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{{main|History of the Arab-Israeli conflict}} {{main|History of the Arab-Israeli conflict}}


===Beginning-1948===
The conflict began to form around the beginning of the 20th century. After the collapse of the ] in 1917, at the end of World War I, the region known as ] was controlled by ]. Jewish immigration increased during this period. The influx of Jews alarmed Palestinian leadership, and Muslim religious leaders helped to foment ] which led to ]:
An influx of Jewish immigrants into the Palestine, at this time a British ], created tensions between the Jewish population, most of which had long been exiled from the area, and the Arab population, which had resided in what is now Israel for over a thousand years.<ref name = "Sela">]. "Arab-Israeli Conflict." ''The Continuum Political Encyclopedia of the Middle East''. Ed. Avraham Sela. New York: Continuum, 2002. pp. 58-121.</ref>
<blockquote>"As long as the terrorist activity was directed only at Jewish targets, ], as well as the British administration saw nothing wrong with this. On the contrary, it fell in line with prevalent anti-Jewish policy of the time; the Mufti encouraged it and apparently extended financial aid to ] and his organization."<ref>Shai Lachman (1982), "Arab Rebellion and Terrorism in Palestine 1929-39: The Case of Sheikh Izz al-Din al-Qassam and His Movement," in ''Zionism and Arabism in Palestine and Israel'', ed. Elie Kedourie and Sylvia G. Haim (London: Frank Cass), p. 76.</ref></blockquote>
These tensions became increasingly great as Jewish militia groups fought for independence from the United Kingdom. Leaders in the Jewish community in Israel, feeling that armed conflict was the innevitable consequence of such tensions, began preparing for imminent war with Israel's Arab neighbors. As ] assumed command of the defense portfolio in the first postbellum ] in ], he discovered that the ] was unprepared to fight such a war, and thus began to organize manpower, and a plan to import heavy weapons so as to repel a possible Arab assault. <ref name=IsraeliGov>http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/History/Modern+History/Centenary+of+Zionism/The+Arab-Israeli+Wars.htm</ref>


At the end of World War II the conflict became a major international issue. Great Britain, the ], along with the United States, and the ] were determined to initiate a ]. The ] was put into effect in 1948, but was rejected by the Palestinians and the newly formed Muslim neighbor states of Iraq, Transjordan, Lebanon, Syria and Egypt. These countries, in collusion with the Palestinians, and with a view to enlarge their land holdings, attacked the newly formed Israeli state with far superior numbers and equipment. Israel was able to achieve a decisive victory. Before the war, Israel encompassed 54.5% of what was formerly British Palestine (though only 18% of the total area of the original mandate, from which Transjordan was excluded in 1922). Following the war, this grew to 78%. Egypt took the Gaza Strip, and Jordan the West Bank. The Palestinians - which at the time were not a credible or established political unity - were left without a state or voice in their affairs.<ref name=LATimesOnSizeOfPalestine>{{cite news|title = The incredible shrinking Palestine|source = The Los Angeles Times|url = http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-op-tolan21may21,0,5050089.story?coll=la-news-comment-opinions}}</ref> At the end of World War II the conflict became a major international issue. Great Britain, the ], along with the United States, and the ] were determined to initiate a ]. The ] was put into effect in 1948, but was rejected by the Palestinians and many Arab states.<ref name=LATimes>{{cite news|title = The incredible shrinking Palestine|source = The Los Angeles Times|url = http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-op-tolan21may21,0,5050089.story?coll=la-news-comment-opinions}}</ref>


