1. The Arab-Israeli Conflict
Part 1
CFR Crisis Guide: The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict –

3. Why is there so much hostility towards Israel in the Arab/Muslim world?

4. Why the Arab Hostility Towards Israel
Why the Arab Hostility Towards Israel? For the Answer, Just Look at the Map

5. Zionist Movement / Zionism
Political movement that
began in Eastern Europe
in late 19th century.
Goal?
The establishment of
a Jewish state in
Palestine, the biblical
homeland of the Jews.

6. 1917 The Balfour Declaration
Statement by British Foreign Secretary, Sir Arthur Balfour, supporting establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine.

7. 1919 The British Mandate After World War I, League
of Nations gave Britain a
mandate to govern Palestine.
European Jews emigrated to
Palestine in large numbers.

8. 1945 The Impact of the Holocaust
International support for
creating a Jewish state
in Palestine increased after
the Holocaust.

9. The Palestinians Palestinians were the Arab inhabitants of Palestine.
Opposed creation of Jewish
state in their homeland.
Violent conflicts broke out
in Palestine between Arabs
and Jews. Hundreds died.

10. U.N. Partition Plan, 1947 U.N. partitioned British-
controlled Palestine into
Arab and Jewish states.
Reaction?
Jews accepted partition
plan.
Arabs rejected it.

11. Israel’s War for Independence First Arab-Israeli War, 1948
May, 1948– Israel declared
itself an independent state.
U.S. first country to extend
recognition to new state.
Led to first Arab-Israeli War.
How did this war start?

12. 1948 War Israel was attacked by five neighboring Arab states: Egypt
Syria
Jordan
Iraq
Lebanon

13. Victorious Israeli soldiers
Results of 1948 War
Israel won decisive victory
– and seized some territory
UN had intended for the
Palestinians.
Cease-fire agreement ended
fighting, but Arabs refused to
sign peace treaty.
No Arab country recognized
Israel.
Victorious Israeli soldiers
1948

14. Israeli territory
before and after
the 1948 war:
Note that Israel
took control of
the western half of
Jerusalem after
the 1948 war.

15. Results of 1948 War 750,000 Palestinian refugees fled to
neighboring Arab
states.

17. Second Arab-Israeli War The Suez War, 1956
Egypt nationalized Suez Canal.
Then Israel, Britain and France
attacked Egypt and captured
the canal and Sinai peninsula.
U.S. opposed attack and U.S.
and U.N. imposed a cease-fire
and a withdraw from Sinai.
Egyptian President
Gamel Abdel Nasser

19. Third Arab-Israeli War The Six Day War, 1967
Israel launched preemptive
attack against Egypt after
Egypt mobilized its army.
Jordan and Syria attacked
Israel.
War ended with decisive
victory for Israel and Israel
tripled amount of territory
it controlled.

20. Results of the Six Day War Israel Captured Arab Territories
Israel occupied this territory in 1967:
Golan Heights
from Syria.
West Bank and
East Jerusalem
from Jordan.
Sinai Peninsula
and Gaza from
from Egypt.

22. Results of the Six Day War Israeli Occupation of Gaza and the West Bank
Israel now governed 1 million
Palestinians in Gaza and the
West Bank .
Israel’s continued occupation
of these territories remains
the major issue preventing
peace between Israel and the
Arab world today.

23. Results of the Six Day War UN Resolution 242
UN Security Council passed
Resolution 242:calling for
Israel to withdraw from the
occupied territories. Israel
refused.
Also called for Arab states to
recognize Israel and guarantee
security of Israel’s borders.
None did.

24. Results of the Six Day War Emergence of the PLO
Arab’s suffered humiliating
defeat in Six Day War.
Many Palestinians became
radicalized and turned to
guerilla groups such as the
PLO.

25. The PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization)
Yasser Arafat’s group, Fatah,
took control of the PLO (1969).
Under Arafat, the PLO fought
a decades-long guerilla war
against Israel to “liberate
Palestine.”
Goals: Destruction of Israel
and establishment of secular
Palestinian state.
PLO Chairman
Yasser Arafat

26. PLO Map

27. Yasser Arafat Terrorist or Freedom Fighter?
Israel and U.S.
branded Arafat
as a terrorist,
but he was
admired as a
freedom fighter
by Palestinians and their allies throughout the world.

28. PLO Terrorism Munich Olympics 1972
Palestinian terrorist from
“Black September”
11 Israeli athletes and coaches
killed at Munich
Terrorist Attack at Munich

29. Fourth Arab-Israeli War Yom Kippur War, 1973
Egypt and Syria attacked
Israel on Jewish holy day.
Israel repelled attack and
cease-fire declared.

