Although I've read about the Balfour Declaration and this period in history before it always amazes me how much power Britian and to a lesser degree America had over this region. I suppose it can really be said for any of the major powers at different point in history and sometimes even still today. They spent a lot of time appointing different councils and essentially playing the two sides against each other with promises, often at their own benefit. Yet armstrong also says during the British occupation Jerusalem flourished. And it seems to have been a remotely peaceful time compared to previous occupations so I'm not really sure what to make of the power and control Britian exerted over the area.
I like when she compared the Exodus, journey through the desert, and final entrance into the Promised Land to the final State of Israel after the horrible catastrophe in concentration camps during World War II. And the experience of the Jewish soldiers again finally touching the wall feeling like they were in paradise after the six day war. The power of the city and it's history overtook their reasons for taking Jerusalem illegally, and had their plan for letting each religion continue to run its own holy shrines sat better with the israeli people maybe there wouldn't have been so much continued conflict.
I agree that it really interesting to see how much power the U.S and Britain had over this region, and to some extent, still has today. I think a lot of the complexities of this conflict have to do with outside powers meddling in this regions affairs. Like Professor Hermann said in our video conference, the reason this conflict can go on for so long is because each side has equal political power, and support from powerful allies. Its really surprising to see how much international interests have affected this situation.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up the point that Jerusalem is powerful. Looking throughout major historical events, it usually is a person/party that has the power. With Jerusalem it almost is the opposite. In a sense, Jerusalem is that dictator ruling its people. Just a thought that it is crazy that one small location has seen so many events.
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