PLAYING GOD IN SOMEONE ELSE’S HOY LAND

In 1949, the United Nations intervened in the Middle East, voting to split the city of Jerusalem in two. The split would follow the western wall of the Old City, divided between Israel and Jordan (Armstrong 387). This act of western interference was a totally isolated incident, as never before in human history has a more powerful state or group of states meddled in another’s affairs (except for, that is, with the English takeover of India in 1858, the Berlin Conference of 1884, British imperialism in China in the 20^th century, the seizing of Australia and New Zealand from the Aboriginals/Maoris, the European invasion and ensuing genocides of the America, Alexander the Great’s takeover of most of Europe, the Spanish conquests in south America, etc., etc.).

Like most instances of imperialism, both modern and ancient, it led to massive unrest and resistance from those whose power to govern themselves was suddenly taken away. This is the same with UN General Assembly Resolution 303, the mandate that ordered the splitting of the city of Jerusalem (ECF 2015). Thousands of people were suddenly exiled from their homes, forced to leave under the threat of military repercussions (Armstrong 387). Entire neighborhoods in Jerusalem were suddenly no longer allowed to exist, and leaders of Israel and Jordan were at odds, trying to do what was best for their respective people under the UN’s unwanted rules. This UN Resolution lead to vehement unrest, the likes of which are still experienced today, as the splitting of Palestine, and even just Jerusalem for that matter, is still an explosive and uneasy situation.

The UN, however, lost interest in the task in 1950, “taking no further action of the Jerusalem question” after April of that year (Armstrong 387). This childlike lack of interest is shocking but not surprising, however. Seen time and time again throughout history, imperialist nations get their hands dirty in someone else’s politics without trying to fully understand the gravity and intricacies of the peoples they’re meddling with. UN General Assembly Resolution 303 was decided upon in New York City by a collection of delegates from nations worldwide—none of which included a delegate from the areas in question.

This short-sighted and arrogant act of god-playing has left Jerusalem, Israel, and Palestine in a state of chaos. But the UN has seemingly given up, now coming to the conclusion that the divided state should figure its own problems out—funny, seeing as the root of their problem can somewhat be attributed to the UN and other imperialist acts of interference in the first place.

ECF. (2015). United Nations General Assembly Resolution 303 (1949). Retrieved 2019, from https://ecf.org.il/issues/issue/105

Image: https://giphy.com/gifs/jesus-reaction-deal-with-it-ibGFpMv1Uoais