The roles of the United Nations in settling
conflicts between the Israel and the Arabs,
racial conflicts in the Balkans and
the apartheid in South Africa
Topic for Enquiry:
‘How successful was the United Nations in settling the conflicts between Israel and the Arabs,
racial conflicts in the Balkans and the apartheid in South Africa in the second half of the 20 th
century? ’
Total teaching periods:
5 lessons (40 mins@)= 200 mins
A.
Background
1.
2.
Students are in S6 and their learning ability is above average in general.
Students have already got basic understanding of the causes and development of the
conflicts between Israel and the Arabs, racial conflicts in the Balkans and the apartheid
in South Africa in the second half of the 20th century.
They are familiar with group discussion and presentation.
They have already got some basic thinking skills like mindmaping, data collection and
data analysis.
3.
4.
B.
Objectives
1.
To reinforce students’ knowledge in the development of the conflicts between Israel and
the Arabs, racial conflicts in the Balkans and the apartheid in South Africa in the second
half of the 20th century.
2.
To enhance students’ awareness and understanding of the roles played by the United
Nations in settling these conflicts.
3.
To equip students with the skills in synthesizing and categorizing by illustrating and
concluding the roles of the United Nations in different historical events.
C.
Pedagogies
1.
Activity 1: Revision (1 teaching period)
a. A brief revision of the conflicts between Israel and the Arabs, racial conflicts in the
Balkans and the apartheid in South Africa in the second half of the 20 th century.
b. Group preparation:
Students form groups.
1
-
c.
-
2.
Each group is given 10 minutes to prepare a five-minute presentation on the
development of the following conflicts:
 the conflicts between Israel and the Arabs
 racial conflicts in the Balkans
 the apartheid in South Africa
Group presentation:
Some groups would be selected at random to present the conflicts as mentioned
above.
Activity 2: Categorization of Roles (2 teaching periods)
a. As students have grasped the background information about the conflicts between
Israel and the Arabs, racial conflicts in the Balkans and the apartheid in South
Africa in the second half of the 20th century, teachers can help students to analyze
the attempts and roles taken by the United Nations in settling the conflicts.
b. Students need to read and study the information provided on the Activity 2
Worksheet carefully and find out the parts and functions performed by the UN in
the conflicts and make the judgement on the extent of achievements done by the
UN.
c. Students need to complete the column ‘roles’ and ‘evaluation’ on the Activity 2
Worksheet in group.
d. Students’ presentation of their answers.
e. Conclusion by the teacher.
3.
Activty 3: Follow-up Task (2 teaching periods)
a.
Essay writing task: students are asked to write an essay to evaluate the degree of
success in settling the conflicts by the United Nations. The question of the essay is
‘How successful was the United Nations in settling the conflicts between Israel
and the Arabs, racial conflicts in the Balkans and the apartheid in South Africa in
the second half of the 20th century?’
b.
Teachers are advised to guide students to study the assessment criteria and
complete the essay based on the criteria so that they have a clear understanding of
the level marking of essay writing. (See Activity 3 Information Sheet)
c.
Teachers are advised to choose some students to present their essays in order to
check the learning outcome of students.
D.
Expected outcome/difficulties
1.
Students will have deeper understanding of the roles played by the United Nations
2
in settling the conflicts between Israel and the Arabs, racial conflicts in the Balkans
and the apartheid in South Africa in the second half of the 20th century.
2.
Students will master skills in illustrating personal standpoint with convincing
arguments, data collection, analysis and synthesis.
3.
Students will have deeper understanding the importance of respect and
acceptance of others’ opinions through cooperative learning.
4.
Students may point out the attempts of the United Nations in settling the conflicts
without illustrating the extent of success and failure in settling the conflicts.
3
Activity 2 Worksheet: Categorization of Roles
[Teacher version]
Part I: The roles of UN in settling the conflicts between Israel and the Arabs
1. The Palestinian War, 1949
Contents


Roles
The Security Council arranged a ceasefire for
Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
A United Nations Truce Supervision
Organization, (UNTSO) was also formed to
Evaluation
Mediator

Success in
arranging the
ceasefire
monitor the ceasefire.
2.
The Suez Crisis, 1956-57
Contents


Roles
The General Assembly passed many
resolution to call for an end to the fighting.
The UN arranged a ceasefire.
 The UN set up the United Nations
Emergency Force (UNEF) to supervise the
Evaluation

