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ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT
Global Issues: Middle East
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.
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
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
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.
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.
Israel-cities.
Large modern cities with efficient infrastructures. Cities maintain examples of historical traditions
Israel-the countryside.
Israel formed the western end of the ‘fertile crescent’ from Persia to the Mediterranean.
Areas of severe water scarcity
Israel-the people.
Significant diversity
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
Historical and Cultural Value of the Land
Israelis Palestinians
• Ancestors lived in area nearly 2000 years ago
• Jerusalem home to most important Jewish site—Western Wall
• Ancestors have been living in area nearly 2000 years
• Jerusalem home to 3rd most important Muslim site-Dome of the Rock/Al-Aqsa Mosque
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
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 area55% of land goes to the Jews 1.2 million Arabs living in area45% of land goes to the Arabs
Jerusalem:“international city” controlled by UN Results
Accepted by Jews Rejected by Arabs; o Arab on committee !
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.
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 retaliates1956 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!!
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)
Perspectives on the Six Day War
Israelis Palestinians
•Land gained is a buffer zone to deter future attacks• Begin to build settlements in
West Bank, Gaza Strip and Golan Heights
•Unified Jerusalem under Israeli control
• West Bank and Gaza Strip become known as “Occupied Territories” •Some will accept Israel at pre-1967 War borders•Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) later begins to use terrorism to attract attention to its cause of an independent state.
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
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
Results of CDA
Assassinations Sadat assassinated by angry Muslim
extremists President Hosni Mubarak
Keeps Sadat’s policy
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. Yasir Arafat: 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
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
Assassinations
Following the assassination of Egypt’s President Sadat in 1981, Israeli Prime Minister Rabin paid a respectful visit to his memorial.
Just like Sadat was assassinated in 1981 by Muslim extremists on his side who were angry about his willingness to make peace with Israel…
…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
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.
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
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 violencethe Second 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
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
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.
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 bombings through 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.
Challenges to ResolutionIssue Israelis Palestinians
Jerusalem See united Jerusalem as its capitol See East Jerusalem as its capitol
Settlements For religious, political, and security reasons a large number of Israeli settlements exist in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
270,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank
Israeli settlements go against the idea of a future Palestinian state.
Security Barriers, Movement, and Terrorism
Israel is building a barrier between it and the West Bank. Israel sees this as a way to prevent further suicide bombings.
Palestinians need permission to leave West Bank. Israelis see this as needed security to prevent terrorism.
Terrorist organizations like Hamas (which controls the Gaza Strip) and Hezbollah (based in Lebanon and who was at war with Israel in the summer of 2006) continue to fire rockets into Israel. Individuals also continue to commit other acts of terror.
The barrier goes beyond the border between the West Bank and Israel: the barrier route is 449 miles, while the “Green Line”—the “border” between the West Bank and Israel is 199 miles
The restriction on movement limits jobs, health care, education, etc. contributing to standard of living in West Bank being significantly less than that of Israel.
Can’t stereotype all Palestinians as terrorists as the majority are not terrorists. Palestinian government denounced terrorism.
Refugees & the Right of Return
If Palestinians living in Arab nations or in the Occupied Territories return to Israel to reclaim land, it can mean the end of Israel as a Jewish state.
As refugees, Palestinians believe they should be able to return to their or their families land in Israel and receive reimbursement for expenses incurred as refugees.
Two States or One/borders
Israelis do not want to give up Jerusalem to Palestinian Authority. Many Israelis do not recognize Palestinians as a people separate from Arabs, therefore, they are not entitled to their own state.
Palestinians should be granted all of the West Bank and Gaza independently and as a separate state, and that Israelis settled there should leave.
Economic Comparative Analysis
Sources: UC BerkeleyUnited 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
Statistic Israel West Bank Gaza Strip 1
GDP $194 billion $12.79 billion2 See West Bank figures
Per Capita $28,400 $2,900 See West Bank figures
Annual Budget (expenditures)Annual Budget (revenue)
$58.6 billion$45 billion
$30.8 billion$1.63 billion
See West Bank figures
Human Development Index3 27 out of 182 110 out of 182 (Palestinian Territories)
Unemployment Rate 7.4% 19% 40%
Population below the Poverty Line 23.6% 46% 70%
1 The CIA Fact Book lists the West Bank and Gaza Strip settlements separately as part of the Palestine Authority due to PA and Hamas control. The Fact Book does not report independent GDP, Per Capita, and Annual Budget figures for the Gaza Strip.
2 The West Bank experienced a revival in its economy in 2009 due to a lifting of some restrictions by the Israeli government and an increase in aid donations.
3 The HDI – human development index – is a summary composite index that measures a country's average achievements in three basic aspects of human development: health, knowledge, and a decent standard of living. Health is measured by life expectancy at birth; knowledge is measured by a combination of the adult literacy rate and the combined primary, secondary, and tertiary gross enrolment ratio; and standard of living by GDP per capita (PPP US$).
Approved 12/25/2000, still under construction today
Wall between Israel and Palestine
Israel West Bank Barrier
Palestinians attempting to pass through the checkpoint in the wall.
Bethlehem Checkpoint
A Palestinian works in the foreground, while houses in the background show the Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Israeli Settlements in the West Bank
Israeli Settlements
Effects of a suicide bomber
PLO Attacks
Hamas Militant
Hamas
Children caught in conflict
The other side of the argument
Attempt to target militants, civilian casualties as collateral damage.
Israel bombs Beirut, Lebanon
Beirut, Lebanon
Bombing Aftermath
Israel’s superior military
Israeli and Palestinian Encounters
Israeli Military Operations
Targeting Terrorists or Civilians
Even civilians fight
Palestinian refugees at their “home” in Jordan (2013)
Conflict Results
Unable to find work or receive employment eligibility, refugees pick through trash.
Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon
