BEFORE YOU WATCH: Conflict in Israel and Palestine

Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below.

Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below (next in the lineup!). If you want to learn more about this strategy, click here.

First read: preview and skimming for gist

Before you watch, you should skim the transcript first. The skim should be very quick and give you the gist (general idea) of what the video is about. You should be looking at the title, thumbnails, pictures, and first few seconds of the video for the gist.

Second read: key ideas and understanding content

Now that you’ve skimmed the video transcript and taken a quick peek at the video, you should preview the questions you will be answering. These questions will help you get a better understanding of the concepts and arguments that are presented in the video. Keep in mind that when you watch the video, it is a good idea to write down any vocab you read or hear that is unfamiliar to you.

By the end of the second close read, you should be able to answer the following questions:

John Green describes the life of the musician Wasif Jawhariyyeh. What claim does this evidence support?
How did Theodor Herzl’s views on Jewish people’s nation change over time? How might his context have affected his views?
What was the principal problem with the British promise of Palestine to the Zionists?
How did the British rule Palestine? What happened after the British withdrew from Palestine?
What happened in 1948? What different narratives are there about this time?
What is an intifada?
What are the two contrasting nationalist visions of Palestine and Israel, according to John Green?

Third read: evaluating and corroborating

Finally, here are some questions that will help you focus on why this video matters and how it connects to other content you’ve studied.

At the end of the third read, you should be able to respond to these questions:

John Green argues that because the conflict in Palestine and Israel has a recent history and isn’t millennia old, it is not intractable. In other words, understanding the fact that a conflict has specific origins in the recent past makes it more possible to resolve it. Do you find this argument convincing? Why or why not?
In this video, John Green talks about the competing nationalist visions of Palestine and Israel. What does this claim tell us about “nationalism” in the world today, and how does that inform our view of “communities” today?

Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to watch! Remember to return to these questions once you’ve finished watching.

Want to join the conversation?

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Cole B.
Posted 2 years ago. Direct link to Cole B.'s post “I am confused on the very...”
I am confused on the very last question talking about Nationalism today. Can you answer it please?
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(2 votes)
Answer
- David Alexander
  Posted 2 years ago. Direct link to David Alexander's post “You should be able to rea...”
  You should be able to read the article again and find what the author, John Green, wrote about the nationalist visions of each side. Once you have found each of these, you'll have the answer to your question.
  Comment on David Alexander's post “You should be able to rea...”
  (1 vote)