A Region of ConflictIssues in North Africa and the Middle East

©2012, TESCCCWorld Geography Unit 8, Lesson 4

Reasons for Conflict

©2012, TESCCC

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict• 1948 the state of Israel was created through a United Nations charter

• War with Arabs nations followed immediately

• 1967 Israel takes control of Jerusalem, West Bank, and Gaza strip at the end of the Six-Day War

• 1974- The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) is recognized by the UN as the legitimate representative of the Palestinians

• 1978 Camp David Accords set up Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank

• 1978 First Palestinian Intifada (resistance movement, ended in stalemate)

• 1993 Oslo Accords allow Palestinians to establish self-rule in West Bank and Gaza Strip

• 2001 election of Ariel Sharon as Prime Minister (waged battle against terror groups)

• 2003 Israel starts building a fence along the West Bank

• 2004 Yasser Arafat dies (leader of PLO)

• 2012- Peace talks end without progress

©2012, TESCCC

A refugee camp in Israel

©2012, TESCCC

©2012, TESCCC

Women in the Middle East• Unequal status (due to Islamic law)

• Family life (marriage, divorce, child custody, inheritance)- husband is considered the head of the family and given greater legal-standing than his wife

• Gender-based violence

• Nations including Kuwait, UAE, and Bahrain permit women to participate in government

• Working outside the home and access to higher education (is not allowed in some areas)

• Wearing of the veil (hijab)

©2012, TESCCC

©2012, TESCCC

Water IssuesConflicts over Natural

ResourcesWater is the most important natural resource

and the most likely to cause conflict in the future

The ]Dead Sea is evaporating and shrinking

Land rights and aquifers (North Africa)

Distributing the waters of the Nile- areas outside of Egypt (Aswan High Dam)

©2012, TESCCC

Oil WealthWar- Desert Storm (Kuwait)

Effects of Modernization (desalinization)

Industrialization (malls, airports, land reclamation)

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Arab Spring• Dec. 2010- A Tunisian vendor sets himself on fire in protest of police brutality

• Jan. 2011- Thousands take to the streets in Tunisia demanding better living conditions

• Jan. 2011- Tunisian president steps down and flees to Saudi Arabia

• Jan. 2011- Thousands take to the streets in Jordan in protest of high fuel prices

• Jan. 2011- Algerians protest outside the parliament building

• Jan. 2011- “Day of Rage” in Egypt as tens of thousands take the streets in protest demanding the ousting of then President Mubarak

• Feb. Mubarak dismisses his government and surrenders power (ending almost 30 years in control)

• March 2011- no fly zone contention in Libya

• April 2011- protesters killed in Syria

• October- Gaddafi killed (ending 42 years of power)

©2012, TESCCC

©2012, TESCCC