The Roots of the Middle Eastern Conflict

The Roots of the Middle

Eastern Conflict

Chapter 18.4

Palestine –

830 BCE

So a Palestinian is…

Anyone, Arab, Christian, Jew, Muslim, who lives in the

area known as Palestine

Anyone who lives

here is technically

a Palestinian

Judea

When ruled by

Hasmoneans it was

changed to Judea to

reflect the 12 tribes

of Israel

Enter the Romans

63 BCE Romans show up

66 CE – The Great Jewish

Revolt

Vespasian put it down

70 CE – Temple of Solomon

was destroyed and Romans

captured Jerusalem

2nd Jewish Revolt (132-135 CE)

led to destruction of Judea and

all inhabitants were expelled

Only Jews in Galilee and

Samaria allowed to stay

The Arch of

Titus

Hadrian’s

Punishment

Renames area Palaestina to

disassociate it with the Jews

Insulting the Jews by naming the

territory after their enemies the

Philistines

After this Hebrew is almost non-

existent in the area

Coming of the Muslims

400 CE until 638 CE Christians held Jerusalem

In 638 CE Muslims conquer Jerusalem

Allow a few Jewish families settle

Arab Bedouins start to come into the area and settle as

soldiers of the Muslim forces

Starts the claim of Arab/Arab Palestinians for the land

The Crusades

Fast Forward to

Zionism

Goals (1900s)

Spiritual and political

renewal of Jewish

people in ancestral

homeland of Palestine

Freedom from

Western anti-

Semitism

Theodore Herzl 1860-1904

The British Meddle

Hussein-McMahon Letters

Btw Sharif Hussein ibn Ali and

Sir Henry McMahon (British

leader in Egypt)

Britain recognizes the

independence of Arabs

Balfour Declaration (1917)

Sets time for establishment of a

Jewish homeland

Doesn’t happen

The Holocaust

After Holocaust, UN

decided Jewish people

should get their own

nation.

Opposition in the

Middle East was strong

U.N. Partition Plan of 1947

Israel Becomes a State

Palestine Mandate (1921) meant Israel was made up of Arabs and Jews

UN partitioned the Palestine Mandate in 1947 to give Jews own nation

Divided btw Arabs and Jews around population centers

Jerusalem was to be international city owned by neither side

All Islamic countries voted against this

Israel Becomes a Nation 14 May 1948

David Ben-Gurion, 1st Prime Minister

Chaim Weizmann, 1st President

Conflict Between Israel

and Palestine

“The Twins in the Sand”

War Begins First Arab-Israeli War

15 May 1948

Day after Israel was declared a nation

Six Islamic countries attacked

Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria

Israel won because w/ Western tech and backing

Was the War of Independence for the Israeli state

Armistice was signed in 1949

1956 Suez Canal Crisis 2nd Arab/Israeli Conflict

Egypt took over Suez Canal from British

Egyptian pres. Gamel Nasser was angry the US and Britain did not help construct Aswan Dam so took the canal

Nasser also blockaded Israeli shipping

British are angry

Join w/ France and Israel to take back canal

Easily defeat Egypt but US and USSR pressure Britain to back off

Worried about starting a new global conflict

Egypt keeps canal

Suez Canal Crisis 2nd Arab/Israeli War

Arabs to never recognize Israel

Egypt leads Arab countries in new war

Begins blockade of Israel

Israel wins again

Launch air attacks on airfields in Egypt, Iran, Syria, and Jordan

Sent troops to attack on 3 fronts

Won after 6 days of conflict

Gains Sinai Peninsula, Golan Heights, and Palestine

Served as a buffer zone

3rd Arab/Israeli War

6 Day War (1967)

Yom Kippur War 4th Arab/Israeli Conflict

Nasser was replaced by Anwar Sadat in Egypt

1973 he attacked Israel after Yom Kippur

Caught Israel by surprise

Conquered some land

Israel, under PM Goulda Meir, launched a counterattack and gained back lost land

After a few weeks they agreed to a ceasefire

Sadat Goes to Israel

1977 – Egyptian Prez Sadat went to Israel

First Arab leader EVER to travel to Jewish state

Met with parliament to discuss a peace mov’t

Required that Israel would:

Recognize Palestinian rights

Withdraw from land gained in 1967

Assassinated by Egyptian radicals for this attempt in 1981

Camp David Accords

Brokered by Jimmy Carter at

Camp David

Agreements:

Egypt will recognizes Israel

First Arab state to do so

Israel leaves Sinai Peninsula

Israel would remove troops

from the West Bank and

Gaza Strip

After the Accords

Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) created to fight for a free Palestine and remove the Israeli state

Goal: unite Israel and Palestine into Arab Palestine

Guerilla fighters dominated PLO

Led by Yasser Arafat

Bus Bombing in Israel

Israel-Palestinian Tensions Increase

Many Palestinians live in West Bank and Gaza Strip

Controlled by Israel

PLO continued to attack Israeli towns throughout the

1970s and 1980s

Israel responded by attacking Palestinian bases

1982 Israel invaded Lebanon to take out Palestinian rebels

Had to leave after Lebanese Civil War broke out

The First Intifada

First Intifada launched in 1987

Widespread uprisings against the Israeli’s

Boycotts, shootings, violent demonstrations, bombings, etc…

Gained international attention

Lasted until 1991 when the world pressured them to find peace

HOPE(ISH) IN THE 1990s:

THE OSLO PEACE ACCORDS

Oslo Peace Accords (1993)

Israel granted Palestinians self rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip

Palestinians agreed to end violence toward Israel

1997

Israel made plans to withdraw from West Bank but

2000

Second Intifada was started that continued until 2007

Peace Slips Away Still no stable peace

agreement

Series of conflicts

and leaders btw

1999-present but

it has solved little

US supports

Israel but has

been increasingly

working to

encourage peace

on both sides