Arab-Israeli Conflict

Sykes-Picot Agreement 1916

• Secret Agreement between France & Britain

• Defined the spheres of influence that France & Britain would have over Ottoman land after WWI

The Balfour Declaration Foreign OfficeNovember 2nd, 1917

Dear Lord Rothschild:

I have much pleasure in conveying to you on behalf of His Majesty'sGovernment, the following declaration of sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations which has been submitted to, and approved by, the Cabinet:

His Majesty's Government view with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.

I should be grateful if you would bring this declaration to the knowledgeof the Zionist Federation.

Yours,Arthur James Balfour

Post–WWI Reality

Inter-War Period

• Arabs felt betrayed by the West after promised & denied independence

• Balfour Declaration led to a commitment by Britain to a national homeland for Jews in Palestine (but the Palestinians were there) and furthered the Zionist movement begun in the late 19th century

• At first, Arabs welcomed economic boost, but when Jews began to clear the land of Arab tenants & refused to hire Palestinian workers conflict

Post-WWII • After the holocaust, Jewish migration to Israel,

conflict w/ Palestinians & world-wide sympathy led to Britain referring the Palestinian issue it created to the U.N.

• 1947 – U.N. called for a partition of Palestine w/ Jerusalem as an international city (Jews got 55% land while only 34% of the population) Palestine & Islamic countries voted against, but Jews voted for

• May 14, 1948 – Israel independent w/ David Ben Gurion as P.M.

1948-1949The day after

independence, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan,

Lebanon, Saudi Arabia & Syria

invaded Israel

• Israel seized ½ Palestinian land• Egypt Gaza Strip• Jordan West Bank• Palestinians no land (refugees)

1956 Suez Crisis

1956 Suez CrisisGamal Abdel Nasser, Egyptian President, nationalized the SuezCanal Britain, France & Israelinvaded Egypt & took the Canal

• Pressure by U.S. & U.S.S.R. forced Israel to withdraw Egypt in charge of Canal

1967 Six-Day WarNasser moved to close off

the Gulfof Aqaba Israel attacked

Egypt, Iran, Jordan & Syria

• Israel Sinai Peninsula (incl. Gaza Strip), Golan Heights, West Bank & Old Jerusalem

After the 1973 War

1973Anwar Sadat (Nasser’s successor) led surprise Arab

attack on Yom Kippur & Golda Meir (Israeli P.M.) launched counterattack – truce signed, but no peace treaty

PEACE?

November 1977In Jerusalem, Sadat offered peace to Israel in exchange for withdrawal

from 1967 War territories& recognize Palestinians’ rights

• 1978 U.S. Pres. Carter invited Sadat & Menachem Begin (Israeli P.M.) to Camp David• 1979 Camp David Accords• World praised Sadat, but Muslim extremists assassinated him 1981• 1982 Israel withdrew from Sinai

1970s & 1980sPalestinian Liberation Organization

(PLO) formed under Yasir ArafatCampaign of civil disobedience

(intifada) influenced world opinion

• October 1991, Israeli & Palestinian delegates met for the first time in peace talks

1993 Declaration of Principles

(peace talks at Oslo, Norway)

• Yitzak Rabin (Israeli P.M.) agreed to give Palestinians self-rule in the Gaza Strip & West Bank• 1993 Rabin & Arafat signed at the White House in D.C.• 1995 Rabin assassinated

Israeli Settlements

Will Recent Events Lead to Peace?• 2000 - negotiations for a final settlement (at

Camp David) ended in deadlock – each side blaming the other

• 2nd Intifada - violence resumed after Ariel Sharon (then General) visited the temple mount

• 2002 – Saudi proposal for peace was adopted by the Arab League & became a U.N. Resolution (1st time Arab countries called for a Palestine alongside Israel) – Israel rejected it

• Suicide bombings & resultant Israeli occupation continues to hinder peace

Israel’s Security Barrier (a.k.a. “Security Fence” or “Apartheid Wall”)

Recent Event Peace? (cont.)• 2004 – Syria tried to renew peace treaty talks w/ Israel

from 1967, but has met cool reception• November 11, 2004 - Yasser Arafat died Mahmoud

Abbas became Palestinian leader• 2005 – Sharm El Sheikh Conference – both sides

agreed to end violence & Israel’s Knesset approved Disengagement Plan (withdrawal of 24 settlements)

• Nevertheless violence continued• 2006 – Hamas (organization w/ terrorist ties) won

election in Palestinian legislature (Abbas still President)

• 2012 – the State of Palestine replaced the PLO in the UN & upgraded its status as “non-member observer”

• Egypt is leading cease-fire efforts re: current flare-ups