Arab-Israeli Conflict

2 Peoples

• Palestinians– religion: Muslim (90%) & Christian (10%)– language: Arabic– supported by Arab countries

• Israelis– religion: mainly Jewish– language: Hebrew– supported by US and Britain

Claims to Land

IsraelisPalestinians

• Biblical promise of land to Abraham and his descendants [begets Isaac, begets Jacob a.k.a. Israel]

• Ancestors lived in area nearly 2000 years ago

• Jerusalem home to most important Jewish site—Western Wall

• Need for haven from European anti-Semitism

• Ancestors have been living in area nearly 2000 years

• Demographic majority• Bible is not a legitimate

basis for modern claim to territory

• Jerusalem home to 3rd most important Muslim site-Dome of the Rock/Al-Aqsa Mosque

Claims to the Land

Temple Mount

Israel: The Western Wall• Jerusalem is the site of the holiest

site in Judaism, remains of the earliest Temples.

• “The Western Wall is part of the retaining wall supporting the temple mount built by Herod in 20 B.C. After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 A.D., Jews were not allowed to come to Jerusalem until the Byzantine period, when they could visit once a year on the anniversary of the destruction of the Temple and weep over the ruins of the Holy Temple. Because of this, the wall became known as the ‘Wailing Wall.’” (http://www.levitt.com/slideshow/s01p05.html)

Western or Wailing Wall

Dome of the Rock

Al Aqsa Mosque

Zionism

ZionismZionism

Theodore Herzl1860-1904Theodore Herzl1860-1904

GOALS:The spiritual andpolitical renewal ofthe Jewish peoplein its ancestralhomeland ofPalestine.

Freedom from Western anti-Semitism.

GOALS:The spiritual andpolitical renewal ofthe Jewish peoplein its ancestralhomeland ofPalestine.

Freedom from Western anti-Semitism.

Role of the British

McMahon-Hussein Correspondence

Hussein-McMahon Letters, 1915Hussein-McMahon Letters, 1915

....Britain is prepared to recognize and uphold the independence of the Arabs in all regions lying within the frontiers proposed by the Sharif of Mecca....

Hussein ibn Ali,Sharif of Mecca

Hussein ibn Ali,Sharif of Mecca

Role of the BritishRole of the British

The Balfour DeclarationThe Balfour Declaration

The Balfour Declaration• In 1917 Britain, at the height of World War

One, agreed for its own imperial reasons agreed to sponsor the creation of a Jewish homeland in Palestine.

• Palestinians were not consulted, Lord Balfour wrote:“in Palestine we do not propose even to go through the form of consulting the wishes of the present inhabitants of the country. The Four Great Powers are committed to Zionism. And Zionism, be it right or wrong, good or bad, is rooted in age-long traditions, in present needs, in future hopes, of far profounder import than the desires and prejudices of the 700,000 Arabs who inhabit that ancient land… In short so far as Palestine is concerned, the powers have made no statement of fact which is not admittedly wrong, and no declaration of policy which, at least in the letter, they have not always intended to violate.”

British Mandate

How did the Treaty of Versailles change the world map?

1918 - Ottoman Empire is defeated in World War I igniting widespread Turkish nationalism leading to the creation of Turkey. The League of Nations asks Britain to oversea Palestine as a mandate – a territory to be controlled by the League of Nations until ready for independence.

T. Loessin; Akins H.S.

How did the Treaty of Versailles change the world map?

1918 - Ottoman Empire is defeated in World War I igniting widespread Turkish nationalism leading to the creation of Turkey. The League of Nations asks Britain to oversea Palestine as a mandate – a territory to be controlled by the League of Nations until ready for independence.

• Arabs were concerned about the increased immigration of Jews to Palestine.• Jews were making requests for a homeland to be carved out of the region when the war ended.

1. Britain issues the Balfour Declaration.

Unable to settle the matter after World War II, Britain decides to turn the issue over to the U.N.

T. Loessin; Akins H.S.

World War Two and Holocaust

The Nazis

• In 1933 the Nazis came to power in Germany.

• Immigration exploded as Jews sought to escape Europe. Between 1933 and 1936 140,000 new immigrants arrived.

• The Palestinians believed they were being swamped.

The Holocaust.• Nazi Germany, and Hitler, perpetrated the worst

‘Pogrom’ in living memory by systematically trying to eliminate all Jewish people.

• The factory-like process by which Jewish men, women and children were identified, labelled, moved, stored, abused and finally killed became called the ‘Holocaust’.

• Over 6 million Jewish people died.• The Germans did not succeed in eliminating the

Jews however.

World War II

• The discovery of Hitler’s death camps profoundly shocked the world and highlighted the case of the Jewish people who had survived.

