Arab-Israeli Conflict 20th Century Wars

Terms to Know Mandate Pan-Arabism Zionism Intifada A territory administered by another nation before independence Pan-Arabism Movement aimed at building closer ties among Arabs Zionism Belief in a Jewish homeland in Palestine Intifada Uprising by Palestinians against Israeli rule of the West Bank and Gaza Strip

Background Palestine – part of Ottoman Empire before WWI Ottoman Empire breaks up after WWI Palestine – British Mandate Territory

Background Palestine – Holy land to Jews, Muslims, Christians. City of Jerusalem is important to all 3 religions Jews and Arabs each make claim to legitimate control of Palestine (Jews call this area “Israel”)

Background Rise of Zionism Persecution of Jews before WWI in Europe = movement to establish Jewish state in Palestine, immigration to Palestine 1917 – Balfour Declaration – British promised independence to Arabs in Ottoman Empire, Jewish homeland. Wanted their support in WWI.

Background European Jews begin settling in areas of Palestine prior to WWII (escaping Nazi persecution) Jews and Palestinian Arabs clashed over land, settlements, more Jewish immigration Britain limited # of Jews coming into Palestine

Background Pan-Arabism Egypt and Iraq independent before WWII Mandate territories of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan independent after WWII 1945 – Arab League formed – Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Yemen

Formation of Israel Arabs want independence from Britain, Jews want Jewish state Attacks on Jewish settlers on Kibbutzim (collective farms) Jewish military force formed (Haganah) 1947 – Palestine turned over to UN UN partitions Palestine – Jerusalem under UN administration

Formation of Israel May 14, 1948 – Israeli P.M. David Ben-Gurion proclaims Israeli independence Palestinian Arabs and Arab League attack Israel. Israel defeats Arabs in 9 months Results = more land for Israel, Jerusalem divided (Israel and Jordan) 700,000 Palestinians are refugees (Jordan)

Arab-Israeli Conflict 1956 - Suez Crisis Egypt – Gamal Abber Nasser leads military coup Nasser “nationalizes” or takes control of the Suez Canal France, Britain and Israel invade Egypt – USA forces them to pull out

Arab-Israeli Conflict 1964 – Yasir Arafat forms Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) 1967 – Six-Day War – Israel attacks and defeats Arab countries. Seizes Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, West Bank, Sinai

Arab-Israeli Conflict 1973 – Yom Kippur War Egypt, Syria attack Israel on Yom Kippur holiday Israel loses planes, tanks, territory at first With American help, Israel strikes back Israel pushes Egyptians, Syrians back – takes control of Suez Canal US Sec’y of State Kissinger negotiates an Israeli withdrawal OPEC – oil embargo on US, supporters of Israel. Gas prices in USA quadruple

Arab-Israeli Conflict 1975-1982 – Fighting between Muslims and Christians in Lebanon over PLO presence Israel invades Lebanon b/c of PLO terrorists attacks in Israel Israel forces PLO to leave Lebanon USA provides peacekeeping troops Leaves after Marine barracks is bombed

Arab-Israeli Conflict 1979 – Camp David Accords USA (Pres. Jimmy Carter), Israel (P.M. Menachem Begin), Egypt (Pres. Anwar Sadat) sign peace treaty at Camp David, Maryland Egypt recognizes Israel’s right to exist, Israel gives up Sinai Peninsula taken in Six-Day War 1981 - Sadat assassinated by Muslim fundamentalists, supporters of Palestinians

The Palestinian Issue 1967-1987 – PLO conducts terrorist attacks inside and outside Israel against Israelis – force Israel to allow a Palestinian homeland 1987 – Palestinian intifada or uprising against Israel’s control of the Gaza Strip, West Bank. Civil disobedience, violent demonstrations 1991 – Israeli PM Yitzhak Rabin agrees to trade land for security

The Palestinian Issue 1993 – Israel and PLO recognize each other’s right to exist 1994 – Israel and Jordan sign peace treaty 1995 – Rabin assassinated by Jewish ultra-nationalist 1996 – militant Palestinian group (Hamas) began suicide bombings against Israel 1996 – Benjamin Netanyahu elected Israeli PM – rejects “land for peace” strategy

Continuing Challenges Palestinian Homeland Israel has granted limited self-rule to Palestinian Authority, but Israel still controls Palestinian border, protects Israeli settlements inside the West Bank Control of Jerusalem – 2 sides are far apart “Right of Return” of nearly 1.3 million Palestinian refugees – Israel against