Israel has huge significance in the history of world religions. Judaism gave birth to Christianity and these two were later joined by the third “Peoples of the Book”, Islam. Whether it was called Canaan, Judea, Israel or Palestine it has been central to the meeting of East and West. Conquered by many, it changed again in the 20th century when the modern nation of Israel was created in 1948. Since then it has been part of the cold war and the various geopolitical clashes that have arisen. This course traces the history of Israel from ancient to modern times.

DELIVERY MODE

• Hybrid (F2F &Online simultaneously)

   

COURSE OUTLINE

• Israel in ancient and medieval times. The effects of religion on the people and ongoing conquest and occupation by various empires

• The forces leading to the creation of the modern state of Israel in 1948 from modern Zionism to the defeat of the Ottoman Empire and British occupation.

• Israel’s early years, establishing a modern state, developing allies and making enemies.

• The on-going conflict over land with the Palestinians has framed modern perceptions of Israel in the world. We look at these conflicts and how they are affecting Israel and her neighbours, as well as the overall Middle Eastern balance of power.

   

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

1. Discover the long history of Israel and how ancient times have impacted on today’s Israel.
2. Know the circumstances surrounding the creation and growth of the modern state of Israel.
3. Understand why Israel is still seen by many as a controversial state and where the internal and external conflicts are heading.