Nation-Building

Main Idea: Division of Palestine after World War II made the Middle East a hotbed of competing nationalist movements.

 

IV. Conflicts in the Middle East

A.   Palestine & Israel

1.    Background: 3,000 yr. Conflict over homeland

2.    Balfour Declaration: British promises to Jews & Arabs; could not work, asks for partition of country

3.    Nazi persecution of Jews spurs immigration to Palestine

4.    Israel Statehood: 5.14.1948

a       Jerusalem – International city

B.   Israel & Arab States in Conflict

1.    New nation greeted with hostility: 4 full scale wars

2.    Proclamation of State—invaded by Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, & Syria; lasted few months: Israel victory with US support

3.    1956 Suez Crisis—Gamal Abdel Nasser: Israel & European support defeated Egypt, withdrew due to US/Soviet pressure, Egypt maintained control of canal

4.    1967 Six-Day War—Nasser closed off Gulf of Aqaba, Israel attacks three fronts, occupies Sinai Peninsula, Golan Heights, West Bank; Palestinian become stateless

5.    1973 War—Anwar Sadat (Egypt) planned attack on Yom Kippur (holiest of Jewish holidays); Golda Meir (Israel PM) agrees to truce after heavy fighting

C.   Trade: Land for Peace

1.    1978: Camp David Accords Jimmy Carter—Anwar Sadat—Menachem Begin

a       Egypt recognizes state of Israel

b      Israel recognizes rights of Palestinians, return lands

c       Sadat assassinated

D.  Palestinian Demand Independence

1.    Israelis build settlements on West Bank & Gaza Strip

2.    Intifada (“uprising”)—Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO)-Yassir Arafat: Palestinians use civil disobedience to resist Israeli rule

a       Demonstrations, boycotts, attacks on Israeli soldiers

3.    Declaration of Principles: 1993, Oslo, Norway

a       Palestinian self-rule in Gaza Strip & West Bank

b      Rabin assassinated

c       Netanyahu (though against plan) made efforts

4.    1997: Madeleine Albright (US) works to make peace