Part Two: The Origins of Terror in Palestine
Summary
Host Matt Rogers and guest Dr. Donna Halkert examine Vladimir Jabotinsky’s role in forming the Jewish Legion during WWI to secure British support for Zionism. They discuss the brutal Ottoman deportations, the rise of right-wing Zionist militias like the Haganah, and the escalating violence that eroded intercommunal trust. The episode also profiles Jacob Israel Dahan, a controversial poet whose experiences in Palestine led him from secular Zionism to ultra-Orthodox anti-Zionism.
Topics discussed
Intro, guest Dr. Donna Halkert, and ad reads
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WWI in Palestine: British-Jewish alliance and Ottoman deportations
Ottoman persecution, famine, and the dissolution of Jewish guards
Post-war tensions, Nebimusa riots, and British mandate politics
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1920 Nebimusa riots, Jabotinsky's imprisonment, and rise of militias
Jacob Dahan: Queer writer, anti-Zionism, and his assassination
Jaffa-Tel Aviv brothels and cross-community social dynamics
1929 Western Wall riots and escalation of communal violence
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Hebron massacre, Irgun formation, and Great Arab Revolt (1936-39)
Patron disaster, British policy failures, and legacy of violence
Outro and final ad reads
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