Transcript Colonial Rule in the Middle East

To Have or To Have Not:
A Brief History of Israel/Palestine,
Post 1945
Israel
The Middle East: Have/Have Not

The interest in the Middle East post-1945
can be based on who has or does not have
petroleum (oil).
◦ Large petroleum supplies = Rich, relatively
sparsely populated nations with conservative
regimes.
◦ Little or no petroleum = Poor, heavily
populated nations with socialist governments.
Nationalism

A fundamental cause of Middle East conflict
was nationalism.
◦ Israelis and the Arabs – mutual hatred
for each other.
◦ Israelis practiced an aggressive foreign
policy – strike first and strike hard
mentality.
Religion

There were also serious religious
differences:
◦ The territory in question contained many of
the holy places and shrines of both Judaic
and Islamic religions.
Britain and the Creation of Israel

After WWI, the area had become the British
mandate of Palestine.
◦ Important because of the Suez Canal.
Britain and the Creation of Israel

When Jewish immigration accelerated friction
was created between Israeli Jews and Palestinian
Arabs.

Britain would have to do something about a
homeland for the Jews.

They would promise Israel after WWII as that
homeland for the Jews.
The Arab League

The Arab League was formed in 1945:
 Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi
Arabia and Yemen, they turned against the British
because of Jewish support.
Israel

After 1945, Zionists (Jewish radicals that
called for a Jewish homeland in
Palestine) and Palestinian Arabs wanted
individual nations and both felt they had claim
to Palestine/Israel.
Israel

Britain withdrew in 1947 and the U.N.
proposed that the country be partitioned
50/50.

First PM of Israel (1955-63) = David BenGurion.
Violence Erupts

Violence broke out as a land grab began
between Arab & Jewish guerrillas in 1948.

May 14, 1948, the Jews led by David Ben
Gurion proclaimed the state of Israel.
 Declared their independence and the creation of a new
state of Israel.

War broke out.
 Were certain of U.S. and Soviet support.
The Palestinian War, 1948

The 1948 Palestine War refers to the events
that happened in Palestine between the vote on
the Partition Plan of Palestine on November
30, 1947,to the end of the first Arab-Israeli
war on July 20, 1949.
Two Phases
◦ 1) A Civil War (also named Inter-communal
War) in which Palestine Arabs, supported by
the Arab Liberation Army, and the Yishuv, fought
against each other while the region was still
fully under British rule.
◦ 2) The 1948 Arab-Israeli War after May 15,
in which Transjordan, Egypt, Syria, and Iraq sent
expeditionary forces to Palestine that fought
the Israel Defence Forces.
The Palestinian War: 1948

The Arab League invaded
Israel = Israel defeated them
easily.

This created a refugee
problem with 1 million
homeless Palestinians.
The Palestinian War: Terrorism

This also began the formation
of Palestinian terrorist
groups (Fatah, Hamas,
Muslim Brotherhood) who
would attack Israel from
outside countries.

Israel would practice
ongoing reprisals (acts of
retaliation) against states
harboring terrorists.
Israeli Claims

When fighting ended in
1949, the Israelis had
conquered more territory
than had been envisioned in
the U.N. plan.

And the rest of the
territory fell to Egypt and
Jordan, rather than forming
an independent Palestinian
state.
Israeli Claims

Palestinian Arab refugees
fled to:

Lebanon

The West Bank

The Gaza strip.
The West Bank

Is a landlocked territory and is the eastern
part of the Palestinian territories; on the
west bank of the River Jordan in the
Middle East.
◦ To the west, north, and south, the West Bank
shares borders with the state of Israel.
◦ To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the
country of Jordan.
The West Bank

Since 1967, most of the West Bank has been
under Israeli military occupation.

A smaller part of the West Bank is administered
by the Israeli civilian authorities as part of
Jerusalem District.
Gaza Strip

Lies on the Eastern coast of the
Mediterranean Sea and borders Egypt on
the southwest and Israel on the south, east
and north.

