ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN

CONFLICT

Background The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an

ongoing dispute between Israel & Arab Palestinians

What is at the heart of the conflict? Land, i.e. – Jerusalem!!!

Background Background: Romans kicked Jews

out of Palestine in 70 A.D. Jews spread throughout the world –

called the Great Diaspora

Anti-Semitism: hostility towards Jews

Zionism: movement for the return of the Jewish people to their homeland

Conflict Over Palestine Britain controlled land after WWI Many wanted to move to Palestine

because of Zionism; asked for British support

Balfour Declaration (1917) – officially gave the Jews British support for the creation of a state of Israel

Zionist groups gave Jews money to buy land in Palestine; violence breaks out, esp. against Britain

Haganah, Irgun, and Lehi 1921

Founding of Israel

Zionist movement picks up even more speed following WWII because of the…

Holocaust: “completely burnt” systematic extermination of about 6 million Jews.

“Never Forget. Never Again.”

Founding of Israel Post WW2:

Exhausted from fighting, Britain turns the problem over to the United Nations

1947: UN divides Palestine btw Jews & Arabs (2 Separate States)

The Refugees 700,000 Palestinians

800,000 Jews

Founding of Israel May 1948: Jews declare Israel’s creation

Some Arab countries refused to recognize Israel as a state b/c it symbolized western domination

1948 Arab-Israeli War

Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon sent troops to help the Arabs fight; Israel won and took ½ the Arabs’ land in Palestine

Palestinian refugee camps were set up in nearby Arab countries; many refuse to move out and give up land

Palestinian Liberation Organization

Founded in 1964 to form a Palestinian state

Yasser Arafat was chairman of the PLO from 1969-2004 with his death

PLO

Want to destroy Israel, use terrorist actions (bombings, airplane hijackings, kidnappings) against Israel and supporters (U.S.)

January 1965: PLO launched guerilla attacks against Israel, Israel attacks Syria & Jordan

Six Day War (1967) Egypt signed an alliance

with Syria, Jordan and Iraq; moved troops into the Sinai Peninsula

Israel sees this as a threat and strikes back

How long did the war last???6 Days

Aftermath

• Israel takes: Sinai Pen. and Gaza Strip from Egypt, Golan Heights from Syria, West Bank from Jordan, East Jerusalem from the Arabs

• Builds settlements on land taken following the war; violation of international law

The First Intifada1987-1993

Intifada – “the Shaking” Refers to Resisting

oppression Palestinians attacked Israeli

soldiers and citizens with ROCKS

the government imprisoned and deported many, destroyed homes of rebels, closed Arab schools

Israel criticized for violating rights

Attempts at Peace Camp David Accords: Sept. 18,

1978: U.S. President Jimmy Carter hosts Egyptian president Anwar al-Sadat and Israeli prime-minister Menachem Begin at Camp David

Peace treaty signed March 26, 1979 giving Egypt the Sinai Pen. and Palestinians self rule in occupied land

Attempts at Peace Oslo Accords (1993): Israel and the PLO would

recognize one another PLO would stop attacks Israel would withdraw its forces

from parts of the occupied territories

limited Palestinian self-rule in Gaza and Jericho, plan to phase in more self-rule

The Second Intifada2000