Arab-Israeli Conflict
Greater Israel---Late 1960s and
Early 1970s
• Following the 1967 war the UNSC passed
resolution 242 which reaffirmed “the
inadmissibility of the acquistion of territory
by war.”
• Israel ignored the resolution and began
settling the occupied territories, and went
on to annex the Syrian Golan Heights and
East Jerusalem.
• Israel’s refusal to return captured territory
led to the 1969-70 War of Attrition and the
1973 Yom Kippur War.
• Moshe Dayan, confident in Israel’s military
prowess announced, “There is no more
Palestine. Finished!”
The Palestinian Refugee Problem
By 1968 the number of
refugees had risen to 1.5
million.
The miserable conditions of
the camps serve as good
recruiting grounds for violent
opposition groups.
PLO
Palestinian Unrest
• Egypt, Israel made peace; Palestinian Arabs continued struggle for
nationhood
• 1947 UN partition plan had called for two states in Palestine—a
Jewish state, an Arab state
• After 1948 Arab-Israeli war, land set aside for Arab state occupied by
Israel, Egypt, Jordan
Palestinian Nationalism
Palestinian Resentment
• 1964, Palestine Liberation
Organization (PLO) formed
• In effort to stop attacks, Israel
invaded Lebanon, 1978 and 1982
• Pledged to destroy Israel, replace
with Palestinian state
• Tensions building also in West
Bank, Gaza where Israel had
begun building settlements
• 1969, Yasser Arafat became leader,
PLO launched guerilla attacks
against Israel
• 1987, Palestinian resentment
began rebellion called intifada
The Palestinian
Liberation
Organisation
‘PLO’
Crest of the PLO.
Notice the map of Palestine all one colour.
In Jordan, and particularly the West bank, Palestinian Arabs
had been preparing for war. They were organised into many
different groups but they were all largely prepared to operate under
the umbrella name ‘PLO’.
When King Hussein of Jordan signed the Rogers plan, the
Palestinians felt betrayed. When Hussein’s army began receiving
arms and equipment from the USA they felt even more threatened.
Different PLO groups began new campaigns of violence.
They worked out of fortified refugee camps and cities. They raided
Israeli targets , but also Jordanian police and army targets.
PLO
• Palestinians want to assume responsibility
for liberating their homeland
• Arafat named chairman in 1969-served
until his death in 2005
• Secular nationalists
• Endorsed the two-state solution
• Military campaign against Israel in 70’s
and 80’s
The Conflict
Continues
 In 1969, Yasser Arafat became the leader of the PLO.
 Five years earlier, Fatah, a secret armed group that Arafat
had founded, made its first attacks on Israel.
 Arafat served as the leader of the PLO until his death in
2004.
 During the 35 years of Arafat’s leadership, Israel elected
several different leaders, known as prime ministers.
Arafat and the PLO
• Arafat forms Al-Fatah (Palestinian National
Liberation Front) in 1959.
– Goal was to liberate Palestine from Israel through
guerilla warfare.
• Variety of Palestinian factions form the
Palestinian Liberation Organization in 1964.
– Arafat becomes chairman in 1969.
– Charter calls for elimination of state of Israel.
• Hussein feels threatened and expels PLO from
Jordan in 1970.
– Arafat moves HQ to Lebanon.
– PLO driven out of Lebanon by Israel in 1982.
The Middle East
• Many terrorist groups have
roots in the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict. Groups include:
– Islamic Jihad
– Hamas
– Hezbullah
• They demand a Palestinian
homeland on their own terms.
Some want Israel to cease to
exist.
• Cycle of violence: Israelis
usually retaliate after each
terrorist attack.
• Emblems of
– Islamic
Jihad
– Hamas
– Hezbullah
International Terrorism in the
late 1960s and into the 1970s
• Following the 1967 war
Palestinian militant groups
used international terrorism to
bring attention to their cause.
• George Habash, leader of the
PFLP justified such acts as
“For decades world attention
has neither been for or against
the Palestinians. It simply
ignored us. At least the world
is talking about us now.”
