Arab-Israeli Conflict

CAUSES FOR THE FOUNDING OF ISRAEL ANTI-SEMITISM: hated, fear and distrust of Jews. POGROMS: organized acts of violence against Jews in Russia and Poland in the last few centuries. GHETTOS: Jews were forced to live in ghettos throughout Europe and the Arab World. ZIONISM: the desire to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine

FATHER OF ZIONISM THEODOR HERZL an Austrian Jew a journalist covered the Dreyfuss Affair French Officer was Jewish on trial for treason very little evidence convicted just b/c he was Jewish

The Ottoman Empire in 1850 The collapse o/t Ottoman Empire The Sideshow t/t Sideshow Lawrence of Arabia

BRITISH MANDATE ( ) Importance of OIL causes Britain and France to remain in MidEast. Britain controls ALL major land and water trade routes. Suez Canal Persian Gulf Jordan Promises BOTH Arabs and Jews a homeland in Palestine.

BRITISH PROMISES McMahon-Hussein Agreement (1915): British promise the Arabs (Hussein family) an Arab state in return for allegiance against Axis Powers. Jordan to King Abdallah Hussein Iraq to King Faisal, Abdallah’s brother Sykes-Picot Agreement (1916): agreement between Britain and France to divide up the MidEast amongst themselves. Balfour Declaration (1917): British promise a Jewish homeland in Palestine.

UN PARTITION PLAN (1947)

1st Arab-Israeli War: May 15, 1948 May 14, 1948: David Ben- Gurion, the 1st Prime Minister of Israel, declares independence. May 15, 1948: Six Arab countries invade Israel Armies of Egypt, Transjordan (now Jordan), Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia joined Palestinian and other voluntary Arab soldiers. Israelis called it the War of Independence. Arabs called it the Catastrophe.

ARAB INVASION OF 1948

ISRAEL’S NEW BORDERS Israelis defeat the six Arab armies. Jews gain almost all land given to Palestinian-Arabs in UN Partition Plan. Jordan only ARAB country to gain territory. East Jerusalem (Old City) West Bank Egypt retains Gaza Strip.

ARAB REFUGEES Approximately 400,000 Palestinian- Arabs become refugees in neighboring Arab countries. One of the main issues btwn Arabs and Israelis to make peace today

The HOLOCAUST Over 6 million Jews murdered in WWII. Jews unable to find refuge during war. Even after WWII, Western countries, including the USA, turned away Holocaust survivors. Worldwide collective guilt, allows newly founded UN to recognize the newly established state of Israel.

NASSER GAMAL ABDEL NASSER Egyptian President Led Pan-Arabism Called for the destruction of Israel Increase economic power of Arab countries NATIONALIZE all foreign owned businesses End dependence on the West Built the ASWAN HIGH DAM

CAUSES OF THE SUEZ CANAL WAR OF 1956 Britain and France want to regain control of the Suez Canal Egypt, under Gamal Abdel Nasser, blockades the Tiran Straits. -The only access to the Red Sea for Israeli trading Britain and France pledge to help Israel and in return Israel will help them.

THE SIX DAY WAR: JUNE 5-10, 1967 CAUSES: Syria’s military amassed at Israel’s northern border. Egypt’s military amassed at Israel’s southern border. Egypt, once again, blockades the Tiran Straits. PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKEIsrael conducts a PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKE which decimated Egypt’s and Syria’s air forces. NASSER’s insistence in 1967 that the UNEF leave the Sinai Peninsula.

MILITARY ARMAMENT COMPARISON ARABS (EGYPT, JORDAN, SYRIA) ISRAEL Personnel547,000 soldiers 70,000 standing army 230,000 reservists Tanks 5, Aircraft Total Pop. 110 million2.7 million

THE 1967 SIX DAY WAR The OCCUPIED TERRITORIES: Egypt lost the SINAI PENINSULA and the GAZA STRIP. Syria lost the GOLAN HEIGHTS. Jordan lost EAST JERUSALEM (OLD CITY) and the WEST BANK.

UN RESOLUTION 242 “LAND FOR PEACE” Israel claims Occupied Territories are a buffer zone for security UN condemned Israel for taking Arab territories Israel refused to return land... due to security concerns

YOM KIPPUR WAR (1973) Launched by Egypt and Syria on the holiest holiday in Judaism. After initial Arab victories, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) crossed the Suez Canal. Israeli victory enabled by USA resupplying Israel with all needed military weapons. 1974: Arabs begin oil embargo against the West, esp. the USA.

CAMP DAVID ACCORDS (1979) 1st peace treaty btwn Israel and an Arab country (EGYPT). MENACHIM BEGINMENACHIM BEGIN, PM of Israel, returned the Sinai Peninsula. ANWAR SADATANWAR SADAT, Pres. of Egypt, opens trading ties w/Israel. Unfortunately, peace is a COLD PEACE. Who? ____________________ Sadat Assassination

INTIFADA (the Shaking) Violent protests against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Most Palestinians follow the PLO under Yasir Arafat. However, more and more Palestinians are turning to Islamic Fundamentalist organizations, such as HAMAS and Islamic Jihad.

OSLO ACCORDS SOLUTIONS Israeli Demands –a commitment by the Palestinians to end terrorism in Israel –increase trading ties with Israel –True PEACE Palestinian Demands –Gaza Strip and Jericho first for self-rule –Israel to stop building Israeli settlements in the West Bank –to gain 13% more land in the West Bank –return of Arab Refugees Yitzak Rabin: Israeli Prime Minister during Oslo Accords Yasir Arafat: Palestinian leader during Oslo Accords