History as a subject relies heavily on the analysis and understanding of the past, in order to understand the circumstances that shaped the world as we currently know it. Through major periods such as the Arab-Israeli conflict which extended from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 21st century, historians have been able to dissect the causes of the rise of nationalist movements, the interactions between Jews and Arabs in Palestine, and therefore the different layers of the conflict. of the feud continued during this period. The differences of religious and cultural origin appear to be the basis of the conflict between these two parties and the justification of the nationalism which inevitably brought together Jewish and Arab identities. However, authors such as Rashid Khalidi in "Palestinian Identity: The Construction of Modern National Consciousness" seek to examine the development of Palestinian nationalism from the 19th century in order to separate their histories through the exploration of the cultural beginnings of the Palestinian identity which preceded the encounter with Zionism. In this essay, I will discuss the text written by Rashid Khalidi and the relationship between this source and the results of our course, as well as critically analyze the messages that the text attempts to convey. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Khalidi attempts to assess the construction of Palestinian national identity, its historical phases and the obstacles it faced outside the confines that “Palestinian nationalism developed in response to Zionism”. The author analyzes the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the beginning of the Mandate period as well as its effects on the culture and identity of its Arab citizens. However, he fails to really separate Palestinian identity from conflict or other identities, which he explains is among the reasons why "Palestinian identity is so poorly understood." In this sense, Palestinian identity is created on the basis of competing “alter egos,” because it depends on the existence of other cultures, and without that it could exist. The emergence of nationalism in Palestine began in 1834, during the Arab Revolt, which was a reaction to conscription into the Egyptian army as the Egyptian ruler sought to occupy Syria through Palestine, then ruled by the Ottoman Empire. Traditionally, soldiers were recruited from mercenaries, slaves, or members of a military caste; however, conscription appealed to ordinary subjects in addition to the lower classes. This sparked popular resistance, with peasants equating recruitment with death, which forged unity between the groups against a common enemy. The classes allied during this conflict served to establish the Palestinians as a people. The formation of Palestinian nationalism continued in the 19th and 20th centuries with an emphasis on Jerusalem as a sacred entity for multiple different parties, primarily Christians, Jews, and Muslims. The life and death of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem provided a religious attachment to Christians and Jews, while Muhammad's journey from Mecca to Jerusalem established a connection to the land for the Arabs. Khalidi argues that "the claim that Palestinian nationalism developed in response to the challenge of Zionism embodies a core of a much older truth, [in the sense that] modern nationalism was rooted in long-held attitudes of concern for Jerusalem and for Palestine as sacred.” This was a response to perceived threats from the powers.”