 Heartland of great early civilizations.  Nile River  Mespotamia  Fertile Crescent- region from Mediterrean coast to southern Palestine- modern day Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan

 Generally hot  Arid  Thin, poor soils

 Islam predomaniantly  Sunni  Shi’ite

 Mekkah (Mecca), Saudi Arabia  Medina, Saudi Arabia  Jerusalem, Israel  1. Holy city for three different groups  2. Judaism-Wailing Wall, Temple Mount  3. Christianity- Church of the Holy Sepulcher  4. Islam- Dome of the Rock

 Arabic in most countries  Turkish in Turkey  Hebrew in Israel  Persian in Iran

 League of Nations created territorial mandates in the Middle East.  Look at vocabulary words and definitions to understand this.

 Palestine is not a country.  Palestine is a historical name for an area between the Mediterrean Sea and the Jordan River.  Home of Palestine Arabs and Israeli Jews.  Britain’s role was to prepare Palestine for independence.  League’s goal was to establish a national homeland in Palestine for the Jewish people.  Under the mandate Britain agreed to encourage immigration to Palestine.  Immigration had been cut-off due to World War II.

 Britain announced that it was giving up its mandate.  Britain said it would be leaving Palestine on May 15,  However…..

 At 4:00 p.m. on May 14, 1948, just hours before Britain’s departure, Israel declared their independence.  The leader, David Ben-Gurion read the declaration to the people.

 He was a political activist in Israel.  He was elected as Israel’s first Prime Minister.  He remained politically active off and on until his death in 1973.

 Egypt  Israel  Turkey  Lebanon  Jordan  Syria  Iraq  Iran  Kuwait  Saudi Arabia  And some more.

 Created in Palestinian Arabs  National charter created- called for the destruction of Israel.  Originally controlled by Arab states.  After 1967, taken over by genuine Palestinian nationalist groups.  Focus: Palestinian Arabs fight to regain homeland within the borders of the old British mandate.  Believed that Arabs had a right to self-determination in Palestine.  Wanted to replace state of Israel.  Involved with terrorist attack.  1974 Arab states recognize PLO as a single, legimate representative of Palestinians.  Begins fighting on diplomatic front.

 Leader of Fatah  Becomes PLO leader  Most visible PLO symbol.

 Sect of Islam.  Believe that imams are descendants of Muhammad.  Believe that Muhammad’s interpretation of the Koran is infalliable  Most believe that Muhammad, twelfth imam, was the last.  Known as Twelver Shi’ites.  They had a political influence.  They rejected the first three caliphs.  They follow the fourth caliph and feel closer to the prophet.

 They originate from a term “sunna” for prohphet’s behavior.  They follow the first four caliphs.  They believe that those were Muhammad’s rightful successors.  They favor an inclusion system of beliefs.  Allow most of the community’s views and practices to be adopted.

 They believe that you need to return to basic Islamic beliefs.  They believe that groups have strayed too far away from original teachings.  They are generally conservative in nature.  They do have a militant element- they believe that Western ways have corroded basic Islamic values. They also denounce nonreligious governments of Muslim lands.