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History of the Middle East
Located at the juncture of Asia, Africa and Europe, the Middle East has been one of the centers of ancient civilization. Today it continues its historic significance as it provides much of the world's energy through its oil resources.
5,104 Questions
Why was Israel declared a state?
1) Why a Jewish State: Herzl explained quite well that the European concept of a nation-state was dependent on the idea that all of the people in any particular nation were of the same ethnic stock and heritage. Jews were branded by this system to be "the Other" and were regarded at best as possible equals and at worse as traitors, spies, thieves, and fifth columns. When the Dreyfus Affair turned out marches in Paris that said "Death to the Jews" on account of a kangaroo court against a particular guiltless Jew, it became clear that the Jew could not be integrated into Europe. After the Holocaust, the strongest proof that the Jew and the European Nation-State were irreconcilable, this view persists. In Europe, it is now directed at the Muslims since the Jews are not large enough of a threat to the European System. Unlike Muslims, though, which can return to their countries of origin if the discrimination becomes intolerable, the Jews did not have such a place. This is why the Jewish State is necessary. Since it came into existence it has accepted Jewish political refugees from over 50 nations and flown missions at its own expense to rescue Jews from at least 10 nations.
2) Why in the Land of Israel: Ahad Ha'am explains that the Jewish Soul is intrinsically connected to his history and in the same way that a German-American can never be as properly German as a German in Germany, the People of Israel can never be as properly Jewish if they are not in the Land of Israel. The relics in that land speak to a Jewish sensibility and character. There are also religious reasons as expounded by Rav Avraham Kook which posit that the development of a Jewish State in Israel hastens the arrival of the Messiah. There are additional political reasons why Palestine and not Europe. As explained above, the European Culture is strongly anti-Other and making a Jewish State there would have fostered much more contempt and alienation (ironically).
Where were the Phoenicians located in relation to Israel?
The Phoenicians had numerous colonies, but the central Phoenician area was in central Lebanon, which is due north of Israel along the coast. Phoenician colonies ringed the Mediterranean, making all of them further west than Israel, but some were due west (like Carthage), and others were northwest (like Greece or Spain).
It is said that Reza Shah Pahlavi was 6 feet 4 inches tall. This, however, was exaggerated due to this commanding presence. In reality, the Shah was only 6 feet tall. Pahlavi, of course, served as the Shah of Iran from December 15, 1925 to September 16, 1941.
How did Israel come to control the occupied territories?
As concerns West Jerusalem, Israelis took that relatively early in the Jewish-Arab Engagement of 1947-1949. There were a large number of armed Jewish Militias in West Jerusalem and they were able to use their position to prevent Arab incursions. The Jews in the Old City, however, were forced out. The Old City of Jerusalem was taken by Israel in the Six Day War when, on the third day, Israeli troops both launched a ground assault as well as using paratroopers. East Jerusalem was taken on the fourth day of the Six Day War as Israeli troops effectively pushed the Jordanian soldiers to the East Bank of the Jordan River and blew up the bridges that cross it.
Will there be peace between Israel and Palestine?
Religious Answer
The Bible says that there will be seven years of peace in Israel, then the end of the world. So yes, there will be in the future.
Practical Answer
A number of things would have to take place before a long-standing peace (as opposed to a mere cessation of hostilities) could take place. There are other requisites, but there are the most important.
1) Mutual Recognition: Israel would need to recognize a completely independent and sovereign Palestinian Government that would fully control a certain amount of the former British Mandate of Palestine (most likely Gaza and the West Bank). Israel would also have to confer on this state the unambiguous nature of being correct and necessary for Israel. Conversely, Palestine would have to recognize the Right for Israel to Exist as a Jewish State occupying the remaining amount of the British Mandate of Palestine (most likely 1949-Israel). Both sides would have to recognize the historical and emotional value that the land also has to the other.
2) Regional/International Recognition: States that have adopted attitudes strongly favoring one side at the expense of the other, such as the Arab States would need to recognize the legitimacy of both Israel and Palestine.
