“I am frequently asked if I have visited Israel, whereas yet, it is simply assumed that I have. Well, I don’t travel. I really don’t, and if I did, I probably wouldn’t visit Israel. I remember how it was in 1948 when Israel was being established and all my Jewish friends were ecstatic, I was not. I said: what are we doing? We are establishing ourselves in a ghetto, in a small corner of a vast Muslim sea. The Muslims will never forget nor forgive, and Israel, as long as it exists, will be embattled. I was laughed at, but I was right. I can’t help but feel that the Jews didn’t really have the right to appropriate a territory only because 2000 years ago, people they consider their ancestors, were living there. History moves on and you can’t really turn it back. (#92 ff.)”
― Isaac Asimov, Asimov Laughs Again: More Than 700 Jokes, Limericks and Anecdotes
Consider the previous quote from Isaac Asimov. To what extent is the creation of Israel, in his words, "a ghetto in a small corner of a vast Muslim sea"
The war between Arabs and Israelis has been an ongoing fight for decades, perhaps centuries. The basis of the conflict that occurs between these two nations is religious, territorial, and based on empty promises. Palestine existed as a state that was made up of what we know as israel and jordan from 1517 to 1917, under British (Ottoman Empire’s) control. As a result of the first world ending the British empire dissolved. With the dissolution of the Ottoman empire Turkey became in “control” of Palestine. As a result of two agreements after WWI the state of Palestine returned to British rule, the agreement that did this was the Lausanne agreement. The second agreement known as the Balfour Declaration, was implemented by Great Britain and separated Palestine by making it a home for the Jewish people. Britain allocated about eighty percent of Palestine to Transjordan in 1922. Jordan made up the majority and still does of the Palestinian State, and the majority of people in jordan were Arabs. The creation of Israel and an Israeli state can be seen as both good and bad. It can be referred to as “a ghetto in a small corner of a vast Muslim sea” as the majority of the land was full of Arabs whose religion was muslim. Israel’s creation resembles that of a ghetto to an extent; it is discarded and looked down upon, the people there have in a sense no other place to go, and the final thing that can be noticed is made up of bits and pieces of random land.
The first reason that the state of Israel can be compared to that of a ghetto in a vast Muslim sea is it is surrounded by neighboring countries who despise and ridicule it constantly. After the WWII the world had opened up their hearts to jews sort to speak. As a direct result of the holocaust and the extermination of millions of jews the world gained a sense of responsibility and sorrow for not intervening. To make up for the injustice that happened to fall upon many jews amongst other ethnicity and religious groups, the state of Israel was created as a form of reconciliation. The state of Palestine was split up into sections and divided Jordan, the Gaza strip, and the West Bank. Many landed was given to the jewish community and the Arabs felt that is was being taken away from them. This sparked animosity between the two cultures. As most of the surrounding countries had a majority of Muslims they felt a lot of anger. Much of this anger was directed toward Israel and it can be seen by constant terrorist attacks and in the tension between the surrounding countries. The United States however has supported Israel and gave them both money and weapons, as a result Israel has been able to defend itself. There has been a lot of mistrust and angst against many of Israel’s neighboring countries with the US and the fact that Israel is seen as the US puppet does not help their case.
The creation of Israel was meant to be a secure home for those that had no other place to go. Many of the Jewish population was spread out all over the world right after WWII, the creation of Israeli state meant they could come together and live as one nation. A ghetto can be a place in which people gather that have no where else to go. Israel could be seen as a ghetto in this way. It was created right in the middle of a vast Muslim community. The Jewish community believe that this is their home and that the land that they now occupy belongs to them and has for thousands of years. They feel as if this is the only place for them. Unfortunately many of the nations around it feel as it is their home, that the Jewish community lost their home long ago if they even believe that it was theirs. Both religions see Jerusalem as the origin of their people and beliefs. Similar to those that live in a ghetto a sense of home is very important, and the creation of the Israeli state revealed that having a home is very important.
Ghettos are often made up of the scraps of cities, tossed aside and forgotten. The creation of the Israeli state however differs from a ghetto. It is the best part of a beautiful land. It is made up of bits of land from areas all over. Unlike like a ghetto the actual land is desired by many and this is what causes many problems within the middle east. The Israeli state was given Jerusalem, this for many religions is huge as it is so closely tied to their peoples history. What can be seen all over the world in ghettos today is poverty and violence. Israeli shares these qualities and resembles a ghetto in that sense. War and terrorism is seen all over the state of Israel, its creation brought many violent demonstrations as it angered many.
