Conflicts: Day 2

Conflicts over Natural Resources Water Issues Water is the most important natural resource and the most likely to cause conflict in the future The Dead Sea is evaporating and shrinking Land rights and aquifers (North Africa) Distributing the waters of the Nile to areas outside of Egypt (Aswan High Dam) ©2012, TESCCC

Oil Wealth War: Iran-Iraq War, Iraqi invasion of Kuwait Effects of Modernization (desalinization) Industrialization (malls, airports, land reclamation) ©2012, TESCCC

The creation of Israel The Holocaust created great sympathy for the Jews. Many western countries wanted to create a homeland where they could settle and feel safe. Jews had been arriving in the area since the 1890s. Jews believed that Palestine was the ‘Promised Land’ of the Old Testament.

The UN Plan From 1921 Palestine was controlled by Britain. But in 1947 the British handed Palestine over to the United Nations. The United Nations recommended dividing Palestine between Arabs and Jews. The plan was published in November 1947.

Arab rejection of the UN Plan They believed that Palestine was theirs by right. The Jews had been given 60 percent of the land. The Arabs seemed to have been allocated the worst land.

As the British withdrew, the Palestinians fought to gain control of every town. Israeli terrorist gangs forced Arabs to leave their homes and flee for their lives.

Living in Israel It was a secular state. All people living within its borders would have the full rights of citizenship. Arabs would qualify as citizens and be able to vote and stand for the Knesset, This did not satisfy many Arabs. They did not want to live in Israel. They wanted a state of their own.

Israel was created on 14 May On 15 May 1948 the armies of Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Transjordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt attacked Israel.

Israelis win the war of The numbers of soldiers on both sides were about equal. But the Israeli army was well trained and used to fighting The Arab armies were inexperienced and divided. Israel’s forces were also much better armed and supplied than those of the Arabs. There was great financial support for the new state of Israel in the USA.

Effects of War The Israelis took over all of the areas that the United Nations had set aside for Arabs. About 800,000 Arabs left the new state of Israel. This created the Palestinian refugee problem. The refugee camps became the training grounds for the freedom fighters or 'Fedayeen'. Attacks began almost immediately upon targets in Israel.

More Jewish immigrants began to arrive and new settlements were begun to house the new immigrants. Many of these were in areas that Israel had occupied during the war of There were no peace treaties afterwards – only ceasefires. Another attack could be expected at any time. The Israeli government tried to encourage more immigration in an effort to increase the Israeli population.

The Law of Return gave every Jew the right to return to Israel. The population rose rapidly as a result. Arab states began to look towards the Soviet Union for support. The war led to increased support for Arab nationalists such as Nasser in Egypt and led to the downfall of King Farouq of Egypt who was overthrown in a coup.

US Policy At this time the USA was attempting to build a barrier against Soviet expansion. Baghdad Pact – Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq and Britain – signed interlocking agreements in – and received generous US economic and military aid. Nasser refused to allow Egypt to join. Syria and Jordan declined too. - claiming imperialist aims of the west.

Superpower involvement To try to protect Israel and other countries from Soviet influence, the Eisenhower Doctrine was announced in US aid was offered to any country in the Middle East threatened by communism. The Soviet Union began to send military advisers to Egypt. By 1970 there were an estimated 20,000 and military aid worth more than $12,000,000,000 had been sent to the Arab countries.

International terrorism From the late 1960s terrorism was directed against any country that supported Israel. The aim was to force countries to withdraw support from Israel and so isolate it in the Middle East Most of the international terrorism was carried out by extremist groups.

Causes of war of Yom Kippur? In 1970 Nasser died and was succeeded as President of Egypt by Anwar Sadat. Sadat wanted to force Israel to return the land that had been occupied in 1967 and then reach an agreement with the Israeli government. Sadat wanted to inflict a military defeat upon Israel to force it to the negotiating table.

Attempts at Peace In 1977 Menachem Begin became Prime Minister of Israel. He showed that he was prepared to make agreements with the Arab states and this led to the Camp David Talks with Egypt in Begin was a realist. Since 1967 Israel had occupied Sinai, which was almost entirely desert and of no real value. He could see no point in holding on to it and so continuing to anger the Egyptians.

Begin was also coming under increasing pressure from the USA and President Carter to reach some sort of agreement with Israel’s neighbours. The Camp David Agreement was signed by President Sadat of Egypt and Menachem Begin the Israeli Prime Minister in 1978.

Israel Promises… Israel promised to evacuate all land taken from Egypt, except the Gaza Strip, within three years. This was completed on time in In return Israel would have free use of the Suez Canal and the Gulf of Aqaba.