Israel declared its independence from the United Kingdom on ], ]. Yet war interrupted the celebrations; ], ], ], ], the newly established ] and ] declared war on the infant nation. The ] lasted into early 1949. By its conclusion, Israel had greatly expanded its borders, and signed ceasefire agreements (though not peace accords) with all its Arab neighbors, although no formal truce was ever signed with Iraq, which has no common border with Israel.<ref name=Encarta>"Israel." ''Encarta Encycolpedia.'' http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761575008_10____75/Israel_(country).html#s75</ref>
Today many parties play major roles in the conflict. Among those are the ]. The conflict included a great number of major wars including the ], ], ], ], ], ], as well as a number of lesser conflicts. In the late spring of 1967, Gamal Abdel Nasser pushed tensions to the brink again closing off access to Israeli ports in the Sinai until, responding to the mounting threat, the Israelis unleashed a devastating preemptive air attack. Superb intelligence, planning, and execution resulted in the swift destruction of the air forces of Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, accompanied by equally successful blitzkriegs on the ground. The "Six-Day War" ended with Israel in possession of the West Bank and Golan Heights in addition to the Sinai and Gaza Strip. Arab-Israeli combat was now sophisticated enough for the world to pay attention to its military lessons, and observers noted how tanks and planes still dominated modern warfare. In the aftermath of the 1967 fiasco, Nasser took a different tack, harassing the Israelis with raids and artillery strikes in what became known as the War of Attrition. Arab revenge of a sort came in 1973, when Egypt and Syria struck in unison on ]. Strategic and tactical surprise, combined with an overwhelming ratio of forces, led to initial Arab victories in both theaters. Nevertheless, Israeli counter thrusts regained the lost ground and more, and the war stopped when the superpowers intervened to prevent further Arab losses. Once again the world learned military lessons, this time about how surface-to-air missiles and antitank weapons could humble even Israeli planes and armor. In the course of these conflicts, many Arabs were displaced from what is now Israel, and many Jews were displaced from what is now Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, the Palestinian Territories, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen.

{{seealso|Palestinian refugees|Jewish exodus from Arab lands}}
===1949-June 11, 1967===
The conflict has also been the source of two major Palestinian ]s (uprisings).
In ], Egypt discovered an Israeli spy ring intending to sabotage American interests within their borders, in order to augment the international image of the Egyptian government.<ref>http://www.mideastweb.org/ga997.htm</ref> That year, Egypt began a blockade in the ], in effect closing all shipping to the Israeli city of ].<ref>http://www.edu-negev.gov.il/goel/bet-yatziv/megila/rama2/kadesh.htm</ref> On ], ], Egypt nationalized the ], and closed the canal to Israeli shipping.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/26/newsid_2701000/2701603.stm</ref> In September, Egypt and Czechoslovakia commenced an arms deal.<ref>http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761575008_10/Israel.html</ref>

All of these factors alarmed the Israeli government, and on ], ], Israel invaded the ] with British and French support. During the ], Israel captured the Gaza Strip and Sinai Peninsula, although the ] and the ] pressured it into a ceasefire, which mandated complete withdrawal from Sinai and the Gaza Strip.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/26/newsid_2701000/2701603.stm</ref><ref>http://www.mideastweb.org/ga997.htm</ref>
Egypt opened the Straits of Tiran, and lifted its blockade, and Israel withdrew completely from the Egyptian territory.

In order to maintain the recently established peace, the ] (UNEF) was deployed in the Sinai Peninsula, with the purpose of overseeing its demilitarization. However, Israel and Egypt did not commence peace talks to solve underlying causes of the conflict.<ref>http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761575008_10/Israel.html</ref>

In 1965, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon commenced construction which would divert the course of multiple rivers so that they would not flow into Israel. Israeli attacks against these facilities prevented the plan from coming to fruition, but further helped sow the seeds of animosity between itself and its Arab neighbors.<ref>Koboril and Glantz, 1998, pp. 129-130.</ref><!--Koboril, Iwao and Glantz, Michael H. (1998). Central Eurasian Water Crisis. United Nations University Press. ISBN 92-808-0925-3-->

On ], ], Egypt expelled UNEF observers,
<ref>http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/dpko/co_mission/unef1backgr2.html</ref>
and emassed 100,000 soldiers in the Sinai Peninsula.
<ref>http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/History/Modern+History/Centenary+of+Zionism/The+Arab-Israeli+Wars.htm</ref> The Nasser government closed the straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping.
<ref>'Egypt Closes Gulf Of Aqaba To Israel Ships: Defiant move by Nasser raises Middle East tension', ], Tuesday, ], 1967; pg. 1; Issue 56948; col A.</ref>
This catapulted the region back to the pre-1956 status quo, much to Israel's concern.