The territory has a population of about 1.5
million people.
Gaza Strip

1 million of whom were, as of March 2005,
refugees who fled to the territory from other
parts of Palestine as part of the 1948
Palestinian Exodus arising from the 1948 ArabIsraeli War and their descendants.

The population is predominantly Sunni Muslims
and speak a Western Egyptian dialect of Arabic.
Golan Heights

Known as the Syrian Heights, is a strategic
plateau and mountainous region at the
southern end of the Anti-Lebanon
Mountains and remains a highly contested
land straddling the borders of Syria and
Israel.

Two-thirds of the area is currently occupied by
Israel and has been under Israeli control since
the Six Day War in 1967.
Egypt: Nasser

In 1952, army officers led a coup d’état
against King Faruk and replaced him with
President Gamal Abdel Nasser.

Nasser became very popular in the Arab
world and very unpopular in the West.

Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal in
1956, leading to a war with Israel, France, and
Great Britain.
The Suez War: 1956

Gamal Abdal Nasser in 1954 becomes
Prime Minister of Egypt, he was an extreme
Nationalist.

Cold War competition plays a role in the
construction of the Aswan Dam (two dams
located near Aswan, Egypt, known as the High
Dam today).
The Suez War: 1956

The USA said they would finance the project,
but Egypt then signed an arms deal with
Czechoslovakia (USSR), so the USA pulled
out financial support.
Suez War

Nasser also had recognized Red China in
1956, which the USA would not do.

This pushed Israel into a client relationship
with the USA.

The USSR now said they would help finance
the Aswan Dam.

1956: Nasser Nationalizes the Suez Canal
(takes it over for Egypt only).
Aswan Dam
The Suez War Continued

Israel attacks across the Sinai Desert:
◦ This was a secret deal with Britain and
France, the deal said Israel would attack first,
Britain and France would condemn BOTH sides
(to look like they were not a participant), Britain
and France then began bombing Egyptian
military targets followed by an invasion.
The Suez War Continued

USA response:
◦ The USA was outraged by the British/ French
actions, probably because the USA was not
consulted, and they were supposed to be allies.

The USA forced the French and British to
pull out, and had the United Nations act as
peacekeepers in the region.
The Suez War: Winners

Israel won:
◦ 1) The Gaza Strip (the UN would be
stationed there, this took away terrorist land)
◦ 2) The Israeli economy flourished.
The Suez War: Significance

Significance:
◦ UN deployment of peacekeeping troops.
◦ Britain & France were discredited
internationally.
◦ The Aswan Dam and Suez Crisis was an arena
for superpower competition between the
USA and the USSR.
Terrorism + The PLO

After 1967, the Palestinian refugees would form
Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO)
to create the independent state of Palestine under
the leadership of Yasser Arafat.

Terrorism: systematic use of terror especially as
a means of coercion.
◦ The PLO mounted attacks from its bases in
Syria, Jordan and Lebanon – usually from Golan
Heights in Syria.
Terrorism + The PLO
Continued

Following the nationalization of the Suez Canal
announced by Egypt on 26 July 1956, Israeli
forces invaded Sinai, while British and
French troops landed at Suez at the end of
October.
Terrorism + The PLO Continued

On 4 November 1956, the UN General
Assembly, meeting in special session, called
for a cease-fire and created the first peacekeeping force, the United Nations
Emergency Force (UNEF).
Terrorism + The PLO Continued

The UNEF supervised the progressive
withdrawal of the Israeli, British and French
troops, patrolled the demarcation line between
Egypt and Israel, and brought relative quiet to
the area.
PLO + Lebanon

The PLO used Lebanon as a base after 1970.

The Lebanese Civil War erupted again in
1975 and would continue for over 14 years.
◦ Beirut would witness bombings, random
assassinations, and extensive destruction.
PLO + Lebanon

In 1988, the PLO declared the
independence of Palestine (the West Bank
and Gaza).

Conflict continues.

In 2011, Palestine asked for recognition
from the UN.
The 6 Day War, 1967

Also known as the June War, 1967 ArabIsraeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War.

