In this episode we begin our discussion of the Nakba and the Israeli War of Independence - twin events that lie at the heart of so many of the political dynamics of the region today. On the one hand, 1948 marked the realization of the Zionist dream with the foundation of the first Jewish state in two millennia, marking an end to the cycle of Jewish oppression and refugee status. On the other hand, it also marked the shattering of Palestinian Arab society, including not only defeat in war, but also ethnic cleansing and the expulsion of some 700K-800K Palestinians from their homes. As we note in the episode, these are two sides of the same coin, and understanding how and why they happened is critical to resolving this long lasting crisis.

This episode covers the period from Feb 1947 to the UN partition vote on Nov. 29, 1947.

jump links:

Intro (1:32)

on ethnic cleansing (9:40)

importance of context (16:40)

the ethnic cleansing of MENA (25:55)

consequences of the Nakba (32:29)

a story of liberation (37:54)

the partition (41:06)

Jewish and Arab reactions (58:25)

global reactions (1:05:25)

conclusion (1:09:58)

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