On ], ], Jordan entered into the mutual defense pact between Egypt and Syria. President Nasser declared: "Our basic objective is the destruction of Israel. The Arab people want to fight."<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/30/newsid_2493000/2493177.stm</ref>

On ] of that year, Israel sent almost all of its planes on a secret and preemptive mission in Egypt, in order to respond to what it perceived as continued acts of aggression by its largest Arab neighbor. The ] (AIF) dealt a heavy blow to the Egyptian airforce while its planes were still grounded, but in doing so essentially declared war against the Egypt and its allies--Syria and Jordan. When Jordan declared that it had officially joined the war, in spite of Israeli calls for neutrality, the IAF turned eastward and destroyed much of the Jordanian Air Force, in whose fate the Syrian airforce and Iraqi airforce (which aided the tripartate alliance) followed soon thereafter. Before the end of the first day of this war, Arab air capabilities were all but destroyed.
<ref>http://www.palestinefacts.org/pf_1948to1967_sixday_course.php</ref>
<ref>http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/History/Modern+History/Centenary+of+Zionism/The+Arab-Israeli+Wars.htm</ref>
This left the ] at a dramatic disadvantage in a war whose primary staple was the tank, which could be easily targeted from the sky. With little in the way of an airforce opposing it, Israel handily repelled Egypt behind the Suez Canal, Jordan behind the ], and Syria out of most of the ], conquering an area many times its prewar size in a matter of six days.
<ref name=IsraeliGov>http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/History/Modern+History/Centenary+of+Zionism/The+Arab-Israeli+Wars.htm</ref>

===June 12, 1967-1973===
In the summer of 1967, as a direct response to the unexpected defeat of Arab forces in the ], Arab leaders met in Khartoum to discuss the Arab position toward Israel. They reached concensus that there should be:
*No peace with Israel.
*No recognition of the State of Israel.
*No negotiations with Israel. <ref name=LebaneseGov>http://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/article.asp?ln=en&id=1351 source</ref>

On October 21, 1967, an Egyptian torpedo boat sank '']'', and in June of the following year, Egypt began bombarding Israeli positions on the east side of the Suez Canal. Thus commenced the ] between Israel and Egypt. Egypt's stated goal in this war was to compel Israel, which did not have manpower reserves, to surrender and return the Sinai Peninsula by inflicting heavy casualties on its military.
<ref>http://www.mmc.gov.eg/branches/Navy/t4.htm</ref>
<ref name=Britannica">http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-219430/Israel</ref>
<ref name=IsraeliGov>http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/History/Modern+History/Centenary+of+Zionism/The+Arab-Israeli+Wars.htm</ref>

In August, ], American Secretary of State ] formulated the ] for a ceasefire. Israel, Egypt and Jordan agreed a ceasefire under its terms. Egypt and its Soviet allies violated its terms almost immediately by moving their missiles near the Suez Canal, and constructing the largest anti-aircraft system in history (up until that point).

Meantime, in Jordan, ]'s agreement to the ] constituted a recognition of Israel, in violation of the ]. This angered the ], which then began fighting the Jordanian government, and initiated a campaign of terrorist attacks against Israel. ] aided the PLO against Hussein's government. But Israel positioned troops along the Jordan River in what appeared to preempt a Syrian incursion into Jordan. It is believed by some that this may have prevented direct Syrian involvement in the conflict. <ref name=EgyptianGov>http://www.sis.gov.eg/En/Pub/magazin/fall1998/110208000000000003.htm sources 1</ref> <ref name=Britannica>http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-219430/Israel 2</ref>
<ref name>://www.ciaonet.org/atlas/countries/il_data_loc.html</ref>
<ref name=IsraeliGov>http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/History/Modern+History/Centenary+of+Zionism/The+Arab-Israeli+Wars.htm</ref>
Following President Nasser's death by a heart attack in 1970, ] assumed the Egyptian Presidency. Under his leadership, the War of Attrition ended, but Egypt began preparations for another war with Israel.<ref>http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761564886/Arab-Israeli_War_of_1973.html</ref>

