1. Israeli-Palestinian conflict WWII-Present

2. 1947 UN Partition Plan  The newly created United Nations approved the UN Partition Plan on November 29, 1947, dividing the country into two states, one Arab and one Jewish. Jerusalem was to be designated an international city.  The Jewish community accepted the plan, but the Arabs rejected it.  Regardless, the State of Israel was proclaimed on May 14, 1948.

3. 1948 Arab Israeli War  Not long after, five Arab countries – Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq – attacked Israel, launching the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. After a year of fighting, a ceasefire was declared and temporary borders, were established.  Jordan annexed what became known as the West Bank and East Jerusalem  Egypt took control of the Gaza Strip.

4. 1948-1958 Jewish Immigration  During the Arab Israeli War about 80% of the previous Arab population, fled Israel (Palestinians fled).  1948-1958--mass immigration of Holocaust survivors and an influx of Jews.  The population of Israel rose from 800,000 to two million between 1948 and 1958.

5. Israel’s Shocking Success in the 6 Days War (1967)  1967--Egypt, Syria, and Jordan massed troops close to Israeli borders, expelled UN peacekeepers and blocked Israel's access to the Red Sea. Israel saw these actions as reason for a pre-emptive strike  The war lasted just 6 days and Israel achieved a decisive victory in which it captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights.  Israel returned the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt in 1979

6. Today  In 1992, Israel and the PLO, signed the Oslo Accords, which gave the Palestinian National Authority (Palestinians) the right to self-govern parts of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip  In 2001 Israel unilaterally withdrawed from the Gaza Strip and also started the construction of the Israeli West Bank barrier (still under construction).

7. Israeli Palestinian Impact  Before the creation of Israel in 1948, few Arabs thought of themselves as members of a community of nations with a common purpose.  Arabs questioned Israel’s right to the land.  Suddenly, the Muslim world shared a goal—driving the Israelis (Jews) out.

8. One reason why many Arab (Muslim) nations are against the United States & Europe  Many Arab nations Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, etc. (Muslims) want Jews out of Israel and the land given to the Palestinians (also Muslims).  The United States and Europe have consistently supported Israel (Jews).  Therefore, the US and Europe are seen as allies of the enemy by many Arab nations.

9. Sources Our World Today—People Places and Issues, Glencoe McGraw-Hill pp.116-117. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel