1 / 26

Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

Palestinian-Israeli Conflict. Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: Introduction. The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is A response to Western Imperialism Animated by religious fervor Over the Division of Palestine. US Interests: Why should we care?.

princess-osborn
Download Presentation

Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

  2. Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: Introduction The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is • A response to Western Imperialism • Animated by religious fervor • Over the Division of Palestine

  3. US Interests: Why should we care? • Destabilizes region and could lead to major world war. • Israel possesses nuclear weapons and its enemies would like to develop such weapons to gain a military advantage. • Unless peace is reached, the US is perceived as biased, and it is difficult to get cooperation from other countries in the region. • America has oil interests in the region • The War on terrorism • The Democratic Revolutions • Promote Democracy: Israel is a democratic, capitalistic state but Palestinians see them as abusive • US citizens have close ties to Israel and Arabs.

  4. The Geography Israel is at the crossroads between Asia, Africa, and Europe. Today, it is in the heart of the Arab Middle East The area’s small size limits its capacity to be a homeland for all the people who want to live there.

  5. Israel: Land for Jews • Israel is a modern, democratic nation created in 1948. • It was conceived as a homeland for Jews who had experienced discrimination worldwide. • Israel includes Jews and Arabs, who have rights of citizenship. • Israel was the historic homeland of the Jews first promised by God to Abraham around 2000 BCE. • Israel was the site of several kingdoms and independent states until the Romans finally exiled the Jews in 135 AD. • During the Diaspora, Jews remembered their homeland and dreamed of returning to it.

  6. Palestine: Homeland for Palestinians The Romans renamed the Jewish homeland Palestine after the Diaspora Palestine became a Muslim nation in the 600’s Christians fought (yet failed) to reclaim the city of Jerusalem in the Crusades Palestinians lost control of Palestine after losing WWI Under British Mandate from 1917-47 The nation was split between Palestinians & Jews in 1947

  7. The Holy Land for Christians • Israel and Palestine has been a major site for Christian pilgrimage and crusades • Historically Christian nations have supported Jewish interests in the region because of the strong connection between the two religions.

  8. Timeline of Events: A short history

  9. Timeline of Events: A short history • 1250 BC: Israelites began to conquer and settle the land of Canaan • 961-922 BC: Reign of King Solomon and construction of the first Temple in Jerusalem. Solomon's reign was followed by the division of the land into two kingdoms. • 586 BC -63 AD The area was conquered and controlled by Babylonians, Persians, Alexander the Great, and Rome. • 70 AD: A revolt against Roman rule was put down by the Emperor Titus and the Second Temple was destroyed. This marks the beginning of the Jewish Diaspora, or dispersion. • 313-638 AD: The Byzantine Christian Era. Palestine was ruled by the Byzantine Emperors in Byzantium.

  10. Timeline (cont.)

  11. Timeline (cont.) • 638 AD: Conquest by Arab Muslims ended Byzantine rule. They built the Dome of the Rock. Apart from the age of the Crusaders (1099-1187), the region remained under Muslim rule until the fall of the Ottoman Empire in the 20th Century. • 1897: First Zionist Conference agreed to work toward establishing a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Jewish immigration to Palestine picks up pace. • 1920-1947: British Mandate period. Britain administered the area and promised a homeland to both Jews and Palestinians • 1947-48: United Nations controlled • 1948: Israel is given its independence. Arab nations attack. At the end of the war, territory that would have gone to Palestinians is claimed by Egypt and Jordan.

  12. Timeline (cont.)

  13. 1947: UN Partition Plan • In 1947, the UN proposed a partition plan for Palestine which would create an Arab and an Israeli state. • Under the plan, Jews (who accounted for 33% of the population) would receive 55% of the land. • This plan was rejected by the Arab states and 5 nations attacked Israel when it declared independence according to the UN plan on May 14, 1948. • Israel won the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and expanded its boundaries from the UN partition plan. • War created Jewish and Palestinian refugees • Egypt took control of the Gaza Strip and Jordan annexed the West Bank.

  14. 1967 War: The Six Day War • Fearing attack by Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Jordan, Israel launched a preemptive strike • Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights.