On ], ], Syria and Egypt, eager to retake the lands which they had lost in the ] ], commenced an attack against Israel. This attack deliberately coincided with ], the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, when most Israelis were praying and fasting. The Arab armies overpowered the surprised Israeli army, and advanced into the Golan Heights and Sinai Peninsula. The Israeli government quickly drafted a battle plan, and began to turn the tide of the conflict.<ref>http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-219432/Israel</ref>

This clearly became an East vs. West conflict, in which the United States supplied Israel, and the Soviet Union supported the Arab armies. So long as the tide of war favored the Arabs, neither power found it necessary to declare a ceasefire. However, when Israel crossed the Suez Canal, and, having conquered new Syrian territory, began to shell ], the USSR threatened military intervention. The United States, wary of nuclear war, secured a ceasefire on ].<ref>http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-219432/Israel</ref><ref>http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761564886/Arab-Israeli_War_of_1973.html</ref>

===1974-2000===
====Egypt====
Following the ] of the late ], Israel and Egypt signed a peace agreement in March, 1979. This was the fist permanent peace agreement between Israel and an Arab state. Under its terms, the Sinai Peninsula would return to Egyptian hands, and the Gaza Strip would remain under Israel control, to be included in a future Palestinian state. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1980, and Israel completed its withdrawal from the Sinai in 1982.<ref name=Encarta>"Israel." ''Encarta Encycolpedia.'' http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761575008_11/Israel.html</ref>

====Jordan====
In ], ], Israel and Jordan signed a peace agreement, under whose terms both parties agreed to mutual cooperation, an end of hostilities, and a resolution of unsorted issues, such as the division of land and water resources between them.<ref name=Encarta>"Israel." ''Encarta Encycolpedia.'' http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761575008_11/Israel.html</ref>

====Iraq====
In ], ], Iraq finished construction of new nuclear facilities. Israel grew concerned with the prospect that an enemy state would have nuclear capabilities. Therefore, in June of that year, the IAF successfully attacked and destroyed these facilities.

During the ], Iraq fired a large number of missiles into Israel, in the hopes of uniting the Arab world against the coalition which sought to liberate Kuwait. At the behest of the United States, Israel did not respond to this attack in order to prevent a greater outbreak of war.<ref name=Encarta>"Israel." ''Encarta Encycolpedia.'' http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761575008_11/Israel.html</ref>

====Lebanon====
In 1970, following an extended civil war, King Hussein of Jordan expelled the ] from his country. The PLO resettled in Lebanon, and in 1976 allied itself with Syria and Lebanese ]. From Lebanon, the PLO staged raids into Israel. In 1981, Syria positioned missiles in Lebanon, which threatened much of the ]. And so, in ], ], Israel invaded Lebanon. Within two months, the PLO agreed to withdraw from Lebanon.

In ], ], Israel and Lebanon signed a ceasefire agreement. However, Syria pressured President ] into nullifying the truce in ], ]. In 1985, Israeli forces had mostly withdrawn from Lebanon, although a small force did remain in the South to secure the border.<ref name=Encarta>"Israel." ''Encarta Encycolpedia.'' http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761575008_10____75/Israel_(country).html#s75</ref>

Israel completely withdrew from Lebanon in ], ], leaving a power vaccum which Syria and ] were eager to fill..<ref name=Brandeis>"After the cease-fire." Brandeis University. http://my.brandeis.edu/news/item?news_item_id=105605&show_release_date=1</ref>

====Palestine====
In ], the ] began. This was a widespread and almost spontaneous protest in Gaza and the West Bank in response to ongoing Israeli occupation and settlement in Palestinian territories. The PLO was excluded from negotiations until it agreed to recognize Israel and renounce terrorism. Having done this the following year, ] gained the opportunity to negotiate on behalf of the PLO.

