Revolt in Galilee Source: Journal of Palestine Studies, Vol. 5, No. 3/4 (Spring - Summer, 1976), pp. 192-200 Published by: University of California Press on behalf of the Institute for Palestine Studies Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2536029 . Accessed: 28/03/2014 16:33 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. University of California Press and Institute for Palestine Studies are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Journal of Palestine Studies. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 66.134.128.11 on Fri, 28 Mar 2014 16:34:00 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 192 JOURNAL OF PALESTINE STUDIES in Lebanon lead to similar cooperation in exploiting the opportunity or tempted by solving the conflict between Israel and circumstances, Israel will have no option but Syria, if Syria adopts a moderate attitude to move." to this issue?" He felt, however, that Israel might win or lose from the "game" going REVOLT IN GALILEE on in Lebanon: "She may lose if the whole of Lebanon is turned into a country attached The Israeli press viewed the violent to Syria and a 'confrontation country. disorders and explosion of popular resent- But Syrian intervention in Lebanon also ment that took place this spring in Galilee involved certain advantages for Israel- "In as distinct from the West Bank uprising the short run it makes it more probable that which had been gathering momentum since the mandate of the United Nations Emer- the end of last December. The former was a gency Forces will be renewed," and "In the domestic affair, to be settled between the longer run there may be Syrian-American Arab and Jewish peoples of Israel, while cooperation." Although he said that this the latter was by and large seen as a tempo- might confront Israel with new problems it rary foreign affair to be settled within the would at the same time open the door to a context of a Middle East settlement. If this political settlement. "As a result of this, can be seen as the official Israeli line, it was Israel has decided to disregard the entry of often admitted that the disturbances had Syrian troops into Lebanon, so long as they common grounds and displayed a marked are not in very large numbers and so long identity of sentiment. What is ironic and as the aim is to achieve a political settlement was the source of bitternessamong the Arabs in Lebanon and not to constitute a threat to of Israel --is that the official distinction Israel." He concluded optimistically: "The called in effect for greater severity in re- Syrians have got themselves into a jam in pressive measures against Arab citizens of Lebanon. They are obliged to draw closer Israel than against those under occupation to the Americans, thereby arousing the in order to nip in the bud any ambitions the disapproval of other Arab countries, and all former might have to link their fate in the this will make it difficult for the Arab future with that of their Palestinian breth- countries to enter the war beside Syria, if ren in the West Bank. In a single day of she decides to take military action in the protest by the Galilee Arabs seven of them Golan." were shot dead and scores arrested and un- Finally, Davar (April 12, 1976) put the ceremoniously beaten, whereas the more Israeli position in a nutshell: "Israel is con- extensive and more violent protests in the cerned that Lebanon should maintain some West Bank had not resulted in such a cas- degree of internal equilibrium and that the ualty figure over a period of several months. safety of the Christians and their influence The difference in approach, whatever the in the power structure should be rnaintained. motives, was not likely to increase the In the light of the balance of forces that has loyalty of Arab citizens to the Israeli state. now arisen in Lebanon, it is impossible to The immediate cause of the Galilee all is ensure this and there every indication revolt was the project to confiscate several that Syria is seeking... to achieve these thousands of dunums of Arab land as part objectives. The regular 'threat force' which of a larger plan known as the Judaization of has crossed the Lebanese frontier, though Galilee. It is important to put this project it has not penetrated in depth, is intended in its proper political and even regional to perform this role. Since this is its role and context. The Arabs of Israel had always since these are Syria's objectives, Israel has resisted most strongly the confiscation of no interest in eliminating it .... Howeve-r their lands, carried out on a massive scale Syria certainly knows where the 'red line' in the early years of the state of Israel and runs and that if she crosses it, either by practically ended in the 1960's because of This content downloaded from 66.134.128.11 on Fri, 28 Mar 2014 16:34:00 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions FROM T HE ISRAELI PRESS 193 Arab resistance and the state's desire to is to strengthenJewish settlernent in Galilee normalize its relations with the Arab minor- and the Arabs are aware that this is the case. ity. Many Israelis linked the pushing From official data it is clear that the per- through of the judaization plan at this centage ofJews in the population of Galilee time with the growth and power of Pales- has declined in the last fifteen years from tinian nationalism and the possibility that 58 percent to 52 percent.3 Last year, for Galilee might be joined one day to an in- example, the Jewish population of the dependent Palestinian Arab state, as had northern area increased by 780 only, as been proposed in the UN Partition Plan of against 9,000 Arabs. These facts have led 1947, if it was not massively judaized in the cornmittees concerned with this matter the interim. 1 to study the possibility of confiscation." At the end of February 1976 the Israeli Such clear statements of the problem cabinet took a decision to confiscate large were often more diplomatically framed by areas of Galilee. Taken together with the official sources. Davar (March 1, 1976) governmeint's earlier decision to transfer quoted from the government statement sections of the armament industry2 to on the confiscation plan it agreed upon on Galilee, this was seen as aiming at the February 29: "In regard to the decisions obliteration of the Arab character of Galilee oin the developmientof Galilee in the interests in the shortest possible time. of its Jewish and Arab population, and in Daniel Bloch reported on these projected conforniity with the housing projects ap- moves in Davar January 22, 1976). After proved by the Ministry of Housing, the writing that the Knesset Working Commit- government has decided to accept the tee had recently tabled its conclusions on Minister of Finance's statemeinton combin- the settling and development of Galilee, ilng lands, including the cornpulsory con- he quoted Knesset member Abraham fiscations necessary for the implementation Givelber, of the Labour Alignment, as of the plan. The operation will be carried saying that the committee recommended out within- the framework of the law, the "the speedy removal of the war industry owner-s of the land will be paid suitable from the centre of the country to central compensation in accordance with the law, Galilee... because the removal of these anld the possibility of those who wish to do factories, a-ll of which depend on Jewish so being allowed, as far as possible, to ex- labour, would result in thouisandsof emplov- change their lands for other plots will also ees and their families moving to Galilee be studied." and these, in addition to the employees of In an editorial on the same day Davar the services sector, would effect a great said: "The decision to confiscate land to a change in the demographic structure of total of twenty thousand dunums is an Galilee. The here is the important point important practical step for the settlement Jewish labour on which these factories depend, because other factories can absorb of Galilee. This decision merits extensive non-Jewish labour and investment in them support, for it is quite clear that there is no does not bring in any gains in the demo- alternative to confiscation and no objection graphic field." to action for the strengthen-ingof Galilee." Yoel Dar, writing in Davar (March 2, The Israeli press did report on the Arab 1976), discussed the aims of the confiscations objections to this action, however. Arab in Galilee: "The real aim of the confiscations oppositioIl was particularly fierce to the con- 1 Seepp.229-36 for the implicationsoJf the Galileerevolt on PLO discussionsconcerning a Palestinian state limitedto the W/VestBank and Gaza -, Ed. 2 IsraeliArabs ar-e not employed in thesefactories because of the"securitv risk" -- Ed. 3 PalestinianArab sources often refer to an outrightArab inajori.p in Galilee---Ed. This content downloaded from 66.134.128.11 on Fri, 28 Mar 2014 16:34:00 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 194 JOURNAL OF PALESTINE STUDIES fiscation of lands in two areas, the "Zone 9" invasion of Sinai.