Arab-Israeli conflict 1948-9 1947-
Introduction The land known as Palestine had, by 1947, seen considerable immigration of Jewish peoples fleeing persecution. Zionist Jews were particularly in favour of getting Palestine as a new Jewish homeland. Using their memory of tradition they sought refuge in the land of their ancestors- Judea. Judea (where the word Jew comes from) was also the name of the land known as Palestine. The land called Israel is also a land called Palestine. The local people of this land were Muslim Arabs. They were called Palestinians because the land was called Palestine. The local Palestinian population of Muslim Arabs felt that the influx of newcomers was threatening
Zionism (Zion means Land of Israel or refers to Israel GOALS: The spiritual and political renewal of the Jewish people in its ancestral homeland of Palestine. Freedom from Western anti- Semitism. Theodore Herzl 1860-1904
David Ben-Gurion declares Israel s Independence May 14, 1948 The United Nations Partition Plan (1947) had decided that partition was the best way to stop the fighting in Palestine. The Jews were to get c.55% of the land, and the Arabs, 45%. The Jewish - leader Ben-Gurion -gave it a cautious welcome. Israel was quickly recognised by the USA and Russia. They were powerful, and rich, friends.
1948-9 Israeli War of Independence. Arab League countries declared war on the new Israel immediately. Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon all planned invasions. The idea was to crush Israel before it could become established.
1948 Arab Invasion plans of Israel ( in red.) From Lebanon and Syria From Transjordan and Iraq From Egypt
Clashes between the Arabic and Jewish populations had been frequent and bloody. The British rulers of Palestine decided on a repression of the Arabic people to keep the peace. By 1947 this had achieved an unhappy calm between all three groups. The Jews pushed the Palestinian Arabs to the east and claimed Palestine as their own territory by religious right. They were merely coming home. They renamed it Israel.
Israel West Bank -Jordanian Gaza Strip-Egyptian
Jerusalem- the main city. Jerusalem is an ancient city that has been fought over for thousands of years. This is partly because it is a place of fundamental religious importance for Christians, Muslims and Jews. Each group is highly suspicious of the other. Conflict has been violent and each group lives uneasily guarding its own space. Jerusalem is also a modern city and an economic centre of Israel. Whoever controls Jerusalem controls the region.
The Western Wall is a surviving remnant of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, which was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. The Temple was the center of the spiritual world, the main conduit for the flow of Godliness. When the Temple stood, the world was filled with awe of God and appreciation for the genius of the Torah. Eternal Symbol Place of Pilgrimage and Tears Focus of Prayers Built with Love and Dedication Site of Jewish Heroism Western Wall or Wailing Wall
Church of the Holy Sepulchre, also called the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, or the Church of the Resurrection pilgrimage destination for Christians and is said also to contain the place where Jesus was buried
Al-Aqsa Mosque Muslims believe the location of the Dome of the Rock to be the site of the Islamic miracle Jerusalem is considered a sacred site in Sunni Islamic tradition, along with Mecca and Medina. Islamic tradition holds that previous prophets were associated with the city, and that the Islamic prophet Muhammad visited the city Part of Jerusalem's significance and holiness to Muslims derives from its strong association with Abraham, David, Solomon, and Jesus. They are all regarded as Prophets of Islam and their stories are mentioned in the Qur'an. Dome of the Rock-where Mohammad descended into heaven
PLO The Palestine Liberation Organization was created on May 29, 1964, at a meeting of the Palestine National Congress in Jerusalem. The congress' meeting, the first in Jerusalem since the 1948 Arab-Israeli war Yasser Arafat- In 1974 the PLO was formally recognized by the UN, and Arafat became the first leader of a nongovernmental organization to address the UN Islamic Jihad- militant organization believed that the organization did not commit enough effort to prevent Israel from occupying Palestinian territories Hamas-the Arabic Palestinian terror army or Palestinian freedom fighters?
Is this a good solution do you think?
Israel Puts up a wall around Palestinian areas to prevent terrorist from moving into Israeli areas
Palestinian Arab refugees. The seeds of years of future discontent?
Point of principal. For now, Israel had won her right to exist. The Arab league had to think again before challenging this right. Palestinians who had lost homes were a strong voice of protest against the new state. Ben Gurion was a national hero.
Perhaps you can think of another solution to this conflict? Before you do, consider why this conflict exists in more detail. Examine causes and consequences. Look at sources and evidence. Where does truth lie. Who is right? What can be done? Over to you.