Arab-Israeli conflict terrorism: violence for political reasons to cause fear OPEC: Organization Petroleum Exporting Countries = monopoly controls world’s oil prices (ex: Saudi Arabia) embargo: ban on trade for political reasons PLO: Palestinian Liberation Organization = recreate the country of Palestine (Yasser Arafat)

Arab-Israeli conflict ARAB = Palestinian (ethnic) = Islam/Muslim (religion) PALESTINE ISRAELI = Israeli (ethnic) = Judaism/Jewish (religion) ISRAEL

Arab-Israeli Overview After the Holocaust (WWII ), many Jews fled to Palestine because this was seen as their original homeland – Jews, Christians, and Muslims all see the land as holy. The UN agreed that the Jews needed a homeland and proposed the Partition Plan in This gave about half of Palestine to the Jews to create Israel.

The Jews agreed, the Palestinians did not, and their Arab neighbors declared war when Israel was established in Because the Israelis supported its plan, the UN (and US)supported the Israelis. Israel won the war and became a country. Eventually Israel won several wars and took over all of Palestine. Israel is proclaimed a state in 1948.

In 1967, the Arab countries were set to invade Israel again, but Israel struck first. In the Six Days War, Israel defeated Egypt, Jordan and Syria and more than tripled in size. All Palestinian territories (Gaza Strip and West Bank) were now controlled by Israel, as was the Sinai Peninsula, the Golan Heights and Jerusalem.

Because the Palestinians (Arab ethnically, and Muslim) could not win the wars, they began a terrorism (led by Arafat and the PLO)campaign in 1968 that evolved into the use of suicide bombings. This included the hijacking planes and killing the Israeli Olympic team in 1972 at Munich. Suicide attacks often occur on crowded buses.

OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) started an oil embargo in 1973 At the time the US was the only economic superpower, but our one weakness was a need for foreign oil. The embargo started a major recession in the US in the 1970s. To end the embargo, the US changed its policy to that of peace maker in the region.

The Camp David Accords in 1979 Israel gives the Sinai Peninsula back to Egypt in exchange for recognition and peace Sadat was assassinated in 1981 by a militant Egyptian who didn’t want peace with Israel One of the men responsible went on to form Al Qaeda with bin Laden – Ayman al Zawahiri Camp David Accords Carter, Begin, Sadat

In frustration at continued occupation, Palestinians in Israel began throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers = Intifada. After the Intifada in the 80s, the PLO demanded a Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank instead of the destruction of Israel. Arafat denounced all terrorism in 1989, but bombings continue on a daily basis. Intifada, 1989

Israeli-Palestinian treaties: Oslo in 1993 (Rabin and Arafat) and in 1999 have been brokered by the US. However, extremists still blame the US for Israel’s creation. Israel has a capitalist market economy, which is boosted by the annual multi-billion-dollar subsidy it receives from the United States, another reason terrorists blame Israel’s success on the US Oslo Treaty in 1999, Barak, Clinton, Arafat Oslo Treaty in 1993, Rabin, Clinton, Arafat

Rabin was assassinated by a right-wing Israeli in 1995, and the peace process has been stalled since with few exceptions. Sharon was elected in 2000 and Israel used military force rather than negotiation to try and stop the terrorism. He later decided to give the Gaza Strip to the Palestinians. Sharon also began very controversial plans to to build a “Peace Wall” to secure Israelis version of the controversial borders. Fatah site damaged during Israeli attack.

Arafat died in 2004 after decades in power. In 2005, a civil war breaks out between Mahmoud Abbas (president, controls West Bank) and Hamas (majority in Parliament, controls Gaza). In 2006, Ariel Sharon removed Israeli troops and settlers from Gaza, but Hamas continued to attack Israel from within. Israel has invaded Gaza several times since Hamas launched rocket attacks. Israel has Gaza under a blockade.

The biggest question is whether the moderate Abbas, or any leader, can control the terrorists when Arafat could or would not. In 2012, Palestine was upgraded to nonmember observer state by the UN. In 2013, the UN Human Rights Council certified that Israeli settlements are illegal under international law.

Hamas Tomorrow's Pioneers is a weekly children's program, shown since April, 2007 on the official Palestinian Hamas television station, 'Al-Aqsa TV'. The program used a Mickey Mouse look- alike, named Farfur (or Farfour, "from "Far" as in mouse" in Arabic); the character later been "killed by an Israeli", replaced by a bumblebee that's been killed due to "being denied access to an Israeli hospital" and is currently using a bunny rabbit character