The Emergence of Regionalism in a Centralized System: The Case of Israel

Gradus, Yehuda

doi:10.1068/d020087

Cited by 36 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…The growing involvement of Arabs in the 'political game' of municipal boundary changes has been a consequence of political transformations, in which the weak and passive Arab minority gained strength and turned more active. This transformation resembled the one that occurred in Israeli development towns, populated in the 1950s mainly by Jewish immigrants of Middle Eastern and North African origins (Gradus, 1984). In both cases, ethnic brokers, who mediated between the local population and the central party 'bosses', were initially replaced by a new generation of more capable, entrepreneurial and independent mayors, who also became more militant in its demands to annex land.…”

Section: Municipal Boundary Conflicts: Political or Professional Discmentioning

confidence: 95%

Municipal boundary conflicts between jewish and arab local authorities in israel: geography of administration or geopolitics?

Razin

Hazan²

2004

Geografiska Annaler: Series B, Human Geography

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Municipal boundaries shape the influence of local government on patterns of development and disparities. Based on a largely qualitative assessment of initiatives to change municipal boundaries of Arab localities in Israel between the 1960s and 2001, we aim to demonstrate the tension between geographicaladministrative considerations and political, particularly geopolitical, issues at two levels: Arab claims and central government decisions. We emphasize that municipal boundary conflicts provide broader insights on societal transformations and dilemmas, as well as influencing them. Growing activism of Arabs and trends of political decentralization led not only to class-based demands, but also to ethno-national-based demands. In addition to development needs with an emphasis on equality, claims of Arab municipalities also reflect aspirations to reverse consequences of the 1948 war and to redefine the Jewish essence of the state. A major dilemma among Arabs is whether to emphasize geographic-administrative justifications or to explicitly take the ethno-national path. Among central government decision-makers, an explicitly political discourse has apparently given way to a professional one, which faces dilemmas of incorporating unique political-cultural attributes of Arabs in professional assessments, and balancing them with concerns of security and state identity. Whereas professional jargon is not value free and can mask political agendas, dialogues based on a professional jargon could lead to solutions in otherwise dead-end political disputes, although such dialogues could gain momentum only if showing results.

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Section: Municipal Boundary Conflicts: Political or Professional Discmentioning

confidence: 95%

Municipal boundary conflicts between jewish and arab local authorities in israel: geography of administration or geopolitics?

Razin

Hazan²

2004

Geografiska Annaler: Series B, Human Geography

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“…Subsequently, the process of Israeli (Jewish) nation building has resembled the moulding of societies in other settler societies, such as the United States, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, or Latin America (GRADUS, 1984;KELLERMAN, 1993;SHAFIR, 1993). This nation building process has embodied problematic contacts with the country's indigenous population: the Palestinian-Arabs (K I M M ERLI N G, 1983;P ORTUGALI, 1993).…”

Section: Frontiers Nation Building and State Building Projectsmentioning

confidence: 98%

The Internal Frontier: Territorial Control and Ethnic Relations in Israel¹

Yiftachel

1996

Regional Studies

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YIFTACHEL 0. (1996) The internal frontier: territorial control and ethnic relations in Israel, Reg. Studies 30, 493-508. In settler societies the development of frontier regions has played an important role in the complementary processes of nation building and state building. However, studies of frontier and regional development have paid little attention to the creation of 'internal frontier' regions, where large concentrations of ethnic minorities exist within established multiethnic states. The present study proposes a theoretical framework for the understanding of internal frontiers, drawing on the physical, social and cultural characteristics of frontier colonization and settlement in pre-and post-state periods. It further argues that state policies in such areas are marked by constant attempts to exert territorial control over minority populations. The paper then illustrates the above propositions, by analysing in detail Israel's policies and their impact on a typical Arab village in the Galilee -one of Israel's internal frontier regions. The analysis concentrates on the content, implementation and consequences of Israel's spatial policies. These policies have indeed been marked by a consistent attempt for territorial control over the Arabs in the village, as part ofan internal frontier environment. Consequently, Israel's policies have worked to erode the village's land resources, contain its residential development, encircle it with Jewish settlements and m a n i d a t e its administrative and Dlannine boundaries. The analysis has thus demonstrated the heavy toll exerted " by internal !?ontier policies on residents of a minority village. Frontier development Palestinian Arabs Ethnic conflict YIFTACHEL 0. (1966) La frontitre interne: le contrBle territorial et les rapports ethniques en Israel, Reg. Studies 30, 493-508. Dans des socittts compostes de colonisateurs le dtveloppement des rtgions fkontalitres a jout un rBle important des les processus compltmentaires, i savoir la construction des nations et des ttats. Toujours est-il que des etudes du developpement frontaher et rtgional n'ont gutre port6 sur I'ttablissement des regions de 'frontitres internes', oh de fortes concentrations de minoritts ethniques existent au sein des ttats multiethniques bien ttablis. LaprCsente ttude propose une base thtorique qui permet une comprthension des frontitres internes, puisant dans les caracttristiques physiques, sociales et culturelles de la colonisation frontalitre au cours des pCriodes avant et aprts la construction des ttats. En outre, on soutient que les politiques d'etat dans de tels domaines sont marqutes par des tentatives continuelles vistes i exercer du contrde territorial sur les populations minoritaires.

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“…This sparsely populated dry region, constituting over 60% of the country's land area and less than 7% of its population, represents a peripheral frontier area in Israel's highly centralized political and economic system (Gradus, 1984). Nevertheless, the availability of land at low prices and the relative lack of regional planning constraints made the Negev the ideal region for the location oflarge immigrant housing projects of all types, including those which employed lightweight construction.…”

Section: Considerations Of Central Authoritiesmentioning

confidence: 99%