Arab-Israeli Conflict
1. Introduction to West Asia (Geographical facts)
Most of the area known as West Asia today is inhabited by the Arab people. However,
the Arab people did not live in a single country. The entire Arab world was divided
into more than ten countries. There is a country in West Asia which is not Arabic. It is
called Israel. The people living in Israel are known as Jews. The Arabs and the Jews
hated each other very much.
Source A
Study the following map.
Shade Israel in blue and the Arab countries in yellow.
1
Source B
The following table shows the population figures, official languages and major
religion of the countries in West Asia and North Africa.
Turkey
Egypt
Iran
Iraq
Saudi Arabia
Syria
Yemen
Israel
Jordan
Lebanon
Kuwait
United Arab Emirates
Oman
Bahrain
Qatar
Population
（ten thousands）
6889
7190
6747.6
2580
2267
1839.2
2015
690
548
460
264.5
423
253
70.7
74.4
Official language
Religion
Turkish
Arabic
Persian
Arabic
Arabic
Arabic
Arabic
Hebrew, Arabic
Arabic
Arabic
Arabic
Arabic
Arabic
Arabic
Arabic
Muslim
Muslim
Muslim
Muslim
Muslim
Muslim
Muslim
Jewish
Muslim
Muslim
Muslim
Muslim
Muslim
Muslim
Muslim
Refer to the following website for interactive information on West Asia, including
modern socio-political map, historic political borders, topographic/resources map,
Muslim population
<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mideast/maps/pol.html>
Study Sources A and B and answer questions 1 and 2.
1. Identify two disadvantages of the Jews in the Arab-Israeli conflicts.
Israel was surrounded by the Arab countries in the north, east and south. (Source A)
Compare with the Arab countries, the population size in Israel was much smaller.
This was a great disadvantage of the Jews in the Arab-Israeli conflicts. (Source B)
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Source C
The following is a map of Israel.
Countries:
Egypt
Israel
Jordan
Lebanon
Syria
Label the following countries / areas on the map.
Areas:
Gaza Strip
Golan Heights
Sinai Peninsula
West Bank (of the River Jordan)
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2. Major wars between Israel and the Arab countries
Study the sources below and answer the questions that follow.
Source A
The following is a chronological table which shows the major wars fought between
Israel and the Arab countries in the period 1948-1982.
1948-49
The Arab-Israeli War
Just on the next day after Israel declared its independence (May 15, 1948), the Arab
countries of Egypt, Transjordan1, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon attacked Israel. Although
Israel was attacked on three fronts, the Israeli army defeated its enemies and even
extended Israel own borders. Many Arabs living in Israel became refugees and had
to flee to other Arab countries.
1956
The Suez Canal War
When Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal in 1956, Britain and France, together with
Israel, attacked Egypt. The war only ended when the United Nations intervened on
the side of Egypt.
1967
The Six-Day War
Israel attacked Egypt, Syria and Jordan. This was the most successful war for Israel.
Israel occupied the Golan Heights from Syria, the West Bank from Jordan and the
Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt. The Israelis immediately began
building Jewish settlements in these areas.
1
Transjordan: At the end of World War I, the territory now comprising Israel, Jordan, the West Bank,
the Gaza Strip, and Jerusalem was awarded to the United Kingdom by the League of Nations as the
mandate for Palestine. In 1922, the British created the semi-autonomous Arab Emirate of Transjordan
in all Palestinian territory east of the Jordan river. The British installed the Hashemite Prince Abdullah
I of Jordan, while continuing the administration of Palestine and Transjordan under a single British
High Commissioner. The mandate over Transjordan ended on 22 May 1946; on 25 May, the country
became the independent Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan.
Transjordan has opposed the creation of the State of Israel in May 1948, and took part in the attack by
the Arab states on the newly founded nation, and the subsequent warfare. The armistice agreements of
3 April 1949 left Jordan in control of the West Bank.
In 1950, Transjordan annexed the West Bank, and the country was renamed "the Hashemite Kingdom
of Jordan".
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1973
The October War
Egypt and Syria attacked Israel. In this war, the Arab countries received aid from the
Soviet Union whereas Israel received aid from the United States. Israel successfully
halted the enemy attack. During the war, the Arab countries reduced oil exports to
the West as revenge. This led to an oil crisis2.
