Jews came from all over the world to live in Eretz Yisrael. Some Jews had an easier time adjusting while other’s experienced more difficulty. The modern state of Israel was founded by Ashkenazi Secular Jews with leftist leanings who wanted to create the state in their own image and create a new Jew. The founding fathers believed in socialism more than the torah or Jewish law. Their vision of a modern civilization was mid 19th century Europe. The new Jew would shed his religion. The founding fathers wanted to emulate Europe. The vision of Zionism faced the west although they were located in the East . This view point locked out anyone with a traditional view or middle eastern cultural outlook.
The Jews from the Middle East, the Mizrachim , were torah observant and held in esteem a different form of Zionism.
Upon their arrival the Mizrachim were forced into the less desirable parts of the country. They were herded into tent camps called Maabarot. Later these would get upgrade to tin shacks. These camps were like prisons. Guards at the gate and barbed wire fences they could not leave the camp without permission. Like military prisoners. Ashkenazi from Europe got better housing, better jobs and more access to a good education. The Mizrachim in many instances did nit get the same passage. They did not take this lying down and they fought against it in a variety of ways.
Their first method was non violent protests. They would post themselves in front of government offices and camp offices asking for better housing and jobs. These protests were often brutally suppressed by the police. Golda Meir would later adopt the tactic of selecting a delegation from the protestors who would then air their grievances. Meir made them promises she never followed through on.
The police were a tool used by the state in order to suppress the Mizrachim. The police would hold educational events and other kind activities for the Mizrachim. Mizrachi Jews were also shoved into police work. As the oppression worsened the riots would get more violent. Things would eventually escalate into breaking into offices and smashing things up. There were also fights between different ethnic groups situated in the camps. To counter the oppression these Mizrachim would join opposition parties hoping for better treatment.
Two major rebellions stand out. The first is the Wadi Salib rebellion of 1959. This started out with a Moroccan Jew being drunk and disorderly the police arrived and fired warning shots in the air that managed to hit the guy in the spine. He was crippled for life. This sparked violent protests filled with anger at the abusive treatment by the Ashkenazi elite. The second was the Hatikvah Rebbellion of 1965. This was caused by the Dan bus line not extending their service to this town. Lack of services sparked riots and drag racing.
In Israel there is a two tiered system for the countries Jews. On tier one you have Ashkenazi Jews that have access to better jobs, better housing, more political right. The second tier is for Jews of the Middle East. They have menial jobs, stuck in substandard housing, lacking educTion opportunities etc. many Middle eastern Jews wanted to emigrate elsewhere.
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