• Many Jewish people began seeking refuge in Palestine.

• The Arab states near Palestine were, meanwhile, throwing off colonial rule and getting together to preserve Palestine for the Arabs.

Jews & Arabs in Palestine, 1920

Jews & Arabs in Palestine, 1920

× In 1920, there was 1 Jew toevery 10 Arabs inPalestine.

× By 1947, the ratio was 2 Arabs forevery Jew.

× In 1920, there was 1 Jew toevery 10 Arabs inPalestine.

× By 1947, the ratio was 2 Arabs forevery Jew.The Arabs felt that they were

losing control of their “country!”

The Arabs felt that they were

losing control of their “country!”

UN Partition Plan 1947

UN Plan for Palestine (1947)• Partition (separate) the area into 2 countries• Israel (Jewish State) and Palestine (Arab State)• 55% of land goes to the Jews • 45% of land goes to the Arabs • Total Population: 1.8 million

• 1.2 million Arabs living in area • 600,000 Jews living in area

• Jerusalem:“international city” controlled by UN • Accepted by Jews• Rejected by Arabs• No Arab on committee

The Arab League 1947• The Arab states now combined together to

form the “Arab League”

• The Arab League consisted of Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, and it became a formidable Arab force arranged against the Jewish settlers.

Israel Becomes a Nation:May 14, 1948

Israel Becomes a Nation:May 14, 1948

David Ben-Gurion,1st Prime Minister

David Ben-Gurion,1st Prime Minister

Chaim Weizmann,1st President

Chaim Weizmann,1st President

Six Day War 1967

The Arab-Israeli conflict that began in 1948 has continued through the years. In 1967 and again in 1973, war erupted. Six years after the 1973 war, Egypt and Israel singed a peace agreement, but unrest among Palestinian Arabs in Israel remained a major problem.

• 1967, Egypt demanded UN remove troops from Gaza, Sinai Peninsula

• Egyptian troops moved into Sinai to close off Gulf of Aqaba, Israel’s route to Red Sea

War in 1967, 1973

• Israel expected large-scale Arab attack, decided to strike first

• Launched air strikes against Egypt, Syria, Jordan; destroyed most of airplanes on ground

• Ground troops moved in, defeated Arabs

Israeli Attacks

• In Six-Day War Israel took control of Golan Heights, Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, West Bank, East Jerusalem

• Took control of land in West Bank, Gaza with large Palestinian population

Six-Day War

Six Day War

PLO and Terrorist Activities

1967-1971

Flag of the PLO-Palestinian Liberation Organisation.

By Arabs the PLO were seen as freedom fighters.By Jewish settlers the PLO were seen as terrorists.

Yasser Arafat- leader of the PLO from 1968 onwards.

The Palestinians (Arabs) set up a more efficient organisation to promote itself in 1964- with the assistance of the Arab League (all the Arab nations).

This was the PLO – or Palestinian Liberation Organisation, based originally on the West Bank

The October War/Yom Kippur War

Yom Kippur War

• Egypt, Syria determined to win territory back, launched Yom Kippur War, surprise attack against Israel in 1973

• Took name from Jewish holy day when attack began

Oil Embargo

• Both sides agreed to cease-fire after weeks of fighting

• During war, Arab members of OPEC declared oil embargo against countries supporting Israel

• Price of oil around world rose dramatically as result of refusal to sell oil

U.S. Support

• At first Arab troops made gains in war; Israeli’s government, led by Golda Meir, not fully prepared for attack; needed military support from U.S.

• With support, Israeli forces regrouped, pushed back Egyptian, Syrian armies

Egypt Strikes Back

Camp David Peace Accords

Egypt-Israel Peace Agreement

Egyptian President Sadat offers peace to Israel. President Carter sets meeting in U.S.

6. Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Sadat sign the Camp David Accords in 1978.

• Egypt becomes first Arab nation to officially recognize Israel’s statehood. • Israel agrees to return Sinai Peninsula to Egypt.

Egypt’s President Anwar Sadat shocked the world when he

became the first leader of the Arab-world to offer peace to Israel. “We used to reject you,” he told the Israeli Parliament, “yet, today, we agree to live with you in permanent peace and justice.”

Two years later,Sadat is assassinated by angry Muslim extremists.

Israel

Egypt’s new President Hosni Mubarak kept Sadat’s policy

and maintained peace with Israel. Palestinians could no longer rely on Egypt in their conflict with Israel.

Presidents Sadat (UAE), Carter (USA), and Begin (Israel) sign

the Camp David Accords. 1978.

First Intifada

Intifada.

• Intifada: انتفاضة Arabic word stands for shaking off or shivering because of fear or illness.