1982
The Lebanon War
Since Lebanon provided refuge to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) which
carried out terrorist attacks against Israel, Israel attacked and defeated Lebanon.
Lebanon agreed to expel the Palestine Liberation Organization. Israel then withdrew
its force.
Refer to the following website for maps on the Arab Israel Conflicts.
<http://www.jafi.org.il/education/100/maps/index.html>
>The Arab Invasion 1948
>The Sinai Campaign 1956
>Six Day War-June 1967
>October War 1973
Source B
The following table shows the casualties of the major Arab-Israeli Wars.
War
1948-49
1956
Casualties
Israelis
Death: 6,000
Wounded: 15,000
Arabs
Death: 15,000
Wounded: 25,000
725,000 Palestinian refugees
Casualties: 1,200 (including British Death: 1,600
and French)
Wounded: 4,500
Taken prisoner: 6,100
2
1973 oil crisis: The 1973 oil crisis began on October 17, 1973, when the members of Organization of
Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC, consisting of the Arab members of OPEC plus Egypt
and Syria) announced, as a result of the ongoing October War, that they would no longer ship
petroleum to nations that had supported Israel in its conflict with Syria and Egypt (i.e., to the United
States and its allies in Western Europe).
the effects of the Arab Oil Embargo are clear - it effectively doubled the real price of crude oil at the
refinery level, and caused massive shortages in the US. This exacerbated a recession that had already
begun, and led to a global recession through the rest of 1974.
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1967
Death: 983
Wounded: 4,517
Missing / Taken prisoner: 15
1973
Death: 2,838
Wounded: 8,800
Missing / Taken prisoner: 508
Casualties: about 2,000
Taken prisoner: about 10
1982
Death: 4,296
Wounded: 6,121
Taken prisoner: 7,550
410,000 Palestinian refugees
Death: 8,446
Wounded: 18,949
Missing / Taken prisoner: 8,551
Casualties: about 3,000
Taken prisoner: 5,000
Source C
A Palestinian woman describes what it was like to arrive in Jordan as a refugee:
“We arrived in Amman (the capital of Jordan) as street beggars,
we knocked at people’s doors. They sent us to a camp at Gerash
and gave us bread, just throwing it at us, so it was good luck to
them that caught it, and the devil take the rest. One day, after
about two months, the winter came, all of a sudden, with torrential
rain and even snow, and it all came through into the tent and one
of my children, the youngest, died of cold in the snow and the
mud.”
Refer to the following website for information on Palestine refugee.
<http://www.un.org/unrwa/refugees/index.html>
2. Despite such disadvantages, explain why Israel could survive and sometimes even
gained victory in the Arab-Israeli conflicts since its independence since 1948.
Suggested answer: Foreign Assistance: Western countries, like Britain and the US,
provided Israel with modern weapons, allowing Israel to gain advantage over the
Arabs in the Arab-Israeli conflicts.
3. What do you conclude from Sources A, B and C about the effects of the
Arab-Israeli Wars?
Suggested answer:
Giving rise to the refugee problem (Source A); Oil crisis (Source A); Terrorist
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attacks (Source A); Heavy casualties (Source B); Suffering of the refugees (Source
C)
Source D
The following extract is adapted from the national charter of the Palestine Liberation
Organization. This organization was established in 1964 as the political organ of the
Palestinian Arabs. In 1969, Yasir Arafat, became its chairman.
Article 9:
Armed struggle is the only way to liberate Palestine. This it is the
overall strategy, not merely a tactical phase. The Palestinian Arab
people assert their absolute determination and firm resolution to continue
their armed struggle and to work for an armed popular revolution for the
liberation of their country and their return to it. They also assert their
right to normal life in Palestine and to exercise their right to
self-determination and sovereignty over it.
Article 15:
The liberation of Palestine, from an Arab viewpoint, is a national duty
and it attempts to repel the Zionist and imperialist aggression against the
Arab homeland, and aims at the elimination of Zionism in Palestine.
Absolute responsibility for this falls upon the Arab nation – peoples and
governments – with the Arab people of Palestine in the vanguard.
Accordingly, the Arab nation must mobilize all its military, human,
moral, and spiritual capabilities to participate actively with the
Palestinian people in the liberation of Palestine. It must, particularly in
the phase of the armed Palestinian revolution, offer and furnish the
Palestinian people with all possible help, and material and human
support, and make available to them the means and opportunities that
will enable them to continue to carry out their leading role in the armed
revolution, until they liberate their homeland.
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Source: The Palestinian National Charter: Resolution of the Palestine National
Council July 1-17, 1968 <http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/mideast/plocov.htm>
4. Identify the methods used by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to free
the Palestinians from Israeli rule.
Suggested answer:
The methods used by the Palestine Liberation Organization
Armed struggle and popular revolution (Article 9)
To mobilize the Arab nations to fight for the liberation of Palestine (Article 15)
To equip the Palestinian with military, human, moral and spiritual capabilities
(Article 15)
Source E
A PLO member hijacked a British airliner in 1970. Afterwards she justified what
she had done in these words:
“(Israel) is in no position to accuse me of air piracy and hijacking
when (Israel) has hijacked me and my people out of our land.
My deed cannot be judged without examining the underlying
causes.”
5.
How did the PLO member defend her action of hijacking the British airliner?
Suggested answer:
It was the Jews who occupied Palestine in the first place. The objective of the
Palestine Liberation Organization was to free the Palestinian from Israeli rule. It
was proper to revenge on the Jews.
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Study the following statement.
6. “In any war, there is no winner. Both sides are in fact losers of the war.”
Do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer with reference to Sources A
to E above and your own knowledge.
Students can agree or disagree with the statement, but they must support their
views with sufficient reasons.
AGREE:
Students can discuss with examples on how the two countries suffered in the
Arab-Israeli conflict. Examples like causalities, damaging of flats and economic
destruction can be given.
DISAGREE:
Students can say Israel was the winner. Apart from certain destructions, at least
Israel could declare independence, and it sometimes gained victory in the
Arab-Israeli conflicts.
On the other hand, students can say the Arabs were the winner. The actions of the
Palestine Liberation Organization successfully shocked the Jews and arouse
international attention. Even some countries try to reconcile the Israeli-Palestinian
conflicts.
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3. Peace-making attempts between Israel and the Arab countries
Conflicts between Israel and the Arab countries had lasted for nearly half a century.
The Arab countries were not able to destroy Israel. Meanwhile, Israel was not able
to eliminate Palestinian resistance or terrorist activities in the West Bank and the Gaza
Strip. By the end of the 1970s, both sides had been tired of incessant warfare.
They began to talk about peace.
The following are major attempts to make peace between Israel and the Arab world.
Israeli-Palestinian relationship
Camp David Accord (1979)
US president Jimmy Carter, Egypt’s President Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Begin
met in Camp David. Israel agreed to return the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt. Egypt
renounced its claim over the Gaza Strip and recognized Israel. Both countries agree
to return to normal relation.
Madrid Peace Conference (1991)
In October 1991, the United States and the Soviet Union sponsored this conference
and invited Israeli, Lebanese, Syrian, Jordanian, and Palestinian representatives to
hold peaceful talks.
Israel-PLO Accord (1993)
The PLO renounced the use of terrorism and acknowledged Israel’s right to exist,
while Israel recognized the PLO as the sole representative of the Palestinian people.
Both sides agreed to a set of guidelines for a five-year interim period of Palestinian
self-government.
Cairo Accords (4 May 1994)
As a result of the Oslo peace process, the Gaza-Jericho Agreement -- also known as
the Cairo Accords -- included an Israeli military withdrawal from about 60 percent of
the Gaza Strip (Jewish settlements and their environs excluded) and the West Bank
town of Jericho. A five-year period began in which a permanent resolution was to be
negotiated on Jerusalem, settlements, Palestinian refugees, and sovereignty.
Taba Agreement (28 September 1995)
In Washington, D.C., PLO chairman Arafat and Israel's Prime Minister Rabin signed
the Taba Agreement, known as Oslo II, to expand Palestinian self-rule in the West
Bank and Gaza and to allow Palestinian elections. In those elections, held on January
10
20, 1996, Arafat won roughly 85 percent of the votes in his bid to head the Palestinian
National Authority.