• Many Palestinian actions
however, like the 1978 Coast
Road Massacre or the murder
of 22 children in the 1974
Ma’alot School Massacre, were
unjustified and unjustifiable.
BLACK SEPTEMBER
• Palestinian resistance groups begin setting up base
of operations in Jordan.
• Highjack a plane and blow it up on Jordanian
territory
• King of Jordan responds by eliminating
Palestinian presence in Jordan
• Between September 15-25, 1970- 3,000
Palestinians are killed
• Arabs Killing Arabs
Response
• PLO moves its
headquarters to Lebanon
• Palestinian groups commit
terrorist attacks
• Kill members of the 1972
Jewish Olympic team at
Munich.
Hijackiing. August 30.1970
• The Palestinians (PFLP) in return demanded a
say in the government of Jordan and hijacked
passenger jets, belonging to Swissair, BOAC
and TWA to give weight to their demands.
• The King refused to be threatened so the
Palestinians blew up the jets- (but released the
people first though)
• Several assassination attempts were also made
against the King. They all failed.
Hijackiing. August 30.1970
• The Palestinians (PFLP) in return demanded a
say in the government of Jordan and hijacked
passenger jets, belonging to Swissair, BOAC
and TWA to give weight to their demands.
• The King refused to be threatened so the
Palestinians blew up the jets- (but released the
people first though)
• Several assassination attempts were also made
against the King. They all failed.
Planes burn, and the world is
shocked.
The Munich Massacre 1972
•
•
The Black September Movement targeted the Israeli sportsmen who
attended the Olympic Games in Munich, Germany, 1972.
They managed to kill 12 of the Israeli Olympic team and successfully put
Western attention back onto the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Importance……
•The image of the
International
Terrorist became widely recognised
for the first time.
Three terrorists survived and were later
released when other terrorists hijacked
a German plane and threatened to kill
the passengers.
A Black September terrorist
negotiating with police.
King Hussein was the only Arab leader
to condemn the massacre.
Munich Olympic Games 1972
Terrorist attacks were intended to avenge the victory,
including the 1972 murders of 11 Israeli athletes at the
Munich Olympic Games.
1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany
•Members of Black September, a
Palestinian terrorist group, initially
kill two Israeli athletes and took nine
more hostage.
•By the end of the ordeal 11Israeli
athletes and coaches were killed
along with one West German police
officer.
•5 of the 8 terrorists were killed by
the West Germans in a failed rescue
attempt. The three captured
terrorists were released by West
Germany when Black September
hijacked a Lufthansa airliner.
•Israel responded with Operation
Wrath of God which included
assassinations of Palestinian
terrorists who planned the Munich
Massacre. This operation is
depicted in Steven Spielberg’s 2005
film Munich.
Yom Kippur War
Egypt’s President
Anwar Sadat
October 6, 1973 was
“Yom Kippur”- the holiest
day in the
Jewish calendar –
Egypt and Syria opened a
coordinated surprise
attack against Israel.
The equivalent of the total
forces of NATO in Europe
was mobilizing on Israel's borders.
The whole world watched anxiously to see
what steps would be taken by
Israel’s Prime Minister, Golda Meir.
Joint Arab attack on holiest Jewish holiday.
5. The 1973 Yom Kippur War begins.
Israel counter-attacked. Signed an uneasy truce.
T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
Egypt Strikes Back
Yom Kippur War
• Egypt, Syria determined to win territory back, launched Yom Kippur War,
surprise attack against Israel in 1973
• Took name from Jewish holy day when attack began
U.S. Support
• At first Arab troops made gains in war; Israeli’s government, led by Golda
Meir, not fully prepared for attack; needed military support from U.S.
• With support, Israeli forces regrouped, pushed back Egyptian, Syrian armies
Oil Embargo
• Both sides agreed to cease-fire after weeks of fighting
• During war, Arab members of OPEC declared oil embargo against countries
supporting Israel
• Price of oil around world rose dramatically as result of refusal to sell oil
Yom Kippur War, or the Fourth
Arab-Israeli War, was fought from
October 6 to October 26, 1973 by a
coalition of Arab states led by Egypt
and Syria against Israel.
