Ironically what led to the Ottomans being dominant in the early part of its existence (taxes on the dhimmis) ultimately led to its downfall. Can't have a nation if all it takes to not serve in the army or be subject to the law of the land is to pray to god differently or speak a different language (millet system). If the Turks had culturally converted its conquered peoples in the same ways the Russians did, the empire would have fared a lot better in the 1800s.
some good reading here: https://a.co/d/01WmKyL it's been a very long time since I read it, so I should defer Ottoman Expert Mode in this thread for the moment.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rise_of_nationalism_in_the_Ottoman_Empire Early Ottoman Empire Jews in the Ottoman Empire had a higher quality of life and freedom than Jews in any other part of the world. The Ottoman Empire accepted Jewish refugees from France, Spain, and many other places. Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II established the Hakham Bashi, as the Rabbi of a particular region, with the Hakham Bashi of Constantinople being the most powerful.[26] In 1492, Sultan Bayezeid II ordered governors of Ottoman provinces to accept Jewish immigration and to do so cordially. This order was in response to the Alhambra Decree, that ordered for the expulsion of Jews from the Iberian Peninsula. This resulted in a mass exodus of Jews, and due to the high level of freedom enjoyed by Ottoman Jews, many looked to immigrate to Ottoman territory. In 1492 alone, roughly 60,000 Jews arrived in the Ottoman empire.[27] In 1516, Ottoman Turks invaded and took control of Palestine. They controlled this land until the end of World War I, over 400 years later. Palestine contained the majority of religiously significant site and was considered the biblical homeland of the Jews.[28] The land has a similar religious significance to both Islam and Christianity as well. As the Ottoman Empire grew, there had been Jewish communities existing in much of their empire.[29] Due to the isolated structure of Ottoman Jews, many Jewish communities developed independent of each other, and lacking of any national Jewish identity or common culture. The Jewish community was incredibly diverse due to the Jewish refugees from various countries. The Jewish communities also varied in ethnicities and languages.[30] Zionist Movement See Also: Zionist Movement Theodor Herzl, early leader of the Zionist movement While the Ottoman Empire became a safe space for Jews, parts of Europe saw increased violence and anti-semitism against Jews. Violent uprisings against Jews took place all over Eastern Europe in the Late 19th century, and civil rights of Jews were extremely limited.[31] Zionism is an international political movement; although started outside the Ottoman Empire, Zionism regards the Jews as a national entity and seeks to preserve that entity. This has primarily focused on the creation of a homeland for the Jewish People in the Promised Land, and (having achieved this goal) continues as support for the modern state of Israel. Although its origins are earlier, the movement became better organized and more closely linked with the imperial powers of the day following the involvement of the late 19th century Austro-Hungarian Jewish journalist Theodor Herzl, who is often credited as the father of the Zionist movement. Herzl He formed the World Zionist Organization and called for the First Zionist Congress in 1897.[32] The movement was eventually successful in establishing Israel in 1948, as the world's first and only modern Jewish State. Described as a "diasporanationalism,"[33] its proponents regard it as a national liberation movement whose aim is the self-determination of the Jewish people. The objective of Zionism grew into the desire to form a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Early in the movement, there were many competing theories regarding the best avenue to achieve Jewish autonomy. The Jewish Territorial Organization represented a popular proposal. The organization supported finding a location, besides Palestine, for Jewish settlement.[34] Non-territorial autonomy was another popular theory. This was a principle that allowed for groups to self govern themselves without their own state. The Millet system in the Ottoman Empire allowed for this and was used by Orthodox Christians, Armenians, and even Jews. This gave Jews significant legislative and governing powers in the Ottoman Empire. Jews weren't on the same social hierarchy as Muslims in the Ottoman Empire, however, they still enjoyed many protections as they were considered people of the book. This relative autonomy allowed for the formation of many Jewish ideas and practices, increasing the common identity.[35] As the goal of the Zionist movement grew, many Jews already living in the Ottoman Empire wanted to leverage their relative autonomy into settlement of Palestine. Eventually, the form of Zionism with Palestine as the intended homeland prevailed among the competing theories. Palestine was chosen due to the religious and historical significance of the region. Also, the declining power and financial struggles of the Ottoman Empire was seen as an opportunity.[36] Wealthy and powerful Jews began to put their ideas into action.[37]
Jewish Settling of Palestine See Also: First Aliyah, Second Aliyah Herzl founded the Jewish-Ottoman Land Company. Its objective was to acquire land in Palestine, for settlement of Jews, through political channels with the Ottoman Empire. Herzl repeatedly visited Istanbul and engaged in negotiations and meetings with Ottoman officials. In 1901, Herzl was able to have a meeting with Sultan Abdul Hamid and insinuated that he had access to Jewish credit that he could help the Ottoman Empire pay off debt. The company was initially successful, however, it eventually faced opposition from Arabs and the government.[38] These negotiations are incredibly noteworthy considering Herzl was not a government official of any kind; he was just a private citizen. Jewish settlers during the First Aliyah The Jewish National Fund functioned similarly. It was a fund directed for land purchasing in Palestine. By 1921, around 25,000 acres had been purchased by the Fund in Palestine. Immigration of Jewish people into Palestine in 4 periods or Aliyahs.[39] The first took place between 1881 and 1903, resulting in around 25,000 immigrating. The second took place between 1904 and 1914, resulting in around 35,000 Jews immigrating.[40] The increased Jewish population and Jewish land in Israel furthered the formation of a Jewish national identity. As the population and property owned by Jews increased in Palestine, support and backing continued to grow. However, so did tensions with other groups, especially Muslim Arabs. Arabs saw the massive Jewish immigration and financial interest in the region as threatening.[41]
