The Arab-Israeli Conflict Israel & its Arab neighbors fought in 1948, 1956, 1967, and again in 1973. In the 1967 war, Israeli forces won numerous territories including the Golan Heights and the West Bank. Israel refused to give up the territories until Arab nations recognized their right to exist. Palestinian refugees flooded into camps as they were uprooted by war (exs. Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Egypt). Many supported the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), headed by Yasir Arafat, whose goal was the destruction of Israel.

The Arab-Israeli Conflict cont. Many young Palestinians mounted intifadas, or uprisings, against Israeli occupation. Peace agreements have stalled because of divisive issues that continue to keep the two sides apart: Israel opposes the return of large amounts of Palestinians back to their homeland and Palestinians reject the idea of Israeli settlements scattered across a future Palestinian state. As long as both sides held such different views, peace remained hard to achieve.

Three Wars in the Persian Gulf Iraq & Iran (1980): Iraq’s dictator, Saddam Hussein, sent his forces into Iran to seize disputed border regions. Iraq used poison gas to stop waves of Iranian soldiers & to kill Kurdish minorities living in Northern Iraq. The war dragged on for 8 years, ending in a stalemate. 1991 Gulf War: In 1990, Iraq invaded the oil-rich nation of Kuwait. Hussein argued that the territory rightfully belonged to Iraq. U.S.-led coalition forces under Pres. George H. Bush forces pushed Iraq out of Kuwait, but under pressure from foreign leaders, allowed Hussein to remain in power.

Three Wars in the Persian Gulf cont. 2003 Persian Gulf War: The U.S. & Britain were convinced Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. Pres. George W. Bush also accused Iraq of supporting terrorists. Without U.N. backing, the U.S. and Britain invaded Iraq, toppled Hussein, and occupied Iraq. In Dec. 2003, American troops captured Hussein and he was later executed. The peacekeeping forces and Iraqi people faced great difficulties as they tried to build a new Iraqi gov’t. The struggle to rebuild a democratic Iraq continues today.

TOPIC 16: Study Guide Partition of India: India (Hindu) & Pakistan (Muslim), struggle over Kashmir, both sides have nuclear weapons Mohandas Gandhi: civil disobedience to help India gain independence from Britain, boycott British goods, Salt March Turkey & Ataturk: wanted to modernize, westernize, & secularize Turkey Egypt & Nasser and Sadat: Nasser wages war against Israel, builds Suez Canal & Aswan High Dam; Sadat tries to make peace with Israel & is assassinated Israel: Balfour Declaration (1917), conflict with Arab, Muslims over Palestine, peace remains difficult to achieve, PLO terrorism

TOPIC 16: Study Guide cont. Persian Gulf Conflicts: Iraq vs. Iran (1980) over oil fields; Persian Gulf War of 1991 – Iraq and Saddam Hussein invade Kuwait, U.S.-led coalition forces free Kuwait & secure valuable oil reserves; Gulf War of 2003 – Hussein is overthrown over suspicions of weapons of mass destruction, goal of preserving a democracy in Iraq has been difficult and is ongoing.

1990 Persian Gulf War

1990 Persian Gulf War https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2TQ8a4LK3A