The war was a surprise attack on
Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of
atonement.
The war had far-reaching
implications for many nations. The
Arab World, which had been
humiliated by the lopsided defeat of
the Egyptian-Syrian-Jordanian
alliance during the Six-Day War, felt
psychologically vindicated This
vindication paved the way for the
peace process that followed.
Yom Kippur War - 1973
In 1973, Egypt and Syria carried out
an attack on Israel during Yom
Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish
calendar.
This time, the Arabs were better
prepared with weapons from the
Soviet Union.
The Israelis were able to hold off
the Arabs, but the Yom Kippur War
was an important step to the peace
process.
Yom Kippur War 1973
• The Yom Kippur War, or October War
also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War
and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was
fought from October 6 to October 26,
1973, between Israel and a coalition of
Arab states led by Egypt and Syria.
Israel
Israeli trenches
on the Bar Lev
line.
• Israel had heavily fortified its borders,
especially the Suez area and the Golan
Heights. In the Suez area the defences
were called the ‘Bar Lev’ line after an Israeli
general.
• She knew however, that her greatest assets
were her air force and the motivation of her
soldiers. These she carefully nurtured.
October War of 1973
• Oct. 1973- Egyptian President Anwar Sadat
plans a joint Arab attack on Israel during Yom
Kippur- a Jewish holy day
• Successful- recapture some territory lost in 1967
• Golda Meir, Israeli Prime Minister, orders
counter attack
• Ariel Sharon led Israeli attack (Oct. 16)
• After a few weeks a truce is created
• USA and USSR got involved
October 24 1973. Ceasefire.
• Neither superpower wanted war therefore they cooperated in the United Nations.
• The United Nations organised a ceasefire. Resolution
338.
• No Russian soldiers ever arrived in Egypt.
• This was to the Arabs’ advantage because Israeli forces
were close to both Egypt’s and Syria’s capital cities,
they had one entire Egyptian army cut off in the
Sinai desert, and had, by now, occupied large
pieces of Arab territory.
• The UN sent in peace keepers to the Suez region, and
the Golan heights. All forces began to withdraw.
Lebanon
Golan Heights
Syria
The End of the War.
-green marks Israeli
gains
Israel
Jordan
Suez Canal
Egypt
Casualties
• Israel 2,688 dead.
• Egypt 7,700 dead.
• Syria 3,500 dead.
Results
• The Arab armies did much better than in the Six-Day
War and managed to inflict some surprises on the
Israelis. This filled some with confidence.
• The Israelis learned from the experience not to be
complacent about Arab threats, or lax in defence.
• Both sides, consequently, continued updating their
weapons, and planned for the next war.
• The war had solved nothing, and had proved little.
Arab-Israeli Conflict
Connection to Oil
• 1973: Arab members
of OPEC decided to
put an embargo on
oil
– No sales to U.S.
– Meant to punish U.S.
for supporting Israel
in the Yom-Kippur
War
– Caused shortage of
supply in the U.S.
– Gas Lines
Camp David Peace Accords
Egyptian President Sadat offers peace to Israel.
President Carter sets meeting in U.S.
6. Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and
Sadat sign the Camp David Accords in 1978.
• Egypt becomes first Arab nation to officially
recognize Israel’s statehood.
• Israel agrees to return Sinai Peninsula to Egypt.
Israel
Egypt’s President Anwar Sadat shocked
the world when he
became the first leader
of the Arab-world
to offer peace to Israel.
“We used to reject you,”
he told the Israeli
Parliament, “yet, today,
we agree to live with
Two years later,
you in permanent
Sadat is assassinated by angry Muslim extremists.
peace and justice.”
Egypt’s new President Hosni Mubarak
kept Sadat’s policy
and maintained
peace with Israel.
Palestinians could no
longer rely on Egypt in
their conflict with Israel.
A Peace Agreement
Until the late 1970s, no Arab nation had recognized Israel’s right to exist.
