Readings and videos: Histories of Jewish Peoplehood, Zionism and Israel
With restricted permission of the JNF/KKL 1978

We recommend summaries of  modern Israeli politics, history, and culture.  The classic review of  is “Zionism” discussed from biblical origins, including the  ancient kingdoms, peoplehood, messianism, and stirrings to renewal for Eretz Yisrael.  This is found in the Jewish Encyclopedia, 1906, Vol VIII, 40 pages; 

In addition, we suggest,   “The Zionist Movement”  reprinted from  The Israel Yearbook, 1950-1951, pp. 23-34; 

For an understanding of Jewish state building, Forming a Nucleus for the Jewish State 1882-1947. (espanol) (Hebrew)

Arab-Israeli Conflict Timeline (Spanish

Find short histories:

Jewish history from Abraham to Herzl (Espanol) (Hebrew) (Portuguese) (Polish

1897’s First Zionist Congress to May 1948  (Espanol) (Hebrew) (Portuguese) (Polish)

Jewish Connection to the land of Israel 

in prayer (Spanish)  

in the biblical covenants (Spanish)

Theodor Herzl, The Jewish State,  (Spanish)  (Hebrew)

1897 Max Nordau address at the First Zionist Congress 

Balfour Declaration (Spanish) (Hebrew

History of Palestine Mandate 1920-1948 (Spanish) – Overview of 1920- 1928 

Land and Jewish Nationhood: the Making of the State, July 2022 (Michael Berger and Ken Stein – historical and political connection of Jews to the land of Israel (Video 40:00) – Biblical to Contemporary Times

How did the Zionists make the state? (Ken Stein, video 48:00), 2019.

Jewish Land Purchase in Palestine, the basis for the Jewish state (Hebrew)

Arab land sales to Zionists- the role of the JNF/KKL (Spanish)  (Hebrew)

Arabic Newspapers-  Arab land sales to Jews, 1929- 1949 

1938- Arab Leaders in Damascus believe a Jewish state is present

Palestinian Arab Leader rejects two states in 1939 (Arab source) (Spanish)

Arab Rejection of UN partition in 1947 and Israel’s success in the 1948 War resulted in Israel increase of 37% of the land area in Palestine, no Arab state was established in 1948-1949; Gaza was ruled by Egypt, the West Bank and parts of Jerusalem was governed by Jordan. As a result of the June 1967 War, Israel took control of the Golan Heights, Gaza Strip, the West Bank, the Sinai Peninsula, and reunified Jerusalem. In 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew from the Gaza Strip turning it over to the Palestinian Authority, an administrative outgrowth of the PLO. In 2007, Hamas toppled the PA and took control of the Gaza Strip, with the PA retaining its administration in Ramallah in the West Bank.

UN Partition of Palestine, 1947, (Spanish) (Hebrew)

Great Powers and the Middle East, 1945- present

1948 – Israel’s Declaration of Independence (Spanish

1945-1949 What happened in Palestinian Arab- Zionist relations?  (Video 46:00) 

(Avraham Sela and Alon Kadish), 2022

History of the 1948 War

Yigal Allon,  How the Zionists/Israelis won the 1948 War, 1952 Sefer Haplamach

June 3, 1967, Prelude to the 1967 War- Ambassador Gideon Rafael, at the UN    (Hebrew)

Israel’s Road to the June 1967 War

UN Security Council Resolution 242

The October 1973 War – A Short History (Spanish)

1978 Carter’s Search for Middle East Peace–  4:00 video

1978 and 1979 Camp David and Egyptian- Israeli Peace Treaty–Begin, Sadat, and Carter (Dec 2019) Ken Stein -40:00  video

1979 – Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty 

The US – Israeli Relationship – Oxford Handbook on Israel to 1945-2020.

US-Israel Relations- 75 Years and On- webinar-November 2022

1993 Oslo Accords  (Hebrew)   (Spanish

1995 Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s Reasons for Signing the Oslo Accords

2020 Abraham Accords

2020 Inside story for Abraham Accords negotiated and signed,   (video 50:00)

2021 Identity and Politics in Israel  (video 30:46) Jonathan Rynhold, Bar Ilan University

2023 Israeli culture @75 in Words, Art, and Music (video 45:00)

Arabs of Palestine 1880s to present.

1938- Arab Leaders in Damascus believe a Jewish state is present

Palestinian Arab Leader rejects two states in 1939 (Arab source) (Spanish)

1945-1949 What happened in Palestinian Arab- Zionist relations? (video 46:00) (Avraham Sela and Alon Kadish), 2022

1946 – Arab Case for Palestine

1947 – Arab League Secretary General Rejects Partition of Palestine and creation of two states 

Why did the Palestinian Arabs prove unable to compete with the Zionists from 1945-1949 – What Arab historians said 

Arab Historiography of 1948-1948 – Musa Alami – Lessons of Palestine, 1948 

Arab Historiography of the 1948 war– how it is explained (1991 article)

1964 and 1968  –The PLO Charter and short history (Spanish) This covers a history of the Palestinians since 1947

Arab Peace Initiative, 2002  -includes Palestinian return to pre-1967 war  Israel borders  (Spanish)

Self-Analyses of the Palestinian Community, April 2021 (articles, assessments)

A Short History of Hamas (Spanish

Timeline –History of Hamas-Israel relations 

Multiple Sources for Israel-Hamas War (deep dives), 

Hamas-Israel War  maps,

Hamas statements to destroy Israel and kill Jews – 1988-2014 

Israel after the June 1967 War