Mediator
Success in
arranging the
ceasefire
Supervisor
withdrawal of invading forces and to patrol
the Israeli-Egyptian border.
3. Six Day War, 1967



Contents
Roles
The UN arranged a ceasefire and it was
accepted by Egypt, Jordan and Syria.
The UN also criticized Israel for occupying
the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The Security Council demanded that the
Mediator
Israeli troops should withdraw from their
occupied territories, and that all parties
should end their rivalry and recognize each
other's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
4. Lebanon War, 1982
4
Evaluation

Failed because the
Arab countries
refused to
recognize Israel. So
Israel continued to
keep the territories
she occupied
during the war.
Contents


Roles
UN mediated a ceasefire between the two
sides.
The UN tried to intervene but failed. It did
not have strong armed forces to fight the
large Israeli troops.
Mediator
Evaluation

Failed to stop the
War
5. Rights of the Palestinian Arabs
Contents
Roles

The UN recognized the rights of the

Palestinian Arabs.
It criticized Israel for suppressing the
Palestinians' demand for independence and
root cause of their
problem. So, the
Arab-Israeli
violating human rights.
conflicts lasted for
several decades.
Some Palestinian
Arabs wanted
complete
independence.

Supporter
Evaluation
The UN provided humanitarian aid to the
Palestine refugees.
Supplier
5


Failed to solve the
Part II: The roles of UN in settling conflicts in the Balkans
1. Serb-Croat Wars, 1991-95
Contents


2.
Roles
The UN invited Vance (former US Secretary
of State) as its representative to mediate and
to arrange a ceasefire, which was accepted
by the two sides.
The UN also sent a peacekeeping force to
monitor the ceasefire.
Supervisor
Evaluation
 Failed to stop the
wars
Bosnian War, 1992-95
Contents
Roles
Evaluation

Imposing economic sanctions on Serbia to
stop Milosevic's military support to the
Bosnian Serbs.
Punisher

Sending a peacekeeping force to provide
humanitarian aid to the local people.
Supplier
 Successful in
putting pressure on
Serbia.
 Helped protect
local people

Setting up "safe areas" to protect the
Protector
Muslims in the Serb living areas.
3.
Kosovo War, 1999
Contents

4.
Roles
Although NATO bombed Yugoslavia and
stationed an army in Kosovo, the Security
Council decided all actions of the NATO's
army and had the final say on Kosovo's
autonomy.




Successful in
putting pressure
on Serbia
Helped end the
War
Bosnian War, 1992-95
Contents

Supporter
Evaluation
Roles
In 1992, the US and the EC recognized the
independence of Bosnia.
NATO decided to bomb their living areas.
In December 1995, the US made Serbia,
Croatia and Bosnia sign the Dayton Accord.
6
Bystander
Evaluation

Failed to solve the
problem by the
UN itself. It was
solved by the US,
EC and NATO.
Bosnia was divided into two parts: the
Bosnian Serb Republic and the Muslim-Croat
Federation.
7
Part III: The roles of UN in settling the problem of apartheid in South Africa
Apartheid
Contents
Roles
The General Assembly discussed the
apartheid in South Africa in 1952.
 The General Assembly passed a resolution
to declare that all races have the right of
self-determination in 1960.
 The UN Special Committee Against

Supporter
Apartheid was formed to organize
worldwide efforts to fight against
apartheid.

Successful in putting
pressure on South
Africa and the
apartheid came to
an end under
international
pressure.
South Africa was no longer represented in
the General Assembly in the 1970s
 The Security Council also imposed an arms
embargo on South Africa, and the General
Assembly called for wider economic
sanctions.


Evaluation
The UN even named 1982 the International
Anti-Apartheid Year.
8
Punisher
Promoter
Activity 2 Worksheet: Categorization of Roles
[Student version]
Part I: The roles of UN in settling the conflicts between Israel and the Arabs
1. The Palestinian War, 1949
Contents


Roles
Evaluation
Roles
Evaluation
Roles
Evaluation
The Security Council arranged a
ceasefire for Israel, Egypt, Jordan,
Lebanon and Syria.
A United Nations Truce Supervision
Organization, (UNTSO) was also formed
to monitor the ceasefire.
2.
The Suez Crisis, 1956-57
Contents


The General Assembly passed many
resolutions to call for an end to the
fighting.
The UN arranged a ceasefire.
 The UN set up the United Nations
Emergency Force (UNEF) to supervise
the withdrawal of invading forces and
to patrol the Israeli-Egyptian border.
3.
Six Day War, 1967
Contents



