Quick Background

Palestine After WWII After World War II, new independent states emerged in the Middle East. The states were mostly Muslim. Between the two world wars, many Jews had immigrated to Palestine, believing this area to be their promised land. Tensions between Jews and Arabs intensified in the 1930s. Great Britain, under a UN mandate to govern Palestine, rejected proposals for an independent Jewish state in Palestine

Continued The Zionists still wanted Palestine as a home for Jews. The Holocaust caused sympathy for the Jewish proposal for an independent Jewish state in Palestine. In 1948, the UN divided Palestine into two states–an Arab state and a Jewish state, Israel.

Problems: Arabs and Israels Several Arab countries invaded Israel, but the invasion failed. Arabs, however, refused to recognize Israel’s right to exist. The issue of a homeland and self- governance for the Palestinians remains a problem today.

Arab-Israeli Dispute 1950s- 1960s

Conflict During the 1950s and 1960s, the disputes between Israel and other states in the Middle East became more heated. In 1967, Nasser blockaded Israeli shipping through the Gulf of Aqaba. This led to the Six-Day War, in which Israel occupied the Sinai Peninsula and tripled the size of its territory, controlling land in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. Arab states demanded that Israel return the occupied territories.

A Brief History of the PLO

PLO In 1964, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was formed to represent the interests of the Palestinians. At the same time, al-Fatah, headed by PLO leader Yasir Arafat, launched terrorist attacks on Israeli territory.

PLO At the same time, al-Fatah, headed by PLO leader Yasir Arafat, launched terrorist attacks on Israeli territory. In 1993, Israel and the PLO reached an agreement calling for Palestinian autonomy in certain areas of Israel. In return, the PLO recognized Israel.

Directions: Answer all the following questions using complete sentences. The answers will be found in the powerpoint presentation. 1. What two ethnic groups primarily settled in Palestine after World War II? 2. Who wanted Palestine for the Jewish people? 3. What did the Arabs refuse after Palestine was splint into two by the UN? 4. What did Nasser do in 1967 and what did it lead to? 5. What does PLO stand for? 6. Who headed the al-Fatah? 7. What happened in 1993?