Was fought between June 5 and June 10,
1967, by Israel and the neighbouring states of
Egypt, Jordan, and Syria.
The 6 Day War, 1967

Nasser kicked out the UN Force from the
Sinai Desert in 1967.
◦ He then mobilized his forces, and closed off the
Strait of Tiran (Israel needed it).

Israel strikes first knowing what was going to
happen – Israeli leader is Moshe Dayan.
Strait of Tiran
The 6 Day War

Israel again wins big, and gets:
◦ The whole Sinai.
◦ Jerusalem and the West Bank & the Golan
Heights.

This secured strong frontiers against terrorist
attacks, but they would have to occupy.
The 6 Day War

The superpowers of the Cold War became
involved when the USSR threatened to
intervene and the USA asserted pressure.

Israel to stop attacks to avert WW III.
Anwar Sadat

Anwar Sadat becomes
leader of Egypt in 1970,
and broke off Soviet
relationships.

Did this because Muslim
countries had problems
dealing with and atheist
country like the USSR.
The Yom-Kippur War: 1973

Egypt, helped by Syria and Iraq again, attacked
Israel.
◦ Israel knew it was coming, but had taken
heat for the strike first policy of the Six Day
War.
The Yom-Kippur War: 1973

Arabs had initial success, but by the end of the
war, there was no change in territory.

One result of this war was the raising of oil
prices by OPEC countries (Organization of
Petroleum Exporting Countries).
Camp David Accords: 1979

Leaders Present:
◦ USA President Jimmy Carter
◦ Egypt President Anwar Sadat
◦ Israel PM Menachem Begin.
Camp David Accords: 1979

USA brokered/mediated peace talks between
Egypt and Israel.
◦ The Accords led directly to the 1979 IsraelEgypt Peace Treaty.
◦ They also resulted in Sadat and Begin sharing
the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize.
Camp David Agreements
◦ The Israel-Egypt Peace
Treaty (The Camp David
Agreements) ended
Egyptian/ Israeli conflicts
= made an all-out war
between Israel and the Arab
world less likely.
◦ Israel would return the
Sinai to Egypt in exchange
for recognition.
Camp David Agreements
◦ Israel had to negotiate
a resolution of the
Palestinian refugee
dilemma (never
happened).
◦ Egypt was then kicked
out of OPEC, and the
conflicts to follow would
be Arab vs. Israeli, not
Egypt.
The Middle East
The Path To Peace
The Oslo Accords, 1993

The Oslo Accords (1993), officially called the
Declaration of Principles on Interim
Self-Government Arrangements or
Declaration of Principles (DOP) was a
milestone in the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli
conflict, one of the major continuing issues
within the wider Arab Israeli conflict.
The Oslo Accords

It was the first direct, face-to-face
agreement between the government of
Israel and the Palestinian Liberation
Movement (PLO).
The Oslo Accords

It was intended to be the one framework for
future negotiations and relations between
the Israeli government and Palestinians, within
which all outstanding "final status issues"
between the two sides would be addressed and
resolved.
Withdrawal and Government

In 1993 and 1995, Israel and the PLO
signed agreements that led to the
withdrawal of Israeli troops from the
Gaza Strip and most cities and towns of the
West Bank by early 1996.
Withdrawal and Government

As the Israelis withdrew, Palestinians
became the governing authorities in these
areas.

Israel also recognized the PLO as the
representative of the Palestinian people.
End of War + Government

In 1994, Jordan and Israel signed a
declaration that marked the end of a
state of war that had technically existed
between them since 1948.

In 1996, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and
Palestinian-controlled parts of the West Bank
elected a president and legislature to
make laws and administer these areas.
Unsuccessful
Oslo Process

There were many reasons that the Oslo
process didn't succeed:
◦ Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was
assassinated by an Israeli right-wing fanatic
in 1995.
◦ After that, the Hamas organization carried
out a series of deadly suicide bombings in
Jerusalem and other Israeli cities.
Netanyahu

In 1996, Likud party leader
Benjamin Netanyahu was
elected Prime Minister of
Israel.

