The Arab-Israeli Conflict

Introduction and Historical Background

Ancient Palestine Ranges from coastal

plain in West to dry Jordan River valley in the east

South into the Dead Sea

Jewish peoples came to region around the 12th century BC from present day Iraq Belief God had given

them land in exchange for promise to live according to the laws of their God.

Ancient Palestine

Palestinians, called Philistines at the time, were of Greek origin and settled their around the same time.

Kingdom of Israel and the Diaspora

1000 B.C.: Establishment of kingdom of Israel by Jews

Kingdom of Israel and Diaspora 73 A.D.: Conquered by

Roman Empire Defeated rebellion by

Jewish population Caused Diaspora:

Majority of Jews left Palestine and scattered throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean.

Palestinians remain in region and mixed with Arab peoples that arrived in the 7th century A.D. Most Palestinians

converted to Islam

Zionism

Most Jews dreamed of a return to their ancestral homeland after the Diaspora.

Zionism 19th century: European Jews

organize and plan move back to Palestine Movement known as Zionism (Zion

is a hill of great religious and historical importance for Jews in their holiest city, Jerusalem)

Result of anti-Semitism in Western Europe and pogroms, or attacks, in Eastern Europe

Goal = creation of a secular (nonreligious) Jewish state in Palestine

Jewish immigration into Palestine

1882: beginning of Jewish migration

1900: Majority of immigrants Zionists

1914: 10% of Palestine’s population

Palestinian Muslims began to fear the increased presence of Jewish migrants.

The British Mandate of Palestine Sykes-Picot

Agreement: secret agreement between France and Great Britain which called for the division of Ottoman Empire lands in the Middle East after World War IBritain takes

Palestine

The British Mandate of Palestine

Balfour Declaration (1917): expressed British support for the “establishment in Palestine of a National Home for the Jewish people.” Did not consult Palestinian Arabs, about

85% of population Seen as diplomatic victory for Zionism

After WWI, Britain took control of Palestine through a mandate (similar to a colony) without consultation with Palestinian Arabs

Increasing Arab-Jewish Tensions

Initially most Jewish immigrants were poor but as they settled the land and formed collective communities their situation improved.

These settlements, however, displaced Arabs from their land and forced them to move to overcrowded cities and become increasingly poor. All of this led to increasing pressure

in the region and on the British to change the policy

Britain decided to maintain its policy of allowing Jewish migration

Increasing Arab-Jewish Tensions The events of

WWII and the Holocaust brought worldwide sympathy and interest to the Zionist movement.