how valid is the statement that “the arab-israeli conflict between 1945-2000 was caused by...
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7/29/2019 How valid is the statement that “the Arab-Israeli Conflict between 1945-2000 was caused by Israeli’s desire to saf…
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January 2013Reesa; 13A01F
How valid is the statement that “the Arab-Israeli Conflict between 1945-2000 was
caused by Israeli’s desire to safeguard their security”?
The Arab-Israeli Conflict was a series of violent armed conflict between the Arab nations,
Palestinians and Israelis that started in 1945 and lasted until 2000. The statement above is valid
to the extent that Israeli’s desire to safeguard their security wa s a major contributing factor to
the conflict as the creation of Israel and subsequent declaration of its independence triggered the
series of retaliatory violence between the parties involved. However, the importance of other
factors must not be undermined in determining the cause of the conflict. There were several
other problems and motivations of other major players that proved equally as fundamental, if not
more so, in driving the conflict for over fifty years.
Israeli’s desire to safeguard security provided their key purpose in participating in the conflict.
The setting up of Israel itself stemmed from their perceived need to defend the lands they
received from the UN Partition Plan in 1948 and to protect the Jews returning to their homeland
after condemnation from German Nazis. The Jews insisted on defending their land, feeling that
they had originally occupied the area before the Arabs and that they had a higher claim on the
Palestine region. For much of the 20th century, the Israelis had to contend with Arab states
denouncing the legitimacy of Israel’s claim to Palestinian territory, as well as the displaced
Palestinians. Furthermore, Israel’s territorial insecurity was provoked by the Arab states
repeatedly, by the formation of Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), Arab defense pacts,
closure of straits and PLO guerilla attacks, among others. Additionally, many of the actions taken
by Israelis in an attempt to ‘safeguard their security’ was also largely in retaliation against the
threats from the Arabs, which was justified by that fact that all four wars were either initiated by
the Arab nations or Israel’s response to being provoked. Being the only Jewish nation surrounded
by Arab nations like Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon, it is inevitable that Israel felt a strong
desire to safeguard and protect their security. In contrast, the perspective of the Arab nations
was that the creation of Israel was illegitimate and a threat to Arab nationalism, and was not
viewed by the Arabs as Israelis’ safeguarding of their own security, providing them necessary
conditions to start the conflict. Hence, Israel’s declaration of independence in 1948 had given the
Arab states legitimate reason for use of force against Israel, marking the start of the Arab-Israeli
conflict.
However, the formation and retaliation of Israel was only one aspect in the cause of the conflict.
Religious differences played a major role in expediting the start of the conflict and explained the
sense of mutual animosity felt by the Arabs, Palestinians and Israelis. Jewish belief in thesignificance of the Jerusalem and the Temple Mount was in direct conflict with the Muslim claim
over the same spot as the ascension of the Prophet to heaven. The overlapping sanctity of the
location meant that neither was willing to cede Palestine and in particular, Jerusalem, to the
other party. Historically, the Jews also cited occupancy during biblical times as legitimate cause
for claim, while the Arabs argued their right by virtue of being descendants of Ishmael and heir to
the Gift. The inherently divergent practices of both religions, such as Jews facing Jerusalem in
prayer and Muslims having their backs towards Jerusalem during prayer, also exacerbated existing
tensions between the Arabs and Israelis. There was also a significant increase in both Islamic and
Jewish fundamentalism that contributed to the conflict, as seen from the formation of Hamas and
Hizbollah (Arabs) as well as Gush Emunim (Jews).
7/29/2019 How valid is the statement that “the Arab-Israeli Conflict between 1945-2000 was caused by Israeli’s desire to saf…
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January 2013Reesa; 13A01F
External involvement from Britain, France and the superpowers US and USSR, was also a key
factor in causing the conflict. The role of British divide and rule policy served to play the Jews
against the Arabs, breeding a sense of nationalistic animosity between the two contending groups
of people. Promises made to the Jewish people, as well as Arabs in the Balfour Declaration of 117
and Hussein-McMahon Correspondence respectively, in which the British offered vague assurances
of territorial claim to both sides, were in direct contrast and cultivated a sense of being aggrievedfor both Jews and Arabs, each left with less than what they were initially promised. Furthermore,
British attempts at resettlement of the Jewish population in Palestine with half-hearted attempts
at integrating the oppositional populace has only served to further entrench the rivalry between
the Jews and Arabs. Another instance was the Suez Crisis, where Israel was drawn in from July
1956 to support the Western powers, even though the initial Suez Canal Crisis was only between
Britain, France and Egypt. For their own self-interests, Britain and France roped Israel in to their
war plot to carefully and secretly plan their joint attack on Egypt, as seen from the infamous
collusion meeting in October 1956 and the Protocol of Sevres. US and USSR, being enemies
themselves, worsened tensions by showing support for their allies on opposite sides, Israel and
Egypt, respectively. The superpowers provided their regional clients with a steady flow of arms,in a selfish attempt to keep their clients on their side - this was also one of the key factors to the
start of the Yom Kippur War.
Territorial dispute was undeniably the crux of the issue and can be said to be the main cause of
the conflict. The dispute over Palestine land stemmed from deep-seated religious differences that
were exacerbated by British policies of self-interest, culminating in the creation of Israel. This is
evident from Egypt’s willingness to establish peace with the Israelis, once Sadat had achieved his
goal of reclaiming Jewish occupied Sinai. Similarly, Jordan’s willingness to accede to peaceful
relations with the Israelis in the 1990s can be attributed to the lack of outstanding territorial
claims between Jordan and Israel. This explanation is further emphasised by the continuedtensions that exist between Syria and Israel, with unresolved Syrian claims to Golan Heights – a
continued obstacle to peace processes between the Israelis and Syrians. Furthermore, the rise of
extremist groups in the form of the nationalist PLO and the fundamentalist Hamas essentially rose
out of a challenge to Israel claim over Palestine, as well as the treatment of Palestinians.
In conclusion, although Israel’s desire to safeguard their security was a principle factor in causing
the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Arabs had as much a part to play in its cause and there were also
underlying factors (religion) and other equally as or more important factors (external
involvement, territory) that started and prolonged the conflict.