Arab-Israeli Conflict

Arab-Israeli Conflict

Zionism • 1897 The World Zionist Organization was founded • Zionists believed that Palestine was rightfully the homeland of the Jews

Origins • During World War I the British made three incompatible promises about the Middle East • Hussein-McMahon Correspondence: 1915-1916 Arabs were promised an independent state across the Middle East • Sykes-Picot Agreement 1916: the British and French would divide the area of the Ottoman Empire and decide the boundaries of the states • Balfour Declaration: Stated that the Jews could have a national home in Palestine provided they would not step of the rights of the existing inhabitants.

Origins • Balfour Continued: The British hoped • To gain the support of Jews within the Central Powers • To gain the support of Jews in the U.S.

Palestine under the British Mandate • In 1919, the population of Palestine was 90% Arab. • British officially took control of Palestine under a League of Nations Mandate in 1920 • Zionists turned toward immigration to try to change the demographics • Anti-Jew riots held in Jerusalem in 1920 in response to the Balfour Declaration • British introduced quotas on Jewish Immigration stop the problem • Quotas were high and problem continued

Palestine under the British Mandate • In 1921, Palestinian protests continued • Failure of the British to honor the Sykes-Picot Agreement • Continuing influx of Jews • In 1922, the British promised • There was no intention to hand over the whole Palestine to the Jews • There would be no infringements of the rights of native Palestinians

Palestine under the British Mandate • British tried to set up a legislative council containing both Arabs and Jews • Arabs would not give the Jews a guaranteed and disproportionate voice in the government • British set up a commission in 1929 to look at the causes of Palestinian violence (Peel Commission) • Found that Arabs • Did not accept the British Mandate, wanted indep • Feared the loss of their land to the Jews • Desired the withdrawal of the Balfour Dec. • Wished to prohibit the sale of any more land to the Jews

Palestine under the British Mandate • As Hitler came to power, Jews began to flock to Palestine • In 1936, Arab Revolt began • Guerilla resistance against the British • Wanted independence, end of land sales to Jews, and end to Jewish Immigration • Peel Commission recommended that Palestine be partitioned • 80% to the Arabs and 20% to the Jews • Arabs resisted because the Jews would be awarded the best farmland and saw no reason to give up any part of their homeland

Arab Revolt • Sept 1937-Jan 1939 • British lost control of Jerusalem, Nablus, and Hebron • British now were the targets • British Tried to restore order • Civilians were used as hostages to provide cover • Demolished Arab homes • 10% of the Palestinian population was killed • Jews 400 killed • British 200 killed

WWII • To gain Arab support in 1939, the British • Limited to Jewish Immigration to 10,000/year • Limited the land purchase of Jews • Promised to set up an Arab state of Palestine within 10 years • Anti-Semitism of the Nazi’s appealed to the Palestinians • Zionists decided that British power was waning and would seek the support of the USA in the future • Some appealed to Hitler to push the British out so they could set up their own homeland

WWII • Arabs were assured by Roosevelt and Truman that no post-war settlement of Palestine would be made • Without full consultation with the Arabs • Against the interests of the Arabs

Jewish Revolt • In January of 1944, the Jewish National Military Organization (IrgunZvaiLeumi) called upon Jews of Palestine to drive out the British and install a Jewish Government • British police stations were attacked • Nov. 1944 the British Minister in Cairo was murdered • With the end of the war, there were large numbers of European Jews seeking a new homeland • U.S. and Europe did not want them unless they were wealthy, famous, or well qualified

Jewish Revolt • Arab League promised to prevent the formation of an exclusively Jewish state in Palestine (March 1945) • In April of 1946, David Ben-Gurion demanded the right of 1.2 million Jews to settle in Palestine • Hagganah had grown into a semi-professional army, together with Irgun; a terrorist campaign against the British and the indigenous Arab population began

Jewish Revolt • Most famous atrocity was the blowing up of the British Military HQ in the King David Hotel on July 22, 1946. Nearly 100 killed • July 30, 1946 the Morrison Plan was published • 40% Arab • 17% Jewish • 43% including Jerusalem under direct British control • Jews rejected the plan as offering too little of Palestine

United Nations Intervention • Feb. 15, 1947 the British invited the United Nations to solve the problem • British Mandate was to expire in 1948 • The United Nations appointed a special committee on Palestine which was not recognized by the Palestinians • August of 1947 the UN proposed • Partition of Palestine. Half to Jews • Jews made up one-third of the population and owned 6% of the land) • Economically, Palestine would be a unit • British would administer for 2 more years under the UN • During that time 150,000 Jews were to be admitted

United Nations Intervention • Reasons for the UN Plan: • Feeling of guilt towards the Jews • Large numbers of dispossessed European Jews seeking a new homeland • Western countries did not want to take • Zionists portrayed Palestine as the only refuge for Hitler’s victims • Truman wanted the Jewish vote in New York and pressured the British to allow 100,000 Jews to immigrate • U.S. pressured nations to vote for partition by withholding economic aid

United Nations Intervention • Jews outwardly accepted the settlement, Arabs refused to accept the settlement • Arabs were blocked from taking the issue to International Court • UN voted in November of 1947. U.S. and Soviets pressured smaller countries to support the plan • Plan passes 33-13 • 10 abstain

Origins of the First Arab-Israeli War • Following UN intervention, Jews prepared for armed conflict • David Ben-Gurion instructed Hagganah to go on the offensive and push Palestinians out of the territory proposed by the UN • Palestinians began to fight for their land in December 1947 –resented the impending loss of half of their homeland • Riots broke out across Arab lands against Jews • The Arab League proclaimed jihad against the Jews • Israelis began to import fighter aircraft from Czechoslovakia

Origins of the First Arab-Israeli War • February , Jews drove out Arabs from part of Jerusalemand moved settlers in to take their place • In the Spring, Hagganah implements Plan Dalet • Occupy areas allocated to the Jews but also Jewish settlements outside of that area • April 15th, Irgun deliberately massacres 250 people (mostly women and children) DayrYasin Massacre • Bodies were mutilated and disposed in wells • The Jews broadcast their actions to create an exodus of Arab inhabitants • Jews seized their land, houses, and possessions

Creation of the State of Israel • May 15th, David Ben Gurion declared the independence of the state of Israel • Promised equality of political rights to all regardless of religion, race, or gender • Hagganah was transformed into the Israeli army • Unlimited Jewish immigration was announced • David Ben Gurion was Prime Minister and Minister of War • The U.S. recognized the new state of Israel 11 minutes into its existence

Creation of the State of Israel • On the same day, the Egyptian air force bombed Tel Aviv (no deaths) and Iraqi troops crossed the Jordan • Most of the fighting took place on territory that was to be part of Palestine • In May, after 4 weeks of fighting, the Swedish proposed a truce • Neither side accepted the Swedish proposal • David Ben Gurion had to fight off challenges to his power • Truce ended because Syria and Egypt were unwilling to extend it

Creation of the State of Israel • Second war lasted from July 6-19 and led to a crushing Arab defeat • Israel took over much of western Galilee • Second truce was imposed by the United Nations • In October, the Israelis invaded Negev • Controlled by Egypt but awarded to Israel in the partition plan • October, The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem was elected by the National Palestinian Council to be the head of the government of all of Palestine • All Arab nations recognized this action except King Abdullah of Jordan (his enemy)

Creation of the State of Israel • King Abdullah held his own conference announcing… • Palestine and Trans Jordan was a single entity- “Arab Hashemite Kingdom” • Palestinians would be elected to the parliament in Amman • King Abdullah wanted control over the Palestinian lands • Israel was willing to work with him • October 21st- Israel prohibited non-Jewish Palestinians from visiting or living in certain areas of Israel without a permit • Allowed the Israeli military to expel Palestinians from these areas

Creation of the State of Israel • January of 1949, Israeli law stated that all meat coming into the country had to conform to the Jewish religious laws. • State was taking on a religious character

Reasons for Israeli Victory • Arab armies were poorly equipped • British withheld spare parts • Jews were well supplied by the Czechs, Zionists in the USA, and Europe • Arab forces were inexperienced and poorly coordinated • Rivalries between Arab leaders • Jews had their government and army in existence and were prepared for war • Palestinians were suffering from British repression of 1936-1939 which had hurt their leadership

Consequences of the First Arab-Israeli • Israel seized more land than had been awarded by the UN • Jerusalem was divided between Israel and Jordan • Israel held 78% of Palestine • Nearly 1million Arabs fled to Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon where they lived in refugee camps • Dec. 1948, UN passes a resolution that allows refugees wishing to return to their homes and live in peace should be permitted to do so. • Compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return • Israel ignored

Consequences of the First Arab-Israeli • United Nations Refugee and Works Administration for Palestinians was est. • It looked after • 30,000 Arab refugees who had fled Israel and couldn’t return to their homes because they had been seized • Palestinian refugees who had fled to areas under Arab control • It provided • Relief • Health care • Social services • Education