In ], Israel and the PLO signed the ], and their ], which have been loosely used as the guidline for Israeli-Palestinian relations since.<ref name=Encarta>"Israel." ''Encarta Encycolpedia.'' http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761575008_11/Israel.html</ref>

===2000-===
Because suicide bombers continued to infiltrate Israeli territory from Gaza and the West Bank during the ], Israel raided alleged terrorist facilities in major urban centers in the West Bank in ], in an attempt to secure order. Violence again swept through the region.
In 2003, Israeli Prime Minister ] began a policy of unilateral withdrawal and dismantling of settlements in the Gaza Strip, in hopes of restarting the peace process. This policy was fully implement by ], ].
In ], ], Hezbollah fighters attacked an Israeli convy, successfully kidnapping two soldiers and killing several others. In this way, the organization set off the ]. Thousands of Hezbollah rockets caused serious damage within Israel. Although Israel did not wage war directly against the Lebanese government or people, much of Lebanon's infrastructure was severely damaged during this conflict.<ref name=Encarta>"Israel." ''Encarta Encycolpedia.'' http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761575008_11/Israel.html</ref><ref name=MFA>"Behind the Headlines: UN Security Council Resolution 1701." Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/About%20the%20Ministry/Behind%20the%20Headlines/Behind%20the%20Headlines-%20UN%20Security%20Council%20Resolution%201701%2012-Aug-2006.htm</ref><ref>Spero News (2006). . Retrieved November 5, 2006.</ref>

On ], ], a UN-sponsored ceasefire went into effect, ending the ].<ref name="ceasefire-news">CNN (2006). . Retrieved December 7, 2006.</ref>


==Notes== ==Notes==

Revision as of 21:48, 26 February 2007

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 Template:Totally-disputed Template:Infobox Arab-Israeli conflict Template:Campaignbox Arab-Israeli conflict


The Arab-Israeli conflict (Template:Lang-ar, Template:Lang-he) spans about a century of political tensions and open hostilities. It involves the establishment of the modern State of Israel, as well as the establishment and independence of several Arab countries at the same time, and the relationship between the Arab nations and the state of Israel (see related Israeli-Palestinian conflict).

Scope of the conflict

Some uses of the term Middle East conflict refer to this matter; however, the region has been host to other conflicts not involving Israel (see List of conflicts in the Middle East). Since 1979, the conflict involves the Islamic Republic of Iran (a non-Arab state, not highlighted on the map) as well.

Despite involving a relatively small land area and number of casualties, the conflict has been the focus of worldwide media and diplomatic attention for decades, perhaps due to the huge petroleum reserves found in the area, in spite of the fact that Israel has practically no petrolium reserves, and neither Lebanon nor the Palestinian Authority have any. Furthermore, many countries, individuals and non-governmental organizations elsewhere in the world feel involved in this conflict for reasons such as cultural and religious ties with Islam, Arab culture, Christianity, Judaism or Jewish culture, or for ideological, human rights, strategic or financial reasons.

Because Israel is a democracy with a free press, the media has access to the conflict which also increases media coverage. Some consider the Arab-Israeli conflict a part of (or a precursor to) a wider clash of civilizations between the Western World and the Arab or Muslim world. Others claim that the religion dimension is a relatively-new matter in this conflict. This conflict has engendered animosities igniting numerous attacks on and by supporters (or perceived supporters) of opposing sides in countries throughout the world.

