II. The Israeli/Palestinian Conflict & the Longer History of Jews and Arabs

Day 4:

When Jews Spoke Arabic: The Shared History of Jews and Arabs from the Rise of Islam, to Al-Andalus and the Ottoman Empire

Assigned Reading:

“The Pact of ‘Umar (Seventh Century?),” (in Norman A. Stillman, The Jews of Arab Lands: A History and Source Book (1979), 157-158. : The Pact of Umar Stillman-1.pdf

Reading Prompt:

What can “The Pact of ‘Umar” tell us about the status of Jews (and other peoples of monotheistic religions) living under Muslim rule? What is the significance of its different stipulations and when do you think they were applied?

Additional non-required Reading:

Marina Rustow, “Jews and Muslims in the Eastern Islamic World,” in

Chapter Author(s): Marina Rustow

Day 5:

Diverging Paths: The End of Jewish Life in Arab Lands (?)

Assigned Reading:

Theodor Herzl, “Der Judenstaat (The Jewish State)” in Charles D. Smith, Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict: A History with Documents (2017), 50-51 Hertzel A Solution to the Jewish Question.pdf ; Naguib Azoury, From (From) The Awakening of the Arab Nation (1905) in Smith, Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict (2017), 53-54; Rashid Rida, “Pay Attention to the Zionist Threat (1898),” in Marvin E. Gettleman and Stuart Shaar, eds., The Middle East and the Islamic World Reader (New York: Grove, 2003), 168 : Rashid Rida Beware the Zionist Threat Gettleman & Schaar-1 and other primary sources.pdf .

Reading Prompt:

What was the impetus for the establishment of a Jewish homeland? Why was Palestine/the Land of Israel Theodor Herzl’s choice for a Jewish state? How did many Arabs in the region respond to Zionism? What are the connections between such Arab responses to Zionism and the rise of Arab nationalism?

What factors led to the end of Jewish life in Arab lands?

Day 6:

Partitions: The Partition of Palestine and the Jewish/Arab war of 1948 (Guest lecture with Professor Laurie Eisenberg to be viewed at home prior to class)

Pre-assigned questions on the lecture to discuss in class.

Assigned Optional Reading:

Kirsten Schulze, “The Origins of the Arab Israeli Conflict” (pp. 1- 22)

DISCUSSION 1 DUE. SEE CANVAS FOR DETAILS.

Day 7:

Discussion of the film Jaffa the Clockwork Orange

Assigned Reading and Viewing:

Jaffa the Orange’s Clockwork Orange (2009) (88 minutes) by Eyal Sivan –Available for rental on Vimeo ($4.50) -Please view before class!; Carol Bardenstein; “Threads of Memory and Discourses of Rootedness: Of Trees, Oranges and the Prickly-Pear Cactus in Israel/Palestine,” Edebiyat, Vol. 8, 1998, 1-36.

Watch in class

VR YouTube videos on Yaffa & Orientalism

Carol Bardenstein Threads_of_Memory_and_Discourses_of_Root.pdf

Download Carol Bardenstein

Reading Prompt:

In remembering Jaffa's Oranges, the memories of planting and erasure, as well as the need to affirm one's rootedness play a role in constructing narratives about appropriation of the land. Explain this role from both the Jewish and Palestinian perspectives in light of the documentary Jaffa the Clockwork Orange and Bardenstein’s article “Threads of Memory and Discourses of Rootedness.” How do the film and article offer these different perspectives?