Camp David
• 1977, Egyptian president
Anwar Sadat made
momentous declaration: Egypt
wanted peace with Israel
• U.S. president Jimmy Carter
invited Sadat, Israeli prime
minister Menachem Begin to
Camp David, presidential
retreat in Maryland
Peace Treaty
• 1978, Sadat, Begin reached
agreement known as Camp
David Accords
• Egypt recognized Israel; Israel
returned Sinai Peninsula to
Egypt
• Treaty ended 30 years hostility
between Egypt, Israel
Dr.Kissinger and the Sadat
Initiative.
• The United states sent Dr.Kissinger to organise
a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. An
‘interim’ agreement was signed September 1975
• November 1977 President Sadat proposed the
‘Sadat initiative’. He would visit Jerusalem and
speak to the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) to
resolve all difficulties.
• It at last broke the mould of hatred and distrust
between Egypt and Israel.
Dr. Kissinger (USA). The
peace broker.
Camp David, USA.
• Under the guidance of US President Jimmy
Carter, President Sadat of Egypt and Prime
Minister Menachim Begin of Israel met at Camp
David to discuss the future of the Middle East.
• They both won the Nobel Peace Prize when a
Camp David peace agreement was signed
1978. It promised peace at last!
Attempts at Peace
 Menachem Begin became prime minister of Israel in 1977,
during the US presidency of Jimmy Carter.
 President Carter helped Prime Minster Begin and
Egyptian President Anwar Sadat work out an
agreement.
 This agreement was called the Camp David Accord.
 The three leaders met at Camp
David in the US
 Begin agreed to remove all Israeli
troops from the Sinai Peninsula
and return the land to Egypt.
 Other Arab countries were not
happy about this agreement.
 In 1981, Sadat was assassinated by
troops in the Egyptian army.
ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT cont.
• Camp David Accords (1977)
• In 1979 Egypt and Israel signed a treaty in
which Egypt recognized (acknowledged)
Israel’s right to exist and Israel gave back the
Sinai Peninsula to Egypt
• Why do you think the
U.S. was involved?
Anwar el-Sadat, Egypt
Jimmy Carter, U.S.
Menachem Begin, Israel
Presidents Sadat (UAE), Carter
(USA), and Begin (Israel) sign
the Camp David Accords. 1978.
Perspectives on Camp David
Accords
Israeli
• Shows that the country is
willing to trade land it has
conquered for peace
Palestinian and Arab
Nations
• Egypt recognizes that Israel
is a country and exists.
• Sadat assassinated in 1981
by Muslim extremists
• Jordan signs peace
agreement with Israel in
1994.
Peace in 1979
• Following Israel’s near defeat
in the 1973 Yom Kippur War
Israel became much more
amenable to peace.
• In 1979 Egypt and Israel made
peace. Israel agreed to
withdraw from Egyptian
territory and allow Palestinians
in the occupied West Bank and
Gaza self-rule leading to a free
vote on the future status of
these territories.
• Israel implemented the first
part of this agreement and
completely ignored the second
part. Instead it chose to build
illegal colonies – settlements –
today 500,000 Israelis live
illegally in Palestinian territory.
Reflection
• Write for three minutes about BOTH of the
following questions.
– If you were Israeli, how might you feel about the
Camp David Accords?
– If you were Palestinian or a resident of an Arab
country, how might you feel about the Camp
David Accords?
Rise of Hezebollah and
Hamas
Hamas
Hamas - Islamic Resistance
Movement
„hamas” means „enthusiasm”
- Palestinian movement
- established in 1987
by Sheikh Ahmed Yasin
- against any agreement with
Israel
- goal: to establish an Islamic
theocracy in the area that is
currently Israel, the West Bank
and Gaza.
