Conflicts in the Middle East
Chapter 17
Section 3
Middle East
Middle East—Land of Conflict
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For decades, the Middle East has been the location of
conflict
Modern Israel was created in 1948 on land that had
belonged to Palestinian Arabs following the UN Partition
vote in 1947
As a result, there has been repeated war and violence
between Israel and the Arab countries
In several wars against Egypt and other Arab states, Israel
gained more territory after defeating the Arab countries
This is called the occupied territories – land that Arab
states believes belongs to them
Israel’s War of Independence (1948)
Arab countries
invaded Israel
from Syria,
Lebanon, Jordan,
and Egypt with
the mutual goal
of destroying
Israel. Israel
defeated these
Arab armies in
1948.
Israel in 1947 and 1949
Palestinians
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The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), led by
Yasir Arafat, fought against the Israelis
In the occupied territories, Palestinians launched
uprisings called intifadas
In addition, suicide bombers spread terror inside
Israel by blowing themselves up to kill innocent
civilians
The Israelis have responded with armed force to
protect their citizens, and Palestinian bitterness
increased
Leaders such as Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak
Rabin, pushed for peace with the Palestinians over
many years
Suicide Bomber
Suicide Bomber Training for an Attack
Yasir Arafat – leader of the Palestine
Liberation Organization (PLO)
The PLO has been
branded a terrorist
organization by many
countries.
Palestinian Intifada
Obstacles to Peace
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There were many stumbling blocks, however, such as
disagreements over Jerusalem, a city sacred to
Jews, Christians, and Muslims
During the early 2000s, new steps toward peace
offered some hope, but serious obstacles remained
Jerusalem
Lebanon
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Lebanon is home to diverse ethnic and religious
groups
The government depended on a delicate balance
among Arab Christians, Sunni Muslims, Shiite
Muslims, and Druze
In 1975, Christian and Muslim militias battled each
other, and both Israel and Syria invaded
Lebanon’s civil war lasted for 15 years, until 1990,
when peace was finally restored
Thousands of Lebanese died during the civil war
Lebanon
Lebanon’s Civil War
Iraq
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Conflicts also plagued Iraq
Iraq’s Sunni Muslim minority dominated the country
for centuries and oppressed other Iraqi ethnic and
religious groups
The Kurdish minority and Shiite majority were
excluded from power
In 1979, Saddam Hussein seized power as dictator
He fought a prolonged war against neighboring
enemy Iran in the 1980s (Sept. 22,1980-August 20,
1988)
Saddam Hussein
Iraq
Distribution of Sunni and Shiite
Muslims Worldwide
Iran-Iraq War
Iraq (continued)
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In 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait to seize Kuwaiti oil
fields
In response, the USA led a coalition against that
invasion
In the Gulf War that followed, Kuwait was liberated
and Iraqi forces were crushed
Saddam Hussein remained in power and used terror
to impose his will
The USA, France, and Britain set up no-fly zones to
protect the Kurds and Shiites from Hussein’s
persecution and extermination
First Gulf War
First Gulf War
Oil Fields Set Ablaze During the First
Gulf War
No Fly Zones in Iraq
Iraq (continued)
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The United Nations worked to keep Saddam Hussein
from building biological, nuclear, or chemical
weapons, called weapons of mass destruction
(WMDs)
In 2003, the United States led a coalition that
invaded Iraq and overthrew Saddam Hussein
Iraqi insurgents fought against the occupation that
followed
In 2005, national elections were held in Iraq for the
first time
Saddam Hussein was executed December 30, 2006
Weapons of Mass Destruction
Weapon of Mass Deception
Powerpoint Questions
1. What is the name of the land given to the territory
Israel acquired over successive wars?
2. Who was the leader of the Palestinian Liberation
Organization (PLO)?
3. Rebellious uprisings are called ??
4. What Israeli leader pushed for peace despite these
uprisings?
5. What city is claimed by Jews, Christians, and
Muslims?
Powerpoint Questions
6. What event happened in Lebanon beginning in 1975?
Explain.
7. Who seized power in Iraq in 1979?
8. What country did Iraq fight for 8 years?
9. What country did Iraq invade in 1990?
10. Why did Iraq invade this country?
11. Why did the United States led coalition establish a
no-fly zone over Iraq? Explain.
Powerpoint Questions
12. What were the two no-fly zones called? (2 points)
13. Define weapons of mass destruction.
14. How did the USA address the Iraq problem in 2003?
15. What happened on December 30, 2006?
16. Critical thinking: What does the cartoon with
George W. Bush suggest?
The End