Arab – Israeli Timeline A battle over Palestine

Ancient Palestine Ancient homeland of Jews and the Palestinians Jews believe the land was given to them by their God in the 12 th Century B.C. Palestinians settled at the same time.

About 200 years after the Jews and Palestinians settled in this area, the Jews established a kingdom called Israel In 73 A.D., the Roman Empire conquered Palestine and put down a Jewish uprising, causing the Diaspora (dispersal), Jews fled throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean The Palestinians remained in the region and and intermixed with other local people, notably the Arabs, and most converted to Islam. Kingdom of Israel and the Diaspora

Zionism: Zion is a hill of great importance to the Jews in their holy city of Jerusalem Following the Diaspora, most Jews dreamed of returning to their ancestral homeland After facing persecution in Europe in the 1800’s, many Jews organized political movements aimed at moving back to their homeland, Palestine - which was now part of the Ottoman Empire Early Zionists sought to create a Jewish state in Palestine.

In 1882 Jews began immigrating back to Palestine, and the majority were Zionists By 1914, Jews made up 10% of Palestine’s population Christian Palestinians feared that the Zionist were an extension of European Imperialism Muslims were concerned as well, especially when Muslim peasants were excluded from socialist farming communities. Jewish Immigration to Palestine

British Mandate of Palestine: a Jewish homeland In 1916, Britain and France signed the Sykes – Picot Agreement, which called for the partition of the land of the Ottoman Empire in the Middle East after WWI Britain would control Palestine and the Jews would get a state in Palestine - homeland Palestinian Arabs, who made up 85% of the population, were outraged that they were not consulted in this agreement As immigration continued tension mounted.

1939 – 1947: During and after WWII During WWII the British limited Jewish immigrants to the area Countries around the world condemned Britain for this action However, Britain did this to keep the Arabs happy since they were needed to help fight the Nazis In 1947 Britain turned the Palestinian problem over to the UN and Palestine was placed under international control.

UN Decision 1947: The UN partitions the regions into two states, one for Palestinians and one for Jews.

The Palestinians, and other Arab nations, refuse to accept an Israeli state and attack Israel Israel wins war Expand by taking most of the land designated for the Palestinian state

Other lands originally designated for the Palestinians were taken by Egypt (Gaza Strip) and Jordan (West Bank) Thousands of Palestinians went to Jordan, Egypt, or Lebanon and set up refugee camps –1949 cont.

Israel, Britain, and France seek to stop border raids by Egyptian guerrillas and to end a shipping blockade commanding the Gulf of Aqaba Britain and France want to help and undo the nationalization of the Suez Canal The U.S.S.R. announced that it would come to the aide of Egypt Fearing WWIII Israel, Britain, and France leave Egypt. 1956

Yasser Arafat Founded Fatah in 1957, an organization dedicated to establishing an independent Palestinian state in place Israel and Jordan. Fatah began carrying out terrorist raids against Israeli targets Fatah Became PLO in the 1960s Exiled to Tunisia in the 1980s

Egypt reoccupied the Gaza Strip and stopped Israeli shipping through the Gulf of Aqaba Israel attacked and took back the Gaza Strip, occupied the Sinai peninsula to the Suez Canal, captured East Jerusalem, Syria’s Golan Heights, and Jordan’s West Bank An uneasy truce is signed after six days of fighting. The Six Day War- 1973

Egypt and Syria attack Israel on Yom Kippur – the most holy day of the Jewish religion The UN arranges another cease – fire OPEC is unhappy with the U.S. and puts an embargo on oil being exported to the U.S. OPEC eased restrictions once support was given to the Arabs. 1973

1978: Camp David Accord President Jimmy Carter arranges an agreement between Egypt and Israel Israel gives the Sinai peninsula back to Egypt and Egypt is the first Arab state to formally recognize Israel.

The 1990s Oslo Accord moves region closer to peace 1996 – PLO charter was changed so that it no longer called for the destruction of Israel 1998 – President Clinton brokers a deal to give more of the West Bank territory back to the Palestinians in exchange for an agreement ending suicide bombings Israelis and Palestinians continue to disagree over ownership of the sacred city of Jerusalem. Yitzhak Rabin (Israel) Bill Clinton (US) and Yasser Arafat (PLO) Sign Olso Accord (1993)

: Peace talks fail between President Clinton and Israeli officials – Arafat and Barak 2001: Violence escalates and Palestinians begin using suicide bombers - Israel counters with bombings by F-16’s 2002: Israeli troops surround Arafat’s headquarters and demand his expulsion from the territories 2003: The “Road Map to Peace” attempts to create a Palestinian state by 2005, but hopes for peace were shattered when neither side honored their obligations.

Current Situation Yasser Arafat died November 11, 2004 Mahmoud Abbas assummed leadership of the PLO Militant groups such Hamas and Islamic Jihad are continuing terrorist attacks Cease-fire has been purposed but has not been accepted by either side.