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The Arab-Israeli Conflict: a Religious Investigation

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The Arab-Israeli Conflict: a Religious Investigation THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT: A RELIGIOUS INVESTIGATION by DESIREE FRONYA LEWIS submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in the subject RELIGIOUS STUDIES at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: PROFESSOR C. DU P. LE ROUX NOVEMBER 1992 SUMMARY The Arab-Israeli conflict is examined from its religious aspect, presenting people's experience of religion without passing judgement. Selected concepts are compared and contrasted and interpreted hermeneutically. The roots of the antagonism are traced back historically, showing that it comprises more than a claim to the same geographical territory. Each religion's notion of statehood is described. Internally Jewish-Zionist friction over the ceding of territory arises through divergent interpretations of the same texts; Islam, Nationalism and religious rivalry, being at variance, have engendered Arab tensions. Their respective doctrines on war and peace suggest, broadly speaking, a Jewish-Zionist leaning to shalom, and Islam-Arab Nationalism to jihad (struggle). While the religious perspective does leave an opening for a solution to the conflict, pragmatism may lead to compromise. Finally the suggestion is made that the religious dimension is necessary for a holistic understanding of political issues. '; ~ ... ' 1993 "07· J i :. -._.i '···· ·1 e ~ ·7 9: c. ',; !r-::'\ C>~C ~ \_::, (" t ........................L ...... ;................. J.~ ...... ].J Accoos Aanwin ....... I;..i&nGW- \\\11\1\111\I 01491214 11 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I should like to thank the following people for their contribution to this thesis: a The staff of the Department Religious Studies of the University of South Africa kindled my enthusiasm for their subject in my undergraduate years. In particular I must mention Professor J.S. Kriiger, Professor C. du P. le Roux and Dr D.P. Goosen. I am indebted most of all to my supervisor, Professor C. du P. le Roux, who was kind enough to make himself available during his sabbatical leave, and gave me freely of his time. By striking a balance between the firm direction of my research, and permitting me the independence to explore the areas in the manner I proposed, he made the preparation of this thesis an enjoyable and enriching experience. a Mrs C. Zeelie, theology librarian at UNISA, gave me her undivided attention for a week I spent in Pretoria, thus enabling me to locate much of the necessary material before my return to Israel. a The staff of the Moshe Dayan Centre for Middle East and African Studies at the Tel Aviv University for granting me access to their archives and library. a I express my heartfelt thanks to my family, particularly to my mother, Mrs R. Kirsh, for encouraging my intention to embark on my studies while in full-time employment. Their moral and, at times, financial support has been indispensable. My sister, Dr Bryna Lewis, who saw the manuscript through the press in her free time, during my absence in Israel, permitted me to submit the thesis much earlier than would otherwise have been possible. iii MODERN GROUPS AND POLITICAL PARTIES IN THE STATE OF ISRAEL AND THE ARAB WORLD Israeli Jewish and Arab groups ABNA al-BALAD: Supports PFLP and rejects the existence of the State of Israel. al-ANSAR: Supports Fateh. GUSH EMUNIM: Espouses Religious Judaism, messianism and non-Socialist Zionism. LAND OF ISRAEL MOVEMENT: Advocates retention of all Territories. PEACE MOVEMENT: Ideological arguments are both secular and religious. SHALOM AHSHAV: Left-wing groups advocating return of Territories with minor adjustments for security in exchange for peace. Israeli Jewish and Arab political parties AGUDAT ISRAEL: Ashkenazi Ultra-orthodox, mainly Hasidim. ALIGNMENT (MA' ARACH): Former alliance of different Labour parties and Left-wing I parties. A VODAH (LABOUR): Labour Zionist. DEGEL HATORAH: Ashkenazi Ultra-orthodox, Mitnagdim. ., ' DEMOCRATIC ARAB PARTY (DAP): Supports the PLO as sole representative of the Palestinian people. DEMOCRATIC FRONT FOR PEACE AND EQUALITY (DFPE): Members mainly from the old Communist Party, but also includes non-Communists and Jews. HERUT: Revisionist Zionist. KACH: Right-wing Zionist party advocating 'transfer' (of population). After one Knesset term was banned from elections. LIKUD: Alliance of Centre and Right-of-Centre Zionist parties. MAP AM: Left-wing Zionist Socialists. MERETZ: An alignment of Ratz, Shinui and Mapam for 13th Knesset. MOLEDET: Right-wing Zionist party advocating 'transfer' (of population). lV MORASHA: Religious Zionist. NATIONAL RELIGIOUS PARTY (NRP): Religious non-Socialist Zionist party comprising the former Mizrahi and Hapoel Mizrahi parties. PROGRESSIVE LIST FOR PEACE (PLP): Mainly Arab members but also Jewish supporters who favour Fateh. RATZ (CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT): Left-wing Zionist. SHAS: Sephardic