Middle East History

Israel After WWII many Jews fled Europe to Palestine – home to many Arabs. Most were survivors of Hitler’s death camps and were looking to set up a Jewish state. The Palestinian Arabs opposed the arrival of Jewish immigrants. They did not want to lose their homeland. Fighting intensified as each sides battled for control of the land. In 1947, the United Nations stepped in and recommended that Palestine be divided into a Jewish state & an Arab state. Fighting continued & in 1948 the Jewish people announced the creation of the state of Israel. More than 500,000 Arabs fled or were forced from their homes. Fighting continues today.

Jerusalem Jerusalem is recognized as the national capital of Israel. It is a sacred city to Christians, Jew, and Muslims.

IRAQ Iraq declares independence from Britain in 1932. Was a republic but eventually became a dictatorship in 1979. Saddam Hussein was the dictator & brutal leader (1979 – 2003).

Iran-iraq war 1980 Iraq invaded Iran. Saddam Hussein hoped to take over. War broke out & lasted 8 years. Iraq killed people who supported Iran using chemical weapons. Both sides began attacking each other’s oil tankers. U.S. and Soviets sent aid to protect the world’s oil supply.

Iran-iraq war

Persian gulf war 1990 Iraq invaded Kuwait in attempts to control their large oil reserves & the ports of the Persian Gulf. An alliance of countries led by the U.S. forced the Iraqis out of Kuwait in 1991. Saddam Hussein remained in power of Iraq & would not accept the UN’s terms for peace so they placed an embargo, or limit on trade, on Iraq.

Iraq After persian gulf war The UN required that Iraq allow inspectors into the country to search for WMD (weapons of mass destruction.) Iraq refused. 9-11-01 – U.S. government believed Iraq aided terrorists. 2003 – (Operation Iraqi Freedom) U.S. forces began attacking Iraqi targets & within weeks the government fell. Since then, they have been trying to rebuild their government & repair their oil industry. 2006 – Saddam Hussein was convicted of war crimes and put to death by the Iraqi government.

iraq December 15, 2011 the U.S. military formally ended its mission in Iraq. The U.S. still has 2 military bases in Iraq with about 4.000 troops. The are still attempting to oversee the training & equipping of Iraqi security forces.

Afghanistan After the September 11th attacks, troops from the U.S. & other countries invaded Afghanistan. They defeated the militant Taliban government and helped set up a democratic government. The new government could not control the entire country & Taliban fighters maintain control of some areas.

opec OPEC = Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries Established in 1960 in order to secure fair & stable oil prices for petroleum producers; an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consuming nations; and a fair return on capital to those investing in the industry.

Syria Since 2000 Syria has been ruled by President Bashar al-Assad. His rule has been dictatorial with no democracy. Since 2011, the Syrian people have protested him demanding their human rights. Their revolt has been part of a movement for freedom known as the Arab Spring.

Civil War in syria The revolt in Syria was started by students who wrote anti-government graffiti on the walls of their city. President Assad’s forces struck back, attempting to crush the rebellion with brutal force. Over 60,000 Syrians have been killed in the past years, in what became a fierce civil war between the opposition and the government Over 590,000 people have been forced to flee to refuge camps in neighboring countries.

The World’s Reaction The U.S. and other countries have tried to work within the United Nations to find a peaceful solution in Syria. China, Russia, & Iran have stood by the Assad regime. They’ve blocked the U.N. from taking strong action. The United States believes that President Assad should be removed from power.

Other Middle East Governments For decades Monarchs held all the power in the Persian Gulf. This continues in countries like Saudi Arabia but others like Kuwait, Bahrain & Qatar are moving toward democracy.