POST-WWII TO PRESENT DAY THE MIDDLE EAST

Egypt not fully independent – British troops occupied the Suez Canal – As a result, Abdul Nasser seizes power in a military coup in 1952 Nasser seizes the Suez Canal, which was owned by an international company controlled by Britain and France – Great Britain, France, and Israel attack Egypt – The Soviet Union threatens to come to the aid of Egypt and the U.S. pressures Britain, France, and Israel to withdraw from Egypt Nasser promotes Pan-Arabism = Arab unity – Wants to unite the Arab world, works hard to destroy Israel

In 1948 the United Nations creates the Jewish state of Israel – The problem is that Palestinians already live there, Arab neighbors see this as a betrayal, especially Egypt – The next day several Arab nations invade, however the invasion fails – the first Arab-Israeli war They still refuse to recognize Israel’s right to exist

Six Day War (1967) – Egypt blockades Israel, and fearing an attack, Israel strikes first – Israel breaks through the blockade and seizes new territory Sinai Peninsula, West Bank, Golan Heights, Gaza Strip, and occupies Jerusalem – Israel triples its size, some Arab nations still want their land returned Massacre at the Munich Olympics in 1972 – Terrorists seize eleven Israeli Olympians, two are killed immediately – The other nine die with several terrorists in a shoot out at the airport

OPEC formed in 1960 = the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries – Increase prices when upset about Western foreign policy in the Middle East Yom Kippur War (1973) – Egypt and Syria launch a surprise attack against Israel on a Jewish holy day In the beginning the Arab force was able to make gains – The Israelis are able to push back the invading force with U.S. support Arab members of OPEC place an oil embargo on countries supporting Israel

Camp David Accords (1978) – President Carter meets with Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Prime Minister Begin of Israel – They sign the Camp David Accords, a peace treaty that ends the state of war between them Egypt recognizes Israel and Israel returns the Sinai Peninsula – Both Sadat and Begin are later assassinated Palestinian Unrest – PLO = Palestine Liberation Organization, formed 1964 Pledge to destroy Israel and replace it with a Palestinian state Led by Yasser Arafat, launches attacks against Israel

– Intifada = rebellion based on resentment of Israeli occupation (1987) Palestinian youths battle Israeli troops in widespread street violence Fighting continues until the early 1990s – Oslo Accords (1993) = Arafat and Israeli prime minister Rabin negotiate an agreement to end the violence Called for Palestinians to gradually gain control over governing the West Bank and Gaza Peace undermined - militant group Hamas launches suicide bombings in Israel and an Israeli religious fanatic assassinates Rabin

– A second intifada began in 2000, with Hamas sending suicide bombers into Israel and Israel responding by sending troops in the West Bank and Gaza Revolution in Iran and hostage crisis (1979) – Iran had been the chief ally of the U.S. in the Middle East However many Muslims view the new Iranian civilization as being based on greed and materialism and too western, which they blamed as American influence – Ayatollah Khomeini leads a revolution, overthrows the gov’t, and sets up an Islamic republic Enforced strict religious and social laws, anti- Western foreign policy

The shah goes to the U.S. for medical treatment, angers the Iranians – 52 Americans are then seized in Tehran from the U.S. embassy and held hostage for over a year They are released the day Reagan becomes president Iran-Iraq War ( ) – Iran = Shiites, Iran = Sunnis – Saddam Hussein invades Iran for territory Due to border disputes and Iran’s new gov’t calling for revolution among Iraq’s Shiite population – Uses poison gas and children to clear minefields

Persian Gulf War (1990) – Iraq invades Kuwait for its oil fields – Desert Storm – U.S. leads an international force that frees Kuwait Iraq must destroy its chemical weapons Current war in Iraq – U.S. calls for invasion because Iraq is suspected of having chemical weapons – War starts in March 2003, ends? – Saddam Hussein is removed from power and executed – Currently there have been 4,487 deaths and 32,226 wounded

Afghanistan invaded by the U.S. in 2001 after being accused of sheltering Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda – The Taliban gov’t collapses, American forces still fighting there Rise of Islamic fundamentalism – Movement to reorder gov’t and society according to Islamic laws – Islamists believe that Muslim countries have strayed from the true path of Islam by following Western influences Islamic militants/extremists use violence to try and bring about changes – Goal is to remove all Western influence in Muslim nations

Independence for India – Mohandas Gandhi leads non-violent resistance against British rule – Achieves independence in 1947 – Religious tensions: Hindus and Muslims don’t get along Partition of India – British India is divided into India and East and West Pakistan Hindus go to India and Muslims to one of the two Pakistans – Violence erupts among the two groups as they move Over a million people are killed and Gandhi himself is assassinated by a Hindu who blames him for the partition

Eventually East Pakistan breaks away from West Pakistan in 1971 – Civil war, East Pakistan wins and renames itself Bangladesh Growing ethnic and religious strife in India – The Sikhs, who follow a religion based on both Hindu and Muslim ideas, demand independence of the province of Punjab – Prime Minister Indira Gandhi refuses and in 1984 uses military force against Sikh rebels who have taken refuge in an important Sikh temple Hundreds are killed and the temple is damaged

– Two members of Gandhi’s personal bodyguards both Sikhs, assassinate her later that year Sets off a move of anti-Sikh violence and thousands are killed – Her son, Rajiv Gandhi, replaces her as prime minister and is assassinated in 1991 Kashmir – India and Pakistan both claim this area, have been fighting over it for decades – In 1999 Pakistani backed forces invade Kashmir, cease-fire in 2003, China also has laid claim to Kashmir