Arab-Israeli ConflictThe Root of Terrorism Today

Three Great Religions◦Judaism◦Christianity◦Islam

Shared God = Shared History◦Yahweh = God = Allah◦How?

The One True Religion?

Abraham SarahHagar

IshmaelIsaac

David

Jesus

Islam

Judaism

Christianity

God

God spoke to Abraham◦Promised descendants would number

among the stars Descendants would inherit the Promised

Land◦Wife, Sarah, very old◦Has child, Ishmael, with slave, Hagar◦Has child, Isaac, with Sarah◦Who fulfills God’s prophesy? Descendants of Ishmael, or Isaac

Settled by Israelites◦ Led by Joshua into Canaan/Judah/Israel◦ Year – approx 1470 B.C.

Diaspora◦ Jews leave Roman occupied Israel

and settle throughout the world◦ Year – 2nd century AD

No homeland for 1800 years

“The Promised Land”

Crusades◦ Muslims vs. Christians◦ Battle for control of Holy Land

Israel is home to Jerusalem◦ Holy City for all three great

religions

Jews◦Abraham prepared to offer his son Isaac on

Mount Moriah. ◦Place where the Temple once stood.

Christians ◦Important events of Jesus’ life presented in the Temple Found among the teachers as a 12-year-

old prayed and taught the Dome of the Rock was actually a

Christian church during 12th century crusades

Dome of the Rock

To Muslims ◦Dome covers the sacred rock where

Muhammad prayed and went to paradise during his Night Journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and back on the winged steed called Al-Burak.

Balfour Declaration – 1917◦British government viewed favourably "the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people" but "that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine".

◦Establish place for Jews to live in Palestine

As long as it didn’t harm exhisiting non-Jewish communities

Established following WWI Increased # of Jews in Palestine Palestinian Arabs saw this as threat to their

homeland and identity

British Mandate of Palestine

Holocaust influences the UN to create Jewish homeland

1947

UN Partition

May 14, 1948 – Israel declares independence◦Supported by UN

May 15, 1948 ◦Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq invade Israel

Israeli Victory in December

Establishment of State of Israel

1956 – Israelis invade Sinai Peninsula◦Response to closing of Suez Canal◦Also capture Gaza strip

US and UN pressure Israel into ceasefire◦Israel agrees to withdraw from Egyptian

territory◦Egypt agrees to demilitarize Sinai and

grant freedom of navigation◦United Nations Emergency Force

oversees demilitarization

May 19, 1967 – Egypt expels UNEF forces◦Deploy 100,000 troops to Sinai◦Close Straits of Tiran

May 30, 1967 – Jordan signs mutual defense pact with Egypt

June 5, 1967 – Israel attacks Egypt◦Israeli Air Force destroys Egyptian Air Force

◦Turns east Destroys air forces of Jordan, Syria, Iraq

June 10 – War ends◦Israel gains control of Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, West Bank, E. Jerusalem, Golan Heights

Six-Day War

Results of the War

Black September◦Palestinian militant group◦Secular◦Founded in 1970

Black September

1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany

Sept 5 – 6, 1972◦BSO murders 11 Israeli athletes and officials

Munich Massacre

Covert Mossad operation in response to Munich Massacre

Targeted members of Black September and the PLO they felt were responsible

Possibly lasted up to 20 years

Operation Wrath of God

1973 Israeli raid on LebanonApril 9 – 10 Israel Defense Forces special forces units attacked PLO targets in Beirut and Sidon, Lebanon

Resulted in deaths of three high ranking PLO leaders

Operation Spring of Youth

October 6 – 26, 1973◦Israel vs. Egypt and Syria, supported by Arab States

Egypt and Syria attack Israel on Yom Kippur◦Holiest day in Judaism◦Enter Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights

Back and forth warUN steps in and imposes ceasefire on Oct. 25

Yom Kippur/Ramadan War

Arab World vindicated by success◦Humiliated by Six-Day War

Israel lost sense of invincibilityUS increased efforts at mediation and peacemaking◦Led to peace process that culminates in Camp David Accords

Consequences

Signed September 17, 1978◦Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat◦Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin

◦Witnessed by President Jimmy Carter

Camp David Accords

Culmination of 13 days of secret negotiatians

Two main agreements◦A Framework for Peace in the Middle East

◦A Framework for the conclusion of a Peace Treaty between Egypt and Israel

Part One◦Framework for negotiations to establish

autonomous authority in West Bank and Gaza Strip

◦Recognized “legitimate rights of Palestinian people”

Part Two◦Egyptian-Israeli relations

Part Three◦“Associated Principles” which would apply to

relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors

Peace in the Middle East

Basis for Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty of 1979

Decided future of Sinai Peninsula◦Israel withdrew forces and evacuated 4500 civilians

Freedom of passage in Suez CanalRestricted Egyptian forces in the area

United States committed several billion $ to Israel and Egypt

Conclusion of Peace Treaty

Egypt suspended by Arab League until 1989◦Left power vacuum filled by Iraq and Iran

Disintegration of united Arab front against Israel

Showed negotiations w/Israel was possible

Opened door to new ways to deal with Israel◦Terrorist Organizations – PLO, Hamas,

Hezbollah

Consequences