Hamas Background




Arabic acronym for “The Islamic
Resistance Movement”
Grew out of the Muslim
Brotherhood
Created in 1987 by Shaikh Ahmed
Yassin
Headquarters in Gaza City, Palestine
Hamas (1987)
• A. Attacks:
• 1. Many bombings,
suicide bombings, rocket
and artillery attacks,
kidnappings, beatings,
and other acts of
violence against Israeli
civilians during 80’s and
90’s- hundreds of
casualties
• 2. provides relief,
education, to
Palestinians
• 3. provides political
participation
•
•
•
•
•
B. Goals:
1. destruction of Israel
2. destruction of Judaism
3. political violence
4. creation of a
Palestinian State
Hamas (cont.)
•
•
•
•
C. Individuals:
1. Saikh Ahmed Yassir – founder
2. Mohammad Taha – political Leader
3. Many top officials have been assassinated by
Israel
•
•
•
•
•
D. Financing:
1. Israel at 1st, to balance the power of Al Fatah
2. Saudi Arabia
3. various other Middle East countries
4. illegal drug sales
The Slogan of Hamas
“God is it’s target, the Prophet is it’s model, the
Qur’an it’s constitution: Jihad is it’s path and
death for the sake of God is the loftiest of it’s
wishes.”
Goals
• Hamas combines Palestinian nationalism
with Islamic fundamentalism
• Destruction of Israel
• Replacement of Palestinian Authority with
an Islamic state
• Strive to raise the banner of Allah over
every inch of Palestine
Primary Targets
•
•
•
•
Israelis in Palestine
Jews
Fatah
Anyone opposed to
the Islamic Movement
Attacks
• Hamas is believed to
have killed more than 500
people in more than 350
separate terrorist attacks
since 1993
• Most of the killings were
done by suicide bombers
• Also use mortars, shortrange rockets, and small
arms fire
Suicide Attacks
• Recruits do not fit the
usual psychological
profile of suicidal
people
• Usually paid $3,000$5,000
• Recruits undergo
intense religious
indoctrination
• The average bombing
costs about $150
Recent Activity
•
•
•
•
•
350 separate terrorist attacks since 1993
January 15, 2004 – female suicide bomber
May 14, 2004 – double suicide bombers
Boycotted 2005 elections
Participated in 2006
elections
Potential Threat to U.S.
• November 8, 2006
• Hamas called on Muslims around the
world to attack American targets
• No attacks on U.S. have been linked to
Hamas
Hamas Finances
• Palestinian expatriates and private donors
in Saudi Arabia and other oil-rich Persian
Gulf states.
• Muslim Charities around the world
• Iran also provides significant support
Leaders
•
•
•
•
•
Sheikh Ahmed Yassin
Abdel Aziz Rantisi
Khaled Mashal
Mahmoud Zahar
Ismail Haniyah
Sheikh Ahmed Yassin
• Born on January 1,
1929 in Jura,
Palestine
• Founder of Hamas
• Sentenced to life in
prison, released after
1 year
• Assassinated on
March 22, 2004 by
Israeli gunship
helicopter
“We chose this road,
and will end with
martyrdom or victory”
Abdel Aziz Rantisi
• One of the founders
of Hamas
• Doctor and lecturer at
Islamic University
• Took leadership after
Yassin’s death
• Assassinated on April
17, 2004
“Violent resistance is the only
option for the restoration of
our stolen rights”
Mahmoud Zahar
• Born in 1945 to a
Palestinian father and
an Egyptian Mother
• Yassin’s personal
physician
• Senior official and
spokesperson
• Secretly assigned to
leadership after
Rantisi’s
assassination
Khaled Mashal
• Born in Silwad,
Ramallah
• Physics teacher
• Unofficial leader of
Hamas
• Represents Hamas
Internationally
“Our nation is moving
forward, and it is in your
interest to respect a
victorious nation”
Ismail Haniyah
• Born January 1963
• Degree in Arabic
Literature
• Won the Palestinian
legislative election of
January 2006
• Sworn in as Prime
Minister
• More Moderate than
previous Hamas
leaders
Hezbollah
Hezbollah – Party of God
- founded in 1982 by
Libanese Shia groups
- Leader: Hassan
Nasrallah
- goal: to establish a
united Islamic republic
- cooperates with Hamas
against Israel
Hezbollah – The Party of God –
Islamic Jihad (1982)
• A. Attacks:
• 1. many attacks in Israel
(80’s – 90’s)
• 2. US Embassy (1984)
• 3. Marine Barracks,
Lebanon, 1984
• 4. kidnapping of
Americans in Lebanon 1980’s
• 5. TWA hijacking – 1985
• 6. Israeli Embassy attack
– 1992
• B. Goals:
• 1. elimination of Israel,
liberation of Jerusalem,
and Islamic rule in
Lebanon
• 2. guidance and
assistance to other
extremist groups
• 3. Independent State of
Palestine
Hezbollah (cont.)
