What would you do if your brother, sister, or other family member came into the room later today and said that you have to make room for them and their stuff or find another place to sleep?

Who should get the room?

Suppose you got pressured?

How could you solve the problem peaceably?

Palestine – Israel 101

At the heart of this conflict is a dispute over land and boarders.

The land of Palestine was inhabited by Palestinian Arabs

400,000 Muslims – 80%75,000 Christians – 15%25,000 Jews – 5%

1850

For centuries these groups had lived in harmony

Zionism• In the late 1800s; Extremist European Jews

decided to colonize Palestinian land• They wanted to create a Jewish homeland• As more and more Zionists immigrated the

indigenous population became increasingly alarmed

• Eventually, there was fighting between the two groups.

1947 – The UN gets involved

• In the aftermath of WWII and the Holocaust the UN gave 55% of Palestine to a newly created Jewish State – Israel

– Zionist Jews were 30% of the population and owned only 7% of the land

1948: Arab Israeli War

VS

• 90,000 European-trained Zionist soldiers possessing modern weaponry

• 30,000 ill-equipped, poorly trained Arab soldiers

• Israel conquered 78% of Palestine

• Created nearly 1 million Palestinian refugees Nakba

• Over 400 towns and villages were destroyed

• Every city, river, and hill received a new Hebrew name

• Denied the existence of Palestine

Brief Historical Background

1967: Six Day War• Israel conquered more land by launching a highly

successful attack

• Occupied additional 22% of Palestine – The West Bank and the Gaza Strip

Recognizing the Two Sides

The Palestinian Side:

• Fear of Dispossession / 20th Century Jewish Immigration

• Nakba of 1948

• The 57-year Occupation

• Spiritual connection to the Holy Land

The Jewish Side:

• History of Jewish Persecution

• Holocaust

• Israel as Jewish ‘Safe Haven’

• Spiritual connection to the Holy Land

Recognizing the Two Sides

The Composition of the Holy Land

Source: 2003 CIA World Fact Book - Palestine data consists of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Economic Comparative Analysis

Israel

Unemployment 1 out of 10Growth rate -0.8%

Palestine

Unemployment 1 out of 2Growth rate -18%

Sources: United Nations 2004 Human Development Index (HDI), 2003 CIA World Fact Book.

A Palestinian has to work for 28 years to earn what an Israeli does in one yearA Palestinian has to work for 28 years to earn what an Israeli does in one year

GDPPer Capita

Annual BudgetUN HDI Rank

$117.4 Billion$19,500$45.1 Billion22 out of 177

GDPPer Capita

Annual BudgetUN HDI Rank

$2.4 Billion$700$1.2 Billion102 out of 177

In the land between the Mediterranean sea and the Jordan river…

Military Comparison

Main Battle Tanks – Combat Aircraft –

Artillery – 2001 Military Expenditures –

Official Active Forces –

Source: Center for Strategic and International Studies

Israel Palestine

3,950 4381,542$10.1 billion167,600

000$85 million35,000

“We can argue with the Palestinians about who’s to blame; but about who is suffering worse – there is no argument. They are a destitute nation living in an elaborate prison under the guns of the Israeli army.”

Jerusalem Post Editorial, March 3, 2004

“We can argue with the Palestinians about who’s to blame; but about who is suffering worse – there is no argument. They are a destitute nation living in an elaborate prison under the guns of the Israeli army.”

Jerusalem Post Editorial, March 3, 2004

Israel continues to maintain tens of

thousands of troops in the West Bank and Gaza – Israel invaded and occupied those

areas in the 1967 war

Demographic AnalysisThe total population today between the Jordan river and the Mediterranean Sea is just under 10 million. This area includes Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. In contrast, the census taken in 1931 shows a total population of 1,035,821.

Sources: Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, American Jewish Committee. CIA World Fact Book. 1931 British Census.

The 2004 population is: 4.9 million Jewish, 4.9 million Palestinian (Muslim & Christian)The 2004 population is: 4.9 million Jewish, 4.9 million Palestinian (Muslim & Christian)

The Conflict has taken 4,000 lives in 4 years

Sources: Middle East Policy Council, The Guardian Unlimited

 

Population Citizens Killed U.S. Equivalent

Israel 6,116,533 949 45,048

Palestine 3,512,062 3,538 292,487

From September 29, 2000 to January 5, 2005

8:44

The Path of the Israeli Barrier The barrier’s path has been projected to annex between 7% – 45% of Palestinian land. This will:

1. Completely surround 100,000 people in 42 towns

2. Reduce the available water supply by 1 billion gallons

3. Confiscate hundreds of thousands of acres of land

4. Severely restrict travel to jobs, hospitals and schools

5. Adversely affect 4 out of 10 Palestinians

A Look at the Israeli Barrier from Space

CLOSE UP: Qalqilyah was a relatively rich Palestinian town, nicknamed the ‘bread basket.’ After the Wall was constructed around it the cost of shipping goods has tripled. Consequently, 600 stores have been forced to close and now 75% of the town’s 40,000+ residents depend on humanitarian assistance from overseas.

Before After

The Israeli Barrier on the Ground

Archbishop Pietro Sambi, of Jerusalem said the wall, “cuts in half monasteries, convents, churches and cemeteries.” The pictures above are of the wall in Bethlehem

American National InterestWhy is it in the U.S. interest to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?“Attitudes toward the United States have gone from bad to worse”

“The bottom has fallen out of Arab and Muslim support for the United States”

Sources: Pew Research Study on Global Attitudes. Zogby International poll of Arabs attitudes, September 2002.

Q: “What can the U.S. do to improve relations with the Arab world?” A: Resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Q: “What can the U.S. do to improve relations with the Arab world?” A: Resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

This one example represents an 80% decline

The Muslim WorldPopulation – 1.4 BillionThe Muslim WorldPopulation – 1.4 Billion

How is Current U.S. Policy Perceived?

The U.S. Intelligence CommunityThe official report on Current and Projected Threats to the National Security of the United States concluded that resolving the Israeli Palestinian conflict will:

Sources: U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Haaretz Daily 11/03/03. Against All Enemies by Richard Clarke 2004.

“Without it, the U.S. should expect Arab and Muslim hostility to increase further, threatening prospects for the future.”

“Significantly reduce negative feelings toward the U.S. in the region,”

“Why do they hate us?.. For the most part, you get one answer, over and over again, and with little variation. They hate us because of our policy toward Israel and the Palestinians.” An About-Face on America, The Washington Post, August 24, 2004

“Why do they hate us?.. For the most part, you get one answer, over and over again, and with little variation. They hate us because of our policy toward Israel and the Palestinians.” An About-Face on America, The Washington Post, August 24, 2004

It goes on to conclude that,

American Public Opinion

Nearly 9 out of 10 Americans believe that a peaceful solution to the Israeli -

Palestinian conflict is an important foreign policy goal of the United States and 64% favor making a major effort to be even-handed in order to combat

international terrorism.

But only 3 out of 10 Americans realize that the creation of a sovereign Palestinian

State is necessary for a peaceful solution of the conflict

Sources: Mar. 2002 Gallup Poll. Oct. 2001 Newsweek. Nov. 2001 U. Md. PIPA September 2004 Chicago Council on Foreign Relations Global Views 2004.

How Do We Resolve the Conflict?