The Middle East

Background Late 1800s – Zionism: Jewish Nationalist Movement – Want independent state in homeland World Response – Sympathetic because of Holocaust – UN divides Palestine into Jewish and Arab state Jerusalem under international control Jews Accept, Arabs reject UN passes

First Arab-Israeli War Israel declared democratic state May 14, 1948 Next day Arab countries (Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Transjordan) invade Dec Arabs defeated Results – Cease-fire (no permanent peace) – No Arab state (other countries control land) – Huge refugee population (700,000)

Problems in the Middle East

Oil 2/3 of known oil Most apart of Organization of Petroleum Exports Countries' (OPEC) – Regulate production – Maximize revenue Helpful to modernize – Build military – Maintain power – Threaten neighbors

Islamic Fundamentalism: reorder society, Believe Muslim countries too influenced by West Israel: UN mandated, not all recognize

Six-Day War 1966 Egypt – Tells UN to remove troops (UN does) – Moves towards war Israel – Preemptive airstrike on Egyptian airfields (destroy planes) – Moves troops in: takes land, ends war

Yom Kippur War 1973 Egypt/Syria surprise attack on Jewish Holiday – Israel unprepared – Egypt gains land Israel ask US for help – US assists, cease fire – OPEC embargoes oil (prices rise)

Camp David Accords 1978 Egypt wants peace US, Egypt, Israel meet in Camp David, Maryland Camp David Accords – Egypt recognize Israel – Israel returns land

Palestine-Israeli Conflict UN plan – _________________________ Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) – Guerilla attacks – Street fighting Israel responds with heavy military presence and police force Arab state and Israel state Other countries occupy land

Palestine-Israeli Conflict 1993 Oslo Accords – Israel gradually give land to Palestine – Must sign by 1998 Extremists don’t respond well – Hamas (extremist group) conducts suicide bombings – Israeli fanatic assassinates Rabin Back to fighting

Palestine-Israeli Conflict 2000’s 2004: Israel withdraws troops from disputed land 2005: Land back to Palestine 2006: Hamas win control of Parliament 2015: Hamas controls Parliament

Iran Rapid industrialization Iranians threatened by change, betrayed 1978 protests begin 1979 Iranian revolution – Anti-western foreign policy – Seize US embassy 66 hostages (until 1981) Canadian Caper / Argo

Iraq Sadam Hussein – Builds Military – Accuse Kuwait of drilling – Invades Kuwait World response: – UN economic stations – US leads coalition – Persian Gulf War

Post Persian Gulf War War lasts a few weeks UN – Continues sanctions – Demands destruction of biological and chemical weapons – Bans nukes Iraq does not listen

Iraq – 2000s 2001: US believes housing weapons – Inspection reveals none – US still invades, Hussein out of power US attempts to create democratic government 2005: 1 st multiparty election in 50 years