1. Arab-Israeli Conflict
The Disputed Territory

2. When you get to the questions in red, write the questions on your paper and answer them! (9 questions in this ppt.)

3. Background
Pre-1948: Palestine (remember: given to the Arabs after the fall of the Ottomans, Israel after 1948
Background:
Zionist Movement (1870’s): Jewish nationalism, ethnic identity
World Zionist Organization (1897):
Founded by Theodore Herzl
decides that there needs to be a place where Jews are safe (anti-Semitism grows in Europe opposing the Zionist movement)

4. Palestine
Palestine: religious ties to Judaism (location for new Jewish homeland), but ties to Islam as well (ruled by Muslims for 1300 yrs.; given to them after WWI)
Jewish National Fund: a trust fund set up to buy land in Palestine
Begin buying land near the coast
Some wealthy Arabs living in Europe sell the land (Great Depression?)
Little immigration seen at this time

5. Immigration begins
Balfour Declaration (1917): set up by the British for World Zionist Organization
beginning of a national home for Jews in Palestine.
Immigration to Palestine begins: still small numbers
Arabs are angry: felt this land was promised to them by the British
Remember McMahon letters?
Why would the British promise the land to both the Jews and Arabs? Why did this add fuel to their fire?

6. Territory that McMahon promised

7. The Mandate System
Post WWI: (1920’s): British acquire Palestine they do not consider debate over the land.
Conflict over the territory between the two groups increases:
Riots in Jerusalem
#1: 1930’s: Jewish Immigration to Palestine increases drastically. Why? What was happening in Europe during that time?

8. Immigration increases
Immigration increases for two big reasons:
Anti-Semitism in Europe (Holocaust)
Great Depression (Arab landowners become cash poor- must sell their land)
1936: Arab revolt: feel that the increased immigration:
- is causing overcrowding
- land distribution: losing all the “good land”

9. Jewish Settlements: The Kibbutz System
First one founded in 1908.
Communal living.
“Make the Desert Bloom!”

10. Solutions to the problem?
British suggest partition: divide the land into 2 states: One Arab and One Jewish
There is resistance on both sides: fear the other would take by force, but land is still under British mandate
British create the White Papers: states to limit immigration and land sales… does not happen but basically ends British attempts to partition mandate.

11. Peel Partition Plan, 1937

12. End of the Mandate 1945: World War II ends
#2: The British cannot hold on to the mandate any longer. Why?
Neither side wants the British in Palestine
Ben-Gurion tells the British it’s time to leave
1947: British give the mandate to the UN
UN decides to split the state (Arab/Jewish)

13. U.N.’s proposal

14. Israel: A new Jewish state
May 14th 1948: Jewish proclaim their new national state of Israel (U.S./Soviet Union recognize)
May 15th, 1948: Egypt, Trans-Jordan attack but Israel holds
100,000’s Palestinian Arabs leave (land is confiscated, most choose to leave, immigration increases)
#3: The controversy: Left by choice or forced to leave?

15. Israel in 1948

16. Displaced Palestinian Arabs
Palestinian Refugees: flee to neighboring Arab countries, but found that they were not welcome in many….#4: Why?
Arab resistance to Israel:
PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization): founded in part by Yasser Arafat (1960’s)
Intended to have an exile government for Palestinians
Would launch terrorist attacks against Israel

17. Six Day War (1967)
Syria gains “intelligence” from Soviet Union that Israel is mobilizing for war….is this accurate?
Egypt and Syria prepare for war (tanks in the Sinai Peninsula)
June 5th 1967: Israel attacks Egypt/Syria/Jordan; defeats all three easily in six days.
Territorial Acquisitions for Israel:
West Bank
Golan Heights (from Syria)
Suez Canal/Sinai (from Egypt, would stay there till 1980)

18. Six Day War

19. After the War… The Arab world in the Middle East is shaken
Many regimes are overthrown
PLO activity increases:
Based in Jordan until 1970
Challenges the king’s authority
Black September (1970): Jordan kicks out the PLO
1973: Munich Olympics (hostage crisis) PLO seen as terrorists worldwide.

20. The Disputed Territory
Golan Heights—Israel and Syria
West Bank—Israel, Palestinians

21. Yom Kippur War (1973)
Oct. 6th 1973: Egypt launches a surprise attack on Yom Kippur (they want to take back the Suez Canal)
U.S. offers support to Israel/Soviets offer support to Egypt
#5: Why do you think they would do this? (think about the time period)
OPEC in retaliation cuts off oil supply to west: gas prices soar
Russia offers planes/pilots to Egypt
Fearing Russia entering the war (WW3?) a cease fire is called

22. Yom Kippur War

23. Attempts at peace?
As early as 1974 Palestinians seek West Bank and Gaza Strip as homeland territory.
Camp David Accords (1979): President Carter orchestrates a peace agreement (for the first time!) between Israel and Egypt.
Breakdown: (1982) Sadat (Egypt) is assassinated for his support of Israel.

24. Attempts at peace
13 September, 1993: Israel and PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements (DOP) gives PLO timeframe for West Bank/Gaza Strip self rule
2000: 2nd intifadah disrupts negotiations to make Palestine its own state

25. Attempts at peace
In 2005, Israel removes all soldiers and settlers (some by force) from the Gaza Strip.
Last Spring (2008), Israel offered all of the West Bank and the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem to the Palestinians to use to form their own nation.
Their offer was turned down by the Palestinians who stated that this wasn’t enough. They wanted ALL of Jerusalem.

26. Attempts at peace
President of Israel invited Syrian President to Jerusalem for peace talks
Syria says that Israel can’t be serious because they are building more settlements in Golan

27. Struggle continues…
Peace negotiations have started and stalled for years.
West Bank still disputed territory
#6: Will a fair compromise ever
be achieved? Why or why not?

28. Questions from earlier this week:
#7: What groups are unhappy with the current boundary lines? Why?
#8: Why do the Palestinians and Israelis both claim the “Holy Land” (current nation of Israel) as their own?
#9: How would YOU settle the Arab-Israeli conflict? Explain and even draw a map if you need to do so!