Rashid Ismail Khalidi (Arabic: رشيد خالدي; born November 18, 1948) is a Palestinian-American historian specializing in the Middle East. He is the Edward Said Professor Emeritus of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University and a renowned scholar of Palestinian history and identity.
Academic Career
Khalidi retired from Columbia University on October 8, 2024. At Columbia, he served as Chair of the History Department, Director of the Middle East Institute, and co-founder of the Center for Palestine Studies. He also served as editor (2002–2020) and later co-editor (2020–present) of the Journal of Palestine Studies. Previously, he taught at the Lebanese University, the American University of Beirut, Georgetown University, and the University of Chicago, where he directed the Middle East Center and the Center for International Studies.
He holds a B.A. in History from Yale University (1970) and a D.Phil. in Modern History from Oxford University (1974), where he was a member of St. Antony’s College.
Contributions and Recognitions
Khalidi has been a pivotal figure in Middle Eastern studies. He served as President of the Middle East Studies Association and was an advisor to the Palestinian delegation during the Madrid and Washington Arab-Israeli peace negotiations (1991–1993).
He has received numerous fellowships and grants from prestigious institutions, including the Ford Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the MacArthur Foundation. He was also awarded a Fulbright research fellowship.
As an academic mentor, Khalidi has supervised or co-supervised over 50 Ph.D. dissertations and served as a second or third reader on more than 50 others.
Publications
Khalidi is the author of eight acclaimed books, many of which have been translated into multiple languages. Notable works include:
The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine:
A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917-2017 (2020), a New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller, winner of the MEMO Palestine Book Award.
Brokers of Deceit: How the U.S. Has Undermined Peace in the Middle East (2013),
winner of the Lionel Trilling Book Award and MEMO Palestine Book Award.
Palestinian Identity: The Construction of Modern National Consciousness (1997),
winner of the Middle East Studies Association’s Albert Hourani Prize.
Other notable works include:
Sowing Crisis: American Dominance and the Cold War in the Middle East (2009)
The Iron Cage: The Story of the Palestinian Struggle for Statehood (2006)
Resurrecting Empire: Western Footprints and America’s Perilous Path in the Middle East (2004)
Under Siege: PLO Decision-Making during the 1982 War (1986, 2nd edition 2014)
British Policy towards Syria and Palestine, 1906-1914 (1980)
He has also co-edited works like Palestine and the Gulf (1982), The Origins of Arab Nationalism (1991), and The Other Jerusalem: Rethinking the History of the Sacred City (2020).
Scholarly Impact
Khalidi has published over 120 scholarly articles and book chapters on Middle Eastern history and politics, alongside numerous opinion pieces and op-eds. He is a frequent commentator on radio, television, and podcasts, offering insights on Middle Eastern issues.
Rashid Khalidi’s scholarship and public advocacy have solidified his reputation as one of the foremost historians and intellectuals of the Palestinian experience and modern Middle East.
Key points from Rashid Khalidi's interview, titled "Violent Settler Colonialism Caused This War":
1. Roots of the Conflict
Khalidi traces the origins of the current conflict to over a century of settler colonialism, where land dispossession and ethnic cleansing have been central strategies.
He views the Israeli state as a continuation of a settler-colonial project that began with figures like Theodor Herzl and was openly acknowledged by early Zionists.
2. Protests and Antisemitism
Khalidi differentiates between legitimate criticism of Israel’s policies and antisemitism, arguing that many protests, even those led by Jewish groups, are wrongly labeled antisemitic.
He rejects the notion that terms like “intifada” are inherently antisemitic, emphasizing that the term refers to resistance against occupation.
3. Historical Legitimacy of Israel
Khalidi questions the historical legitimacy of Israel as a settler-colonial state, comparing it to other colonial projects like the United States and Canada, which displaced indigenous populations.
He recognizes a historical Jewish connection to the land but rejects its use to justify displacement and occupation.
4. Scale of Current Violence
Khalidi highlights the unprecedented scale of the recent violence in Gaza, noting that the death toll surpasses earlier conflicts such as 1948 or the 1982 Lebanon war.
He links this violence to the Israeli government’s long-term strategy of demographic transformation.
5. Hamas and Resistance
Khalidi explains Hamas’ rise as a response to the perceived failures of the PLO, particularly after the Oslo Accords, which he argues strengthened Israeli control rather than enabling Violent Settler Colonialism Caused This War": sovereignty.
He emphasizes that continued colonization inevitably generates resistance, regardless of the methods or groups involved.
6. Global and Western Involvement
Western nations, especially the U.S., play a critical role in perpetuating the conflict through military and political support for Israel. Loo
He criticizes the international community, particularly Germany, for transferring historical guilt for the Holocaust onto Palestinians by supporting Israeli policies.
7. Shift in Discourse
Khalidi notes a shift in global discourse, with terms like "apartheid," "genocide," and "accountability" gaining prominence.
While Western powers resist these narratives, he sees the current openness as unprecedented in the history of the conflict.
8. Future Resolution
For Khalidi, resolving the conflict requires:
Reorganizing the Palestinian national movement.
Recognizing both peoples’ rights to self-determination.
International accountability, particularly from Western nations, to cease enabling the violence.
9. Hamas as a Negotiation Partner
Khalidi compares potential negotiations with Hamas to past resolutions involving groups like the IRA and the ANC, suggesting that a genuine peace process must include all major stakeholders, even those labeled as "terrorist organizations."
This interview offers a comprehensive critique of settler colonialism and its role in shaping the Israel-Palestine conflict, with Khalidi advocating for systemic changes to address longstanding injustices.
Source:
https://jacobin.com/2024/05/rashid-khalidi-settler-colonialism-palestine
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