Wye River Memorandum (23 October 1998)
After a peace summit held by U.S. president Bill Clinton, Israeli prime minister
Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority chairman Yasser Arafat signed an
agreement calling for further Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and the
Palestinian Authority to combat terrorist organizations more effectively.
4 September 1999
The Israelis and Palestinians sign a revised deal aimed at reviving the peace process.
21 March 2000
Israel hands over some of the West Bank territory to the Palestinians which amounted
to 6.1 percent of the total Occupied Territories. This completed the transfer agreement
made at Wye River in 1998.
Peace Summit at Camp David (25 July 2000)
A peace summit which was hosted at Camp David by U.S. president Bill Clinton
between Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian Authority chairman Yasser
Arafat ended without agreement.
April 2002
Israel launched military raids against the Palestinian Authority and suspected
terrorists in the West Bank.
April 30, 2003
The road map to a permanent solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is released.
There are three phases: Phase I (April to May 2003): ending terror and violence,
normalizing Palestinian life, and building Palestinian institutions. Phase II (June
2003-December 2003): transition. In the second phase, efforts are focused on the
option of creating an independent Palestinian state with provisional borders and
attributes of sovereignty. Phase III (2004-2005): permanent status agreement and end
of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
2004
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon planned to withdraw settlements from Gaza and
parts of the West Bank
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November 11, 2004
Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat dies at age 75.
February 8, 2005
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud
Abbas agree to a ceasefire. The summit, which was hosted by Egyptian President
Hosni Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdullah II, is the first high-level meeting between
Palestinian and Israeli leaders in over four years.
Israeli Jordan relationship
Jordan-Israel peace treaty (26 October 1994)
Jordan signs a peace treaty with Israel, ending a 46-year official state of war.
Israeli-Syrian relationship
June 1976
Large-scale intervention by Syrian troops in Lebanon against the PLO and the
Lebanese National Movement.
15-16 December 1999
Israeli-Syrian peace talks, broken off in 1996, resumed in Washington.2000
March 2000
Israeli-Syrian peace negotiation failed.
Refer to the following website for major attempts to make peace between Israel and
the Arab world.
A West Asia Peace Chronology provided by US Department of State
<http://usinfo.state.gov/mena/middle_east_north_africa/me_vision/me_vision_timelin
e.html>
A quick guide to the West Asia peace process since 1993 provided by BBC News
Online.
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988739.stm>
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Study the sources below and answer the questions that follow.
Source A
The following extract is adapted from the speech made by US President G. Bush in
the Madrid Conference on October 30, 1991.
Speaking for the American people, I want to reaffirm that the United
States is prepared to facilitate the search for peace, to be a catalyst, as
we’ve been in the past and as we’ve been very recently. We seek
only one thing, and this we seek not for ourselves, but for the peoples
of the area and particularly the children: that this and future
generations of the Middle East may know the meaning and blessing of
peace.
We have seen too many generations of children whose haunted eyes
show only fear – too many funerals for their brothers and sisters, the
mothers and fathers who died too soon – too much hatred, too little
love. And if we cannot summon the courage to lay down the past for
ourselves, let us resolve to do it for the children. May God bless and
guide the work of this Conference, and may this Conference set us on
the path of peace. Thank you.
Source: Remarked by Bush October 30, 1991
<http://usembassy-israel.org.il/publish/peace/bush-sp.htm>
What is the tactic used by President Bush to persuade the Arabs and the Israelis to end
their hostilities? Explain your answer.
Suggested answer:
President Bush tried to persuade the Arabs and the Israeli to end their hostilities
by stating the suffering of the children in his speech. The strategy was to move them
by sentiments. Children were innocent. They should bear no responsibilities in the
Arab-Israeli conflicts. He hoped they could end the conflicts, and also the suffering
of the innocent children.
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Source B
The following extract is adapted from the letter written by Arafat, Chairman of the
Palestine Liberation Organization to Rabin, Prime Minister of Israel on September 9,
1993.
The PLO considers that the signing of the Declaration of
Principles [Israel-PLO Accord] constitutes a historic event,
inaugurating a new epoch of peaceful co-existence, free from
violence and all other acts which endanger peace and stability.
