi – Kiriat Luza, Mount Gerizim] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Yavneh Ten Commandments Stone at Heritage Auctions lot #52095 JUDAEA. Late Roman-Byzantine Era, circa 300-830 CE. Marble Decalogue Inscription. A roughly square slab of white marble, 25 by 22.5 inches (63.5 X 57 cm), and weighing 115 lbs (52 kg), inscribed with 20 lines of Paleo-Hebrew characters rendered in the Samaritan dialect, with distinctive letter forms and punctuation common to Samaritan inscriptions from the fourth through eighth centuries of the Common Era.
    [Show full text]
  • Easing of Restrictions on Palestinians' Movement in the West Bank, 2012
    Easing of restrictions on Palestinians’ movement in the West Bank, 2012 Published on B'Tselem (http://www.btselem.org) Easing of restrictions on Palestinians’ movement in the West Bank, 2012 Easing of restrictions on Palestinians’ movement in the West Bank, 2012 [1] December 20, 2012 Section of road linking ‘Ein Yabrud to Route 60 opened to Palestinian traffic. Photo: Iyad Hadad, B'Tselem, 7 May 2012 In 2012, the military and the Civil Administration removed several restrictions that had been imposed on Palestinians’ movement in various areas of the West Bank. During the second intifada, the militaryestablished dozens of checkpoints in the West Bank and placed hundreds of physical obstacles to movement of Palestinians throughout the area — mounds of earth, massive cement blocks, and ditches. In addition, Israel began construction of the Separation Barrier. These restrictions on movement were unprecedented in the history of the Israeli occupation, both in their scope and duration and in the severity of their impact on the daily routines of Palestinians in the West Bank. In recent years, Israel has scaled back these restrictions, and Palestinians can now travel relatively freely within the West Bank. However, the military continues to treat Palestinians’ freedom of movement as a privilege rather than as a right. While many checkpoints are now open for free passage, the infrastructure has been left in place in some of them, allowing for their reactivation on short notice. In addition to these checkpoints, which are intermittently manned, there are still about 16 permanently manned checkpoints scattered throughout the West Bank, as well as 16 checkpoints restricting Palestinian movement in the center of Hebron.
    [Show full text]
  • Avoidance As Inter-Religious Competence? Samaritans and Their Religious “Others” in Nablus, Palestine
    religions Article Avoidance as Inter-Religious Competence? Samaritans and Their Religious “Others” in Nablus, Palestine Julia Droeber Department of Islamic Pedagogy/Theology, University of Education Ludwigsburg, 71634 Ludwigsburg, Germany; [email protected] Received: 30 November 2019; Accepted: 26 January 2020; Published: 5 February 2020 Abstract: In this paper, I take issue with the theory and practice of inter-religious competence, based on a case-study of the Samaritans of Nablus. I take as a starting point the contemporary observation that inter-religious relations in Nablus are relatively peaceful, which in most models of inter-religious competence would be considered a product of successfully acquired and implemented inter-religious competences. A second observation, that runs against the grain of all models of inter-religious competence, is that Samaritans do not seem to discuss religious issues in public at all. I try to show that this strategy of avoidance is largely the result of historical experiences, which made “walking between the raindrops” seem the most successful way to maintain social peace. Furthermore, I attempt to demonstrate that the strategy of avoidance is one applied in public, but not in private discourses, which, in turn, I identify as a second strategy of inter-religious competence found in the Nablus context but not in pedagogical models. A third aspect, not mentioned in theoretical models of inter-religious competences, is the political context, which, in the case of Nablus, is marked by a strong discursive emphasis on local and national identity—against an external “enemy”—that overrides any religious boundaries. Keywords: Inter-religious competence; Samaritans; Nablus 1.
    [Show full text]