Lesson Four
The Muslim-Israeli Conflict
The New York Times Article January 29, 2004
"Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 10 on Jerusalem Bus"
by James Bennet
Bell Ringer: What conflicts or wars do you know about? What has changed from each of them? What caused them?
SWBAT: Explain the causes for the conflict between the Arabs and the Jews in the Middle East and the issue of nationalism and terrorism.
PA Standards 8.1.12.C and 8.4.12.D
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/middle_east/03/v3_israel_palestinians/maps/html/default.stm
Click here for the above map and more
Input: From the late 1800s to the early 1900s the Middle East suffered from tremendous conflict that still continues to this day. You still hear about suicide bombings and other forms of terrorism between the two countries. After World War I, there was about 90% Muslim/Arab and 10% Jewish population in Palestine. The Jewish migrated to Palestine in the 1920s, and their population grew. By 1937, there was 400,000 Jews with 1 million Arabs. The two groups had to be separated because of the conflict between them. The conflict was due to the Jews displacing the Arabs from their land because of increasing land purchases. Because of the groups' help in World War I, Britain promised to please them both. The Arabs were promised the right to a new Arab nation in the former Ottoman Empire. The Jews were promised their own homeland in Palestine through the Balfour Declaration in 1917.
In 1922, the British separated Palestine into 2 territories. The land east of the Jordan River became the Emirate of Transjordan (now Jordan); the land west from Lebanon and Syria in the north to Egypt in the south, remained Palestine. In this land is where the Jews clashed with the Palestinians. Terrorist attacks were conducted by both parties towards each other. After the Holocaust in World War II, there was more favor on creating an independent Jewish state, except from the Arabs. On November 29, 1947, the United Nations passed Resolution 181 that called for partitioning Palestine into 2 states. One Jewish and one Arab. The Jews accepted it, but the Arabs did not. On May 14, 1948, it was terminated and at midnight, the Jewish state of Israel declared its independence that was 1/3 more land than the UN Resolution. The newborn state was attacked almost immediately from Palestinians and other Arabs from neighboring countries such as Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon. Meanwhile, there was still the continued of the Arab refugees. By the end of 1948, the number was 700,000. In 1956, Israel invaded the Gaza Strip and Sinai Peninsula. The British and French forced attacked Egypt to take control back. Israel eventually withdrew. The Six Day War resulted in territorial changes. Egypt. Syria, and Jordan put their armies on the borders of Israel, and many Arabs wanted war. Thinking the Arabs would strike, Israel attacked first surprising the Arabs. In the Six Day War, Israel proved its might with Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. It gained control of the West Bank, the Siani Peninsula and Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights region of southwestern Syria, and all of Jerusalem. More Arab refugees were displaced by warfare. Israel felt it could wait for Palestine to offer peace it approved of. But the UN was less confident this would occur.
In November of 1948, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 242 which said that seizing territories by war is not secure. There should be secure and recognizable borders, fair settlement of the refugees, and Israel must give the territories up. Israel refused to give up the territories. Arabs also refused the resolution. In 1964, the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) was formed to create a Palestinian state. Terrorist attacks were used against Israel. In 1973, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, Arabs attacked with surprise in Israel. Egypt invaded to take back the Sinai, but Israel pushed Israel back past the Suez Canal. The Soviet Union backed Egypt, the U.S. backed Israel. Israel recovered quickly. A new UN Resolution was passed that said to use Resolution 242, so nothing changed. The PLO was recognized as the representation of the Palestinian people. In the late 1980s, the Palestinians began the intifada (uprising) which was a widespread campaign against the continuing Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip and West Bank.
In 1993, the Oslo Accords resulted in the Declaration of Principles which gave gradual power to the Palestinians.
Click on the photo and listen to Rabin
http://encarta.msn.com/media_461526053_761588322_-1_1/Middle_East_Peace_Accord_1993.html
The PLO was officially recognized by Israel and called for an end to violence, peace, and a Palestinian state. The PLO could come back to the Gaza Strip and some parts of the West Bank. This lead to the signing at the White House with PLO chairman Yasir Arafat and Israel's Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. In 1995, Rabin was assassinated by an Israeli student opposed to the peace process. Further negotiations were stalled, then started again, then stalled again. In Israel, if the Labour party (more liberal) won elections then peace would be more likely to be negotiated with Palestine, but if the Likud party (more conservative) won the elections, peace would be less likely to be negotiated with Palestine. In 2001 and 2003, Ariel Sharon, leader of the Likud Party, won the elections for Prime Minister. The two sides were unable to come up with an agreement for peace that continues to this day. This is why there is so much violence between the two countries.
Practice/Application: Click here for Webquest
Click here for CNN Special Report click where it says "Special Report, Middle East Conflict"
Closure: What started the Middle East Conflict? What impact does it have on Americans lives?