Chapter 12 - AnswersChapter 12 - Answers

1. The Zionist was a response to the 1. The Zionist was a response to the resurgence of anti-Semitism in resurgence of anti-Semitism in Europe well before the rise of Hitler. Europe well before the rise of Hitler. Jews from around the world were Jews from around the world were looking for a homeland, and slowly a looking for a homeland, and slowly a migration back to the Palestinian migration back to the Palestinian Protectorate. Protectorate.

2. . Part of the actual text of the 2. . Part of the actual text of the Balfour Declaration reads: Balfour Declaration reads: "...his Majesty's government view with "...his Majesty's government view with

favour the establishment in Palestine of a favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of that object, it being the achievement of that object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine or the rights communities in Palestine or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country." any other country."

(The 20th Century Almanac, (The 20th Century Almanac, New York: New York: World Almanac Publications, 1985, p. 116) World Almanac Publications, 1985, p. 116)

3. 3. The Arab states were opposed to The Arab states were opposed to the creation of the state of Israel. the creation of the state of Israel.

4.Nasser wanted modernize Egypt, 4.Nasser wanted modernize Egypt, build-up the armed forces, and expel build-up the armed forces, and expel colonial influences, although he did colonial influences, although he did obtain financial assistance from the obtain financial assistance from the USSR. USSR.

5. Israel wanted to destroy Egypt's 5. Israel wanted to destroy Egypt's ability to threaten Israel, so it ability to threaten Israel, so it participated in the Anglo-French participated in the Anglo-French plans to gain control of the Suez plans to gain control of the Suez Canal by agreeing to attack Egypt. In Canal by agreeing to attack Egypt. In 1956, the British and French wanted 1956, the British and French wanted to re-establish their colonial might. to re-establish their colonial might. Their actions could be interpreted asTheir actions could be interpreted as the last gasp of European the last gasp of European imperialism, because the actions of imperialism, because the actions of the French, British, and Israeli forces the French, British, and Israeli forces very much resembled the gun-boat very much resembled the gun-boat diplomacy of the early 1900s. diplomacy of the early 1900s.

6. The US took the issue to the UN. The 6. The US took the issue to the UN. The US regarded Israel as being within its US regarded Israel as being within its sphere of influence and wanted secure sphere of influence and wanted secure access to Middle East oil. It did not access to Middle East oil. It did not want the French and the British to want the French and the British to continue to treat the Middle East as continue to treat the Middle East as parts of their spheres of influence. parts of their spheres of influence.

7. The Soviets were preoccupied with the 7. The Soviets were preoccupied with the Hungarian Revolution during the crisis, Hungarian Revolution during the crisis, but did increase their economic and but did increase their economic and military aid to Arab states afterward.military aid to Arab states afterward.

8. The UN called for a ceasefire and 8. The UN called for a ceasefire and the withdrawal of all foreign forces the withdrawal of all foreign forces from the area, and sent a from the area, and sent a peacekeeping mission to maintain peacekeeping mission to maintain anan international presence. international presence.

9. Israel gained the Sinai Peninsula, 9. Israel gained the Sinai Peninsula, the West Bank and the Golan the West Bank and the Golan Heights, improving its defensive Heights, improving its defensive position. position.

10. The Yom Kippur War was a 10. The Yom Kippur War was a surprise attack on Israel. Egypt surprise attack on Israel. Egypt hoped to regain the territory it had hoped to regain the territory it had lost in lost in 1967, 1967, which the Israelis had which the Israelis had refused to return through refused to return through negotiation. Syria also attacked negotiation. Syria also attacked Israel on the Golan Heights. The Israel on the Golan Heights. The Israeli counterattack was successful. Israeli counterattack was successful. The war was ended by a UN The war was ended by a UN sponsored ceasefire obtained by the sponsored ceasefire obtained by the US. The US began peace talks as a US. The US began peace talks as a result of this war.result of this war.