Ultra-orthodox. SHINUI: Left-wing Zionist. TEHIYA: Right-wing Zionist. UNITED TORAH JEWRY: An alignment of Agudat Israel, Degel Hatorah and Morasha for the 13th Knesset. Islamic Revivalist groups AMAL: Lebanese Shia with links to Syria. HAMAS: Considered to be more militant branch of al-Ikhwan. HIZBALLAH: Lebanese Shia with links to Iran. al-IKHWAN (MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD): A Sunni group which advocates bringing the umma back to Islam and establishing Islamic states before embarking on jihad against the enemy. JIHAD: Advocates jihad against the enemy before bringing the umma back to Islam and establishing Islamic states. pro-KHOMEINI: Shia with links to Iran. al-TAHRIR: Advocates establishment of Islamic states. Arab Nationalist groups and parties COMMUNIST PARTY: Advocates symbiosis between Palestinian state and the State oflsrael. FATEH: Palestine Liberation Movement founded and led by Yasir Arafat. FATEH REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL: Breakaway group from Fateh, led by Abu Nidal. v PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANISATION (PLO): By the 1980s there were three factions in the PLO: a FATEH and its allies, C PALESTINE NATIONAL SALVATION FRONT (PNSF), C DEMOCRATIC FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF PALESTINE (DFLP). No side wanted to leave the organisation officially in case of external threat. PALESTINE NATIONAL COUNCIL (PNC): Latterly considered parliament in exile. PALESTINE NATIONAL FRONT (PNF): Established by Palestinians in the Territories in 1973. PALESTINE NATIONAL SALVATION FRONT (PNSF): Consists of PFLP, PFLP-GC, Abu Musa's group, Sa'iqa, Palestinian Popular Struggle Front (PPSF) and Fateh Revolutionary Council. PALESTINE POPULAR STRUGGLE FRONT (PPSF): Established in the Territories after the 1967 War. Headquarters in Damascus. POPULAR DEMOCRATIC FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF PALESTINE (PDFLP): Marxist-Maoist, led by Na'if Hawatma. POPULAR FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF PALESTINE (PFLP): Semi-Maoist, led by George Habash. POPULAR FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF PALESTINE-GENERAL COMMAND (PFLP-GC): Breakaway group from PFLP, led by Ahmad Jibril. al-SAIQA: Connected to Baath Party of Syria. V1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Summary ii Acknowledgements iii Modem groups and political parties in the State of Israel and the Arab World iv Table of Contents vii CHAPTER 1 : INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 THE RESEARCH PROBLEM 1 1.2 RESEARCH PREMISES 2 1.3 METHODOWGY 2 1.4 PHENOMENOWGY 2 1.4.1 Epoche 3 1.4.2 Essence 3 1.4.3 Intentionality 3 1.5 HERMENEUTICS 4 1.6 RELIGION 6 1.7 COMPARATIVE RELIGION 6 1.7.1 Some problems associated with a comparative study 7 1.7.2 Comparative methodology 7 1.8 DIALECTIC TENSIONS 9 1.9 THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT 9 1.10 ORDER AND TERMINOWGY 9 1.11 TRANSLITERATION OF HEBREW AND ARABIC WORDS 9 1.12 CITATIONS OF SOURCES IN THE TEXT 9 1.13 DIVISION OF CHAPTERS 10 1.14 SOURCES 10 1.15 NOTES TO CHAPTER 1 11 CHAPTER 2 : HISTORICAL OVERVIEW 12 2.1 INTRODUCTION 12 2.2 THE BEGINNING OF RELIGIOUS HISTORY 13 2.3 EARLY JEWISH HISTORY 14 2.3.1 Sinai and the Promised Land 14 2.3.2 The Babylonian exile and the return 15 2.3.3 Redaction of the Jewish scriptures 17 2.4 RELIGIONS IN THE ARABIAN PENINSULA - PRE-ISLAM 18 2.5 THE RISE OF ISLAM 18 2.6 THE PERIOD 632 C.E. TO THE END OF THE 15th CENTURY C.E. 21 2.6.1 al-Khalufa al-Rashidun (the Rightly-Guided Caliphs) 22 2.6.2 Dissension in Islam 23 2.6.2.1 The Shia schism 23 2.6.3 The period of the Umayyad dynasty: 661-750 C.E. 24 2.6.4 The Abbasid dynasty : 750-1258 C.E. 24 vii 2.6.5 The development of religions, religious law and codification 24 2.6.5.1 Judaism 25 2.6.5.2 w~ v 2.6.6 The Golden Age in Spain 30 2.6.7 The impact of the First Crusade on the Jewish and Muslim peoples 31 2.6.8 Relevant events in world history 32 2.7 THE PERIOD 16th CENTURY TO THE END OF THE 18th CENTURY 32 2.7.1 Relevant events in Jewish history 33 2.7.2 Relevant events in Islamic history 34 2.8 THE PERIOD 19th AND BEGINNING OF THE 20th CENTURIES 35 2.8.1 The 19th century to World War I : the Jewish people 35 2.8.1.1 Situation in Bretz Israel/Palestine in the 19th century 35 2.8.1.2 Situation in Europe in the 19th century 36 2.8.1.3 The rise of modern Zionism 37 2.8.1.4 Emergence of Jewish political parties 38 2.8.2 The 19th century to World War I: the Muslim people 38 2.8.2.1 Situation in Egypt, India, Mecca and Persia 38 2.9 THE PERIOD WORLD WAR I-1948 40 2.9.1 Middle East history: 1914-1920 40 2.9.2 Abolition of the caliphate 42 2.9.3 The rise of the modem Islamic movement 42 2.9.4 The rise of Arab Nationalism in Palestine/Bretz Israel 42 2.9.5 Situation in Palestine /Bretz Israel : Arab-Jewish tensions 44 2.9.6 Situation in Bretz Israel/Palestine : Jewish tensions 46 2.10 THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT : 1948-1967 47 2.10.1 Arab Nationalism: 1948-1967 48 2.10.2 The Muslim Revivalist movement 49 2.11 THE
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