Geography 1002 – World Regions Israel and Her Neighbors Joseph Naumann

ISRAEL

ISRAEL ZIONISM BALFOUR DECLARATION (1917) POLITICAL MOVEMENT FOUNDED BY THEODOR HERZL (1897) OBJECTIVE: SECURE HOMELAND FOR JEWISH PEOPLE BALFOUR DECLARATION (1917) SUPPORTS CONCEPT OF A JEWISH HOMELAND WWI ALLIED (BRITISH) PROMISES TO ARABS – REVOLT AGAINST TURKS - GET INDEPENDENCE JEWISH IMMIGRATION TO PALESTINE 1922 – BRITISH MANDATE TO GOVERN PALESTINE RISING CONFLICT BETWEEN ARABS AND JEWS

British Mandate After World War I, Ottoman Empire was dis-membered.

British Partition in 1946 Palestine – primarily for Jews Arabs in Palestine are disturbed at the prospect of a Jewish state

2 Sided Conflict – Little Compromise Israeli Position God gave us the land & holy places Balfour promised a homeland Holocaust proved we need a country – a theocracy We’ve made a desert into a productive land We won’t give up land taken until we have a guarantee of safety Arab Position We’ve lived here for centuries – they left WWI promises of independence if we rebelled against Turkey We have holy places here Jewish immigration was making us a minority in our own land – had to stop it Want an Islamic theocracy

UN PARTITION PLAN FOR PALESTINE DIVISION INTO JEWISH AND ARAB AREAS BRITISH EVACUATE PALESTINE IN 1948 PROCLAMATION OF ISRAEL AS A STATE (14 May 1948)

1948: ARAB INVASION (WAR OF INDEPENDENCE) ARMISTICE (1949) 900,000 PALESTINIAN REFUGEES – NOT ALLOWED TO RETURN – REFUGEE CAMPS Israel possessed more land than the U.N. partition had given it.

ARAB – ISRAELI CONFLICTS 1956: SUEZ WAR (Israel returns captured land) 1967: SIX-DAY WAR – ISRAEL GAINS CONTROL OF: GAZA STRIP SINAI PENINSULA WEST BANK OF THE RIVER JORDAN EAST SECTOR OF JERUSALEM GOLAN HEIGHTS IN SYRIA 1973: YOM KIPPUR WAR ISRAEL THROWN BACK INITIALLY – AURA OF ISRAELI INVINCIBILITY OVERCOME

OCCUPIED TERRITORIES Golan Heights West Bank Gaza Strip

ISRAEL Blue triangles = Israeli settlements in the West Bank The West Bank Likelihood of a 100% pullout of the Israeli security presence? Peace talks ended for all practical purposes in 2001-2002 – outlook is bleak.

STRUGGLE FOR JERUSALEM HOLY TO JEWS, CHRISTIANS, AND MUSLIMS JUDAISM: CAPITAL OF JEWISH KINGDOM 3000 YEARS BP; FAITH TOOK FORM IN THE FIRST TEMPLE-DESTROYED BY BABYLONIANS IN 586 BC; REBUILT AS SECOND TEMPLE-DESTROYED BY ROMANS IN AD 70 – Wailing Wall is all that is left ISLAM: PROPHET MUHAMMAD ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN 7TH CENTURY AD (Dome of the Rock site) CHRISTIANITY: BASED ON THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS CHRIST; CRUXIFICTION & ASCENT Many sites in Jerusalem are considered sacred by Christians

STRUGGLE FOR JERUSALEM (CONTINUED) 1947- UNITED NATIONS DID NOT INCLUDE JERUSALEM AS PART OF ISRAEL 1947- PALESTINE PARTITION RESOLUTION DESIGNATED JERUSALEM AS AN “OPEN CITY” 1948-49- WAR AND TRANSFER OF ISRAELI GOVERNMENT FROM TEL AVIV TO JERUSALEM 1967- WAR AND AFTERMATH CHANGED BOUNDARIES AGAIN 1980- JERUSALEM REAFFIRMED AS THE CAPITAL OF ISRAEL SUGGESTION FOR AN INTERNATIONAL, OPEN CITY WITH ACCESS TO ALL HOLY SITES REJECTED

JERUSALEM

CULTURAL DIVERSITY E.J. PALKA E.J. PALKA

Wailing Wall – foundation of the Temple Dome of the Rock (Holy Islamic Shrine) Jews praying at the wailing wall

Interior of the Dome of the Rock Mosque Rock where where he stood when Muhammad was taken up to see heaven. E..J. PALKA

E..J. PALKA DOME OF THE ROCK

Christian Holy Places Protestant location for Golgotha Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem – Catholics believe it is built over both Golgotha and the tomb.

Catholic view of the site

CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHER E..J. PALKA CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHER

Obstacles to Real Peace Arabs want return of land seized in 1967 Israel wants security from attack Israeli settlements in the occupied land are considered illegal by the Arabs Israel wants Jerusalem as the capital of a theocratic State of Israel – see it as a God-given right! Muslims want access to their holy places in Jerusalem, as do Christians Both sides “pay back” violence with violence and escalate the problem

Evil of Terrorism Palestinian suicide bombers kill Israelis indiscriminately and so do Israeli retaliatory strikes at the Palestinians.

The victims of terrorism could be Arab Palestinians or Israeli Jews – both sides have done terrible things in the name of their God

Negotiation Difficulties Can they get over hating each other? Can there ever be trust?

Israel and Her Neighbors