Download The Middle East - Beard World History

Conflict in the Middle East: Israel and Palestine
KEY THEMES
1. Arab/Israeli conflict
2. Western intervention in the Middle
East
3. Rise of Islamic terrorism
4. Oil and economic factors
Background
“Ownership” of the Holy Land changes hands
frequently.
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Muslims under Muhammad capture the area in 630
The Crusades in 1100-1200 bring new Christian
immigrants
Ottoman Turks control from 1500’s-1900’s.
British take control briefly after WWI
Modern state of Israel created in 1947 after WWII
Background
• Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all
claim that this land is the Holy Land
• For several centuries the region has
seen war and conflict over occupation
of the Holy Land.
ARAB/ISRAELI CONLFICT
Rise of Nazism brings flood of new Jewish settlers
to Palestine from Europe in 1930’s.
UN votes to divide Palestine into Jewish and Arab
states in 1947, giving the Jews 55% of the land
west of the Jordan River and designating
Jerusalem as an international area.
Almost immediately, disputes begin
ARAB/ISRAELI CONLFICT
Israel was at war almost constantly during the
50’s-80’s with Egypt, Syria and Lebanon trying to
take territory.
Several terrorist organizations formed
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PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization)
Hamas (a Sunni Muslim resistance movement based in
Palestinian territory)
Hezbollah (a Shi’a Islamic resistance movement based
in Lebanon)
Terrorist Attacks in Israel
ISRAEL RETALIATES
Peace Accords
Camp David 1979
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Egypt recognizes Israel’s right to exist.
Israel returns Sinai to Egypt.
Oslo Accords 1993
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Israel and the PLO accept each other’s right to exist.
Allows for limited Palestinian self-rule in Gaza and the
West Bank.
ISRAEL/PALESTINE NOW
Israel frequently uses military force to crack
down on Palestinian rebels.
The Israeli military is often accused of
brutality which causes the Palestinians to
retaliate.
Israel maintains its right to defend itself.
Israel is not recognized by many Muslims.
Majority of Palestinians live in poverty.
ISRAEL/PALESTINE NOW
Israel’s
solution to the
Israeli/
Palestinian
“problem”…
BUILD A
WALL.
Recap
What do the Israelis want?
What do the Palestinians want?
Is there any middle ground?
Is there a solution to the problem?