Middle East & Islam

1. Middle East & Islam Chapter 17: Israel and Rise of Arab Nationalism Dr. Maggio

2. United Nations Partition for Palestine 1947 • Called for: (see map p. 288) • Jewish State • Arab State • Jerusalem–Bethlehem International Zone • Not peaceful – both sides: armies & terrorists • Brits preparing to withdraw, wanted out • US suggests 10-yr cooling off, w/ UN trustee • Zionists “no” – want their own state • Palestinian Arabs flee – refugees – ‘til today

3. Political Zionism confronts Arab Nationalism • 1948 • In light of escalating violence, Brits leave • Five Arab countries send armies against Jewish and Zionist forces • Parts of Palestine under Jewish control declared now to be the independent state Israel (May ’48) • No attempts at accommodation worked • Most intractable problem in modern diplomacy

4. Lined up against Israel • In Israel’s War for Independence • 1948 - 49 • Transjordan • Lebanon • Syria • Iraq • Egypt

5. I.F. Stone • If God is dead, he died trying to solve the Arab-Israeli conflict. • “If God, as some now say, is dead, He no doubt died of trying to find an equitable solution to the Arab-Jewish problem.” • Stone was an iconoclastic American journalist and radical pamphleteer. He was Jewish. He was alleged to have communist sympathies.

6. (Revolutionary) war comes 1 1948-49 • To Israelis and their supporters…. • It is first time in modern history Middle Eastern people have thrown out colonial regime & set up democratic government • Backdrop: Atrocities of World War II • Safe haven concept

7. (Revolutionary) war comes 2 1948-49 • To the Arabs and their supporters: • Humiliating military defeat • Discredits their regimes • Uprooted more than 700,000 P. Arabs • Led to several military coups, assassination of Kings and Prime Ministers in surrounding Arab nations • Establishes a settler society in midst

8. Settler States • Imposed by force by outsiders • Enduring problems with indigenous populations • Liberal-democratic, but genocidal? • South Africa • United States • Israel • Australia • Canada • New Zealand

9. What happened to the refugees? • Bitter opposition to Israel • Bitter opposition to Israel’s western backers • Went to Gaza, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon • Hostile to Arab states who would seek to normalize with Israel • Became revolutionaries, terrorists • Permanent sub-class? 60 yrs

10. Golda Meir1898 - 1978 • "The Muslims can fight and lose, then come back and fight again. But Israel can only lose once." • Fourth Prime Minister and a founder, State of Israel • Fled Ukrainian pogrom as a child, via Milwaukee, then to Israel

11. US support for Israel? • Initially, equivocated between support for Israel and the Arabs • US public opinion strongly favored Israel • Congress very pro-Israel • Pres. Truman facing election • State Dept and Pentagon feared antagonizing Arab interests re: OIL • Atonement for Holocaust

12. USSR support for Israel? • Supported Israel against the Arabs • Memories of recent war against Nazi Germany • Hope Israel to be communist or socialist • Desire to weaken Brit influence in M.E. • Need to discredit feudal and bourgeois Arab regimes (ideology-driven)

13. Why Arab defeat 1948Politically divided • All opposed to UN Partition • All are Arab League members • Some had hopes for a Greater Syria • Tribe and clan– Hashemites (Jordan, Iraq) • Egypt – no – wanted to be leading country • Ibn Saud ousted Hashemites • Some refused Brit-officered Arab Legion • Bickered over who was to blame for losses

14. Rise Modern Egypt 1 • In Israel’s War for Independence, Egypt struggles against the Hashemites for dominance of Arab world • All lost • Largest Arabic-speaking country (pop.) • Links Muslims and Arabic speakers in N. Africa with SW Asia (geog.) • British Occupation ends mid-1950s

15. Rise Modern Egypt 2 • Gamal Abdul Nasser (Nasir) 1952 • Ousted King Faruq • Rise to power - frustration defeat by Israel • Russia had not ruled the Arab world in the past • Arabs did not resent Russian (Soviet) attempts at influence in the mid-1950s • Nasser turns exclusively to USSR

16. Rise Modern Egypt 3 • Nasser becomes leader of Arab Nationalism – Pan Arab movement • Positive Neutralism • Accepts arms & aid from communist bloc • US Dulles – Aswan High Dam deal yanked • Nasser nationalizes Suez Canal in return • Gets dam money from Soviets • “May you choke to death in your fury”

17. Rise Modern Egypt 4 • Nasser gets great applause from Arabs • Britain & France want to stop Nasser militarily – US did not want military actn • Israel mobilizes for a strike against Egypt to clear out fedayeen bases on border • Brits and French mobilize to re-take Canal • Arabs think is it a big bluff • It’s not

18. Suez Affair • Soviet weapons poor • Israel now occupying all of Sinai • Britain and France now have the canal • US and USSR condemn all aggression • UN made them give canal back to Egypt • Became a political victory for Nasser • Nasser not overthrown survives the Suez Affair due to US and UN saving him • Eisenhower hoped pro-Arab tilt would lead Arabs to back the US against communism

19. What did Nasser Believe? • Defy Western Imperialism • Improve treatment Third World Arabs • Pan Arabism • Positive Neutralism • Arab Socialism • But Arabs opposed atheistic parts • Accused of trying to seize Arab oil for Egypt

20. Possibility of Nasserism • “Unity of goals, not unity of ranks” • Algeria supports Nasser • Saudis fear Nasserite regime in Yemen • Baathists rise in Iraq • Iraq and Syria adopt same flags, send to Cairo for new United Arab Republic • Peak 1963 – dissolves in disagreements • 1967 Arab blockade of Israel, after UN retreat • Israel decides to attack Nasser’s forces, wins