Lexicon

Muslim scholars learned in the Islamic sciences, especially Quranic exegesis, hadith, jurisprudence, theology, philology, and Arabic grammar. Traditionally, the ulema have served as teachers, judges, legal advisors, and moral authorities within Islamic societies, mainly analyzing and interpreting Islamic scripture and tradition. They are not usually part of a formal hierarchy but are trusted community figures. From the early Islamic period through the Mamluk and Ottoman eras, Jerusalem attracted prominent scholars who taught in madrasas, issued legal opinions, and administered Islamic endowments (awqaf). Their scholarship helped link the third holiest city in Islam to wider intellectual networks in Cairo, Damascus, and beyond. 

The pejorative term that often replaces Haredi, denoting a member of a Jewish sect who strictly follows Jewish law and tradition, which are unchanging. Ultra-Orthodox Jews are theologically, politically, and socially conservative, rejecting secular ideologies. They believe that they follow the most authentic expression of Judaism, having been passed down in an unbroken, unaltered chain from Moses himself. Thus, while they can be members of different Jewish branches, they are linked by their unwavering adherence to the Torah. 

The term, however, can be used derogatorily to describe extremist, or even fanatic, Jewish groups.

See also Hasid, Orthodox Jewish.

A feminist and progressive Palestinian women’s organization founded in 1980 that works to empower Palestinian women, promote gender equality, and advance social, economic, and political rights within the context of the Palestinian national struggle. The Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees (UPWC) pursues educational programs, legal advocacy, and community mobilization, linking women’s rights to national liberation. Historically associated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), the group registered with the Palestinian Authority (PA) as a civil society organization in 2001. It was one of six organizations labeled as terrorist organizations by Israel in October 2021, threatening UPWC funding. In June 2022, nine European Union countries said that they would continue funding the six groups, questioning Israel’s evidence. The Israeli military then raided the organizations’ offices in August that year, removing records and equipment and shuttering their doors. 

See Unity Intifada. Also called Dignity and Hope Intifada.

Third Palestinian uprising, triggered by Israel’s attempts in early 2021 to expel several Palestinian families from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah. Protests were seen throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but also inside Israel and around the world. Israeli police and special forces took over the grounds of the al-Aqsa Mosque complex in early April during Ramadan, beating and injuring Palestinian worshippers and destroying priceless Islamic artifacts. Hamas then fired rockets into Israel, after which Israel launched an 11-day assault on Gaza from May 10 to 21. According to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 256 Palestinians, including 66 children and 40 women, were killed in Gaza; and the Ministry of Health reported almost 2,000 injured. In Israel, 13 people were killed, including 2 children and 6 women. In the West Bank, 26 Palestinians were killed and about 6,900 were injured. Many Palestinians believe that the Unity Intifada did not end in 2021, with waves of popular resistance against Israel’s occupation recurring through at least 2023. Also known as the Dignity and Hope Intifada, Unity Uprising.