Nadene Goldfoot
I ended my lesson on the Palestinians with the Six Day War in which Israel was the winner. These famous principles were outlined in the Khartoum Resolution on September 1, 1967, following the Six-Day War.
- No peace with Israel
- No recognition of Israel
- No negotiations with IsraelLet me back-track a little to 1917:
The shift from a primarily agrarian Arab workforce interacting with early Jewish settlers to organized Palestinian resistance against Zionism was driven by the rapid transformation of land ownership, competing nationalist movements, and fears of displacement. 
It was a 1917 letter from British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour to 
Lord Rothschild, a leader of the British Jewish community. In it, the British government declared its support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine
Lord Rothschild, a leader of the British Jewish community. In it, the British government declared its support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in PalestineThe Balfour Declaration (often referred to in the context of Middle Eastern history) was a 67-word public statement issued by the British government on November 2, 1917, announcing support for the establishment of "a national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine
Biblical farming days of Jews,
but Jews were kept from ownership of land in all the countries they had lived in since 70 CE, so had o study up on farming methods; and came o the land prepared.
1. Early Economic Interdependence
During the late Ottoman and early British Mandate periods (the early Aliyahs of Jews entering the land), many Jewish agricultural colonies relied on local Arab labor. Concurrently, Zionist economic activity and infrastructure projects drew many Arab workers from rural areas—and neighboring countries—to higher-paying jobs in cities and Jewish sectors.
During the late Ottoman and early British Mandate periods (the early Aliyahs of Jews entering the land), many Jewish agricultural colonies relied on local Arab labor. Concurrently, Zionist economic activity and infrastructure projects drew many Arab workers from rural areas—and neighboring countries—to higher-paying jobs in cities and Jewish sectors.
2. The Shift to 'Hebrew Labor'
As Jewish immigration increased, the Zionist movement—particularly Labor Zionism—pushed for economic self-sufficiency. Policies were implemented promoting Avoda Ivrit (Hebrew Labor), which intentionally replaced Arab workers with Jewish immigrants to build the economic foundations of a future Jewish state.
3. Agrarian Displacement
Jewish organizations purchased large tracts of land from absentee landlords living outside of Palestine. This was not frequent but resulted in the eviction of some Arab tenant farmers and sharecroppers who had worked the land for generations. They were glad to sell to the Jews and asked extremely high prices for the land, and the Jews paid as the land was holy to them. This disruption created a growing class of landless, marginalized laborers who went into the cities of Paris and other closer large cities. They had come from surrounding states and didn't want to go back home now that they had money.
Jewish organizations purchased large tracts of land from absentee landlords living outside of Palestine. This was not frequent but resulted in the eviction of some Arab tenant farmers and sharecroppers who had worked the land for generations. They were glad to sell to the Jews and asked extremely high prices for the land, and the Jews paid as the land was holy to them. This disruption created a growing class of landless, marginalized laborers who went into the cities of Paris and other closer large cities. They had come from surrounding states and didn't want to go back home now that they had money.
4. The Rise of Palestinian Nationalism
As the local Arab population witnessed the rapid growth of Jewish autonomous institutions, land purchases, and immigration quotas under British administration, they realized that Zionism aimed to establish a sovereign Jewish state in a territory where Arabs were the vast majority. This provoked a distinct Palestinian national consciousness focused on self-determination and halting this demographic and political shift.
As the local Arab population witnessed the rapid growth of Jewish autonomous institutions, land purchases, and immigration quotas under British administration, they realized that Zionism aimed to establish a sovereign Jewish state in a territory where Arabs were the vast majority. This provoked a distinct Palestinian national consciousness focused on self-determination and halting this demographic and political shift.
5. Escalation to Conflict
Tensions peaked in the 1930s with the Arab General Strike and the
1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine. By this time, the relationship had fundamentally shifted from economic cooperation to a direct political and military struggle over control of the land, eventually culminating in the 1948 War and the creation of Israel.
Tensions peaked in the 1930s with the Arab General Strike and the
1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine. By this time, the relationship had fundamentally shifted from economic cooperation to a direct political and military struggle over control of the land, eventually culminating in the 1948 War and the creation of Israel. Don't forget; the Jewish leaders applied to the British who held the mandate of Palestine for the past 30 years and did all that was necessary to declare the birth of Israel. President Harry Truman was one of the first to recognize their state, upheld by the League of Nations and the United Nations. May 14, 1948 was the big day!
Palestinian Leader, Yasser Arafat
Yasser Arafat became the preeminent Palestinian leader immediately after the 1967 Six-Day War, but the formal chairman of the 
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) during most of 1967 was Ahmad al-Shuqayri.
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) during most of 1967 was Ahmad al-Shuqayri.The transition of leadership and power unfolded in several key stages in 1967:
- Initial Leadership: At the start of the 1967 war, the PLO was led by Ahmad al-Shuqayri. The Arab states' crushing defeat in June 1967 severely discredited the existing leadership, leading Palestinians to seek more independent autonomy.
- Arafat's Rise: In late 1967, Yasser Arafat (who had gained prominence as the founder of the guerrilla group Fatah) began crossing into the West Bank to set up resistance networks. Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser subsequently declared Arafat to be the "leader of the Palestinians".
- Formal Takeover: Ahmad al-Shuqayri resigned in December 1967 and was temporarily replaced by Yahya Hammuda. By February 1969, Arafat officially assumed the chairmanship of the PLO, a position he held until his death in 2004.
- Yasser Arafat, as the leader of Fatah and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), directed and was linked to multiple historical campaigns and attacks against Israel. Rather than individual events, his responsibility is typically associated with two major eras of conflict.Fedayeen Insurgency-OSLO ACCORDS (1960s–1970s, - 1993)Beginning in 1965, Fatah carried out numerous cross-border guerrilla attacks and bombings against Israeli civilian and military targets from bases in Jordan and Lebanon. These actions escalated into broader regional conflicts, and Arafat’s PLO was also heavily linked to high-profile hijackings and hostage crises targeting Israeli interests during this period. The Palestinians were a desperate choice, since they themselves had largely despaired of other Arabs. At the height of Nasser’s powers, they had allowed themselves to believe in him, and to see him as their redeemer. Nasser also prompted the creation of the PLO in 1964, under the auspices of the Arab League.The Second Intifada (2000–2005)
- The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades: An armed Fatah faction directly tied to Arafat, which carried out dozens of shooting and suicide bombing attacks.
- Force 17: Arafat’s elite presidential guard, which the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported was involved in shooting attacks on Israeli civilian traffic and mortar operations.
- PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, and U.S. President Bill Clinton were taken on September 13, 1993. They were captured on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., during the historic signing of theOslo I Accord".
- During the Second Intifada, Israeli intelligence and security sources directly implicated Arafat and the Palestinian Authority in the orchestration, funding, and command of militant operations. Key groups associated with his command during this uprising included:
- The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades: An armed Fatah faction directly tied to Arafat, which carried out dozens of shooting and suicide bombing attacks.
- Force 17: Arafat’s elite presidential guard, which the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported was involved in shooting attacks on Israeli civilian traffic and mortar operations.
- When Arafat died in November 2004, he was succeeded as President of the Palestinian National Authority by Mahmoud Abbas of the rival Fatah faction.
- The transition of power to Hamas occurred in two distinct phases: []
- Legislative Victory (January 2006): Hamas won a decisive majority in the Palestinian parliamentary elections. This forced the establishment of a fragile power-sharing government with Fatah. There we are: two terrorist groups out of one, Fatah; Hamas was the tougher, the strong horse, and Fatah was seen as the weaker.
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