Key Terms in Israeli and Palestinian History

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Zionism

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A movement for the return of the Jewish people to their homeland and the resumption of Jewish sovereignty in Israel.

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Kibbutz

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A collective farming community in Israel where people live and work together, sharing property and responsibilities.

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Balfour Declaration

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A 1917 statement by the British government expressing support for a 'national home for the Jewish people' in Palestine.

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Haganah

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A Jewish paramilitary group in British Mandate Palestine that later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

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1939 White Papers

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A British policy limiting Jewish immigration to Palestine, in response to Arab opposition, during World War II.

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The Knesset

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Israel’s parliament or legislative body.

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The Law of Return

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An Israeli law that gives Jews anywhere in the world the right to move to Israel and gain citizenship.

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Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO)

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An organization founded in 1964 to represent the Palestinian people and their goal of creating an independent Palestinian state.