1. Challenges in the Middle East
ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How can the Arab-Israel conflict be peacefully resolved?
How can global terrorism be prevented?

2. TEKS and Objectives We will… I will…
(13F) explain how Arab rejection of the State of Israel has led to ongoing conflict
(14A) summarize the development and impact of radical Islamic Fundamentalism and the subsequent use of terrorism by some of its adherents
(14B) explain the U.S. response to terrorism from September 11, 2001 to the present
(23B) identify examples of how religious influence on various events referenced in the major eras of world history
Evaluate both sides of the Arab-Israeli Conflict

3. The Three Little Pigs

4. The Arab-Israeli Conflict: A Lesson in Perspective

5. One House, Two Stories: Dalia
“Growing up, Dalia would frequently ask her parents and teachers: ‘What are these houses we are living in?’
‘These are Arab houses,’ she was told.
‘What are these Arab houses that everyone talks about?’ she would reply.
Dalia’s school was in an Arab house, and there she would learn Israel’s history. She learned about the creation of the state of Israel as a safe haven for the Jews. She studied the War of Independence as the story of the few against the many. The Arabs had invaded, Dalia would read, in order to destroy the new state and throw the Jews into the sea. Most nations confronted with such hostilities would have been paralyzed, but tiny Israel had withstood five Arab armies. Little David had defeated Goliath. As for the Arabs, Dalia’s textbooks would report that they ran away, deserting their lands and abandoning their homes, fleeing before the conquering Israeli Army. The Arabs, one textbook of the day declared, ‘Preferred to leave’ once the Jews had taken their towns. Dalia accepted the history she was taught. Still, she was confused. Why, she wondered, would anyone leave so willingly?”
--Excerpt from: The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan, page 115

6. One House, Two Stories: Bashir
“We were exiled by force of arms. We were exiled on foot. We were exiled to take the earth as our bed. And the sky as a cover. And to be fed from the crumbs of those among the governments and international organizations who imparted their charity. We were exiled but we left our souls, our hopes and our childhood in Palestine. We left our joys and sorrows. We left them in every corner, and on every grain of sand in Palestine. We left them with each lemon fruit, with each olive. WE left them in the roses and flowers. We left them in the flowering tree that stands with pride at the entrance of our house in al-Ramla. We left them in the remains of our fathers and ancestors. We left them as witnesses and history. We left them, hoping to return.”
--Excerpt from: The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tola, page 217

7. Historical Background
Palestine
Region in the Middle East
Location of Jerusalem
Home to Muslims, Christians, and Jews
Pre-WWI
Palestine controlled by Ottoman Empire
After WWI
Palestine controlled by British until granted independence

9. Historical Background
Balfour Declaration (1917)
Britain supports idea of creating Jewish homeland
Zionism
Movement to create Jewish homeland in Palestine
Many Jews immigrate to Palestine

10. Claims to the Land Israeli Perspective Palestinian Perspective
Ancestors lived in area nearly 2,000 years ago
Jerusalem home to important religious events
Ancestors have been living in area nearly 2,000 years
Mohammad believed to have ascended into heaven in Jerusalem

11. Reflection
If you were Israeli, why might you think you should live on the land that is now Israel?
If you were Palestinian, why might you think you should live on the land that is now Israel?

12. UN Plan for Palestine (1947)
Partition
No Arab on committee
Divided area into 2 countries
Accepted by Jews; Rejected by Arabs
Israel
Jewish State
Palestine
Arab State

13. UN Plan for Palestine (1947)
Distribution of Land
55% for Jews; 45% for Arabs
1.2 million Arabs; 600,000 Jews
Jerusalem
“international city” controlled by UN

14. 1948 War May 14, 1948 May 15, 1948 Israel officially formed
Israel attacked by six Arab nations
Approx. 750,000 Palestinians fled/forced to leave
Approx. 800,000 Jews in Arab countries fled/forced to leave for Israel

15. 1948 War Israel After War: Israeli Borders Expand
Jordan controls West Bank
Egypt controls Gaza Strip
Israeli Borders Expand
Majority of Palestine
Western Jerusalem

16. Partition and 1948 war Israeli Perspective Palestinian Perspective
Partition creates state of Israel
War was fought for independence
Holocaust and other violent acts would not have happened if Jews had a homeland
Had not input on partition
Catastrophe
After war, Palestine lost their land to Arab countries or Israel

17. Reflection
If you were Israeli, how might you feel about the creation of the state of Israel and the war that began the next day?
If you were Palestinian, how might you feel about the creation of the state of Israel and the war that began the next day?