• C. Individuals:
• 1.Ideas of the former Ayatollah Khomeini (Iran)
• 2. Sec. Gen. - Hasan Nasrallah of the
Consultative Council (ruling body)
•
•
•
•
•
D. Financing:
1. Iran
2. false charities and humanitarian groups
3. wealthy individuals
4. diplomatic, political, and logistical support
from Syria
• 5. businesses
The Hezbollah Flag
The Metamorphosis of
Hezbollah
• Shi’ite beliefs
– One of Mohammed’s decedents must
return before God judges humanity
– Mohammed’s power flowed through his
heirs
• Mohammed had twelve direct heirs, or
imams, and that the last imam was taken
directly to heaven
The Metamorphosis of Hezbollah
The birth of Hezbollah
– Secular Syrian Ba’athists wanted to establish control in Lebanon
– Lebanon was locked in a multifaceted civil war
– Secular Palestinians in the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)
moved into the Shi’ite areas of southern Lebanon
– The Syrians backed the southern Shi’ites in the civil war, pitting the
Shi’ites and the Syrians against the PLO
– The Israelis invaded Lebanon in 1982 to drive the PLO from the
south.
– This led to an alliance among Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, secular
Syrian Ba’athists, and southern Lebanese Shi’ites
– As Shi’ite militias resisted the Israeli invasion, one group began to
form in the shadows of the civil war.
– It centered around a “nonorganization”- a governing council to share
ideas, plans, and money, but designed to disappear and leave
– autonomous groups to carry out attacks under a variety of names.
They called themselves Hezbollah, or the Party of God
The Metamorphosis of
Hezbollah
• The Umbrella organization of Hezbollah
– Overhead, Syrian and Iranian money
and supplies poured into the movement
– Below the umbrella, several Shi’ite cells
operated autonomously and received
money, weapons, and ideas through
hidden channels linked with the spiritual
leaders
– The leadership formed alliances with
two Lebanese Shi’ite groups, Al Dawa
and Islamic Amal
The Metamorphosis of
Hezbollah
• Leadership of Hezbollah
– Sheik Mohammed Hassan Fadallah
» Charismatic spiritual leader
– Abus Musawi
» Provided loose connections to Iran
– Hassan Nasrallah
» Practical miltarist
The Metamorphosis of
Hezbollah
•
The developmental phases of Hezbollah
– Phase one (1982-1985), the umbrella covered
many terrorist groups
– After 1985, Hezbollah’s leaders wanted to
develop a revolutionary movement similar to that
which gripped Iran in 1978 and 1979
– Narsrallah began changing the structure of
Hezbollah in 1985
» He established regional centers, transforming
them to operational bases between 1987 and
1989
– Hezbollah on the warpath
» The marine barracks bombing
» Kidnapping campaign in Beirut
The Current State of Hezbollah
•
•
Hezbollah’s tactics
– The primary tactic is bombing
» Suicide bombing
» Radio-controlled bombs
Hezbollah international
– The Supreme Council denies its existence
– The international section has cells in several
different countries, including the United
States, and maintains an extensive
international finance ring partially based on
smuggling, drugs, and other crimes
Continued Actions of PLO
The Flag of the Palestinian
Liberation Organization
The PLO
• The Palestinians, the PLO and most Arab
states were furious! It looked like an Arab
nation had broken with the Khartoum
Resolution and recognised Israel as an
independent state (and therefore
dismissed Palestinian Arab claims to their
own lands).
