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

2. Establishment of Israel
Zionism called for the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine
British come up with Balfour Declaration which divided Palestine between Jews & Palestinians but WWII puts it on hold
1947: UN approves a plan to divide Palestine into two nations
#1 Palestine = Arab State #2 Israel = Jewish State. Jerusalem controlled by UN
Palestinians & other Arab states object
May 1948: Israel declares statehood and takes their territory
Six Arab nations declare war on Israel
Israel wins Arab-Israeli War, takes most Palestinian land, Egypt/Jordan take rest
Many Palestinians forced out of Israel many head to Jordan & Egypt

3. Israel & the Cold War – Suez Canal Crisis
1954: Gamel Abdel Nasser controls Egypt
1956: Nasser seizes British-controlled Suez Canal
Britain, France, Israel take back the canal & then occupy parts of Egypt – Nasser turns to the UN
Soviets say this is an example of western imperialism, Nasser seeks alliance with USSR
UN Security Council sends resolution to Gen. Assembly, Egypt gets canal & land (US abstains)

4. Six Day & Yom Kippur Wars
Golda Meir is PM of Israel, Nasser leads Egypt & Arab neighbors against Israel in Six-Day War (1967), Israel wins takes more land
1972: Palestinian group kidnaps & kills Israeli athletes at Olympics
1973: Egypt & Syria attack Israel during Yom Kippur War, US aids Israel so OPEC punished US w/ oil embargo
Mid 70s: Yasir Arafat & Palestinians form the PLO, use intifada to get their homeland of Palestine back
Intifada includes non-violent methods but also uses Soviet made weapons to attack Israel. Israel responds by bombing Pal. towns