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The Hundred Years' War in Palestine: Why is this history so important to the modern world?
In 2020, the famous historian Rashid Khalidi published "Palestine's Hundred Years' War: Why This History Is So Important to the Modern World?" 》. This book explores the history of colonial oppression and resistance in Palestine through major events between 1917 and 2017, and advises readers to understand the true nature of this conflict - that it was a colonial war, not a war between two equals. The struggle between nations.
This struggle should not be seen as a confrontation between two equal national movements on the same land, but rather as a colonial war waged by multiple forces against indigenous peoples in an attempt to force them to abandon their homeland.
Book Overview
Preface
The book begins by mentioning that in 1889, the author's relative, Yusuf Diya ad-Din Pasha al-Khalidi, the mayor of Jerusalem, met with the father of modern political Zionism, Siddhartha. Correspondence between Theodor Herzl and Herzl dismissed the Pasha's concerns and said lightly: "Who would have thought of sending them away? 'In the author's view, this early exchange shows that Zionism was a colonial project from the outset.
The First Declaration of War: 1917-1939
Chapter 1 focuses on the 1917 Balfour Declaration, which declared British imperial support for the establishment of a Jewish national homeland in Palestine. Furthermore, under the Mandate for Palestine granted to Britain by the League of Nations in 1922, neither of these documents mentions "Arabs" or "Palestinians," ignoring their national rights.
Second Declaration of War: 1947-1948
In Chapter 2, the United States replaced Britain as the new imperial power in 1947 and pushed the United Nations to pass the Partition Resolution, which approved the establishment of a Jewish state on Arab majority land, violating the Palestinian people's right to "national self-determination." The ensuing civil war and the creation of the State of Israel in 1948 caused an estimated 700,000 Palestinians to flee or be expelled, resulting in what history calls the "Nakba."
Third Declaration of War: 1967
Chapter 3 highlights the United States' role in foreign aid, particularly the Johnson administration's support for Israel's preemptive attacks on Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. In addition, the United States was criticized for its actions in passing UN Security Council Resolution 242, which legitimized the conquest of East Jerusalem and surrounding areas without mentioning the Palestinians and their rights.
The Fourth Declaration of War: 1982
Chapter 4 notes the United States' acquiescence to Israel, particularly its invasion of Lebanon in 1982 in an attempt to destroy the Palestine Liberation Organization. The author believes that this was a joint action between Israel and the United States, and that both countries were jointly involved in this incident.
The Fifth Declaration of War: 1987-1995
Chapter Five focuses on Israel’s response to the first intifada and its settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, which fails to address the basic needs of the Palestinian people. During this period, the Oslo Accords were considered another joint US-Israeli decree that further influenced the future of Palestine.
The Sixth Declaration of War: 2000-2014
Chapter 6 describes Israel's major attacks on Palestine during the Second Intifada and the disasters caused by three military operations in Gaza. The reasoning behind these attacks is partly rooted in the United States’ support for Israel’s military supplies, which enables Israel to continue these operations.
The Importance of History
Khalidi's data collection methods are not limited to traditional historical scholarship. He also uses family archives, oral stories, and his own experience as an activist and mediator to interpret this history. The purpose of the book is to reveal that the Palestinian struggle is not just a past history, it also plays an important role in today's world politics. Behind this history, is there a force that inspires people to think together about the direction of the future?