3) Israeli Reparation Payments: Israel dispossessed many Palestinians of their property, either by malicious activities that took place during the Arab-Israeli Wars or by Ben-Gurion refusing to let Palestinians who left return after the 1948-9 War. Israel needs to pay the Palestinian government reparations for the land that was taken in this way.
4) Israeli Withdrawal from the Settlements: Israel must withdraw from the Settlements to provide Palestine with a viable infrastructure and complete sovereignty. The Settlers must return to Israeli territory. The buildings, however, should be left as partial payment of the above-mentioned reparations.
5) Palestinians Must Concede Right of Return: Recognizing the State of Israel as a Jewish State is meaningless if Palestinians en masse are allowed to Return to Israel. Therefore, Palestinians (and their backers) must abandon the notion that they can ever return to Israeli territory. Palestinians should leave the refugee camps and become proper citizens in this new country of Palestine.
6) Jerusalem Must Be Shared or Internationalized:Palestine and Israel both want Jerusalem and the only way to solve this is either divide the city East/West respectively and divide the Old City or Internationalize the City or some combination of Internationalization and division. Neither side will rest until it can assure its followers that its holy sites will be protected.
7) Liberal Thought: Just in general, people have to be willing to compromise and live with that compromise.
How much is it to stay one night at the burj al Arab?
Well *one* room *per night* is about *7,490* but that's just the *starting price* and if you want a *nicer* room then price is about *14,000* *per night* which just about reaches a new level of ridiculous. I thought the *Bellagio in Vegas was expensive!*
When did the Arabs arrive in Africa?
Arab armies conquered Egypt in 640 C.E. and finally reached and conquered Morocco and 680 C.E. All of Northern Africa was added to the Islamic Caliphates in the interim 40 years.
How many Arabs are not Muslim?
The above site has figures for the early 1990s. The population of the 'Arab world' was said to be 236 million, of whom 17.9 million or 7.9 per cent were not Muslims.
Of course, there are also Arabs living outside the 'Arab world', An American Arab Institute site says that there are about 3 million Arabs in the USA, of whom 77 per cent are Christians.
Answer 1
It is certainly not a bad country, but it has a bad government (currently Ahmadinejad).
Answer 2
Iran is not a bad country per se, and most people who know about Iran have nothing but love and appreciation for its people. However, the government of Iran is very problematic in terms of its constitution and its political aims.
The government of Iran has a very poor human rights record. Some of the offenses of the government include:
- Targeting religious minorities, especially those from religions that Iran does not recognize such as Yazidi, Yarsan, Baha'i, Azali, etc., but generally from any faith other than Shiite Islam, including Sunni Islam, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, and Christianity. It is illegal, for example, to build Sunni mosques in most major Iranian cities, apostasy or conversions out of Islam are considered a death penalty offense, and Baha'i are routinely attacked by government-sanctioned thugs.
- Iran actively maintains a secret police (VEVAK) that kills dissidents to the regime, especially writers and politicians
- Iran also maintains discrimination in women's dress, requiring women to wear the chador or hijaab while having no equivalent requirement for men. Additionally, since women cannot become clergy in Shiite Islam, women are de facto excluded from serving on Iran's national judiciary, which is made up entirely of clergy. There are insufficient protections for women who are raped or the vitim of other sexual crimes in Iran.
- Iran maintains that homosexual sex acts are death penalty crimes and routinely executes homosexuals. Transgender individuals are also targeted under homosexuality laws even though they are not homosexuals.
- Iran also represses ethnic minorities such as the Kurds and Balochis who want increased autonomy, if not independence.
Iran also has numerous foreign policy aims that pose stability problems for other countries, including:
- Supporting Hezbollah and the Assad government while those organizations continue to murder and torture innocent Lebanese and Syrians.
- Iran has made statements and financial actions which evince an intent to remove Israel from the map.
- Iran is actively pursuing nuclear energy and likely pursuing weapons, both in violation to its international obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Iran's constituion also prevents the people from effectively choosing the government's policy by giving the unelected Supreme Council of Ayatollahs effective control over which candidates can run for political office as well as an overriding veto over any political policy chosen by the Majlis and President of Iran (the elected branches).
