1913: Seeds of Conflict

Gr 9 Up—This excellent documentary examines the origins of the Israeli-Arab conflict. In the 19th-century Ottoman Empire, Sephardic Jews lived harmoniously with Arabs and Christians. From 1880 to 1902, Ashkenazic Jews from Eastern Europe escaping pogroms arrived and began living on farmland inhabited by Bedouins but owned by absentee Arab landowners. A clash of cultures and languages ensued, all very well explained in this recounting. From 1902, a second wave of immigration from Russia brought Marxist and socialist Jews who established agricultural collectives, soon to become kibbutzim. Arab landholders sold to Jews property for inflated prices. Jewish workers provided the labor, and Arab laborers were dismissed. Misunderstandings and insults escalated. Meanwhile, worldwide political movements were growing, including Zionism and nationalism, which threatened the unity of the empire. When World War I began, the rift was cemented. Historians speaking different languages (with subtitles) discuss the tearing of society during these essential years, emphasizing how complex the region was and still is. The program clearly defines some of the complex history and personalities involved in this difficult and emotional topic.