30. Camp David Accords, 1979 Peace treaty signed by Israel and Egypt.
Egypt became first Arab
state to recognize Israel.
Israel returned Sinai
Peninsula to Egypt.
Sadat assassinated by
Islamic extremists in
1981.
President Carter with Egyptian
President Anwar Sadat and Israeli
Prime Minister Menachem Begin
Sadat's assassination

31. Carter with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin

32. Israel’s Invasion of Lebanon, 1982
Israel invaded Lebanon to
destroy PLO bases.
Negotiated settlement
allowed Arafat and PLO
fighters to go to Tunisia.
Israeli army occupied
southern Lebanon for
almost 20 years (until
2000)

33. Hezbollah (“Party of God”)
Lebanese resistance group
formed in response to
Israel’s occupation.
Islamic extremists who
oppose Israel’s existence.
Shiite group supported by
Iran and Syria.
Considered to be terrorist
group by the U.S.
Hezbollah leader
Hassen Nasrallah
and Hezbollah fighters

34. Palestinian Uprising First Intifada 1987-1993
Palestinian uprising against
Israeli occupation of West
Bank and Gaza.
1,500 Palestinians and 400
Israeli’s died over six years.
Hamas launched first suicide
attacks inside Israel.

35. Hamas Islamic militant group founded in 1987 with vow
to “liberate Palestine
through violent jihad.”
Has carried out scores of
suicide bombings against
Israel during past decade.
Supported by both Iran and
Syria.

36. Hamas Suicide Attacks

37. Clinton with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat
Oslo Accords, 1993
President Clinton brokered
peace agreement between
Israel and the PLO.
PLO recognized Israel’s
right to exist and renounced
use of violence.
PLO goal now a Palestinian
state next to Israel.
Clinton with Israeli Prime Minister
Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat

38. Clinton with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin
and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat

39. Oslo Accords: “Land for Peace”
Israel agreed to gradual Palestinian
self-rule in Gaza and West Bank as
first steps towards establishment of
Palestinian state (“Two state solution”)
Palestinian Authority established to govern Palestinian territories.
Arafat became first leader of the PA.
Yasser Arafat

40. 1990s Yasser Arafat: World Statesman

41. Jordan and Israeli Make Peace, 1994
Jordan became only
the second Arab state
to sign a peace treaty
with Israel.

42. Palestinian Uprising Second Intifada 2000 - 2005
Clinton’s attempt to reach
final settlement between
Israel and Palestinians in
2000 failed.
Led to second, more violent,
Palestinian uprising.
Dozens of suicide bombings
in Israel and Israeli crack-
down in Gaza / West Bank
left thousands dead.

43. 2002 Bush’s “Road Map” to Peace
Bush called for Palestinian
reforms and abandonment
of terrorism in exchange for
an end to Israeli settlements
and creation of a Palestinian
state.
Bush became the first U.S.
president to publicly endorse
idea of a Palestinian state.

44. 2004 New Palestinian Leadership
Mahmoud Abbas
elected as Arafat’s
successor.
Daily Show on Arafat's Death

45. 2005 Israeli Policy of Disengagement
Israel act to “disengage” from the Palestinians:
Evacuated Gaza settlements
Withdrew troops from Gaza.
Turned Gaza over to the
Palestinians.
Also began construction of a
security barrier separating
Israel from West Bank.
Dismantlement of Gaza Settlements 2005

46. Israel’s War with Hezbollah, 2006
Hezbollah killed eight Israeli
soldiers and attacked Israeli
civilian areas with rockets
Israel responded by bombing
and invading Lebanon again
to destroy Hezbollah.
Month-long war leaves 1,500
dead before U.N. brokered
cease-fire agreement.
Iranian influence in Lebanon

47. Hamas Election Victory, 2006
Hamas won surprise victory over Fatah in parliamentary election.
Hamas took control of Palestinian parliament.
Created bitter division b/ Fatah and Hamas.

48. Hamas vs. Fatah Palestinian Civil War, 2007
Hamas fighters
Fighting broke out in Gaza
between Hamas and Fatah
forces.
Hamas defeated Fatah and
drove it out of Gaza.
Now Hamas controls Gaza.
Fatah controls only those
parts of the West Bank not
under Israeli occupation.
Fatah fighters

49. Palestinian Power Struggle Today

50. Hamas vs. Fatah Fatah Hamas Secular moderates. Islamic extremists.
Supported by U.S., E.U., most Arab states.
Recognizes and wants peace with Israel.
Controls parts of West Bank.
Islamic extremists.
Supported by Iran and Syria.
No recognition of Israel’s right to
exist. Stages attacks
against Israel.
Controls Gaza

53. Israel vs. Hamas War in Gaza 2009
Daily rocket attacks against
Israeli towns provoked Israeli air strikes and ground assault against Hamas in Gaza.
Three week war.
Killed 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis.

54. Israel vs. Hamas War in Gaza 2009
Both sides were accused of war crimes (the deliberate targeting of civilians).
Israel widely criticized for
using excessive force.
Gaza Aftermath

55. Israel vs. Hamas Israeli Blockade of Gaza
Israel imposed economic
blockade on Gaza after
Hamas gained control in
2007.
Attempt to keep weapons
from being sent to Hamas.
Food / medicine allowed
in. Nothing allowed out.
“Duel use” items kept out.

58. Israel vs. Hamas War Again in Gaza, 2012
Massive offensive by Israel
(1,500 strikes) against Hamas
militants in retaliation for
rocket attacks against Israel.
Hamas fired 1,400 rockets at
Israel.
Israel threatened invasion, but
ceasefire brokered by Egypt’s
president, Mohamed Mursi
after eight days of fighting.