Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq

1. Chapter 23, Sections 2 and 3 Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq

2. Environmental Change for Israel • The desert is viewed as one of the main challenges to the existence of Israel. • The Negev Desert has been transformed into a system of pipelines, canals, and tunnels called the National Water Carrier. • Drip irrigation preserves water by only using precise amounts of water for plants. • Israel must deal with limited supplies of water. • Mining the Dead Sea • Potash is mined from the sea, which is used in explosives and fertilizer.

3. Environmental Change for Israel (Continued) • Economic activities in Israel include chemical and agricultural industries. Though this alone was not enough to sustain Israel • Other industries that Israel has been quick to develop include: • Medical laser technology • Sophisticated Weaponry • Aerospace equipment • Electronics • Service industry supports Israel’s growing population.

4. Diverse Cultures • 80% of Israel’s population is Jewish. Israel encouraged the immigration of Jews to Israel, which has allowed the population to have the diverse backgrounds of many countries.* • The Jewish population is split into two divisions. • Ashkenazi Jews who are mostly from northern and eastern Europe. Gave Israel it’s “Western” character. • Sephardic Jews who come from Southern Europe, Southwest Asia, North Africa, and Asia. • The Sephardic Jews are usually poorer and less educated than the Ashkenazi Jews. • Most of the new immigrants come from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union. • The diverse population means trouble for the Knesset, Israel’s democratically elected parliament. • Ultra Orthodox Jews and the non-religious clash on policies and the division of religion and state.

5. Cooperation and Conflict • Palestinians who fled Israel during the Arab-Israeli war in 1948 settled in a variety of places. • Egypt, Gaza Strip, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon. • More than 1 million Palestinians live outside Israel. • Refugee camps in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan became base camps for the PLO.

6. The Struggle for a Solution • 1993 Peace terms were agreed to in Norway between the PLO and Israel • Israel withdrew from Gaza and the West bank. Palestinians assumed authority for governance in the vacated areas. • Periodic violence after the agreement threatened peace. • Peace talks once again took place in 2000 with Bill Clinton as a mediator. • Terms could not be agreed upon. • 2004, Yasir Arafat died, and Mahmoud Abbas became the new leader of the PLO.

7. Jordan • Jordan annexed the West Bank after the 1948 war with Israel. • It received fertile land to grow crops, while workers were able to build irrigation canals, and farmers learned modern methods for growing crops. • By the mid 1960s, the West Bank accounted for one third of Jordan’s gross national product. • Then in 1967, Jordan went to war with Israel again, and lost the West bank.

8. Migrations in Jordan • The early wars with Israel caused many Palestinians to flee to Jordan. • Half of Jordan’s population is Palestinian. Jordan encouraged Palestinians to join its society. • They are a strong political force in Jordan, even threatening to overthrow Jordan’s King Hussein if he did not support Palestinians in the struggle for a homeland. • Jordan is considered a modern country today, with an improved economy and political reform, Islamic heritage is united with modern political freedoms.

9. Lebanon: Civil War and Recovery • Lebanon was considered a very successful country before its civil war. • Often referred to as the “Paris of the Middle East.” • The civil war began due to a breakdown of its political system. • Different political groups governed the country, with the largest being the Maronites. • As the Muslim presence grew, growing economic inequality caused a civil war in 1958. Though a compromise was reached, another civil war broke out in 1975.

10. A Kaleidoscope of Terror • Since many Palestinian refugees had made their home in Lebanon, the PLO had set up bases from which to conduct raids into Israel. • This caused the Israelis to strike back, and the ensuing conflict brought Syria, Iran, and the United States into the situation. • Israel eventually captured Beirut, and a peacekeeping force that included US marines was sent to Beirut. • In 1983 the Shiite group Hezbollah bombed the American embassy and a Marine barracks, killing a total of 60 people in the embassy and 241 Americans in the baracks. • By 1984, all American personnel had been withdrawn from Lebanon, and Muslim and Christian militias began another civil war. • Lebanon had dissolved into anarchy, or lawlessness. • Order was restored in 1991, but Hezbollah and Syrian troops remain in the region and threaten political stability within the region.

11. Syria: Challenges and Reforms • Syria has seen a big transition as many of their Syrians have moved to the cities, leaving farming methods out of date. • The government has given money to farmers to update methods, and helped them buy modern machinery. • A major event that may change Syria’s future is Turkey’s decision to build dams on the Euphrates river. • 1970, General Hafez al-Assad took power in Syria. • He made all the economic decisions and allowed little political freedom. His son has since taken over and is in the process of subduing protests against his rule with brutal force. *

12. Iraq: A Series of Conflicts • War with Iran • Saddam Hussein invaded Iran in 1980. • Chemical weapons were used in the conflict. • Specifically the town of Halabja, which is located in Iraqi Kurdistan. Saddam ordered the attack to deliberately kill the Kurdish people. • The town suffered around 3,200 to 5,000 people dead and an equal number of wounded or sick. • In 1988 after eight years of war, Iran and Iraq accepted a UN ceasefire. • The war left both countries economically damaged.

13. The First Gulf War • The war with Iran did not deter Saddam. In 1990, he invaded Kuwait and annexed it as an Iraqi province. • A coalition led by the United States liberated Kuwait and defeated the Iraqi army. • Iraq accepted a UN ceasefire, and Saddam resisted calls for more autonomy for the people of Iraq.

14. The Second Gulf War • After 9/11, Iraq was a focal point as many people suspected that they still pursued WMDs. • In 2003, America and Great Britian invade Iraq and within a month, Saddam was ousted from power. • Saddam was captured at a farm in Tikrit on December 13th, 2003. He was put on trial for crimes against humanity. • The United States is in the process of slowly withdrawing from Iraq.