Since the creation of Israel The Middle East Since the creation of Israel

Review Judaism began in Palestine 3000 years ago. 135 A.D. Romans drove them out=Diaspora. 600 A.D. Islam religion begins in Arabia, spreads throughout Middle East. Zionist movement begins late 1800s. Balfour promises to establish Israel 1917. Britain gets in Palestine in WW I mandate. United Nations establish Israel in May 1948. Neighboring Arab countries reject Israel.

Egypt and the Suez Canal Egyptian general Abdel Nasser seized control of the canal from Britain/France in 1956. Israel joined British and French in attack on Egypt= Suez War. Nasser becomes leader, promotes Pan-Arabism (Arab Unity)

Arab-Israeli Dispute 1967, Nasser blockades Israeli ports to directly deal with Palestine question. Israeli warplanes beat Egyptian air force broke the blockade, occupied Sinai Peninsula, later the West Bank, then Jerusalem. Israel tripled the size of their territory. Palestinians were now inside Israeli territory, most lived on the West Bank. This all happened in the Six-Day War.

New Egyptian Leader in 1970 Anwar Sadat Sadat launched new attacks on Israel in 1973 (Yom Kippur War) led to OPEC (Org. Petrol. Exporting Countries) embargo -raising oil prices and caused shortages to western nations. U.S. President Carter gets Menachem Begin of Israel and Sadat to reach agreement. Other Arab nations refuse.

The PLO and Intifada Yasir Arafat led the Palestinian Liberation Org., a guerilla movement that led terrorist attacks on Israel to regain Palestinian territory. A more militant group of Palestinians living in Israel known as the intifada (uprising) marked protests throughout the nation in 1980s and in Sept. 2000.

Iran Became rich country from oil ally of US in 1950s and 60s, led by Shah (king) Pahlavi. Muslim Iranians resented Pahlavi’s westernization, materialism. Ayatollah Khomeni came out of exile, a holy leader supported by people. Died in 1989. Pahlavi then given exile in U.S., 52 hostages taken at US embassy, held for 444 days, ‘79.

Iraq Conflict over territory led to war with Iran from 1980-89. Sadaam Hussein leader, used poison gas on Kurds (small Muslim sect) in north. Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. U.S., others freed Kuwait (Gulf War), defeated Iraq. UN warned against WMDs in Iraq who continued efforts at nuclear bomb.

2nd War in Iraq U.S. demanded Iraq give up WMDs, also believed they supported al-Qaeda. March, 2003 - U.S. invades Iraq. Saddam Hussein captured in December June, 2004 - U.S. gave sovereignty back to Iraq. Insurgents made it difficult.

Modern Terrorism IRA(Irish Republican Army) previous lesson Clash of Cultures-various theories as to why Muslims and West fight. Al-Qaeda (the base) founded by Osama bin Laden (wealthy Saudi Arabian) to help Afghan fighter defeat USSR. He then wanted to drive westerners out of Muslim countries. Used Taliban (Afghan Islamic fundamentalists) to help train al-Qaeda recruits.

Al-Qaeda Attacks Bombed two American embassies in Africa Used explosives on USS Cole (US Navy ship) docked in mid-east (Yemen) 9/11/01 Four commercial airliners were taken over by al-Qaeda terrorists. Two flew into World Trade Center twin towers, one into Pentagon in Wash. D.C., other crashed in PA, was possibly headed for the White House.