1. Conflicts in the Middle East
Global History & Geography
10th Grade Boys and Girls
Teacher Br. Siraj
July 17, 2019

2. Forces Shaping the Middle East
Religious & Ethnic Differences
__________________________
Muslims, Christians and Jews
Different Sects within religions
More than 30 languages
Religious, racial and cultural prejudices
Desire for a united Arab State
Natural Resources
________________________
Largest oil fields in the world
Oil-rich nations gain wealth and political and economic power
Limited water supply
Arguments over dams and water rights

3. Forces Shaping the Middle East
Governments
______________________
Democracy in Israel & Turkey
Absolute monarchy in some countries like Saudi Arabia and Jordan
Single Party dictatorship in some countries, like Syria and Iraq
Islamic Traditions
________________________
Laws of Islam Influence government, society and personal life.
Anti-western feelings
1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran
Islamic Revival in the 1990s.

4. The Arab-Israeli Problem
Jewish Migration to Palestine in the late 1800s
British Occupation of Palestine after WW-I allowed Eastern European Jews to settle in Palestine.
British declared a partition plan for Palestine into an Arab and a Jewish State (Belfour Declaration)

5. The Arab-Israeli Problem
Arab opposition and Jewish acceptance of the Plan
In 1948 after British withdrawal the Jews proclaimed an independent state of Israel in Palestine.
Between 1948 and 1980s more than 2 million Jews have migrated to Israel.
It became a developed nation with a lot of skilled workforce and American support.

6. Arab-Israeli Wars First war occurred after the creation of Israel
The Arabs lost the war
700,000 Arabs became refugees
Israel doubled its size
2nd war was fought in 1956
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was created

7. Arab-Israeli Wars
A 3rd war was fought in 1967 and all of Palestine was lost
1973 Egypt and Syria launched another war against Israel.
American help saved Israel
1979: Egypt and Israel signed Camp David Peace Treaty
1987: Palestinian Intifada

8. Arab-Israeli Wars
1993 PLO and Israel Signed the “Oslo Accord” Mutually recognizing each other.
Hamas was elected to power
Western Powers boycotted Hamas
Conflict still going on between the Palestinians and Israelis

9. Loss of Palestinian Land

10. Other Conflicts Kurdish Problem Civil War in Lebanon War in Iraq
Kurds are fighting for a separate homeland in Iran, Iraq, Syria & Turkey
Civil War in Lebanon
A civil War was fought in Lebanon in the 1970s & 1980s
Hizbullah fights Israel
War in Iraq
U.S. Invasion in 2003 / Current insurgency

11. HOMEWORK
Questions 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7 on page 934