Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

1. Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Global Issues: Middle East

2. Learning Targets • Describe the events that led to the formation of the new nation of Israel. • Identify three events of the Israeli/Palestinian history and explain how they contribute to the current crisis.

3. Conflict Today With Historical Roots • According to Jews:their claim goes back 3,000 years • Jewish (Hebrew) kings first ruled from Jerusalem. • According to Palestinians:(both Muslim & Christian) the land has belonged to them since the Jews were driven out by the Romans in 135 A.D. • According to Arabs:the land has belonged to them since the Mohammed-led conquest of the area in the 7th century

4. Today fuel has been added to the fire • Implications of the Holocaust • Pervasive regional conflict • Geopolitics • Increased importance of oil in the Middle East • Political maneuverings in response to oil

5. Jerusalem- the main city. • Jerusalem is a place of fundamental religious importance for Christians, Muslims and Jews. • Each group tries to guard their own space. • Jerusalem is also a modern city and an economic center of Israel.

6. Israel-coast • With enormous investment Israel has become very prosperous and powerful • The coastline has fabulous hotels and a pleasant climate. • Once desert land now features luxurious golf courses.

7. Israel-cities. • Large modern cities with efficient infrastructures. • Cities maintain examples of historical traditions

8. Israel-the countryside. • Israel formed the western end of the ‘fertile crescent’ from Persia to the Mediterranean. • Areas of severe water scarcity

9. Israel-the people. • Significant diversity

10. Historical Background • Zionist: • Theodore Hertzl mobilizes a group of Jewish people to find a homeland for the Jew • Movement began late 1800s • Picks Palestine (for various reasons) • Settlement begins approx. 1897

11. Historical and Cultural Value of the Land

12. Historical Background: WWI • Pre-WWI (1914): Palestine controlled by the Ottoman Empire • After WWI: Palestine controlled by British until independence • According to the British Mandate • Balfour Declaration (1917)*: Britain supports idea of a Jewish homeland in Palestine • Rights of non-Jews protected *see other ppt

13. UN Partition Plan • Britain is not sure how to handle conflict • Turns matter over to U.N. post-WWII • UN’s Plan • Split the area into 2 countries: Israel (Jewish State) and Palestine (Arab State) • 600,00 Jews living in area55% of land goes to the Jews • 1.2 million Arabs living in area45% of land goes to the Arabs • Jerusalem:“international city” controlled by UN • Results • Accepted by Jews • Rejected by Arabs; o Arab on committee !

14. 1948 War • May 14, 1948: Israel officially formed • May 15th: Israel is attacked by six Arab nations • Israel seized half of the Palestinian land in war (1948-49 ) • Egypt took control of the Gaza Strip, Jordan took the West Bank • Jordan takes many religious sites and denied Israel access • 800,000 Jews in Arab countries fled or were forced out • 750,000 Palestinians fled or were forced out • Lived in U.N.-sponsored refugee camps.

16. Suez Crisis • Conflict begins over control of the Suez Canal • Many viewed Egypt’s president as a puppet of Britain; this president is overthrown by Nasser • Britain cuts off promised funds for a huge dam Egypt was building. • In retaliation, Nasser seizes the Suez Canal and closed Israel’s access to Red Sea • Israel retaliates1956 Arab-Israeli War • Britain and France support Israeli invasion of Egypt • Egypt defeated, but Israel returns canal and leaves • UN Peacekeepers sent in • Keep in mind pan-Arab nationalism!!

18. The Six Day War (1967) • Egypt remains unhappy and now is equipped with Soviet weapons! • With Soviet support, Arabs mobilizes to invade Israel and closes off route to Red Sea • Israel launches a preemptive attack • Destroys Arabs • Within six days Israel gets Sinai and Gaza Strip (Egypt), West Bank and Jerusalem (Jordan), and Golan Heights (Syria)

19. Perspectives on the Six Day War

20. Yom Kippur War (1973) • Yom Kippur is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar • Egypt and Syria launch a surprise attack against Israel • European and Israeli forces mobilize and counter-attacked • Regain territories captured in 1967 • Returned land gained from this war • Truce was signed • Egypt is the first Arab country to recognize Israel and enter peace treaty

21. Camp David Accords • 1977: Egyptian President Sadat offers peace • 1978: Camp David Accords • U.S. President Carter invites Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to Camp David • Egypt officially recognizes Israel’s statehood. • Israel agrees to return Sinai Peninsula to Egypt. • First agreement between Israel and an Arab nation • Jordan follows in 1994

22. Results of CDA • Assassinations • Sadat assassinated by angry Muslim extremists • President Hosni Mubarak • Keeps Sadat’s policy

23. Palestine Liberation Organization (1987) • Palestinians still unhappy: Israeli occupation, poor living conditions, lack independence • P.L.O.: a militant group fighting for the liberation of Palestine from Israel. • YasirArafat: leader of the P.L.O. from 1969 – 2004. • Palestinian Intifada (1987): uprising with acts of civil disobedience such as attacking Israeli soldiers, rock throwing, boycotts, demonstrations, gasoline bombs. • Israeli military response • >400 Israelis killed • >1500 Palestinians killed • 1991 world pressure led to peace talks again

