Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

The Founding of Israel

• In the late 1800’s Jews in Europe sought to create a homeland for the Jewish people.

• Jews were subjected to second class status, violence, murder/genocide for centuries.

• A movement called ZIONISM was created to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine(Present day Israel).

• Palestine(present day Israel) was the logical choice because it had biblical/historical significance to the Jewish people

WWII

• Palestine was controlled by the British under the mandate system.

• Jews began heavily immigrating to Palestine.• 6 Million Jews died in the Holocaust just because

they were Jewish.• Thousands of Jewish Refugees sought to settle in

Israel. • Jews were determined to create a Jewish country

in Palestine.

Horrors of WWII: the Holocaust

What about the Palestinian People?

• Palestinians had lived on the land for centuries. • They opposed the arrival of Jewish immigrants.• Fighting broke out between the Jews, the

Palestinians and the British, who were administering the mandate.

• Britain decides to withdraw from Palestine. • The U.N. was put in charge of deciding the

outcome of Palestine.

Partition of Palestine

• The UN decided that Palestine should be divided into two countries: Palestine(Arab) and Israel(Jew).

• The Jews accepted the plan, while the Palestinians rejected the plan.

• Jews announce Israel’s independence in 1948.

• Israel occupied the land set aside by the UN.

WAR: 1948

• As Israel declared it’s independence it was attacked in an attempt to be destroyed by : Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon.

• Israel defeated the Arab attackers. • Israel annexed or attached the land it

conquered during this war. • Jordan occupied the West Bank and Egypt

occupied the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian Refugees

• More than 500,000 Palestinians became refugees as a result of the 1948 war, as they fled the violence.

• Many fled at the request of neighboring Arab states, fighting Israel on their behalf.

• Many settled into camps in neighboring Arab countries.

• These camps became permanent homes.• Palestinians believe they have a right to return to

their homes.

Palestinian Refugee Camp 1948

But the conflict continued…

• 3 major wars.• 1956: Israel, France and Great Britain attacked

Egypt after Nasser(leader of Egypt) nationalized the Suez Canal.

• 1967 Six Day War: Israel miraculously won, gaining a lot of new land-West Bank, Gaza and Golan Heights.

• 1973 Yom Kippur War: Syria and Egypt surprise attacked Israel but were unsuccessful.

Israeli Soldiers at the Western Wall-Jerusalem 1967

The PLO

• The P.L.O-Palestinian Liberation Organization, was created to set up a Palestinian state and was led by Yassir Arafat.

• The P.L.O. used guerilla terrorist tactics on Israelis .

• They sought to physically destroy Israel and return the land to the Palestinians.

• They hijacked planes, took hostages, staged bombings.

Yasir Arafat-leader of the P.L.O.

The Intifada

• By 1987, the Palestinians began an uprising. • Years of living in occupied territories caused

frustration among the population. • Palestinians attacked soldiers, and civilians. • Israel, and the Palestinian leaders, were caught by

surprise. • Ultimately, the uprising forced both sides to look

for ways to end the violence and bring about peace.

Intifada: Palestinian Uprising 1987

Peace Process

• Israel signed peace agreements with Egypt(1977) and Jordan(1995).

• The P.L.O and Israel finally sat down to talk about peace, signing the Oslo Accords.

• This gave Palestinians limited rule over themselves.

• “Land for Peace” is the general idea behind the peace negotiations.

• By 2000 violence broke out again between the Israelis and Palestinians.

Signing of the Oslo Accords: Bitter Enemies Shake Hands