18. 1956 Suez Canal Crisis Suez Canal Israel Attacks Ceasefire Agreement
Nationalized by Egypt
Closed to Israel blocking access to Red Sea
Israel Attacks
Backed by France and the United Kingdom
Ceasefire Agreement
Israel withdraws troops
UN Peacekeepers sent to maintain peace in the area

19. The Six Day War (1967) Israel Believes Neighbors are Preparing for War
Egypt asks UN to leave/denies Israel access to Red Sea
Jordan and Egypt sign mutual defense agreement
Continued terrorist attacks from Syria

20. The Six day War 1967 Israeli Surprise Attack on Egypt on June 5, 1967
Also attacks Syria, Jordan
Defeat all in 6 days
Take control of West Bank, Gaza Strip
Control of all Jerusalem
Control of Sinai
Control of Golan Heights

21. Perspectives on Aftermath of the Six Day War
Israeli Perspective
Palestinian Perspective
Buffer zone gained to deter future attacks
Begin to build settlements in West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Golan Heights
Unified Jerusalem under Israeli control
West Bank and Gaza Strip become “Occupied Territories”
Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) begin to use terrorism to attract attention to their cause

22. Reflection
If you were Israeli, how might you feel about the Six Day War and its outcome?
If you were Palestinian, how might you feel about the Six Day War and its outcome?

23. Camp David Accords (1978) Anwar al-Sadat Menachim Begin Jimmy Carter
Egyptian President
Menachim Begin
Israel’s Prime Minister
Jimmy Carter
U.S. President
Invited al-Sadat and Begin to Camp David
Helped negotiate a peace between Egypt and Israel

24. Camp David Accords Israeli Perspective Palestinian Perspective
Willing to give up land in exchange for peace
Egypt finally recognizes Israel as a country
Sadat assassinated by Muslim extremists in 1981
Jordan signs peace agreement with Israel in 1994

25. Reflection
If you were Israeli, how might you feel about the Camp David Accords?
If you were Palestinian or a resident of an Arab country, how might you feel about the Camp David Accords?

26. The Intifada Palestinian Uprising Israeli Military Responds
Against Israeli occupation, living conditions, and independence
Demonstrations, strikes, boycotts, rock-throwing, and gasoline bombs
Israeli Military Responds
Approx. 400 Israelis killed
Approx Palestinians killed

27. Peace Efforts Continued
Oslo Accords (1993)
Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat
Israel’s Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin
Tried to negotiate a peace recognizing both sides existence
Rabin assassinated by Jewish extremist in 1995

28. Second Intifada Ariel Sharon Palestinian Violence Erupts
Israeli politician
Visited Temple Mount in Jerusalem
Palestinian Violence Erupts
Buses, discos, hotels, and fast food restaurants blown up by suicide bombers
Israeli Military Responds
Over 4500 Palestinians killed
Over 1000 Israelis killed

29. Reflection
If you were Israeli, how might you feel about the Intifadas and peace efforts during the 1990s?
If you were Palestinian, how might you feel about the Intifadas and peace efforts during the 1990s?

30. The Gaza Strip Israel Removes Settlements (2005) Hamas
Gave much control of area to Palestinian government
Exceptions: border, airspace, coastline
Hamas
Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist organization
Takes control of Gaza
Hamas and Israel agreed to ceasefire in

31. Current Issue: Two-State Solution
Israeli and Palestinian leaders working on compromise for the peaceful existence of both states
Backed by the U.S.

