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US & Israel

US & Israel. Commitment to Israel's security and well-being has been a cornerstone of U.S. policy in Middle East since Israel's creation in 1948, in which US played a key supporting role - hostility within Truman administration about granting recognition

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US & Israel

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  1. US & Israel • Commitment to Israel's security and well-being has been a cornerstone of U.S. policy in Middle East since Israel's creation in 1948, in which US played a key supporting role - hostility within Truman administration about granting recognition • End Cold War initially had a major impact on Middle East with reduction in Israel’s strategic importance

  2. A State at war • 1948-49 Israeli war of independence • Suez crisis of 1956 - opposed by US • June 1967, Israeli struck targets in Egypt, Jordan, and Syria in response to Egyptian ordered withdrawal of UN peacekeepers from the Sinai Peninsula and the build up of Arab armies along Israel's borders • 22 Nov 1967, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 242, the "land for peace" formula

  3. A State at war • October 6, 1973 - Yom Kippur, Syria and Egypt launch attack against Israel, are driven back beyond 1967 cease-fire lines • 1978 - Israeli-Egyptian peace summit brokered by Carter administration • June 1982 - Israel invade Lebanon - some troops remain in South Lebanon after 1985, withdrawn completely in 2000 • October 1994, Israel and Jordan sign a historic peace treaty brokered by Clinton

  4. US & Israel • US provides approx $3 billion per year to Israel in security assistance. • In 1983, the United States and Israel set up the Joint Political Military Group • Participate in joint military planning and combined exercises, and have collaborated on military research and weapons development.

  5. US & Israel • An aim of Gulf war was the achievement of a new economic & security order in the Middle East • Would encompass Arab-Israeli reconciliation, role for both Iraq & Iran • U.S. efforts to reach a Middle East peace settlement are based on UN Security Council Resolutions 242, 338

  6. US & Israel • U.N. Security Council Resolution 242November 22, 1967was to become the cornerstone of Middle East diplomatic efforts in the coming decades. • U.N. Security Council Resolution 338October 22, 1973 aimed at establishing a just and durable peace in the Middle East

  7. US & Israel • Madrid 1991 • Oslo 1993 • Oslo II 1995 • Hebron Accord, January 1997 • Camp Wye accords, October 1998 • Wye was much more US driven than any previous accord especially in supervisory committees - US deal with both Israel & PA, US a participant & a judge

  8. US & Israel • Israeli-PLO peace accords since Madrid summit 1991 led initially to to a realignment of relations between US & Syria • Brought together for the first time Israel, the Palestinians, and the neighbouring Arab countries, launching a series of direct bilateral and multilateral negotiations.

  9. US & Israel • Clinton view that as Israel took calculated risks for peace, it was the role of the US to minimise those risks • Economic element to this: Oil & markets for US - roughly 40% of US aid under Clinton went to Israel & Egypt • Geo-political & domestic reasons also

  10. US & Israel • Issues to be resolved after Wye • Status of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees, Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza, final security arrangements, borders, and relations and co-operation with neighboring states • All were discussed & all failed to produce an agreement

  11. US & Israel • Since Sept 11 noticeable hardening of US attitude to Middle East • Clintonian search for compromise replaced by a more overtly pro-Israeli attitude • Can be seen by US’s attitude to Arab states in the region

  12. US & Israel • Syria's participation in Gulf war ended its years of isolation • Gave it access to substantial European, Japanese, and Gulf financial resources estimated at $500 ml annually from 1990-92 • Now criticised by Bush administration as a harbour for terrorists

  13. The roadmap to peace? • April 2003 Quartet roadmap (US, UN, EU & Russia) - aim for a two state solution • June 2003 Bush held a trilateral Red Sea summit with Sharon and Abbas - stated both sides had to make tangible progress • Problem remains complicated by the s-called War on Terror • Jewish lobby still far more influential than the multitude of Arab lobbyists in US

  14. US & Israel at the UN • US has not been afraid to use its veto in the UN in relation to Israel • From 1945-2003, used veto 76 times - first veto used by Richard Nixon • Used its veto unilaterally on 53 occasions • 6 of last 7 vetoes have been to do with Israel • Can be accused of ignoring 242 & 338

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