Conflict in the Middle East What is the cause of the ongoing problems in Israel & Palestine?

Establishment of Israel Zionism called for the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine However, this could displace millions of Palestinian Arabs already living there The British, who controlled Palestine came up with a plan called the Balfour Declaration that would divided Palestine between Jews & Palestinians But WWII puts this plan on hold. After Holocaust UN revives the idea 1947: UN approves a plan to divide Palestine into two nations #1 Palestine = Arab State #2 Israel = Jewish State. Jerusalem controlled by UN Palestinians & surrounding Arab states object to the plan May 1948: Israel declares statehood and takes their territory Six Arab nations declare war on Israel W/ US backing, Israel wins the Arab-Israeli War – Israel takes the rest of the territory

Israel & the Cold War – Suez Canal Crisis Palestinian people begin fleeing Israel and heading to other Arab countries 1954: General Gamel Abdel Nasser takes control of Egypt 1956: Nasser seizes the British-controlled Suez Canal Britain asks France for help to retake the canal. Israel offers their services to the British as well Britain, France, Israel take back the canal & then occupy parts of Egypt – Nasser complains to the UN Soviets state this is an example of western imperialism UN Security Council convinces Britain, France, and Israel to leave Egypt & return canal (US abstains) Nasser seeks an alliance with Soviet Union Six Day & Yom Kippur Wars Israel and Arab countries would fight two more wars, the Six-Day War (1967) & the Yom Kippur War (1973) – started by Egypt’s President Sadat Each war Israel is backed by US & wins – takes more Arab territory

1973:Arab countries put an oil embargo on US because of support of Israel Some PLO members use an intifada (boycotts & civil disobedience) Some use Soviet supplied weapons, to attacks on Israel (killing civilians) Palestinians, looking to regain part of their homeland form the PLO Israeli military strikes back at Palestinian towns (killing civilians)