1. Where in the World Wednesday?
What is this?
Where is it located?
When do you think it was built?
Which culture created it?

2. Where in the World Wednesday
Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, Israel
In Arabic known as el-Mabka or al-Buraq: the place of weeping
Wall was built in 19 BCE with layers added on through time
Site for Jewish prayer and pilgrimage, originally this wall surrounded the Jewish Temple’s courtyard

3. Modern Issues and Conflicts in N Africa and SW Asia

4. Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Centered around control of Jerusalem
Land has been constantly fought over because of the fact that it is a holy land for not only the Jewish faith but also Islam
City founded by Jewish King David in 1000 B.C.E.
Muslim Arabic armies took control in 638 C.E.
Nation of Palestine created and controlled by Islamic Empires
Crusades
Religious wars during Middle Ages

5. Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
In 1948 the state of Israel was created by the United Nations
Land taken from the nation of Palestine and split into two parts but kept under the control of one nation
Palestinians feel like the land is rightfully theirs and refuse to recognize Jewish control
Jews feel like it is their land and were willing to share with Muslims until violence ensued.

6. Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
West Bank is currently considered to belong to the Palestinians (not recognized as an independent nation)
Peace Talks have been taking place as recently as 2012.

7. Lebanon History Civil War 1975-1990 Hezbollah - the Party of God
Christian vs Muslim
Syria and USA sent in troops
Suicide attack on US embassy; another in October killed 241 US troops. US troops withdrawn in 1984.
Hezbollah - the Party of God
political and military organization in Lebanon made up mainly of Shia Muslims.

8. Lebanon
Today
War is being fought between Lebanon and Syria over border control and religion
Government is currently controlled by a leader who was put in place by Syria after the Civil War
Has many Palestinian refugees

9. Afghanistan 1979-1989 Soviet occupation Taliban
Islamic religious students formed the group's main recruits
1996 it captured Kabul and instituted a strict Islamic regime
Gave Osama bin Laden (al Qaeda leader) safe haven
2001 UN coalition attacked Taliban

10. Afghanistan Today Elected President Hamid Karzai controls the nation
US trying to help institute a democratic government

11. Iran Government ruled by Supreme Leader History Theocratic leader
US backed Shah Reza Pahlavi during 1950s and 1960s
Revolution led by Ruhollah Khomeini
Led to Khomeini being named Ayatollah (Supreme Leader)
Leader of Iran through Sharia law

12. Iran Today Has a Presidential system of government
President is under the lead of the Supreme Leader
Repairing from Iran-Iraq War
Tensions with the UN over nuclear weapons
Poverty stricken and high unemployment rates set the stage for the nation’s economy

13. Iraq History Ruled from 1958-2003 by military dictatorship
Saddam Hussein from
War between Iran and Iraq starting in 1980
Most fighting occurred over religious beliefs
Sunni vs. Shia
Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990

14. Iraq Today Gulf Wars have resulted in oil issues
United States and British invasion in 2003 resulted in overthrow of Saddam Hussein
Issues with creation of a democratic government in Iraq

15. Arab Spring
Revolutionary wave of protests, demonstrations, and wars in the Arab World
Ideas have spread quickly due to social media like Facebook and MySpace and video sites like YouTube
To date:
rulers have been forced from power in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Yemen;
civil uprisings have erupted in Bahrain and Syria;
major protests have broken out in Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, and Sudan;
minor protests have occurred in Lebanon, Mauritania, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, and Western Sahara.