Persistence of Silenced Toponymic Landscapes in Disputed Territories: The Case of Arabic in West-Jerusalem

The (re)attribution of place names plays a significant yet subtle role in the production of spatial and national identity. Since 1948, the Israeli administration has endeavoured to Hebraize (therefore Judaize) the space in the Israel Palestine region. Yet, Arabic names of major neighbourhoods within...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Socquet-Juglard, Mylène (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Universität Bern, Institut für Judaistik 2022
In: Judaica: neue digitale Folge
Year: 2022, Volume: 3, Pages: 1-20
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Summary:The (re)attribution of place names plays a significant yet subtle role in the production of spatial and national identity. Since 1948, the Israeli administration has endeavoured to Hebraize (therefore Judaize) the space in the Israel Palestine region. Yet, Arabic names of major neighbourhoods within Jerusalem have survived while their Palestinian residents have not been allowed to return since they fled or were expelled in 1948. This article explores this toponymic paradox. After delving into the Israeli efforts to create and maintain an (almost) exclusive Hebraized landscape and the variety of ensuing toponymic clashes, this paper examines different reasons that might explain the ‘resistance’ of Arabic names in areas of Israel’s proclaimed capital city. Using concepts such as toponymic attachment and place identity, this paper reveals much about the strength of traditional naming practices versus imposed policies, including in contexts of disputed territories where the Other’s toponyms tend to represent a threat to One’s narrative of the land.
ISSN:2673-4273
Contains:Enthalten in: Judaica: neue digitale Folge
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.36950/jndf.2022.22