1. A member of an ancient Semitic people who dominated trade in the first millennium B.C.
2. The extinct language of an ancient Semitic people who dominated trade in
the ancient world.
Of or relating to or characteristic of Phoenicia or its inhabitants.
It's rock-cut architecture and water conduct system is co grate . Another name for Petra is the Rose City due to the color of the stone out of which it is carved.The city of Petra seems to be the beginning and the end of a magical journey in Jordan for many visitors.In fact, the Nabataean city of Petra is so spectacular that it is not only famous in Jordan but also the entire Middle East.Petra lies on the slope of Mount Hor and close to the town of Wadi Musa .One of the first things that can be seen around the entrance to Petra are three huge blocks, standing 6 to 8 meters high.
Which was not a characteristic of Sumerian civilization?
Nomadism
Which was not a characteristic of Sumerian civilization?
Why do Muslim houses have courtyards?
Answer 1
So women can go about their outside tasks with out being seen by people outside the family.
Answer 2
This is not specifically a Muslim phenomenon. It existed throughout the Middle East long before the Arabs invaded the Levant and Mesopotamia. Houses of the same style can also be found in Italy (most famously Piazza Strozzi) and in Spain (most famously Casa de Pilatos). It was an issue of privacy and cleanliness. The privacy issue is easy to understand. You could move about your backyard without anyone seeing you. The cleanliness issue comes from the cities. In the Ancient and Medieval periods, there was no modern sanitation or general respect for property of others. a front lawn would quickly be filled with trash and become disgusting and unhealthy for the house occupants. By having an internal yard, the members of the house could make sure the area stayed beautiful and picturesque.
As persecutions forced the Jews to move to various countries, they brought their religion with them. Converts weren't actively sought, but there were some non-Jews who converted, including large numbers in a couple of instances (Exodus 12:38; and the Idumeans in the Hasmonean era. See also Esther 8:17).
What is the relative location of Babylon?
deprises in the fertile mestopatamia beetween the tigres and euphrates rivers
What did secretary kissinger engage in to reach a cease fire between israel and Arab nations?
"Shuttle diplomacy". He spent a few weeks flying back and forth between Tel Aviv and the various Arab capitals because the Arab leaders refused to meet with Israel, and all the borders were sealed.
The Arab Spring is said to have been triggered by the self-immolation of a Tunisian street vendor, Mohamed Bouazizi, in protest at his treatment by government officials. This initiated the Tunisian Revolution, and further acts of self-immolation took place across the Arab world to encourage protest against the corruption and violence that was so rife within the countries. Although there had always been public dissent, Bouazizi's protest was the start of the Arab Spring.
What country did israel take the west bank from in 1967?
Before World War I, the area ka the West Bank was considered a part of the province of Syria within the Ottoman Empire. In 1920, by the decisions of the victorious Allies, the area became ka the British Mandate of Palestine. After World War II, the area was captured during the Arab-Israeli War of 1948, and annexed by Jordan. Jordan maintained rule over the area until 1967, even though Jordanian claims found no major international recognition other than by the United Kingdom. Israelcaptured the West Bank during the Six-Day War of June 1967. But Jordan made no official relinquishment of claims to the land until 1988.
Why are the Egyptian pyramids triangular in shape?
The pyramids of Egypt were built in a triangular shape to represent a mound. The shape was a representation of the Egyptian belief that the Earth came from a mound.
Note that while the pyramids are triangular from the side, they actually occupy a square footprint (i.e. square pyramids). This was in order to align the pyramids with the cardinal directions.
When was the start of the high middle ages?
The Middle Ages lasted 1000 years, from around the year 400 to 1400. This is the period of time that the Black Death decimated much of Europe.
According to the 1932 census which religious group held the most power in Lebanon?
Religion groups that held most power in Lebanon are Muslims and Christians. To be more specific, in Muslims, Sunnis, and in Christians Maronite. Those 2 sects held the ability in Lebanon. As well as, the Muslim Shias.
