Transcript 6Israel & The Middle East1

Israel & The Middle East
Reading Homework: Global Forces Ch. 12 and 18
The Creation of Israel
• Balfour Declaration
(1917)
– British document that
promised a Jewish
homeland (Zionists) in
British-controlled Palestine.
• This became problematic
as large numbers of
Jewish settlers (roughly
385 000) which flooded
into this area would clash
with the Arabic population
already living there.
The Arab Rebellion (1936-39)
• British began discussing the
partitioning of Palestine into
two separate sections.
• To promote the interests of the
Arab peoples the League of
Arab States was created.
• The Arabs revolted against the
British and murdered innocent
Jews.
• British scared of continued
violence decided to stop
immigration.
• Zionists felt betrayed but their
hands were tied (Hitler or
Britain).
The Creation of
Israel
• In May of 1948, the UN
partitioned Palestine and
created the Jewish state
of Israel.
• Jerusalem was to remain
a UN mandate.
• Zionists agreed with
partition the Arabs did
not.
See DVD – 1948 –
State of Israel Founded
Arab-Israeli War (1948)
• The Arab states surrounding Israel attack
it.
• Israelis defeat the Arabs and significantly
increase their territory.
• Many Palestinians (1 000 000) are
displaced and become refugees living in
camps surrounding Israel.
The PLO
• The Palestinian
Liberation Organization
was formed in the 1960’s
with the objective of
destroying Israel and
returning its lands to the
Palestinian people.
– Leader was Yasser Arafat
(1969)
Suez Crisis (1956)
• In 1952 Gamul Abdel
Nasser, an Arab
nationalist deposes
the King of Egypt and
becomes president.
See DVD – 1956 – The
Suez War
Suez Crisis (1956)
• In 1956, Nasser
nationalizes the Suez
Canal which has been
run by the British.
• The British and
French make a secret
plan with Israel to
attack Egypt.
Suez Crisis (1956)
• In October of 1956 the
Israelis invade the Sinai
Peninsula. British and
French forces arrive to
“intervene” but are really
there to re-establish
European control of the
canal.
• The U.S. brings the
matter to the UN,
demanding the
withdrawal of AngloFrench forces.
Suez Crisis (1956)
• The Anglo-French
forces withdraw and
the Israelis pulled
their forces back.
• A UN peacekeeping
force is established to
maintain a presence
in this region.
The Six Day War (1967)
• Nasser announces that he is closing the
Suez Canal to shipping from any nation
supporting Israel.
• Egypt and other Arab nations begin to
mobilize their armies threatening Israel.
See DVD: 1967 –
The Six Day War
The Six-Day War (1967)
• Seeing the element of surprise as the best
way to ensure victory against so many
enemies Israel launches a preemptive
attack that destroys the Egyptian air force.
The Yom Kippur War (1973)
• With the Israelis
unwilling to negotiate
the return of Arab
territory, Egypt and
Syria stage a surprise
attack on Israel during
the Jewish Yom
Kippur holiday.
The Yom Kippur War (1973)
• This time it is the
Israelis caught off
guard and they suffer
heavy losses during
initial phase of war.
• The U.S., Israel’s ally,
airlifts war material to
the Israelis while the
Soviets do the same
for the Egyptians.
The Yom Kippur War (1973)
• The Israelis
eventually turn the
tables on their
attackers and
threaten the Syrian
capital, Damascus.
• U.S. pressure reins
the Israelis in and
eventually the UN
brokers a ceasefire.
Energy Crisis (1973)
• The Arabs, frustrated
by the loss of the Yom
Kippur War seek to
punish Israeli’s allies.
• OPEC (The
Organization of Oil
Exporting Countries)
declares an oil
embargo on the
nations of the West.
Energy Crisis (1973)
• Oil shortages wreak
havoc with
industrialized
economies and force
gas rationing in the
U.S.
• The embargo will only
last for 5 months but
the Arab states now
become keenly aware
of the power of oil.
Egypt Seeks Peace (1977)
• Recognizing that
Israel might be willing
to trade occupied
territory for peace,
Egyptian president,
Anwar Sadat travels
to Israel to the Israeli
parliament to meet
Menachem Begin the
Isreali P.M..
Egypt Seeks Peace (1977)
• The U.S. helps
negotiate peace
between the two
nations. In exchange
for returning its
territory, Egypt
recognizes Israel’s
right to exist. (Camp
David Agreement,
1978)
See DVD – 1979 – “The
Camp David Peace
Accords”
The Violence continues…
• March 1978 Israel invaded southern
Lebanon to destroy PLO bases.
• Israel moved to increase Jewish
settlement in the occupied territories.
• In 1987 more clashes occur between
Palestinians and Israelis. (Intifadah)
• 1988 Arafat & Rabin (new Israeli PM)
agreed to recognize each other.