The creation of Israel was positive and negative, accordingly similar impacts were seen as result. Many countries that had a major Muslim community felt as if it was a invasion and essentially this caused a separation within the middle east. This separation excluded israel from the world around it. However it became a home for any Jewish people that had nowhere else to go.
― Isaac Asimov, Asimov Laughs Again: More Than 700 Jokes, Limericks and Anecdotes
Consider the previous quote from Isaac Asimov. To what extent is the creation of Israel, in his words, "a ghetto in a small corner of a vast Muslim sea"
The war between Arabs and Israelis has been an ongoing fight for decades, perhaps centuries. The basis of the conflict that occurs between these two nations is religious, territorial, and based on empty promises. Palestine existed as a state that was made up of what we know as israel and jordan from 1517 to 1917, under British (Ottoman Empire’s) control. As a result of the first world ending the British empire dissolved. With the dissolution of the Ottoman empire Turkey became in “control” of Palestine. As a result of two agreements after WWI the state of Palestine returned to British rule, the agreement that did this was the Lausanne agreement. The second agreement known as the Balfour Declaration, was implemented by Great Britain and separated Palestine by making it a home for the Jewish people. Britain allocated about eighty percent of Palestine to Transjordan in 1922. Jordan made up the majority and still does of the Palestinian State, and the majority of people in jordan were Arabs. The creation of Israel and an Israeli state can be seen as both good and bad. It can be referred to as “a ghetto in a small corner of a vast Muslim sea” as the majority of the land was full of Arabs whose religion was muslim. Israel’s creation resembles that of a ghetto to an extent; it is discarded and looked down upon, the people there have in a sense no other place to go, and the final thing that can be noticed is made up of bits and pieces of random land.
The first reason that the state of Israel can be compared to that of a ghetto in a vast Muslim sea is it is surrounded by neighboring countries who despise and ridicule it constantly. After the WWII the world had opened up their hearts to jews sort to speak. As a direct result of the holocaust and the extermination of millions of jews the world gained a sense of responsibility and sorrow for not intervening. To make up for the injustice that happened to fall upon many jews amongst other ethnicity and religious groups, the state of Israel was created as a form of reconciliation. The state of Palestine was split up into sections and divided Jordan, the Gaza strip, and the West Bank. Many landed was given to the jewish community and the Arabs felt that is was being taken away from them. This sparked animosity between the two cultures. As most of the surrounding countries had a majority of Muslims they felt a lot of anger. Much of this anger was directed toward Israel and it can be seen by constant terrorist attacks and in the tension between the surrounding countries. The United States however has supported Israel and gave them both money and weapons, as a result Israel has been able to defend itself. There has been a lot of mistrust and angst against many of Israel’s neighboring countries with the US and the fact that Israel is seen as the US puppet does not help their case.
The creation of Israel was meant to be a secure home for those that had no other place to go. Many of the Jewish population was spread out all over the world right after WWII, the creation of Israeli state meant they could come together and live as one nation. A ghetto can be a place in which people gather that have no where else to go. Israel could be seen as a ghetto in this way. It was created right in the middle of a vast Muslim community. The Jewish community believe that this is their home and that the land that they now occupy belongs to them and has for thousands of years. They feel as if this is the only place for them. Unfortunately many of the nations around it feel as it is their home, that the Jewish community lost their home long ago if they even believe that it was theirs. Both religions see Jerusalem as the origin of their people and beliefs. Similar to those that live in a ghetto a sense of home is very important, and the creation of the Israeli state revealed that having a home is very important.
Ghettos are often made up of the scraps of cities, tossed aside and forgotten. The creation of the Israeli state however differs from a ghetto. It is the best part of a beautiful land. It is made up of bits of land from areas all over. Unlike like a ghetto the actual land is desired by many and this is what causes many problems within the middle east. The Israeli state was given Jerusalem, this for many religions is huge as it is so closely tied to their peoples history. What can be seen all over the world in ghettos today is poverty and violence. Israeli shares these qualities and resembles a ghetto in that sense. War and terrorism is seen all over the state of Israel, its creation brought many violent demonstrations as it angered many.
The creation of Israel was positive and negative, accordingly similar impacts were seen as result. Many countries that had a major Muslim community felt as if it was a invasion and essentially this caused a separation within the middle east. This separation excluded israel from the world around it. However it became a home for any Jewish people that had nowhere else to go.