Outside of Palestine Areas in the Ottoman Empire, besides Palestine contained significant Jewish presence. Iraq, Tunisia, Turkey, Greece, and Egypt all had large and formidable Jewish populations. Most of these populations could trace their lineage in these areas back thousands of years to biblical times. Turkey Bursa was one of the first cities with a Jewish population conquered by the Ottomans when it was conquered in 1324. The Jewish inhabitants helped the Ottoman army, and they were allowed to return to the city. The Ottomans then granted the Jewish people a certain level of autonomy. This early interaction helped set the standard for Ottoman - Jewish interaction throughout the remainder of Ottoman rule.[44] Istanbul quickly became a cultural center for Jews in the near east. Jews were able to prosper in many high skill fields, such as the medical field. This elevated social status resulted in even more freedom and ability to solidify Jewish identities. Iraq The Siege of Baghdad in 1258 by the Mongols led to the ruin of Baghdad and end of the Abbasid Dynasty. Baghdad was left depopulated and many surviving residents left and moved elsewhere.[45] In 1534, the Ottomans captured Baghdad from the Persians. Baghdad had not seen a strong Jewish population since before the Mongol raid.[46] Many Jewish communities existed in small, isolated areas around Mesopotamia at the time. However, a resurgence in the Jewish population was seen in Baghdad after the Ottoman capture. Jews from Kurdistan, Syria, and Persia began to migrate back into Baghdad. Zvi Yehuda refers to this as the "new Babylonian Diaspora." Jewish population and strength continued to grow in Iraq in the following centuries. In 1900, around 50,000 Jews lived in Baghdad, making up nearly a quarter of its population. Jews played very important roles in Iraqi life and culture. The first Minister of Finance in Iraq, Sassoon Eskell, was even Jewish.[citation needed] Baghdad, and other Iraqi cities were able to function as a Jewish cultural and religious hub throughout Ottoman rule.[47] This freedom and autonomy helped for the development of a strong national Jewish ideology. Syria Jewish roots in Syria can date back to Biblical times, and strong Jewish communities have been present in the region since Roman rule. An influx of Jewish settlers came to Syria after the Alhambra Decree in 1492.[48] Aleppo and Damascus were two main centers. Qamishli, a Kurdish town, also became a popular destination. The Aleppo Codex, a manuscript of the Hebrew Bible written in Tiberias, was kept at the Central Synagogue of Aleppo for nearly 600 years of Ottoman Rule. The synagogue was believed by some to have initially been constructed around 1000 BCE by Joab ben Zeruiah, the nephew and General of King David's army.[49] Inscriptions in the Synagogue date back to 834 CE. The heavy migration of Spanish and Italian Jews into Syria resulted in tension between Jewish groups already in the country. This tension was caused by differences in practices and languages. Many of the new residents spoke different languages, especially the Spanish. However, as generations passed, the descendants of Spanish and Italian settlers began to use these languages less and less. Jews continued to rise in status and power in Syria during Ottoman rule. Many Christians held angst against the rapidly increasing Jewish class causing poor relations between the two groups.[50] Greece During Ottoman rule, Jewish communities in Greece were able to thrive. Thessaloniki proved to be a formidable Jewish center. In 1603, around 68% of the cities population was Jewish. Many Sephardic Jews came to Thessaloniki after their expulsion from the Iberian Peninsula in 1492. The vast Sephardic immigration allowed Thessaloniki to be hub for diverse Jewish ideas. This large presence and advancement of Jews served as a strong national symbol of Jewish prosperity.[51] Thessaloniki was referred to as the "Jerusalem of the Balkans."[52] This Jewish dominance of Thessaloniki continued through the end of Ottoman rule. In around 1900, Jews still made up nearly half of Thessaloniki's 170,000 person population. Jews in Thessaloniki enjoyed a strategic and important location as a port in the Trans-Mediterranean trade network. 19th and 20th century Thessaloniki is commonly referred to as the "Golden Age" and especially for its Jewish inhabitants. The successfulness and prosperity enjoyed by Thessaloniki began to be used as an example of a Jewish state and proof that the concept would succeed.
So while Western Europeans were expelling their Jewish populations, the Ottomans were treating them better (comparatively).
They had stockpiled enough rockets for at least 75 days. Do you realize how much "humanitarian aid" went into this??
I think that misses the point. The question that should be asked is "were Muslims and Jews safer and living more complete conflict free lives before the Balfour Declaration in this specific region when the region was ruled by the dhimi system with these semi-autonomous villages that just paid taxes and had no other interference in how they lived their lives and expressed their culture.
Of course Bibi did - he wants lebensraum for Jewish settlements in Gaza and Westbank...... the West won't let him just kill them all, so the second best thing is to push them into Egypt for eternity.
