The Fault Line Emma Gargus

The Fault Line= metaphorical line separating the Palestinian Arabs and the Israeli Jews Describes the ethnic and religious tensions growing between the Palestinians and the Jews living and working together in Israel Eventually, the fault line would cause a metaphorical “earthquake,” the Intifada

Attempts at Assimilation “Israelification”: assimilation into Israeli customs and culture, business practices, and general society. Israeli government was so strong it could “absorb the shock waves and tremors along the fault line” (Friedman 323). Israeli government blurred the edge of the fault line to create a feeling of national unity, thereby holding off the earthquake as long as possible.

Other Alternatives? Palestinians were dependent on the Israeli economy, so they could organize an uprising or participate in civil disobedience. Palestinians were “not willing to endure the economic and personal hardships that mass civil disobedience would have entailed” (329). Less extreme civil disobedience: shirt wearing. Indicative of Palestinian nationalism/pride and Palestinians’ true loyalties… the Earthquake is coming…

Palestinian Alienation Arrests, holding men without charges, etc. “Palestinian”=“terrorist” Even though the Israeli government thought these actions were neutralizing the fault line, these actions exacerbated problems and led the the Intifada.