Consequences of the First Arab-Israeli War • No Arab state recognized the legitimacy of the State of Israel • The British, Americans, and the French guaranteed the new borders of Israel and promised to sell limited arms in the region

Israel During the late 1940’s and 1950’s • Passed laws designed to make it impossible for dispossess Palestinians to ever take back their homes and land • Deliberately and systematically bulldozed many Arab villages • Invited Jewish settlers from all over the world • Law of Return (1950): Jews everywhere had the right to live in Israel • Along the border areas, some 5,000 Palestinians were killed by Israelis between 1949-1956

Israel During the late 1940’s and 1950’s • Most Arabs lived in the border areas of Israel. These areas were ruled by martial law until 1966 • Most of the land was placed under the ownership of the Jewish National Fund which prohibits it sale or lease to non-Jews forever • Government spending was spent on Jewish settlements, keeping Arab villages in a state of underdevelopment • Between 1948-1957 some 567,000 Jews were expelled from Arab states in reprisal for the expulsion of the Palestinians. Most settled in Israel

Suez Crisis • Egypt was under British control • Britain considered the use of the Suez Canal vital • Suez Canal Company was owned by mainly British and French • During WW II Britain took control of Egypt and made it into a British base • Egyptians began to resent British control and were humiliated • Most Egyptians were poor landless peasants • Land was owned by a tiny number of rich • King Farouk was uninterested in the plight of his countrymen

Suez Crisis • USA wanted to establish Middle East Defense Organization (MEDO) to resist communism • Egypt rejects MEDO and rejected British control. • Initiated Guerilla attacks in on the Canal Zone • 1952 Gamal Abdul Nasser led a coup to over throw King Farouk • Nasser was part of a group that established the Society of Free Soldiers in 194 • Fight political corruption, depose the King, end British domination • Modernize Egypt, raise standard of living, Arab Unity

Suez Crisis • In 1953, the monarchy was abolished and a one party republic was established • Communists were suppressed as was the Muslim Brotherhood • Nasser will become prime minister after a power struggle • Nasser wants • To end British colonial rule • End the existence of the state of Israel • To follow a policy of non-alignment • Arab Unity

Suez Crisis • 1956, Nasser announces a socialist Arab state • One party, Islam was the official religion • U.S. and Great Britain agreed to finance the first part of the Aswan High Dam • Hoped to form ties to keep Communism out of Egypt • Nasser encouraged guerrilla bands of fedayeen to attack Israel • Wanted to recover their homes from Jewish settlers • Israel will retaliate by attacking groups of refugees in Egypt

Suez Crisis • Nasser wanted to eradicate colonialism and create Arab Unity • Nasser opposed CENTO (only Pakistan and Iran joined) • Nasser decided to arm Egypt because Israel and France were working around arms agreements • Egypt concludes arms deal with Czechoslovakia and officially recognized the People’s Republic of China • U.S. pulls funds for Aswan High Dam • Nasser nationalizes the Suez Canal to finance the building of the dam

Suez Crisis • British believed that Egypt was trying to build a unified Arab kingdom under the influence of communism • This would threaten their oil supply • British, French, and Israelis discussed an attack on Egypt • October 29th 1956, Israel attacked Egypt • Captured the Sinai Peninsula within a week.

Suez Crisis • British and French issued an “ultimatum” for both sides to withdraw • Egypt refused the ultimatum • Britain and France then bombed Egyptian airfields and landed troops at the north end of the canal • Attack caused world outcry • America was afraid it would push Arab states to communism, refused to support Br, Fr, and Is • U.S. joined U.S.S.R demanding withdrawal • Soviets were dealing with the Hungarian Revolt but threatened to use ICBM’s on Britain and France

Suez Crisis • Consequences • Nasser remained in power, his prestige increased among the Arab nations • Disruption of international trade • Reduced oil exports to the west • Br. And Fr. Influence in Middle East reduced • Eisenhower Doctrine (U.S. will use force to contain communism in Mid East) • UN forces reopened the canal for shipping

Suez Crisis • Significance of the Suez War • It was part of the continuing struggle between Israel and the Arab states • Demonstrated that Israel had established itself as a state and had the ability to expand its territory • Entry of the Arab-Israeli conflict into the cold war

Six Day War • Causes • Egypt was encouraging guerillas to attack villages across the border and Israel was retaliating • Israel was looking to expand into the West Bank • Egypt blocked the Straits of Tiran from Israeli shipping • 1967 Nasser asked the UN to remove peacekeeping troops from the Gaza Strip • Nasser was under pressure from other Arab Nations • Egypt, Jordan, and Syria began to concentrate troops on their borders with Israel