• 1981 President Sadat was assassinated.
Not one of his bodyguards returned fire on
the attackers.
• There were three US presidents at Sadat’s
funeral, and only one Arab leader.
Impact into the 1980s
• Egypt and Israel, by a lot of fighting, had found a
way to work together.
• The Palestinians, PLO, were not prepared to
tolerate this and would step up their campaign of
attacks from their bases in Lebanon.
• Other Arab states looked to take over Egypt’s
role as leader of the Arab league; Syria notably,
but also Iraq. Attacking Israel was seen as a
good way to get Arab unity.
Escalating Violence
Operation Peace For Galilee
from 1982 to 2000
• In June 1982 after a year long
ceasefire Israel, without
provocation, invaded Lebanon in
an attempt to destroy the PLO. It
feared the diplomatic progress the
PLO was making through
maintaining the peace.
• During the war 20,000
Palestinians, Lebanese and
Syrians died - around 17,000
civilians.
• Israel remained in occupation of
part of Lebanon until 2000. To
fight this occupation a new
resistance group, the Hezbollah,
came into existence.
Sabra and Shatilla in 1982
•
•
•
•
The worst massacre of the Lebanon
War came in September 1982.
Approximately 1,700 Palestinian
civilians were murdered in the
Sabra and Shatilla Refugee Camps
after Ariel Sharon, despite
warnings, introduced the Lebanese
Christian militia, the Phalangists,
into the camps.
Israeli soldiers watched the three
day massacre; lit up the camp at
night; bussed in Phalangist
reinforcements; prevented civilians
from fleeing and even provided
bulldozers to cover up the dead.
The UN condemned the massacre
as “an act of genocide.” Israeli PM
Menachem Begin denied any
responsibility: “Goyim are killing
goyim and the whole world is trying
to hang Jews for the crime.”
First Intifada
Palestinians continued to
resent Israel’s rule over
their lands and they began
turning increasingly to the
P.L.O. (Palestinian
Liberation Organization) a militant group fighting
an armed struggle for the
liberation of Palestine
from Israel.
T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
Yasir Arafat was the leader
of the P.L.O.
from 1969 – 2004.
In 1987 Palestinians began
the intifada - a widespread
“uprising” with acts of
civil disobedience – such
as attacking Israeli
soldiers, rock throwing,
boycotts, demonstrations.
By 1991 world pressure
led to peace talks again.
Tenuous Peace
Intifada
• Palestinian youths battled Israeli troops in widespread street violence
• Israel responded with military, police resistance; fighting continued to 1990s
• 1993, Arafat, Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin negotiated Oslo Accords
Oslo Accords
• Oslo Accords called for Palestinians to gradually gain control over governing
West Bank, Gaza
• Israel, PLO supposed to sign permanent peace agreement by 1998
Undermining Peace
• Extremists on both sides worked to undermine peace process
• Militant group Hamas launched suicide bombings in Israel
• 1995, Rabin assassinated; relations between Israeli, Palestinian leadership
soured
Intifada.
• Intifada: ‫ انتفاضة‬Arabic word stands for
shaking off or shivering because of fear or
illness.
• It also means abrupt and sudden waking
up from sleep or unconcerned status.
• Politically; The word came to symbolise
the Palestinian uprising against the Israeli
occupation.
• The word also stands for the weakness of
the Palestinian people and their suffering
under the Israeli occupation.
Intifada – “Uprising”
In the 1980’s Palestinians began the Intifada, or
war of sticks and stones. Israeli soldiers did not
know how to react to the Palestinian civilians without
looking like bullies.
INTIFADA
SHAKING OFF”
“
Intifada---1987 to 1993
• First Intifada – 1987-1993 : Violence moves from
organized to massive civil warfare
– Triggered by Palestinian students : boycotting Israeli
goods, strikes, graffiti, barricades, planned terrorism,
resistance of authorities
INTIFADA
• Dec. 1987-1992
• Civil Disobedience….Becomes more violent
over time
• Hamas: religious faction that competes with
PLO (Created in 1988). Hamas wants to
preserve the Islamic way of life.
