Conflict in the Middle East What is the cause of the ongoing problems in Israel & Palestine?

I. Establishment of Israel A. 1947: UN approves a plan to divide Palestine into two nations 1. Palestine = Arab State 2. Israel = Jewish State. a. Jerusalem controlled by UN B. Palestinians & other Arab states object C. May 1948: Israel declares statehood and takes their territory 1. Six Arab nations declare war on Israel 2. Israel wins Arab-Israeli War, takes most Palestinian land, Egypt/Jordan take rest D. Palestinian people begin fleeing Israel

II. Israel & the Cold War – Suez Canal Crisis A. 1954: Gamel Abdel Nasser controls Egypt B. 1956: Nasser seizes British-controlled Suez Canal 1. Britain, France, Israel take back the canal & then occupy parts of Egypt – Nasser turns to the UN 2. Soviets say this is an example of western imperialism, Nasser seeks alliance with USSR 3. UN Security Council gives Egypt canal & land back (US abstains)

III. Six Day & Yom Kippur Wars A. Egypt & Arab neighbors attack Israel twice: Six-Day War (1967, Nasser) & Yom Kippur War (1973, Sadat) 1. Israel is backed by US & wins both wars, Israel takes more Arab land. B. 1973: Arabs put an oil embargo on US because of support of Israel C. Yasir Arafat & Palestinians form the PLO, use intifada to get their homeland back 1. Intifada includes non-violent methods to protest but also uses Soviet made weapons to attack Israel. Israel responds by bombing Pal. towns