24. Oslo Accords (1993) • Prime Minister of Israel Yitzhak Rabin and P.L.O. leader Arafat issue a Declaration of Principles. • Rabin promised self-rule for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and West Bank • Recognize the right of each other to exist • Rabin and Arafat were both awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 • 1994: Israel and Jordan sign a peace agreement

26. Assassinations Just like Sadat was assassinated in 1981 by Muslim extremists on his side who were angry about his willingness to make peace with Israel… Following the assassination of Egypt’s President Sadat in 1981, Israeli Prime Minister Rabin paid a respectful visit to his memorial. …Israel’s Prime Minister Rabin was also assassinated in 1995 by a right-wing Jewish extremist angry at Rabin’s concessions to the P.L.O. Memorial to Yitzhak Rabin in Tel Aviv, Israel

27. Land for Peace (1998) • Netanyahu and Arafat sign agreement • Israel: redeployment of Israeli troops, transfer of 14.2 percent of the West Bank land to Palestinian control, safe passage corridors for Palestinians between Gaza and the West Bank. • Palestine: that called for a promised crackdown on terrorists.

28. Camp David Summit • 2000: President Clinton, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, and Arafat met to negotiate final agreement • Conclusion • Israel agrees to pulls out from the majority of the West Bank • Palestine still not satisfied • No agreement

29. Second Intifada • 2000: Peace process has faded. • In 2000, Israeli political figure Ariel Sharon visits Temple Mount (Western Wall area and Al Aqsa Mosque area) in Jerusalem • Results in Palestinian violencetheSecond Intifada • Significant suicide bombing • Israel responds militarily • From 2000-June 2008 • Over 4500 Palestinians killed • Over 1000 Israelis killed • 2002: Israel begins building a security barrier in the West Bank to protect Israelis from terrorists

30. 2003 Peace • 2002: the prince of Saudi Arabia proposed the Arab Pease Initiative, endorsed by all members of the Arab league • Israel to return to its pre-1967 territories, recognize Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital, and help solve the issue of Palestinian refugees • Road Map for Peace is proposed in 2003 by the U.S., Russia, EU, and UN • Three phases to attain an independent Palestinian state and secure Israel • Has never progressed due to the 2006 Hamas election

31. Gaza Strip • 2005: Israel removed its settlements from the Gaza Strip • Return much control to the Palestinian government (with exceptions such as the border, airspace, coastline) • Gaza comes under the control of Hamas (considered by Israel and other countries to be a terrorist organization) • June 2008: Hamas and Israel have entered into a cease fire agreement.

32. Current State • 2006: Hamas controls the Palestinian Authority (PA) legislature • Their platform calls for the destruction of Israel • Hamas is internationally recognized as a terrorist organization; many countries have imposed sanctions and suspended aid to the PA. • Rise of Hezbollah (radical Shi’ite extremists based out of Lebanon) has further increased violence and instigated the 2006 Lebanon War. • Hamas attacked PLO Fatah members, the PA president dissolved Hamas. • Hamas controls Gaza and the PA controls the West Bank • Suicide bombingsthrough the use of human shields (including women and children) continues to kill Israelis. • President Obama continues to try to facilitate negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

33. Challenges to Resolution

34. Economic Comparative Analysis 1 The CIA Fact Book lists the West Bank and Gaza Strip settlements separately as part of the Palestine Authority due to PA and Hamas control. The Fact Book does not report independent GDP, Per Capita, and Annual Budget figures for the Gaza Strip. 2 The West Bank experienced a revival in its economy in 2009 due to a lifting of some restrictions by the Israeli government and an increase in aid donations. 3 The HDI – human development index – is a summary composite index that measures a country's average achievements in three basic aspects of human development: health, knowledge, and a decent standard of living. Health is measured by life expectancy at birth; knowledge is measured by a combination of the adult literacy rate and the combined primary, secondary, and tertiary gross enrolment ratio; and standard of living by GDP per capita (PPP US$). Sources: UC Berkeley United Nations 2009 Human Development Index (HDI): http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/ 2009 CIA World Fact Book: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook

37. Wall between Israel and Palestine Approved 12/25/2000, still under construction today

38. Israel West Bank Barrier

39. Bethlehem Checkpoint Palestinians attempting to pass through the checkpoint in the wall.

40. Israeli Settlements in the West Bank A Palestinian works in the foreground, while houses in the background show the Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

41. Israeli Settlements

42. PLO Attacks Effects of a suicide bomber

44. Hamas Militant

45. Hamas

46. Children caught in conflict

48. The other side of the argument

49. Israel bombs Beirut, Lebanon Attempt to target militants, civilian casualties as collateral damage.

50. Bombing Aftermath Beirut, Lebanon