1. Misunderstanding the Middle East
Rod Macdonald

2. Distance Safed in Northern Israel to Damascus
Iran borders seven countries; Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey and Iraq
Distance Yerevan to Syrian border
326 miles
Distance Safed in Northern Israel to Damascus
72 miles

3. How Societies Organize
Kinship: Age, blood relations, clan, tribe, similar to Monarchy
Theocracy: Specific theologies, closeness to G-d
Democracy: Franchised members, equality, committees, voting
Oligarchy: Rule by powerful and rich elites with patronage and favor
Model from “Systems Leadership” Dr. I Macdonald

4. How did a bunch of Arab tribes defeat the Roman and Persian Empire at the same time?
753 BCE The foundation of Rome
33 CE Romans crucify Jesus
135 CE After Bar Kokhba’s revolt Hadrian changed name of the province of Judea to Syria Palaestina and Jerusalem to Aelia Capitolina
312 CE Constantine converts to Christianity
476 CE Collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Roman Empire now ruled from Constantinople
541 CE The plague spreads from Egypt
570 – 632 CE Life of Muhammad succeeded by Abu Bakr
634 CE Caliph Umar, invades Palestine; the Battle of Gaza
638 CE Arabs capture Jerusalem
644 CE Assassination of Umar by Sasanians (Iranians) succeeded by Uthman
656 CE Uthman assassinated by mutinous troops in Medina succeeded by Ali
657 CE Ali and Muawiya fight an inconclusive battle on the banks of the Euphrates
661 CE The assassination of Ali by Kharajites; Muawiya hailed as “Commander of the Faithful in Jerusalem”. The Shiites (Shiah i-Ali) still look to Ali as the successor to Muhammad

5. The Middle East

6. Sykes-Picot Agreement (Following Sykes-Picot-Sazonov Treaty 1916)

7. Balfour Declaration November 2, 1917
Maps Israel Ministry of Foreign Affaires

8. Two State Solution 1923
As the Arabs would not compromise or recognize any form of Jewish state the British handed the problem over to the the UN to find a solution in 1947
Maps Israel Ministry of Foreign Affaires

9. UNSCOP Recommendation UN Resolution 181
Not agreed or accepted by any Arab state, it has no legal standing
Maps Israel Ministry of Foreign Affaires

10. Armistice Line 1949 Green Line
May 15, 1948 British rule ended
“Green Line” not recognized as a legal international border
Jordan and Egypt seized the land proposed for the new Arab state. Jordan formally annexing the West Bank on April 24, 1950
Maps Israel Ministry of Foreign Affaires

11. Armistice Line 1967 UN Security Council Resolution 242
The West Bank became known, incorrectly, as “occupied territory”
September 1, 1967, Khartoum resolution from Arab states, no recognition, no peace, no negotiations
Maps Israel Ministry of Foreign Affaires

12. Armistice Line 1973
The peace process started between Israel and Egypt through two agreements. The Suez canal was opened to shipping and Egypt removed its blockade on the Red Sea
1978 Israel returns Sinai Peninsular, with oil, to Egypt in exchange for a peace agreement
Maps Israel Ministry of Foreign Affaires

13. The Road to Peace
October 26, 1994 Israel and Jordan sign a peace treaty
Israel recognized a special historical role for Jordan in Jerusalem
2000 Israel offers independence to the Palestinians with all of Gaza and 95% of land in West Bank. Response is wave of suicide bombers
August 15, 2005 Israel unilaterally withdraws from Gaza. Hamas engages in endless cross-border terror attacks and rocket fire at Israeli civilian targets resulting in three major defensive campaigns in Dec 2008-Jan 2009; Nov and July 8- Aug 26, 2014 to reduce the level of attacks
Peace unlikely as long as most Palestinians and many other Muslims and Arabs do not recognize the right of the Jewish State of Israel to exist. In short, wants them dead
Maps Israel Ministry of Foreign Affaires

15. Wakhan Corridor &
Durand Line
Pakistan

16. Thank you for listening