Six Day War • Course of the War • Israel pushed for American support of an attack • Israel appointed Moshe Dayan as Defense Minister (Symbol of the Suez Campaign) • In an element of surprise, Israel attacked the air force of Egypt on June 4th, 1966 • Obliterated the Egyptian Air force, ground troops would have no air support • Jordanian troops attacked, Israel was able to gain East Jerusalem and moved into the West Bank • Jordan accepted the UN cease-fire on June 7th • Egypt accepted the cease fire on June 8th

Six Day War • Syria accepted the cease fire on June 9th but Moshe Dayan wanted an opportunity to confront Syria • Dayan ordered an all out assault on Golan Heights • June 10th, the Six Day War ended • Results • Israel acquired the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, Jerusalem and West Bank from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria

Six Day War • Results: • UN Security Council Resolution 242 • Demanded the withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territory it recently occupied • Guaranteed freedom of navigation through all international waterways in the region • A just settlement of the Palestinian refugee problem • Guarantees of territory for every state in the region • Arab refugees of the Gaza Strip and West Bank found themselves under Israeli rule • Communist block broke off diplomatic relations with Israel • U.S. backed Israel

Six Day War The Aftermath • Sporadic fighting continued along the borders • Palestinians formed the Popular Front for Liberation of Palestine, Al Fatah, and the Palestinian Liberation Organization • Hijacked aircraft in 1970 • In 1972, attacked passengers at Lydda Airport in Tel Aviv • Attacked the Israeli Olympic team in Munich in 1972 • Acts were intended to bring attention to the plight of the Palestinians but much of the world opinion was outraged by the acts themselves

Six Day War • Aftermath • Egyptian and Israeli forces engaged in sporadic fighting across the border • War of Attrition • Jordanian Crisis (August –Sept 1970) • Seeing the PLO as a threat, King Hussein of Jordan attacked PLO refugee camps • Prior to the attacks PLO supported groups challenged Jordanian Law, took westerners hostage, and hijacked 4 planes • His attack led to the formation of Black September • This group assumed responsibility for the attacks on the Israeli Olympic team • Syrians threatened a tank invasion

Six Day War • The Aftermath • Jordanian Crisis • Nasser played a large role in negotiating an end to the crisis • The strain of the negotiation caused Nasser to collapse and die on Sept. 28th 1970.

Al-Fatah and the PLO • Arab League supported the establishment of an organization that would represent Palestinians and strive toward the liberation of Palestine • Nasser backed this idea to have a new group in the League that would be under his control • This would prevent Palestinians from taking action against Israel that would drag Egypt into a confrontation

Al-Fatah and the PLO • Arab leaders chose Ahmad al-Shuqayri as leader of the PLO (1964) • King Hussein banned the PLO and Fatah from all activities including recruitment in his country • Al Shuqayri had stated the East and West Bank Jordan and Israel all were part of Palestine • Jordan had a population made up of 60% Palestinian • Al Shuqayri seemed much too tame for Syria who wanted militant action against Israel. • Syria’s support turned to a smaller Palestinian organization…Al-Fatah • Syria also wanted to oust King Hussein

Al-Fatah and the PLO • Syria’s sponsorship of Fatah was an effort to reestablish itself as the main player in the Arab revolutionary struggle • Syria was controlled by the Baath Party • Baath party mixed Arab nationalism and Arab Socialism. It was opposed to “Western Imperialism” and called for unity in the Arab world under one state • By 1965, 39 random bombings had taken place • Israel was concerned about its security • It wasn’t clear where the attacks were coming from • Jordan was concerned about an Israeli retaliation • Both Hussein and Nasser feared the outbreak of hostilities • Syria was trying to paint both Egypt and Jordan as soft on Israel

Al-Fatah and the PLO • In Dec. of 1967 members of the PLO’s executive committee demanded that Al Shuqayri resign • He refused and asked for support from Nasser • Nasser refused to back him and he resigned • 1968 PLO Charter stated that armed struggle would be the only way to liberate Palestine • Fatah and the PLO would merge in 1969 and Yassir Arafat was named the leader • Arafat was involved in the battle of Karameh which helped propel him into the leadership position • Karameh was a Palestinian refugee camp and Fatah Headquarters that was attacked by Israel in 1968 after an attack on an Israeli Bus. • Israel won the battle but suffered many casualties. • Arafat wanted to shape the PLO into a unified political and military organization

Arab-Israeli Conflict