The UN arranged a ceasefire and it was
accepted by Egypt, Jordan and Syria.
The UN also criticized Israel for
occupying the Gaza Strip and the West
Bank.
The Security Council demanded that
the Israeli troops should withdraw
from their occupied territories, and
that all parties should end their rivalry
and recognize each other's sovereignty
9
and territorial integrity.
4.
Lebanon War, 1982
Contents


Roles
Evaluation
Roles
Evaluation
UN mediated a ceasefire between the
two sides.
The UN tried to intervene but failed. It
did not have strong armed forces to
fight the large Israeli troops.
5. Rights of the Palestinian Arabs
Contents



The UN recognized the rights of the
Palestinian Arabs.
It criticized Israel for suppressing the
Palestinians' demand for independence
and violating human rights.
The UN provided humanitarian aid to
the Palestine refugees.
10
Part II: The roles of UN in settling conflicts in the Balkans
1.
Serb-Croat Wars, 1991-95
Contents


2.
Roles
Evaluation
Roles
Evaluation
Roles
Evaluation
Roles
Evaluation
The UN invited Vance (former US
Secretary of State) as its representative
to mediate and to arrange a ceasefire,
which was accepted by the two sides.
The UN also sent a peacekeeping force
to monitor the ceasefire.
Bosnian War, 1992-95
Contents

Imposing economic sanctions on Serbia
to stop Milosevic's military support to
the Bosnian Serbs.

Sending a peacekeeping force to
provide humanitarian aid to the local
people.

Setting up "safe areas" to protect the
Muslims in the Serb living areas.
3.
Kosovo War, 1999
Contents

Although NATO bombed Yugoslavia
and stationed an army in Kosovo, the
Security Council decided all actions of
the NATO's army and had the final say
on Kosovo's autonomy.
4.
Bosnian War, 1992-95
Contents



In 1992, the US and the EC recognized
the independence of Bosnia.
NATO decided to bomb their living
areas.
In December 1995, the US made
11
Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia sign the
Dayton Accord. Bosnia was divided into
two parts: the Bosnian Serb Republic
and the Muslim-Croat Federation.
12
Part III: The roles of UN in settling the problem of apartheid in South Africa
Apartheid
Contents
Roles
The General Assembly discussed the
apartheid in South Africa in 1952.
 The General Assembly passed a
resolution to declare that all races have
the right of self-determination in 1960.
 The UN Special Committee Against

Apartheid was formed to organize
worldwide efforts to fight against
apartheid.
South Africa was no longer represented
in the General Assembly in the 1970s
 The Security Council also imposed an
arms embargo on South Africa, and the
General Assembly called for wider
economic sanctions.


The UN even named 1982 the
International Anti-Apartheid Year.
13
Evaluation
Activity 3 Worksheet: Marking Criteria for the Essay
Criteria
Grade
(Max.
30)
- Showing a firm grasp of the gist of the question—the roles of the UN in the
conflicts and the extent of success and failure in settling the conflicts;
-Balanced contents, with appropriate and effective use of relevant materials;
-Clearly expressed, persuasive, and coherent, showing critical and analytical
judgment
A
27-30
-Showing a clear grasp of the gist of the question—the roles of the UN in the
conflicts and the extent of success and failure in settling the conflicts;
-Relevant and reasonably balanced contents;
-Clearly expressed and logically presented, showing some success in
analyzing relevant issues and/or in presenting a substantiated argument.
B
24-26
C
21-23
-Showing a general understanding of the question—the roles of UN in the
conflicts and the extent of success and failure in settling the conflicts;
-Basically relevant and accurate contents, but lacking balance;
-Showing some attempt to argue and/or to analyse, but being marred by
inconsistencies and unduly narrative or descriptive approach.
D
18-20
E
15-17
-Showing inadequate understanding of the question, with little distinction
made between relevant and irrelevant material;
-Containing few relevant and important facts;
-poorly organized and barely understandable, with conspicuous mistakes in
writing or spelling personal and place names.
E/F
14-15
F
7-13
U
0-6
-Showing little understanding of the question, with no distinction made
between relevant and irrelevant material;
-Containing very few relevant facts;
-Very poorly organized and difficult to understand, with annoying mistakes in
writing /spelling important personal and place names.
14