What are the roots of the Arab-Israeli Conflict?

1. What are the roots of the Arab-Israeli Conflict? Why can’t we all just get along?

2. Map of Israel in Biblical times

3. 135 A.D. Exile of the JewsFollowing a violent rebellion against Rome the Jews of Judea were kicked out of their homeland and spread across the Roman Empire.

4. While the Jews were away…The religion of Islam was founded in Arabia by Mohammed. Islam spread through the Middle East and many of the Philistines converted to Islam. 600’s The Dome of the Rock, a Mosque built upon the site where Muslim’s believe Mohamed ascended to heaven to meet Allah.

5. More that happened while the Jews were away… 1000’s Christian Knights from Europe invaded the Middle East to reclaim the Holy Land from the Muslims in the name of God. In the ensuing two hundred years thousands of Muslims, Christians and Jews would be killed in the name of God.

6. And more that happened while the Jews were away… 1400’s Palestine was conquered by the Ottoman Turks.

7. 1870’s Meanwhile in Europe… Austrian journalist Theodore Herzl (at right) was sent to cover the trial of Alfred Dreyfus a French Officer accused of spying for Germany (below). Herzl realized that Jews in Europe would never be at home in Europe because of Anti-Semitic feelings in Europe and the rising tide of Nationalism. Herzl dreamed of national homeland for the Jews. Herzl’s movement was called Zionism.

8. The Return of the Jews to Palestine 1880’s Zionists from across Europe began returning to Palestine in the 1880’s. The Zionists bought land in Palestine from the Ottoman landlord living in Constantinople. At first Jews and their Palestinian neighbors lived in relative peace.

9. World War I 1917 The British Army with help from Arab tribesmen drive the Turks out of Palestine. The British promise to create homelands for both the Jews and the Arabs in Palestine.

10. The Creation of Israel In 1948 following the discovery of the Nazi holocaust against the Jews, the United Nations voted to create a Jewish homeland in Palestine. The plan was to give half the land to the Jews under their leader David Ben Gurion (pictured below) and half the land to the Palestinian Arabs. The Jews accepted the plan and created the State of Israel, the Arab’s rejected the plan and invaded the new state the day after Israel declared it’s independence.

11. Israel Israel survived the Arab attack and has struggled to survive as a democracy in the Middle East since 1948. The Israeli capitol Jerusalem is the home to many of the holy sites for the worlds three monotheistic religions Islam, Christianity and Judaism as you will see.

12. Attempts at Peace Since 1948 many have tried to make peace between Israel and her Arab neighbors, some have succeeded, many have failed and too many have paid the ultimate price.

13. Arab-Israeli Wars Between 1948 and 2004 Israel and her neighbors have fought 5 wars

14. Violence at home In that same time period thousands have been killed or harmed through terrorism, reprisals and violence at home in Israel.

15. King Abdullah Jordan’s King Abdullah was the first Arab leader to try to make peace with Israel. He was killed by one of his own citizens when word leaked out of the peace talks.

16. Israel recaptures Jerusalem In the 1967 Six Day War Israeli forces captured the city of Jerusalem reuniting Jews with the holy city of Jerusalem for the first time in over 20 years. Under Israeli authority all religious sights were to be respected and all religions would be allowed to freely practiced.

17. Refugee Crisis Following the 6 Day War hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled the land under Israeli control and settled in refugee camps like the one shown above. Many still live in these camps till this day waiting to go home.

18. 1972 Olympics In 1972 the world watched in horror as Palestinian terrorists like the one shown above captured 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics. The 11 athletes were eventually killed by their captors.

19. Yom Kippur War In 1973 on the holiest day of the Jewish year Syria and Egypt launch a surprise attack on Israel while most Jews are in Synagogue.

20. Anwar Sadat In 1977 Egyptian President Anwar Sadat flew to Jerusalem to address the Israeli government and to begin the long road to peace.

21. Camp David Accords In 1978 Sadat met with Israeli Prime Minister Menachim Begin and American President Jimmy Carter to sign the Camp David Accords creating peace between Egypt and Israel. Egypt was the first Arab nation to make peace with Israel.

22. Anwar Sadat is killed by Egyptian fundamentalists in 1981 for making peace with Israel

23. Intifada Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank launch an uprising against the Israel. The Intifada is still going on today.

24. A Framework for Peace Israeli leader Itzhak Rabin shakes hands with Palestinian leader Yassir Arafat in Washinton D.C. after agreeing to begin a peace process between Palestinians and Israeli’s

25. Rabin’s Funeral President Clinton and others look on at Rabin’s funeral following his assassination by a Israeli extremist opposed to the peace process.

26. When does it end? Israelis inspect the damage following a suicide bombing on a bus where six were killed and 37 wounded.