32. Current Issue: Jerusalem
Israeli Perspective
Palestinian Perspective
Sees Jerusalem as its capitol
Sees East Jerusalem as its capitol

33. Current Issue: Settlements
Israeli Perspective
Palestinian Perspective
Israeli settlements exist in West Bank and East Jerusalem
270,000 Israeli settlers in West Bank
Israeli settlements against the idea of a Palestinian state

34. Current Issue: Security Barrier
Israeli Perspective
Palestinian Perspective
Israel building barrier (wall) between it and West Bank
Necessary to prevent further suicide bombers
Barrier extends beyond border into West Bank territory

35. Current Issue: Movement
Israeli Perspective
Palestinian Perspective
Palestinians need permission to leave West Bank
Necessary to prevent terrorism
Restriction limits jobs, health care, education, etc.
Standard of living in the West Bank less than Israel’s

36. Current Issue: Security and Terrorism
Israeli Perspective
Palestinian Perspective
Terrorist Organizations
Hamas in Gaza
Hezbollah in Lebanon
Continue to fire rockets into Israel
Individuals commit acts of terror
Can’t stereotype all Palestinians as terrorists
Palestinian government denounces terrorism

37. Current Issue: Right of Return
Israeli Perspective
Palestinian Perspective
If Palestinians return and reclaim land, it can mean the end of Israel as a Jewish state
As refugees, Palestinians believe they should be able to return to their or their family’s lands in Israel

38. Reflection
If you were Israeli, how might you feel about the Two-State Solution and the current issues in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict?
If you were Palestinian, how might you feel about the Two-State Solution and the current issues in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict?

39. Radical Islamic Fundamentalism

40. OPEC and Oil as a Political Weapon
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
Many members located around Persian Gulf
Refused to sell oil to countries friendly with Israel
High oil prices gave them wealth and power

41. The Iranian Revolution (1979)
Shah Reza Pahlavi
Adopted Western culture/technology
Government guilty of corruption/repression
Overthrown by rebels
Ayatollah Khomeini
Islamic Fundamentalist
Iran’s new ruler

42. The Iranian Revolution
Radical Islamic Fundamentalism
Sought to restore basic Muslim values
Reaction to Western influences
Calls for strict enforcement of Sharia (Islamic) law
Iran under Khomeini
Constitution based on the Quran (theocracy)
Supported terrorists in Lebanon and elsewhere

43. The Iranian Revolution
Iranian Hostage Crisis
52 American hostages held at U.S. Embassy in Tehran
Released hostages 444 days later

44. The First Gulf War Saddam Hussein U.S. Response
Imposed brutal dictatorship in Iraq
Engaged in brutal war with Iran for 8 years
Invaded oil-rich Kuwait
U.S. Response
Feared invasion of Saudi Arabia
Troops sent to expel Iraqis from Kuwait
Allowed Hussain to remain in power

45. Al-Qaeda and the September 11, 2001 Attacks
Osama bin Laden
Wealthy Saudi
Helped fight against Soviets in Afghanistan
Angered by U.S. presence in Saudi Arabia
Al-Qaeda
Terrorist organization formed by bin Laden
Radical Islamic Fundamentalists
Fighting Jihad (holy war) against West
Trained members in Afghanistan camps

46. Al-Qaeda and the September 11, 2001 Attacks
Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked U.S. commercial airliners
Crashed into World Trade Center and Pentagon
George W. Bush
U.S. President
Declared “War on Terrorism”

47. The War in Afghanistan Taliban U.S. in Afghanistan
Radical Islamic Fundamentalists
Gained control of Afghanistan after Soviet defeat
Imposed strict religious beliefs
Allowed terrorist groups (al-Qaeda) to operate training camps
U.S. in Afghanistan
Afghan government refused to surrender bin Laden
U.S. and allies invaded and overthrew Taliban
Bin Laden captured/killed in 2011

48. The Second Gulf War Iraq U.S. in Iraq
World leaders suspected Hussain was hiding WMDs (weapons of mass destruction – nuclear, biological, chemical weapons)
Refused to allow UN inspectors to monitor country
U.S. in Iraq
U.S. and allies invaded in 2003
Hussain captured and executed
WMDs were never found

49. The Arab Spring (2011) Arab Spring Dictators Overthrown
Series of protests and rebellions that spread throughout the Middle East
Started in Tunisia
Spread to Bahrain, Yemen, and Sudan
Dictators Overthrown
Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya

50. The Arab Spring
Syria
Bashar al-Assad used brutal force to stay in power
Ongoing civil war has causes a refugee crisis