• Oslo Accord (1991)
Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988)
• Seeking control of
strategic oil fields and
waterway (Shatt-alArab) and threatened
by the fundamentalist
Shi’a government in
Iran, Saddam
Hussein orders Iraqi
forces to attack Iran.
Note Chemical Warfare
Pictures next!
Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988)
• Expecting a quick victory,
Iraq instead gets bogged
down in a long and
bloody war.
• The war ends in a
stalemate with Iranian oil
infrastructure badly
damaged and Iraq deeply
in debt.
• In 1988 the UN calls for a
ceasefire and a 350
member force sent in to
monitor the truce.
Chemical Warfare
The Gulf War (1990-1991)
• Acting to settle a long
standing border
dispute with Kuwait,
Saddam Hussein
orders Iraq’s army to
invade the tiny nation
of Kuwait.
• The successful
invasion means Iraq
now poses a threat to
Saudi Arabia.
Kuwait
The Gulf War (1990-1991)
• Seeing a threat to
strategic oil supplies
the UN Security
Council passes a
series of resolutions
to force Iraq to leave
Kuwait.
• Finally the authorize
the use of force.
(Operation Desert
Storm)
The Gulf War (1990-1991)
• UN aircraft begin
attacking on Jan. 15th.
• When ground forces
eventually invade on
Feb. 24th, they defeat
the Iraqis in three
days.
• To avoid invasion by
UN forces, Iraq
agrees to all UN
conditions.
See DVD – 1991 – Operation Desert Storm
Environmental Warfare
• See
Video
Clip on
Wiki:
• The
Fires of
Kuwait
Video Review
• BBC Number 15 – The Arabs and Israel
Since 1947
Terrorism
• Targeting civilians terrorists
seek to cause fear and bring
destabilization into modern
societies.
• They are an unseen force
that could strike anywhere at
any time.
• United States declares: War
on Terrorism as a result of the
September 11, 2001 terrorist
attacks.
9/11
• On Sept. 11, 2001 the United States was
attacked by Al Qaeda.
• Targets included: The World Trade
Centre, The Pentagon, and The White
House
• Representing American Values:
Capitalism, Militarism, and American
Governments (rights and freedoms)
Operation: Enduring Freedom
• Invasion of Afghanistan
• Within 2 months the Taliban surrenders
• Creation of a new democratic Afghan
government
Results:
Heightened Security and the Patriot Act
The Patriot Act
Passed in to law
October 26, 2001
The Act increases the
ability of law
enforcement agencies to
search telephone, e-mail
communications,
medical, financial, and
other records; and eases
restrictions on foreign
intelligence gathering
within the United States
War on Terror: Afghanistan
History
• Taliban takes control of Afghanistan in
1996
• Taliban: Extreme Islamic Fundamentalist
Group
• Allowed terrorist organizations in and out
of the countries as it shares borders with
Pakistan
• Afghanistan was accused of harboring Al
Qaeda and Osama bin Laden
Operation Iraqi Freedom
•
•
•
•
The United States and Britain supplied 98%
of the invading forces.
Prior to the invasion, the United States'
official position was that Iraq illegally
possessed "weapons of mass destruction"
in violation of UN Security Council
Resolution 1441 and had to be disarmed by
force.
The Bush administration failed to get a U.N.
endorsement for war against Iraq on March
17, 2003 and began the invasion on March
20, 2003, which is seen by many as a
violation of international law, breaking the
UN Charter
The Iraqi Military was defeated, and
Baghdad fell on April 9, 2003. On May 1,
2003, U.S. President George W. Bush
declared the end of major combat
operations, terminating the Ba'ath Party's
rule and removing Iraqi President Saddam
Hussein. (Saddam Hussein captured on
December 13, 2003).
Operation Iraqi Freedom
• Extensive inspections after Iraq's invasion failed to find
substantial proof of weapons of mass destruction.
• There has been significant evidence found of Iraqi
cease-fire violations on several other points including the
discovery of plans and other documentation useful to the
later restarting of WMD programs.
• Post-invasion Iraq has experienced violence from
warring sects and an Iraqi insurgency. Numerous
terrorist groups have become active in the area.
• Elections were held in January 2005. Currently the
military situation is in transition to Iraqi military leadership
in counterinsurgency.
The Middle East Today
• Though the superpowers are no longer
competing for influence in the Middle East, it
remains a volatile and strategically important
area.
• The U.S. continues to attempt to balance
support for Israel with the need to maintain a
good relationship with oil-rich Arab states.
• The 911 attacks, Palestinian militancy, Israeli
unwillingness to part with occupied land, Islamic
fundamentalism and the U.S. invasion of Iraq all
serve to make that balancing act much more
difficult.