1. Middle East Notes

2. Terms to Know
Zionist = Someone determined to create a homeland for the Jewish people
Israel = the name of the new country of the Jews in the Middle East since 1948
Palestine = biblical homeland of the Jews; mainly occupied by Muslim Arabs since the 600s.
Palestinian = someone from Palestine (usually Muslim Arab)
Arab = Someone from the Arabia part of the Middle East
Refugee = someone forced to leave what they considered their home country

3. A short history of the Jews
In the 2nd century, Jews were forced out of the Middle East
Diaspora- global dispersal of Jews throughout the world
Jews began to return to the Middle East in the early 1900s
While the Jews were gone, Palestinians (Muslim Arabs) inhabited the land around Jerusalem

4. Territorial claims create tension
Pre-WWI, most of the Middle East belonged to the Ottoman Empire
Post-WWI, Britain took control
Palestinians and Jews were living together under British control
Jews wanted to regain their homeland
Palestinians refused to give the Jews any territory

5. Balfour Declaration- 1917
The British Foreign Secretary has the last name of Balfour.
Balfour pressures the British government to take a position on the tension between Israelis and Palestinians.
British government supports the creation of a Jewish homeland
Palestinians are outraged!!

6. WWII is a turning point for Israel
Due to the Holocaust, many western nations supported the idea of creating a Jewish homeland
Many nations saw the creation of a Jewish state as a consolation for ignoring evidence of the Holocaust.
Great Britain and the U.S. lead the charge for creating a Jewish homeland (Israel)

7. Zionists increase in numbers after WWII
Zionist- someone who believes that Jews deserve a country of their own
Zionists pushed hard for the creation of a Jewish homeland after WWII ended

8. Israel is created in 1948
1947-The UN voted to divide Palestine into two states- Israel and Palestine
Jerusalem was to be neutral, as it is considered a holy city to both Jews and Muslims
1948- Israel becomes a state!
Zionists win!!! Sort of……..

9. The United Nations Plan

10. The Israeli-Palestinian Wars Begin Immediately
Second day into existence, Israel is invaded by its Arab neighbors.
Arabs(Muslims) supported the Palestinians and hated the idea of having a Jewish homeland in the Muslim-dominated Middle East.
Alliances develop:
Israel, U.S., Britain
Palestine, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria
Israel (with UN and US help) win the wars for independence.

11. Palestine after 1947

12. PLO forms in 1964 PLO= Palestinian Liberation Organization
Goal: to regain land given to Israel by the UN
PLO elected Yasir Arafat as their leader in 1969

13. Six Day War
Early Nasser and the Arab nations were ready to attack Israel
Nasser moved to cut off the Gulf of Aquaba
June Israeli jets attacked airfield in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, and Syria
Israeli forces struck on three fronts
The fighting lasted six days
Israel gained the Sinai peninsula, the Golan Heights, and the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem

14. Results of the Six Day War

15. Video – Six Day War

16. Yom Kippur War
October Anwar Sadat (Nasser’s successor) planned an attack on Yom Kippur
Arab forces inflicted heavy casualties on the Israelis and captured lost territory from 1967
Israelis counterattacked and recaptured the land lost
An uneasy truce was signed after weeks of fighting

17. Results from the Yom Kippur War

18. Yom Kippur Video

19. Attempts at peace begin in the 1970s
s- battles raged in the Middle East between Israel, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and Palestine
U.S Presidents have tried to mediate peace accords between Israel’s Prime Ministers and Palestinian leaders for the past 30 years.
Nothing has worked!

20. Summary

21. Oslo Peace Accords- 1993 Leaders met in Oslo, Norway
Israel agreed to grant Palestinians self-rule in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank
Israel agreed to withdraw its military from the West Bank
This withdrawal has been slow and violent
The military is now contemplating building a wall to separate Palestinians and Israelis