• By 1990: 1025 Palestinians dead, 56 Israelis
dead.
The Intifada
• Palestinian uprising against Israeli
occupation, living conditions, and to
demand independence that begins in 1987.
– Includes Palestinian demonstrations, strikes,
boycotts, rock throwing and gasoline bombs.
• Israeli military response
• Over approx. 400 Israelis Killed
• Over approx. 1500 Palestinians Killed
The Intifada
• In December 1987 the
Palestinians of the West Bank
and Gaza rose in revolt.
• The uprising was unarmed
and took the form of civil
disobedience, tax strikes,
boycotts and non co-operation
with collaborators.
• Israel responded with a policy
of “might, force and beatings.”
• Up to mid 1991 Israel had
exiled 69 Palestinian leaders,
shot and killed over 600
demonstrators and by 1990
imprisoned 40,000
Palestinians including many
children.
Death…A Part of Life?
The 1990’s showed little improvement to the situation.
Israeli extremists were responsible for the Hebron Massacre where
29 Palestinians were killed at a mosque.
Another Jewish extremist, angered by peace efforts, assassinated
Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin.
Palestinian terrorism is also common. Suicide bombings by
Palestinian groups attack both civilian and military targets.
Oslo Peace Accords
Peace Efforts Continued
 During the 1990’s several advances towards peace
were made with several meetings taking place in
places such as Egypt, Spain, the United States, and
Norway.

1993 Oslo Accords: Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat and
Israel’s Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin met to begin to work out
a peace deal that included each side recognizing the right of
the other to exist.
 Rabin assassinated by Jewish extremist in November
of 1995
Peace in 1993
• In 1993 Israel and the PLO
agreed to embark on a peace
process.
• The PLO renounced terrorism
and agreed to recognise
Israeli sovereignty over 78%
of historic Palestine.
• In return the PLO believed
that Israel would end its
occupation and that the
remaining 22% of historic
Palestine would become the
state of Palestine.
• However, Israel gave no
guarantees and with the
murder of Rabin the peace
process effectively died.
CH 34: Section 4 – “The Declaration of Principles” Text p. 905; Packet p.
Ongoing violence associated with the intifada as well as
Palestinian civil disobedience led to pressure on Israel.
7. Prime Minister of Israel Yitzhak Rabin and P.L.O.
leader Arafat issue a Declaration of Principles.
Rabin promised
self-rule for the Palestinians
in the Gaza Strip and West Bank.
Rabin and Arafat were both awarded
the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.
In the same manner that Sadat had
been assassinated in 1981 by Muslim
extremists on his side who were angry
about his willingness to make peace
with Israel…
Following the assassination of Egypt’s
President Sadat in 1981, Israeli Prime
Minister Rabin paid
a respectful visit to his memorial.
…Israel’s Prime Minister
Rabin was also assassinated in
1995 by a right-wing Jewish
extremist angry at Rabin’s
concessions to the P.L.O.
Memorial to Yitzhak Rabin in Tel Aviv, Israel
1993
• Oslo Accords (Declaration of Principles on Interim SelfGovernment Arrangements)
– GOI and PLO meet, sign accords on September 13, 1993)
– Sets up the Palestinian National Authority
• Mutual recognition between PNA/State of Israel
• Government over the ‘Occupied Territories’ gradually phased over
in a period of 5 years to PNA
– IDF (Israeli Defense Force) to withdraw from the areas, eventual
sovereignty given to PNA
– Failed
•
•
•
•
Only addressed borders – no status of Jerusalem, refugees
No provisions for a permanent Palestinian state
OCT still under Israeli military control
Cultural violence continues (Israeli anger at Palestinians/vice versa)
Yasser Arafat
Yitzhak Rabin
Reflection
• Write for three minutes about BOTH of the
following questions.
– If you were Israeli, how might you feel about the
Intifadas and peace efforts during the 1990’s?
– If you were Palestinian, how might you feel
about the Intifadas and peace efforts during the
1990’s?