Conflict in the Middle EastConflict in the Middle EastWhat is the cause of the ongoing problems in Israel & Palestine?

Establishment of IsraelEstablishment of Israel•Zionism called for the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine•However, this could displace millions of Palestinian Arabs already living there•The British, who controlled Palestine came up with a plan called the Balfour Declaration that would divided Palestine between Jews & Palestinians•But WWII puts this plan on hold. After Holocaust UN revives the idea•1947: UN approves a plan to divide Palestine into two nations

•#1 Palestine = Arab State #2 Israel = Jewish State. Jerusalem controlled by UN

•Palestinians & surrounding Arab states object to the plan

•May 1948: Israel declares statehood and takes their territory

•Six Arab nations declare war on Israel

•W/ US backing, Israel wins the Arab-Israeli War – Israel takes the rest of the territory

Israel & the Cold War – Suez Canal CrisisIsrael & the Cold War – Suez Canal Crisis•Palestinian people begin fleeing Israel and heading to other Arab countries

•1954: General Gamel Abdel Nasser takes control of Egypt

•1956: Nasser seizes the British-controlled Suez Canal

•Britain asks France for help to retake the canal. Israel offers their services to the British as well

•Britain, France, Israel take back the canal & then occupy parts of Egypt – Nasser complains to the UN

•Soviets state this is an example of western imperialism

•UN Security Council convinces Britain, France, and Israel to leave Egypt & return canal (US abstains)

•Nasser seeks an alliance with Soviet Union

Six Day & Yom Kippur WarsSix Day & Yom Kippur Wars•Israel and Arab countries would fight two more wars, the Six-Day War (1967) & the Yom Kippur War (1973) – started by Egypt’s President Sadat

•Each war Israel is backed by US & wins – takes more Arab territory

• 1973:Arab countries put an oil embargo on US because of support of Israel

• Some PLO members use an intifada (boycotts & civil disobedience)

• Some use Soviet supplied weapons, to attacks on Israel (killing civilians)

• Palestinians, looking to regain part of their homeland form the PLO

• Israeli military strikes back at Palestinian towns (killing civilians)