• It also means abrupt and sudden waking up from sleep or unconcerned status.

• Politically; The word came to symbolise the Palestinian uprising against the Israeli occupation.

• The word also stands for the weakness of the Palestinian people and their suffering under the Israeli occupation. 

Palestinians continued to resent Israel’s rule over their lands and they began turning increasingly to the P.L.O. (Palestinian Liberation Organization) - a militant group fighting an armed struggle for the liberation of Palestine from Israel.

Yasir Arafat was the leader of the P.L.O. from 1969 – 2004.

In 1987 Palestinians began the intifada - a widespread “uprising” with acts of civil disobedience – such as attacking Israeli soldiers, rock throwing, boycotts, demonstrations. By 1991 world pressure led to peace talks again.

T. Loessin; Akins H.S.

Oslo Peace Accords

Peace in 1993

• In 1993 Israel and the PLO agreed to embark on a peace process.

• The PLO renounced terrorism and agreed to recognise Israeli sovereignty over 78% of historic Palestine.

• In return the PLO believed that Israel would end its occupation and that the remaining 22% of historic Palestine would become the state of Palestine.

• However, Israel gave no guarantees and with the murder of Rabin the peace process effectively died.

Ongoing violence associated with the intifada as well as Palestinian civil disobedience led to pressure on Israel.

7. Prime Minister of Israel Yitzhak Rabin and P.L.O. leader Arafat issue a Declaration of Principles.

Rabin promised self-rule for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and West Bank.

.

Rabin and Arafat were both awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.

Second Intifada

Armed conflict also erupted when Israeli soldiers were kidnapped along borders with Gaza and Lebanon. Israel launched air strikes to secure its borders.

• 2000—second intifada began

• Palestinian youths joined by Palestinian security forces with guns

• Hamas sent suicide bombers into Israel to attack civilians

• Israelis countered by sending troops backed by tanks, fighter jets, helicopter gunships into cities in West Bank, Gaza

• 2004, Arafat died, succeeded by Mahmoud Abbas

More Fighting

Continuing the Conflict

• 2004, Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon withdrew Israel from Gaza, parts of West Bank

• 2005, Gaza turned over to Palestinians

• 2006, militant Hamas won control of Palestinian parliament

Hamas in Control

West Bank Barrier---The Wall

The West Bank Barrier

2003

A Controversial Construction

Impact of Wall Impact of Wall

1. Completely surround 100,000 people in 42 towns

2. Reduce the available water supply by 1 billion gallons

3. Confiscate hundreds of thousands of acres of land

4. Severely restrict travel to jobs, hospitals and schools

5. Adversely affect 4 out of 10 Palestinians

Israeli Perspective Palestinian Perspective

• Israel is building a barrier between it and the West Bank. Israel sees this as a way to prevent further suicide bombings.

• The barrier goes beyond the border between the West Bank and Israel. – The barrier route is 449

miles, while the “Green Line”—the “border” between the West Bank and Israel is 199 miles.

Current Issue: Security Barrier

Hamas Elected

2006

Background on Hamas

• Militant Islamist group• acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-

Islamiya ("Islamic Resistance Movement")• Against Israel’s occupation of the West Bank

and Gaza Strip– Committed to the destruction of Israel

• Originally had two purposes:– Carrying out an armed struggle against Israel, led

by Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades– Delivering social welfare programmes

Hamas (1987)

• A. Attacks:• 1. Many bombings,

suicide bombings, rocket and artillery attacks, kidnappings, beatings, and other acts of violence against Israeli civilians during 80’s and 90’s- hundreds of casualties

• 2. provides relief, education, to Palestinians

• 3. provides political participation

• B. Goals:• 1. destruction of Israel• 2. destruction of Judaism• 3. political violence• 4. creation of a

Palestinian State

The Slogan of Hamas“God is it’s target, the Prophet is it’s model, the

Qur’an it’s constitution: Jihad is it’s path and death for the sake of God is the loftiest of it’s

wishes.”

Violence by Hamas

• Recognized as a terrorist group by Israel, the US, EU, Canada and Japan

• Has a long record of it attacks and its refusal to renounce violence

• First used suicide bombing in April 1993, five months before PLO leader Yasir Arafat and Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin signed the Oslo Accords

• Oslo Accords established limited self-government for parts of the West Bank and Gaza under the Palestinian Authority (PA)– Hamas condemned the accords, in which the PLO gave

Israel its formal recognition.

Hamas Strategies

• Suicide bombers

• Firing rockets

• Using human shields---storing rockets under hospitals, schools, mosques, etc…

Control of Gaza

• Hamas controls the Gaza Strip

• There is no Israeli military presence inside Gaza anymore, but the Gaza’s sea, air and borders are under Israeli control