Syllabus

Syllabus for the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict – Dueling Narratives

SGL: Dr. Steven J. Klein (stevekhaaretz@gmail.com)

Tuesdays, 2:10pm-3:35am, Mar. 11-May 20 (no class Apr. 15)

Zoom link:https://brandeis.zoom.us/j/95647518956?pwd=aoiNyuMeeKas0AiqncwRXeuKzAvgeq.1

Note: Due to the fluidity of the situation, reading material for the final two weeks is subject to change.

1: Intro to conflicting narratives (Mar. 11)

a)   Complexity science and conflict

b)   Think relationally, not atomistically 

c)     Principles of identity identity and intergroup relationships

d)     Cognitive biases that impact intergroup conflict

Materials: 1. "A brief history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict explained in fewer than 300 words", Sky News: https://news.sky.com/story/a-brief-history-of-the-israeli-palestinian-conflict-explained-in-less-than-300-words-12997971

2. You Are Not So Smart podcast, Ep. 286: “Notes on Complexity – Neil Theise”
Available at: https://youarenotsosmart.com/2024/05/14/yanss-286-an-introduction-to-complexity-science-chaos-theory-and-how-life-um-finds-a-way/ (or see transcript)

3. You Are Not So Smart podcast, Ep. 288: “Fluke – Brian Klaas” 

Available at: https://youarenotsosmart.com/2024/06/24/yanss-288-how-a-healthy-relationship-with-chaos-randomness-and-change-can-lead-to-a-life-well-lived/ (or see transcript)

4. Stein, Janet Gross, “Psychological explanations of choice,” pp. 293-297, in Carlsnaes, Walter et al., eds., Handbook of International Relations (London: SAGE, 2006)
Available at: http://ereserve.library.utah.edu/Annual/POLS/6850/Steele/psychological.pdf

2: The Jewish Historical Narrative and the British Mandate (Mar. 18)

a)   Independence and loss  

b)   “In every generation” and “The Hope of 2,000 years”

c)     Political Zionism and pushback

d)     International recognition of a historical right

Materials: 1. "'The Jewish state': Dr. Theodor Herzl at the Maccabeans,"  The Jewish Chronicle, July 10, 1896.

2. Epstein, Yitzhak, “A Hidden Question”, translated by Alan Dowty, in Israel Studies 6 (1, 2001): 39-43, 47-53.

3. Excerpts from The Jewish Chronicle on the British capture of Jerusalem, Dec. 14, 1917, p. 14

4. Haaretz report on response to the San Remo Conference, Apr. 27, 1920, p. 3.
 

3: The Palestinian Historical Narrative and the British Mandate (Mar. 25)

a)     Identity under the Turks

c)     War, revolt and betrayal

d)     Peaceful and violent protest

e)     Partition, war and Nakba

Materials:  1. Excerpts from "The Awakening of the Arab nation in Turkish Asia" by Naguib Azoury, 1905.

2. Interviews with two Arab parliamentarians in HaZvi newspaper, 1909.

3. “Phase Two: 1908-1914” in Muslih, Mohammed, The Origins of Palestinian Nationalism, 1988, pp. 78-83.

4. Haaretz reports of WZO appeal to Emir Faisal and Zionist leaders' meeting with Faisal's aide in London, 1919.

4: Tekuma or Nakba, 1948 (Apr. 1)

a)   Justified vs. unjustified militarism and the right to self-defense

b)   Who did the British betray?  

c)    What is a just solution?

Materials: 1. Zeev Jabotinsky, "The Iron Wall" (1923): https://en.jabotinsky.org/media/9747/the-iron-wall.pdf

2. Excerpts from "The Arab Awakening" by George Antonius, 1938, pp. 399-412.

LOWER PRIORITY, IF YOU'RE SHORT ON TIME 3. Excerpts from The Future of Palestine by the Arab Office, London, 1947, pp. 78-87.

4. Israel’s Declaration of Independence: https://main.knesset.gov.il/en/about/pages/declaration.aspx

5. "Statement by the Arab League upon the Declaration of the State of Israel", May 15, 1948.

5: David vs. Goliath or Naksa, 1967 (Apr. 8)

a)     Perceived threats

b)     No choice

c)     Clash of the narratives

Materials: 1. Moshe Dayan's eulogy of Roi Rotberg

2. New York Times reports of May 1967 crisis

3. Levi Eshkol’s May 1967 address

4. Gamal Abdel Nasser's May 1967 speech

5. Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook's May 1967 speech

6: Fighting terror or resisting colonialism, the first intifada (Apr. 22)

a)     Repeating history lessons

b)     Justice is on our side/"By All means necessary"

c)     War and peace attitudes

Materials: 1. Amos Oz, "The defense minister and living space", Davar, Aug. 22, 1967.

2. "For the Greater Land of Israel", Manifesto of the Greater Land of Israel Movement, Maariv, Sept. 1967.

2. Excerpts from Yasser Arafat's speech at the UN General Assembly, November 1974

3. Menachem Begin, Lebanon War speech to the Knesset, 1983

4. Excerpts from the Hamas Covenant, 1988

7: A failed peace or a peace trap, the Oslo Accords and their collapse (Apr 29)

a)     We tried peace vs. the peace trap

b)     Did the peace deal itself make things worse?

c)     Who is to blame for the peace process collapsing?

Materials: 1. Edward Said, “The morning after”, 1993

Available at: https://yplus.ps/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Said-Edward-Peace-and-Its-Discontents-Essays-on-Palestine-in-the-Middle-East.pdf

2. Yitzhak Rabin speech, Nov. 4, 1995: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/yitzhak-rabins-final-speech/#:~:text=November%204%2C%201995&text=I%20wish%20to%20thank%20each,solve%20most%20of%20Israel's%20problems.

3. Excerpts from Benjamin Netanyahu, A Durable Peace: Israel and Its Place Among the Nations

4. Excerpts from Yasser Arafat's speech to the Palestinian Legislative Council, May 15, 2002

5. Benny Morris, "Arafat didn't negotiate -- he just kept saying no", The Guardian, May 23, 2002: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/may/23/israel3

8: Competing Post-Oslo Narratives, 2006-2023 (May 6)

a)    "No peace partner" 

b)    "Open-air prison”

c)     Divide and rule vs. security

d)    The campaign between the wars

Materials: 1. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s 2011 speech to Congress

2. “Israel-Palestine from both sides of the mirror” (2016):

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/16/opinion/israel-palestine-from-both-sides-of-the-mirror.html

3. “Gaza Blockade: 15 years of living in a ‘large open prison’” (2022):

https://palestine.actionaid.org/stories/2022/gaza-blockade-15-years-living-large-open-prison

4. “Israelis and Palestinians overestimate each other’s desire to fight” (2023): 

https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-730730

9: Massacre vs. resistance, October 7 (May 13)

a)    From "No peace partner" to "In every generation" revisited

b)    "From the River to the Sea" and "By Any Means Necessary" redux

c)     Blame narratives

Materials: 1. TBA

2. "Middle East Dialogues -- A Conversation with Dalal Saeb Iriqat", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnyI4qJ9IzA; please watch at least until 25:49 (the whole video is 1:38:04 long)

10: Whither the competing narratives? (May 20)

a)    Can they ever be reconciled?

b)    Should they or need they be reconciled?

c)     Is there another way?

Materials: 1. "A Palestinian and an Israeli, face to face," https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0juLRi90kRg

2. Unapologetic: The Third Narrative, https://open.spotify.com/show/5CT8QicPO31pe7AX0jA4Wp