History 171ME The United States and the Middle East 1900 to the Present
The First Palestinian Intifada
Summer 1982—Israeli invasion of Lebanon
Following Israeli invasion of Lebanon, PLO had to relocate to Tunisia, from which it was difficult to influence events in Israel/Palestine
September 1, 1982—Ronald Reagan issued Middle East peace plan, calling for Israeli withdrawal from West Bank and Gaza, freeze on construction of Jewish settlements, and Palestinian federation with Jordan Reagan Plan
Some Arab states cautiously welcomed Reagan Plan; Israel and PLO opposed it Reagan Plan
September 9, 1982—Arab states at summit in Fez, Morocco, issued peace plan, calling for independent Palestinian state in West Bank and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital; Israel rejected Fez Plan; US ignored it Fez Plan
Israeli occupation of West Bank and Gaza Strip
Israeli settlements in Occupied Territories
Late 1987—traffic accident in Gaza sparked spontaneous uprising (Intifada) among Palestinians; quickly spread to West Bank
Divided Israeli government Yitzhak Rabin Yitzhak Shamir Shimon Peres
Israeli government tried to put down Intifada by force but without using major firepower Yitzhak Rabin
Israeli government tried to put down Intifada by force but without using major firepower Injured Palestinians
1988—Secretary of State George Shultz tried to resolve crisis without involving PLO; US govt would not recognize PLO until it recognized Israel, accepted Resolution 242, and renounced terrorism
The Terrorism Issue Arafat
The Terrorism Issue Arafat Begin
The Terrorism Issue Arafat Shamir Begin
UN Security Council Resolution 242 (November 1967)
Shultz hoped Jordan could speak for Palestinians
... but this possibility died in summer of 1988, when King Hussein renounced Jordan’s claim to West Bank
Arafat vs. Shultz
November 1988—Palestine National Council (PNC) met, accepted Resolution 242, and declared independent Palestinian state in West Bank and Gaza (symbolic), implicitly recognizing Israel
Arafat at United Nations
December 1988— Arafat publicly recognized Israel, accepted 242, and renounced terrorism, prompting Reagan administration to open dialogue with PLO
Little came of US-PLO dialogue George H. W. Bush administration kept talks at low level and failed to pressure Israel to ease conditions in occupied territories
Little came of US-PLO dialogue George H. W. Bush administration kept talks at low level and failed to pressure Israel to ease conditions in occupied territories US Ambassador to Tunisia Robert Pelletreau
Little came of US-PLO dialogue Arafat failed to impose discipline over PLO
Little came of US-PLO dialogue June 1990—When Arafat refused to condemn attempted terrorist raid into Israel by PLO splinter group, Bush suspended US-PLO dialogue Abu Abbas
The First Gulf War
The Gulf Crisis and War of left legacy of instability and danger that we still face today
George H. W. Bush
During Iran-Iraq War ( ) Reagan administration tilted toward Saddam Hussein’s Iraq Saddam Hussein
During Iran-Iraq War ( ) Reagan administration tilted toward Saddam Hussein’s Iraq Saddam Hussein
Special US envoy Donald Rumsfeld meeting Saddam Hussein, 1983
During Iran-Iraq War ( ) Reagan administration tilted toward Saddam Hussein’s Iraq Saddam Hussein
When Iraq used chemical weapons against Iranian soldiers and Iraqi Kurdish civilians, US crititicized Iraq, but only mildly
After Iran-Iraq War ended in 1988, tensions arose between Iraq and Kuwait
Kuwait demanded repayment of $32 billion loan, but Iraq refused
July 1990—Saddam Hussein demanded islands of Bubiyan and Warba, threatened to invade Kuwait
Meeting between Ambassador April Glaspie and Saddam Hussein, July 25, 1990
August 1990—Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait, subjecting it to brutal occupation
President George H. W. Bush reacted cautiously at first
Margaret Thatcher and George H. W. Bush... but quickly decided that invasion must not stand
Summer 1990—Bush got UN Security Council to pass resolution demanding Iraqi withdrawal
... even receiving Soviet cooperation
Summer-Fall 1990—Bush lined up diverse coalition of countries prepared to enforce resolution
Massive multinational force materialized in Saudi Arabia—“Operation Desert Shield”
Colin Powell Norman Schwarzkopf
To break up anti-Iraq coalition, Saddam offered to withdraw from Kuwait if Israel withdrew from Israeli occupied territories; Saddam’s offer generated enthusiasm in Arab world
Bush refused any quid pro quo but made vague commitment to address Arab-Israeli dispute after Iraq was ousted from Kuwait
November 1990—UN Security Council passed resolution authorizing use of force against Iraq if it didn’t withdraw from Kuwait by January 15, 1991
Antiwar demonstrations