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United Nations: Responses to the Arab-Israeli Conflict. You are a member of the United Nations. You are about to l earn about real situations that took place in the Palestinian region AFTER World war i . You must decide on the best action for the united nations to take. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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UNITED NATIONS: RESPONSES TO THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT
YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE UNITED NATIONS.
YOU ARE ABOUT TO L EARN ABOUT REAL SITUATIONS THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE PALESTINIAN REGION AFTER WORLD WAR I.
YOU MUST DECIDE ON THE BEST ACTION FOR THE UNITED NATIONS TO TAKE.
Event A: The UN’s Plan for Palestine
The situation: Britain issues the Balfour Declaration
This supports the creation of a homeland for Jews in Palestine
Palestinians (90% of population) strongly oppose plan
Jewish immigration increases to the region and fighting between the groups intensifies
After WWII, Britain – realizing it has lost control - turns over the land to the United Nations (1947)
Your choices: A. Make Palestine one state, and hold democratic
elections to set the foundation for a democratic, secular (nonreligious) state.
B. Make part of Palestine into a Jewish state, and annex the Arab part of Palestine to the neighboring nation of Transjordan.
C. Divide Palestine into 2 states, an Arab state and a Jewish state. Make Jerusalem an international zone administered by the UN.
D. Keep Palestine as a United Nations mandate until violence between Jews and Arabs ceases and peace is secure.
Your choices: A. Make Palestine one state, and hold democratic
elections to set the foundation for a democratic, secular (nonreligious) state.
B. Make part of Palestine into a Jewish state, and annex the Arab part of Palestine to the neighboring nation of Transjordan.
C. Divide Palestine into 2 states, an Arab state and a Jewish state. Make Jerusalem an international zone administered by the UN.
D. Keep Palestine as a United Nations mandate until violence between Jews and Arabs ceases and peace is secure.
Event B:The 1948 War The situation:
The UN has divided Palestine into a Jewish state, an Arab state, and a UN-controlled international zone of Jerusalem
Jewish state called Israel Jews = ; Arabs = Arab troops from surrounding nations attack Israel But Israel fights back and captures most of the Arab land
proposed by the UN About 900,000 Palestinians flee the fighting and
become refugees Palestinians demand to either be allowed to return to
homes or be compensated for lost land/property Israelis claim Palestinians chose to leave and their army
rightfully won the land after Arabs attacked Israel.
Your choices: A. Pass a resolution demanding that Israel, Egypt,
and Jordan return land to Palestinian refugees so they can form a Palestinian state.
B. Do nothing, because the Israelis were attacked and simply struck back at the aggressor Arab nations. The Palestinians must suffer the consequences of losing.
C. Set up a fund to support Palestinian refugees with food and shelter.
Pass a resolution demanding that Israel compensate Palestinian refugees for lost land and property.
Your choices: A. Pass a resolution demanding that Israel, Egypt,
and Jordan return land to Palestinian refugees so they can form a Palestinian state.
B. Do nothing, because the Israelis were attacked and simply struck back at the aggressor Arab nations. The Palestinians must suffer the consequences of losing.
C. Set up a fund to support Palestinian refugees with food and shelter.
Pass a resolution demanding that Israel compensate Palestinian refugees for lost land and property.
Event C:The 1967 War The Situation: The PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization) founded
to regain Palestine and eliminate Israel. Israel feels continuously threatened by its neighbors and
terrorist attacks Launches surprise attack against Egypt and Syria
Israel takes the West Bank from Jordan and the Gaza Strip and Sinai peninsula from Egypt
So, all the Palestinians who were under Jordanian control and Egyptian control come under Israeli control This equates to 1.5 million Palestinians.
These areas become known as the Occupied Territories.
Your choices: A. Support Israel against its hostile Arab neighbors by
recognizing Israel’s capture of the Occupied Territories. B. Pass a resolution condemning the military conquest,
refuse to acknowledge Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and demand the return of the Occupied Territories.
C. Send the peacekeeping forces into the Occupied Territories to act as a buffer between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians and to guard the borders against further fighting.
D. Establish an international commission to study the situation in Israel/Palestine and devise a plan to bring peace to the region.
Your choices: A. Support Israel against its hostile Arab neighbors by
recognizing Israel’s capture of the Occupied Territories. B. Pass a resolution condemning the military
conquest, refuse to acknowledge Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and demand the return of the Occupied Territories
C. Send the peacekeeping forces into the Occupied Territories to act as a buffer between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians and to guard the borders against further fighting.
D. Establish an international commission to study the situation in Israel/Palestine and devise a plan to bring peace to the region.
Resolution 242 Resolution 242 – Calls for Israel to give
back territory won in war. However, contains vague language.
Doesn’t say Israel has to give back ALL the territory, just that it has to give back territory
Israel responds by giving back the Sinai peninsula only.
Event D:The Intifada (1980s)
The Situation: Intifada means “uprising” or “shaking off”
in Arabic. Israeli forces in the Occupied Territories are
believed to be harassing Palestinians Leads to increased unity and anti-Israeli
activity among Palestinians Arab people try to protest the Israelis Kids throw rocks at Israeli soldiers and soldiers
retaliate with tanks and guns – famous photos
The Intifada: Results Israeli troops demolish homes and
businesses, arrest thousands More than 1,000 Palestinians die; 37,000
are wounded
Your choices: A. Pass a resolution condemning Israeli human
rights violations committed against Palestinians in the Occupied Territories.
B. Send peacekeeping forces into the Occupied Territories to stop the violence.
C. Take no action because the Intifada is an internal Israeli affair.
D. Send a Special Commission into the Occupied Territories to study Palestinian living conditions as a first step to ending the Intifada.
Your choices: A. Pass a resolution condemning Israeli human
rights violations committed against Palestinians in the Occupied Territories.
B. Send peacekeeping forces into the Occupied Territories to stop the violence.
C. Take no action because the Intifada is an internal Israeli affair.
D. Send a Special Commission into the Occupied Territories to study Palestinian living conditions as a first step to ending the Intifada.
So what happened next? Eventually, moderate PLO leaders like Yasser
Arafat accept Israel’s right to exist In 1993, PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat and
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin shake hands and sign a peace agreement It says:
Israel will withdraw from Gaza and the West Bank (i.e. the Occupied Territories)
Palestine will self-rule
So what’s happening now? 2005 – Israel leaves the Gaza Strip Palestinians democratically elect
terrorist/militant organization called Hamas Hamas controlled Gaza Strip but elected out –
(This group does not accept Israel’s right to exist) But Israel still controls most borders of Gaza Dec 2008 - January 2009 – Israel launches air
strikes and ground strikes against targets in Gaza
United Nations
UN Resolution 1860: calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza and a full Israeli withdrawal
More than 1,300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed in the 22-day war
Most Recently… Palestine granted non-member
statehood Gives Palestine more international rights So is statehood coming?
Not quite…