1 1. The Camp David Peace Accord 1 1. The Camp David Peace Accord officially ended the state of war officially ended the state of war between Israel and Egypt, returned between Israel and Egypt, returned the Sinai to Egypt, and established the Sinai to Egypt, and established diplomatic relations between the two diplomatic relations between the two countries.countries.

12. The Palestinian issue was not 12. The Palestinian issue was not resolved. The PLO remained resolved. The PLO remained committed to terrorist attacks, and committed to terrorist attacks, and the Palestinian refugees remained in the Palestinian refugees remained in camps. The Israeli occupation of the camps. The Israeli occupation of the West Bank continued to be a West Bank continued to be a problem. In spite of the extension of problem. In spite of the extension of Israel's borders through war, it never Israel's borders through war, it never achieved stability. Arabs came to achieved stability. Arabs came to realize that military action would not realize that military action would not necessarily lead to a defeat of Israel, necessarily lead to a defeat of Israel, and that other methods, such as and that other methods, such as terrorism, might be more successful.terrorism, might be more successful.

13.13. The Yom Kippur War led to the The Yom Kippur War led to the creation of OPEC, an attempt by Arab creation of OPEC, an attempt by Arab nations to create an economic crisis nations to create an economic crisis in the Western world. This action in the Western world. This action showed just how vulnerable Western showed just how vulnerable Western nations were to an Arab oil boycott.nations were to an Arab oil boycott.

14.The Iran-Iraq War was caused by 14.The Iran-Iraq War was caused by Iraq's desire to overthrow Khomeini Iraq's desire to overthrow Khomeini and establish itself as the dominant and establish itself as the dominant power in the Persian Gulf. Iran was power in the Persian Gulf. Iran was an Islamic fundamentalist state an Islamic fundamentalist state reversing the trend to modernization, reversing the trend to modernization, and Iraq was a Ba'athist state, and Iraq was a Ba'athist state, secular, nationalistic, and interested secular, nationalistic, and interested in modernization.in modernization.

15. Both countries were devastated 15. Both countries were devastated and encountered severe economic and encountered severe economic problems. The US increased its naval problems. The US increased its naval strength, and the world was strength, and the world was concerned about the use of chemical concerned about the use of chemical weapons and Iraq's determination to weapons and Iraq's determination to become a nuclear power.become a nuclear power.

16. 16. One cause of the Gulf War was Iraq's need for One cause of the Gulf War was Iraq's need for

hard currency to repay its debts from the Iran-hard currency to repay its debts from the Iran-Iraq War. Saddam Hussein charged Kuwait and Iraq War. Saddam Hussein charged Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates with over-production at the United Arab Emirates with over-production at the OPEC conference, and hoped to force Kuwait the OPEC conference, and hoped to force Kuwait into paying an indemnity to make up for the low into paying an indemnity to make up for the low oil prices by massing troops on the border. oil prices by massing troops on the border.

The most powerful country in the Persian Gulf The most powerful country in the Persian Gulf region, Iraq also felt it had been given a free hand region, Iraq also felt it had been given a free hand by the American ambassador and therefore by by the American ambassador and therefore by the American government to attack Kuwait. the American government to attack Kuwait.

In addition, the Iraqis have always believed that In addition, the Iraqis have always believed that Kuwait belonged to them.Kuwait belonged to them.

17. The Americans wanted to contain 17. The Americans wanted to contain Soviet influence, retain secure Soviet influence, retain secure sources of Middle Eastern oil, limit sources of Middle Eastern oil, limit Arab radicalism, and continue to Arab radicalism, and continue to support Israel.support Israel.

18. The USSR's major concerns were 18. The USSR's major concerns were the security of its southern the security of its southern boundaries and its inability to boundaries and its inability to promote Communist philosophy promote Communist philosophy successfully in Islamic areas.successfully in Islamic areas.

19. The US did not gain stability for 19. The US did not gain stability for Israel, and alienated Arab states by Israel, and alienated Arab states by its support for Israel. The Soviet its support for Israel. The Soviet Union never obtained long-term or Union never obtained long-term or reliable allies in the Middle East.reliable allies in the Middle East.