Accordingly, the PLO renounces the use of terrorism and other
acts of violence and will assume responsibility over all PLO
elements and personnel in order to assure their compliance,
prevent violations and discipline violators.
Source C
The following extract is adapted from the letter written by Rabin, Prime Minister of
Israel to Arafat, Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization on September 9,
1993.
In response to your letter of September 9, 1993, I wish to
confirm to you that, in light of the PLO commitments included in
your letter, the Government of Israel has decided to recognize the
PLO as the representative of the Palestinian people and
commence negotiations with the PLO within the Middle East
peace process.
Source: both sources are from
<http://www.victoria.tc.ca/history/etext/middle.east.peace.html>
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1.
What are the factors that make Israel and the PLO come to an agreement in
1993?
Source B shows that the Palestine Liberation Organization was willing to solve
international conflicts peacefully.
Source C shows that as the Palestine Liberation Organization began to amend
their proposals, the Government of Israel, headed by Rabin, was also willing to
commence negotiations with the Palestine Liberation Organization to solve the
conflicts.
2.
Do you agree that using negotiation was better than violence in solving
international conflicts? Explain your answer with reference to Sources A to C
and using your own knowledge.
Reference:
《當代中東國際關係》。世界知識出版社。
《世界戰爭通鑑》
。國際文化出版公司。
The Twentieth Century World: War, Revolution and Technology. UK: Cambridge University
Press 1998.
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Origin of the Arab-Israeli Conflict
Why did the Jews and the Arabs hate each other so bitterly? The main source of
conflict is that both of them claim that the land of Israel belong to them.
Chronological table relating to the origin of the Arab-Israeli conflicts.
Between
1800 and
1500 BC
It is thought that a Semitic people called Hebrews left Mesopotamia
and settled in Canaan.
According to the Bible, Abram (a leader of the Jews) came to settle in
Canaan (nowadays Israel). Here is what the Bible says:
The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your
people and your father’s household and go to the land I will
show you. …” He [Abram] took his wife Sarai, his nephew
Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people
they had acquired in Haran [the place where Abram lived at
the time of his departure], and they set out for the land of
Canaan, and they arrived there.
Genesis, Chapter 12, verses 1 and 5
About 1000 It is estimated that king David conquered Jerusalem and established
BC
an Israelite kingdom over much of Canaan.
63 BC
The Romans conquered Canaan.
135
The Romans drove the Jews out of Jerusalem. The Romans named the
area Palaestina, which became Palestine in English. Most of the Jews
left Palestine and scattered over Europe and Asia.
The Arabs conquered Palestine and settled here. They lived here until
nowadays.
7th century
1516-1917
Palestine was under the rule of the Ottoman Turks. They shared the
same religion of the Arabs – Islam and allowed the Arabs to live in
Palestine.
1880s
The Jews began to migrate to Palestine and wanted to rebuild the Jewish
land. This movement was called Zionism.
1920-1946
Palestine became a mandate of Britain. Britain adopted a policy of
“divide and rule” and encouraged the Jews to return to Palestine.
Britain promised to establish a national home for the Jewish people.
1922
Britain divided Palestine into two administrative districts. Jews would
be permitted only west of the River Jordan (Palestine). To the east, the
area was called Transjordan. Thus, the Jewish National Home was
reduced to only 22% of the original Palestine.
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1947
The United Nations agrees to partition western Palestine to a Jewish
state (this excluded the West Bank). This was rejected by the Arabs
who wanted to remove the Jews entirely from Palestine.
1948
Israel declared its independence but was immediately invaded by the
Arab countries. The Arab-Israeli War broke out.
Refer to the following website for a brief history on Israel and Palestine.
<http://www.mideastweb.org/briefhistory.htm#Introductory%20Note>
Refer to the following website for the history of Palestinian question
<http://www.un.org/depts/dpa/ngo/history.html>
Palestine, Israel and the Arab-Israeli Conflict
http://www.merip.org/palestine-israel_primer/toc-pal-isr-primer.html
BBC News: In Depth: Israel and the Palestinians
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/middle_east/2001/israel_and_the_palestinians/>
CNN: Mideast: Land of Conflict
<http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/mideast/>
Washington Post: War and Peace in the West Asia
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/world/issues/mideastpeace/>
Online NewsHour: Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
<http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/conflict/>
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