Middle East Conflicts

Conflict over Palestine After WWI, Great Britain controlled Palestine. Palestine is located in the region the Jews called Judah and where the Jews had lived 2,000 years earlier before being driven out by the Romans in 70 AD.

Israeli Palestinian Conflict With the persecution of Jews in Eastern Europe centuries later, followed by the Holocaust during WWII, many Jews began to migrate back to this region. This Jewish movement was called Zionism-a movement to encourage Jews to return to their homeland. Why would the Jews wish to return to this region?

Shared Boundaries and Conflict Because Palestine was home to many Arabs, they did not want to see their homeland become a Jewish state. To settle the land dispute, the United Nations formed a plan to divide the region between Israel and Palestine. Israel accepted the plan, but Palestine did not. In 1948 Israel was declared an independent state. Land granted to Palestine was claimed by other Arab countries since they rejected the plan. This included the West Bank, the Golan Heights and the Gaza Strip.

Israel and disputed land

Arab-Israeli Wars From the time between 1947 and 1973, several wars broke out between Israel and Arab countries over the land. About 700,000 Palestinian Arabs became refugees living in other Arab countries while other Palestinians worked to establish a Palestinian state. In the late 1980’s Palestinians began rebelling in the occupied areas of Gaza, Golan Heights and the West Bank. In 1993 Israel and the PLO-Palestine Liberation Organization signed an agreement. Palestine recognized Israel’s right to exist and Israel returned land to the Palestinians. But peace did not last.

Review What is the source of conflict in the Arab- Israeli World?

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

The Iran-Iraq War A political boundary between these two countries resulted in conflict over who controlled the oil rich territory between them. In 1980, Saddam Hussein of Iraq invaded Iran. After 8 years and many deaths, both countries signed a cease-fire agreement developed by the United Nations.

The Persian Gulf War In 1990 Iraq, under the leadership of Saddam Hussein, invaded the small oil-rich country of Kuwait. The United Nations placed a trade embargo on Iraq preventing them from importing goods and exporting oil. This hurt the Iraqi economy, but they continued to fight. On January 16, 1991, The Persian Gulf War began when several countries (or a multi-national armed force) began attacks on Iraq. A little more than a month later, Iraq surrendered, but Saddam Hussein stayed in power.

The Gulf War

September 11, 2001 On the United States experienced the most destructive act of terrorism on U. S. soil with the attacks on the World Traded Center, Pentagon and one other target that was saved by Americans who overtook the hijackers on the plane. It’s believed the White House or Capitol were the intended targets.

Terrorism : The calculated use of, or threatened use of violence against individuals or property for the purpose of intimidating or causing fear for political or social ends.

Search for Terrorists In the following weeks U.S. officials concluded that Osama Bin Laden, a Saudi Arabian millionaire, and his al- Queda network was behind the attacks. He had been exiled from Saudi Arabia for suspected terrorists activities. He was hiding in Afghanistan and was being protected by the strict Islamic government called the Taliban. In exchange for their protection, Bin Laden provided the capital that provided the Taliban fighters with weapons to use against the Northern Alliance-the anti-Taliban groups in Afghanistan.

Terrorist Groups Many terrorist organizations have roots in the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. Arab terrorist groups have sought to prevent a peace settlement in this region because they want a homeland for the Palestinians on their own terms. The most extreme deny Israel’s right to exist, including Iran. There has been widespread anger by these groups at Israel and the United States for supporting Israel. Extremists such as Bin Laden also believe that globalization is responsible for the westernization of Islamic countries.

War on Terror

War in Afghanistan In October of 2001, the United States began military action against Afghanistan when the Taliban controlled government refused to turn Bin Laden over. They also established an international coalition, or alliance, to fight the war on terrorism. The coalition gave support to US military action on Afghanistan. In December the Taliban were driven from power, but the fight to destroy al-Queda continued. The United Nations and the Northern Alliance, an anti-Taliban group in Afghanistan, established an interim government to replace the Taliban. Forces remain in Afghanistan today fighting insurgent groups eager to return Afghanistan to a fundamental Islamic state.

Afghanistan

Iraq

Operation Iraqi Freedom Coalition Forces, or multi-national forces, worked to establish a democratic government in Iraq following the capture of Saddam Hussein and the defeat of terrorist organizations in Iraq. During the conflict, many Iraqis fled their homeland and became refugees in other countries. The road to democracy has not been an easy one for Iraq nor is the transition of power. US troops remain today as a peace-keeping and training force until the Iraqis can take total control.

Review Why do some cultures cooperate?

Transition of Power in Iraq

Impact of Terrorism and 9-11 on American Life How have the following aspects of American life been impacted by terrorism and 9-11? (see pgs. US13- US15 at the back of your text) Airports and airlines Economy Anthrax Legislation Government Agencies