Transcript Arab-Israeli Conflict PPT

Conflict in the Middle East
Background
• Ground Zero for Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.
• Judaism: Israel = Biblical “Promised Land”
– Occupied by Moses and Hebrews around 1000 B.C.
• Invaded and occupied by Philistines
– Greeks and Romans call it “Land of Philistines”, which becomes
Palestine.
• Region of Jesus Christ’s birth, ministry, and death.
• “Ownership” changes hands frequently.
• Muslims capture in 640
– built Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem in 691
• Spot where Mohammed stopped on his way to heaven.
– Holiest site in Islam outside Saudi Arabia.
• Ottoman Turks control from 1500’s-1900’s.
An Islamic Shrine in
Jerusalem 691 a.d.
• Muslims from
Arabia captured
Palestine in 640
then built the
Dome of the Rock
on the site where
the Hebrew Temple
of Solomon once
stood in Jerusalem.
• This site is believed
to be the site where
Muhammad took
the golden ladder
to heaven.
British Promise to the Jews:
Balfour Declaration, 1917
Sir Arthur James Balfour
Br. Foreign Secretary
His Majesty’s Government
views with favor the
establishment in Palestine
of a national home for the
Jewish people and will use
their best endeavors to
facilitate the achievement
of this object, it being
clearly understood that
nothing shall be done
which may prejudice the
civil and religious rights of
existing non-Jewish
communities in Palestine…
The Middle East Between the Wars
Jews & Arabs in Palestine, 1920

In 1920, there
was 1 Jew to
every 10 Arabs in
Palestine.

By 1947, the ratio
was 2 Arabs for
every Jew.
The Arabs felt that
they were loosing
control of their
“country!”
WORLD WAR II & “ISRAEL”
A. In Germany, 6 million Jews were killed
by Nazis and Hitler.
-Thousands of Jews moved to Palestine
b. After WWII, the UN wanted to divide
Palestine into 2 states:
1. A Palestinian state – for Palestinians
2. A Jewish state, called ISRAEL – for
Jews
- the USA supported this plan!
- City of Jerusalem would not be a part
of a state, it would be shared!
WWII & ISRAEL, cont.
c. Jews were happy…they got approx.
55% of the land of the original
Palestine.
d. Palestinians were unhappy. The
neighboring countries were also
unhappy.
e. 4 large scale wars fought over these
issues…1948,1956, 1967, 1973
U. N. Partition
Plan of 1947
• Jews were divided over
the UN partition plan.
• Arabs rejected it--they
constituted 67% of the
population (Jews 33%),
and would get about 45%
of mandatory Palestine,
also not the best parts.
• Arabs rioted in Jerusalem
in 1947 over the plan
Israel Becomes a Nation:
May 14, 1948
Chaim Weizmann,
1st President
David Ben-Gurion,
1st Prime Minister
War of 1948
• UN partitioned Israel, but Arabs refused
• 14 May 1948: Jews declare Israel an
Independent Jewish State
• Jews “Zionists” claimed that Israel was an
independent state and triggered an invasion
by Egypt, Syria,, Lebanon and Iraq.
• 15 May: 5 Arab states invade new nation of
Israel
• 7 Jan 1949: Israeli victory - 700,000 Arab
refugees driven from their homes in Palestine
• “Explain how the following quotes let both
sides believe that they have a legitimate
claim to the land?
• “ON that day the LORD made a covenant
with Abram, saying, To your descendants I
give this land…” Genesis 15:18
• “He (Allah) has chosen you and has
placed no hardship on you in practicing
your religion- the religion of your father
Abraham.” Koran 22:78