Israeli-Palestinian ConflictOrigins and Solutions

Israel• The world’s only predominantly Jewish country• About 6 million of its 7.5 million citizens are Jewish• The largest minority is Arab Muslims

• What does this tell you about how the ethnicities are broken down?

Origins• Israel has historical and religious

roots in the Biblical Land of Israel• This area was home to the ancient

kingdoms of Judah and Israel• Zionism began in the late

1800s…it is a political movement dedicated to providing a homeland for the Jewish people

What is the Jewish claim to Israel based on?

Trouble Brewing…• The United Nations decided to partition

Palestine in 1947…the Arabs (Palestinians) rejected this

• A large reason for the Partition was the humanitarian disaster that had befallen the Jewish people in Europe

• When Israel declared its independence in early 1948, the Arab states attacked it the next day

What was this disaster? Why would the partition cause conflict?

War!• A large Arab population was displaced

by the partition. Arab discontent led to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War

• Israel’s Arab neighbors attacked the new country- Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Jordan

• This followed an internal civil war in the country marked by murders and assassinations

What notable country was missing from those who attacked Israel? Why do you think this was?

Results:• About 900,000 Palestinians

were displaced and left the country

• About 700,000 Jewish people soon moved in to Israel

• Most of these Jews came from other Arab countries

How did the demographics of Israel change following the war?

The establishment of Israel was meant to be a homeland for the Jews displaced by World War II…what is different from this intended result?

After Independence…• Between 1948 and 1958 the Jewish

population of Israel swelled to 2 million

• Palestinian refuges attacked Israel during the 1950s from the Gaza Strip, which was controlled by Egypt

• In the early 1960s Israel captured Adolf Eichmann, the architect of the “Final Solution” or Holocaust. He was hiding in Argentina.

Other Conflicts…• 1967- Israel is prevented by Egypt

from using the Suez canal and water sources are blocked by Arab states, resulting in the Six-Day War

• 1973- Arab nations Egypt and Syria attack Israel on Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar

Why would blocking the Suez Canal hurt Israel?

How might Israeli’s feel about being attacked on Yom Kippur?

Intifada…• A Palestinian uprising against Israel• There have been several in recent history• Characterized by terrorism, suicide bombing and guerilla

warfare Why would Palestinians choose this method of fighting?

How does this poster reflect the Palestinian attitude about intifada?

Israeli-Palestinian relations have since alternated between periods of conflict and

peace. While some politicians advocate peace

between the two people, others vow not to rest until the other is destroyed…

Exit Ticket

1. Why are the Palestinians considered a stateless-nation?

2. Why is the control of the city of Jerusalem such a difficult issue to resolve?

* Answer in complete sentences*