1. Zura Wafir

2.  After the WWII, the United Nations set up a Jewish state, Israel, in part of Palestine.  Israel was immediately attacked after the British forces left the area in May 1948, by neighbouring Arab states (Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq).  Fighting came to an end in 1949, but the dispute was not yet over. USA and USSR took sides in the conflict.

3.  Arab nationalism had an upsurge in the 1950s, supported by the Soviet Union.  Gamal Nasser took power in Egypt in 1952, turning to the Soviet Union for help in developing the nation.  In 1956, Nasser gained control of the Suez Canal- from Britain and France.  In October 1956, France and Britain attacked the Suez.

4.  The USA was not happy with the invasion, and forced France and Britain to withdraw.  The Americans did not get credit for their assistance, and radical Arabs started to look towards the USSR for assistance.  The Suez Crisis saw an increased Soviet involvement in the Middle East.

5.  Conflict continued between Arab states and Israel; war broke out again in 1967 and in 1973.  Israel came out victorious in both of these wars, with American help.  The success of Israel was a blow to the USSR.  After 1973, the USA was more successful than the USSR in influencing The Middle East- with both countries having reputations to uphold, this made the USA seem like a more powerful nation than the USSR.

6.  A new Egyptian leader, Anwar Sadat, broke off relations with the Soviet Union, and formed a better relationship with USA.  With aid from the USA, the states of Egypt and Israel signed a peace treaty in 1979.  In 1993, the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat signed a peace treaty with the Israeli Prime Minister, Yizhak Rabin.  By then, the Soviet Union had fallen apart, and were not playing a significant role in the Middle East.