He slowed the
implementation of the
Israeli withdrawal from West
Bank areas, even as he
increased the pace of
Jewish settlement on the
West Bank.
The Road to
Peace Concept
◦ In exchange for statehood, the road map
requires the Palestinian Authority (the
new name for the PLO) to make
democratic reforms and abandon the
use of terrorism.
The Road to
Peace Concept
◦ Israel, for its part, must support and
accept the emergence of a reformed
Palestinian government and end
settlement activity of the Gaza Strip and
West Bank as the Palestinian terrorist threat
is removed.
Camp David
(Accord) 2000

US President Bill Clinton stepped in to
try to give new life to the peace process,
which still had the support of the majority of
Israelis.

In 1999, Netanyahu's coalition fell apart,
and he was defeated in a bid for re-election
by Ehud Barak.
Camp David 2000

Clinton brought Barak and Palestinian leader
Yasser Arafat together for a final round of
negotiations at Camp David in 2000, but
the attempt failed.
◦ Naval Support Facility Thurmont, popularly
known as Camp David, is a mountain-based military
camp in Frederick County, Maryland used as a
country retreat of the US President and his guests.
The Second Intifada

The Second Intifada broke out soon
thereafter.
◦ Was the second Palestinian uprising, a
period of intensified Palestinian-Israeli
violence, which began in late September
2000.
The Second Intifada

The violence escalated, bringing with it
profound distrust on both sides, and an
Israeli reoccupation of Palestinian cities,
carried out by Israel's new leader, Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon.
Where are we now? 2008
◦ November, Barack Obama
elected President of the
United States.
◦ Arab world hopes for
radical change in United
States Middle East policy.
Where are we now?
2009
◦ June 13 - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
declared re-elected President of Iran in
elections denounced as blatantly fraudulent.
Where are we now?
2009
◦ June 14 - address by Israeli PM Benjamin
Netanyahu at the Begin-Sadat Centre =
Netanyahu acceded to Obama demand that
Israel support creation of a Palestinian
state, but refuses to end construction of
housing in Israel's West Bank settlements.
Where are we now? 2009
◦ August 26 - Palestinian Authority issues an EU
backed plan to declare a state unilaterally
within two years: Palestine.
◦ Ending the Occupation, establishing the State . . .
Where are we now?
2010
◦ President Obama reportedly invited President
Abbas to Washington in May.
 Mahmoud Abbas is the president of the
Palestinian Authority.
 Salam Fayyad, is the president of the half
of the Palestinian Authority that controls
the West Bank (or at least portions of the
West Bank).
Where are we now?
2010
◦ Obama was very invested in those two
particular leaders (Abbas + Fayyad).
◦ The Obama administration’s approach was to
talk very quietly with the Israelis.
Where are we now?
2011
◦ Having failed to win a settlement freeze and
now focused on the extraordinary
developments throughout the Arab world,
Washington has apparently exhausted
its ability to direct the Israel-Palestine
diplomatic process.
Where are we now?
2011
◦ The Obama administration, wary of further
conflict with the government of Benjamin
Netanyahu and its American supporters,
appears to have retreated from active
Israeli-Palestinian diplomacy following
its February 18 veto of the UN Security
Council Resolution condemning Israeli
settlements in the occupied territories.
Where are we now?
2012
◦ The EU and the USA (among others)
continue to want to solve the conflict in the
Middle East.
◦ The relentless struggle for peace in the
Middle East continues . . .
Palestine: Today

Palestine recently (2011) asked for recognition in
the UN.

They were granted recognition as an “entity”
from a “non-member state” (Nov. 2012).

Seen as a “birth certificate” of the State of
Palestine.
2013: Peace to be attained . . .
Many organizations, governments and peoples are
promoting peace between Israel and Palestine, via
two states, that meets the fundamental needs of
both peoples.
US Secretary of State, John Kerry, met separately
with the Israelis and the Palestinians in hopes to
revive the peace talks (May 2013).