israel and its neighbors objective 1: explain the political boundaries of the countries in this...
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Israel and its Neighbors
Objective 1: Explain the political boundaries of the countries in this area.Objective 2: Describe the roots of the conflict between Israel and its neighbors.Objective 3: Debate the human rights situation in the region
Political Boundaries
Physical Geography
Physical Features and Climate
• Part of the Fertile Cresent (good conditions for growing crops, part of Mesopotamia)
• Rain shadow (dry area that forms behind the highland) – creates semiarid and arid
conditions
Where do people live?
Religious Differences• Two major ethnic groups: Jews and Arabs• Arabs are a majority group everywhere except
Israel. What major languages are spoken in this area?
• Jews• Some have lived in Israel for thousands of years• Some have recently migrated to Israel, bringing new
customs and cultures.
• Arabs• Druze – follow religion that combines Islam with other
teachings• Alawites – follow a form of Islam similar to Shia.
Roots of Conflict
• After WW1 – mandated territory to European powers. Following the fall of which empire?– Palestine mandated to the U.K.
• Anti-Semitism (discrimination against Jews)• Zionism – create a Jewish state in Palestine,
due to historic connections to the region.• 1947 – UN partitioned Palestine into two
separate states. Rejected by Arabs. Israel declared independence in 1948.
Conflict• Arab-Israeli War 1948, causes Israel to gain
more territory.– Arabs gained control of West Bank and Gaza Strip
• Israel – Egypt war 1956• 1967 – Israel defeats Syria, Jordan, and Egypt
in the Six Day War. Israel gains control of West Bank, Sinai Peninsula, and Gaza Strip.– Israel returns Sinai to Egypt in 1979 Peace Accord
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict• Israelis and Palestinians see the
region as their homeland• Both claim Jerusalem as their
capital • Israeli settlements on the West
Bank and Gaza Strip have caused tension.– Increased terror attacks against Israel
• Intifada – campaign of violent resistance against Israeli control
Intifida
Early Peace?
• 1994 – Israel agreed to peace with the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization -Yasser Arafat)– Palestinian Authority to rule parts of West Bank
and Gaza Strip– Israel agreed to remove settlers from Gaza Strip
• PLO recognized Israel’s right to exist and renounced terrorism
• Second Intifada (2000 – 2005)
Further Conflict and Hope for Peace
• Israel built barriers to separate Arab and Jewish sectors. – Aided in security but made it more difficult for
Palestinians to access farmland.• 2006 – Hamas gains control of Palestinian
parliament. Goal of Hamas?– Began rocket attacks and Israeli reprisals – Violence is seen as an obstacle to peace