  15. 1973 War • Iraq, Egypt, Syria, and Jordan attacked Israel to regain lands lost in the 6 day war. • The Arab nations were initially successful as the Israelis were celebrating Yom Kippur and had not anticipated an attack. • After several weeks, Israel recovered its occupied lands and a cease fire was reached. • Both Arabs and Jews gained confidence as a result of the war

  16. 1978 Camp David Accords • The first peace treaty between Israel and an Arab state • This historic agreement led to Israel returning the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt in return for diplomatic relations • An agreement was signed for negotiating a settlement of the Palestinian claims, but this was not successful. • Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat was assassinated in 1981 by the Egyptian Islamic Jihad organization, pursuant to a religious decree by Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman, who was convicted of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing

  17. Rise of the PLO • The Palestine Liberation Organization is an umbrella organization for many groups which represent the Palestinian people. Currently, its officials control many positions in the Palestinian Authority which governs Palestinian territory. • Its most famous leader was Yassir Arafat, who died in 2004. • This organization was founded in 1964. • In 1974, the PLO was recognized by the United Nations as the representative of the Palestinian people. • The PLO has also fought militarily against Israeli occupation of its land and has been involved in numerous terrorist acts against Israeli citizens.

  18. First Intifadah, 1987-1993 • In 1987, Palestinians became frustrated with their living conditions and lack of progress. • “They maintain that the Intifada was a protest of Israel's brutal repression which included extra-judicial killings, mass detentions, house demolitions, indiscriminate torture, deportations, and so on.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Intifada) • Often Palestinians fought the Israelis with low tech weapons like rocks, but over time, they gained access to guns and other explosives. • By 1993, 1,162 Palestinians and 160 Israelis had died.

  19. Oslo Accords In 1993, the PLO and Israel signed a peace agreement to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The agreement included the following: • Withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank • Palestinian right to self-government through the creation of the Palestinian Authority. • The parties agreed to negotiate a final and permanent peace settlement in the near future. Permanent issues such as Jerusalem, refugees, Israeli settlements in the area, security and borders were deliberately excluded from the Accords and determined as not prejudged. • The Israeli government recognized the PLO as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people • The PLO recognized the right of the state of Israel to exist and renounced terrorism, violence and its desire for the destruction of Israel.

  20. 2ndIntifadah, 2000-Present • The Oslo Peace Accord failed to achieve a final settlement. • Israel and the US claimed that Israel made historic offers for peace which Yassir Arafat rejected. • Palestinians claimed they could never sign an agreement without complete Palestinian control over Jerusalem and without removing Israeli settlements from the Occupied Territories. • The Second Intifadah began in September 2000 following the visit of Israeli politician Ariel Sharon to the Temple Mount. • Suicide bombing has been the most common tactic. • Israel responded by assassinating leaders that order the suicide attacks and entering Palestinian towns with tanks and strong force to search for terrorists

  21. 2nd Intifadah, 2000-Present Yasir Arafat • Founding member of the PLO • Died in 2004 • Israel believes he was involved in terrorist activity. • His forces refused to arrest Islamist militants like Hamas members. • Represented Palestinians who have grown frustrated by the lack of progress and continuing brutal occupation.

  22. Recent Israeli Developments • Ariel Sharon – former Prime Minister of Israel • Of the Kadima party (centrist, moderate) • Pulled Jewish settlements out of Gaza and gave territory to Palestinian Authority to rule • Had a stroke and is in a coma • Replaced by Ehud Olmert of Kadima party • Benjamin Netanyahu – Prime Minister of Israel • Of the Likud Party historically have not wanted to compromise) • Presented a vision of peace to Palestinians and is taking measures to strengthen the Palestinian economy

  23. Recent Palestinian Developments • Mahmoud Abbas – President of the Palestinian Authority. • Of the Fatah party (which is now moderate) • Began arresting Palestinians for attacks on Jews • West supports his leadership • Ismail Haniyeh • Elected Prime Minister of PA in 2006 • Abbas replaced him in 2007 with Salam Fayyad • He stills rules in Gaza • Hamas majority in PA legislature • Have begun indirect peace talks with Israelis • Petitioned the UN for membership in 2011

  24. The Issues • The right of Israel to exist as a nation on land previously occupied by Muslims • Refugees and the right of return • The building of settlements in the West Bank • Status of Jerusalem • Terrorism • Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights and the West Bank. • Water rights • Defensible and safe borders. • Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails • International and Arab recognition of Israel and normalized relations

  25. Links • An excellent site on the Arab Israeli conflict.  This contains primary documents and a wealth of excellent resources and links.  A diversity of perspectives is represented. http://www.historyteacher.net/Arab-Israeli_Conflict.htm#Docs • http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/middle_east/2001/israel_and_the_palestinians/default.stm BBC site • http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/conflict/index.html PBS special • http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/israel_hist_1973.jpg • http://www.teacheroz.com/Non_Western.htm • http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1896herzl.html • http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1896herzl-b.html • http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/events/israel_at_50/internet_links/82045.stm • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zionism • http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/zion.html • http://www.mideastweb.org/timeline.htm • http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/world/2001/israel_and_palestinians/timeline/1947.stm • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab-Israeli_conflict

More Related