See also: History of the Middle East


History of the conflict

Main article: History of the Arab-Israeli conflict

Beginning-1948

An influx of Jewish immigrants into the Palestine, at this time a British mandate, created tensions between the Jewish population, most of which had long been exiled from the area, and the Arab population, which had resided in what is now Israel for over a thousand years. These tensions became increasingly great as Jewish militia groups fought for independence from the United Kingdom. Leaders in the Jewish community in Israel, feeling that armed conflict was the innevitable consequence of such tensions, began preparing for imminent war with Israel's Arab neighbors. As David Ben Gurion assumed command of the defense portfolio in the first postbellum Zionist Conference in 1946, he discovered that the Hagana was unprepared to fight such a war, and thus began to organize manpower, and a plan to import heavy weapons so as to repel a possible Arab assault.

At the end of World War II the conflict became a major international issue. Great Britain, the United Nations, along with the United States, and the USSR were determined to initiate a two-state solution. The UN mandated partition was put into effect in 1948, but was rejected by the Palestinians and many Arab states.

Israel declared its independence from the United Kingdom on May 14, 1948. Yet war interrupted the celebrations; Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Transjordan, the newly established Palestinian State and Iraq declared war on the infant nation. The Israeli War of Independence lasted into early 1949. By its conclusion, Israel had greatly expanded its borders, and signed ceasefire agreements (though not peace accords) with all its Arab neighbors, although no formal truce was ever signed with Iraq, which has no common border with Israel.

1949-June 11, 1967

In 1954, Egypt discovered an Israeli spy ring intending to sabotage American interests within their borders, in order to augment the international image of the Egyptian government. That year, Egypt began a blockade in the Straits of Tiran, in effect closing all shipping to the Israeli city of Eilat. On July 26, 1956, Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal Company, and closed the canal to Israeli shipping. In September, Egypt and Czechoslovakia commenced an arms deal.

All of these factors alarmed the Israeli government, and on October 29, 1956, Israel invaded the Sinai Peninsula with British and French support. During the Suez Canal Crisis, Israel captured the Gaza Strip and Sinai Peninsula, although the United States and the United Nations pressured it into a ceasefire, which mandated complete withdrawal from Sinai and the Gaza Strip. Egypt opened the Straits of Tiran, and lifted its blockade, and Israel withdrew completely from the Egyptian territory.

In order to maintain the recently established peace, the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) was deployed in the Sinai Peninsula, with the purpose of overseeing its demilitarization. However, Israel and Egypt did not commence peace talks to solve underlying causes of the conflict.

In 1965, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon commenced construction which would divert the course of multiple rivers so that they would not flow into Israel. Israeli attacks against these facilities prevented the plan from coming to fruition, but further helped sow the seeds of animosity between itself and its Arab neighbors.

On May 19, 1967, Egypt expelled UNEF observers, and emassed 100,000 soldiers in the Sinai Peninsula. The Nasser government closed the straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping. This catapulted the region back to the pre-1956 status quo, much to Israel's concern.

On May 30, 1967, Jordan entered into the mutual defense pact between Egypt and Syria. President Nasser declared: "Our basic objective is the destruction of Israel. The Arab people want to fight."

On June 5 of that year, Israel sent almost all of its planes on a secret and preemptive mission in Egypt, in order to respond to what it perceived as continued acts of aggression by its largest Arab neighbor. The Israeli Air Force (AIF) dealt a heavy blow to the Egyptian airforce while its planes were still grounded, but in doing so essentially declared war against the Egypt and its allies--Syria and Jordan. When Jordan declared that it had officially joined the war, in spite of Israeli calls for neutrality, the IAF turned eastward and destroyed much of the Jordanian Air Force, in whose fate the Syrian airforce and Iraqi airforce (which aided the tripartate alliance) followed soon thereafter. Before the end of the first day of this war, Arab air capabilities were all but destroyed. This left the Arab Republic at a dramatic disadvantage in a war whose primary staple was the tank, which could be easily targeted from the sky. With little in the way of an airforce opposing it, Israel handily repelled Egypt behind the Suez Canal, Jordan behind the Jordan River, and Syria out of most of the Golan Heights, conquering an area many times its prewar size in a matter of six days.

June 12, 1967-1973

In the summer of 1967, as a direct response to the unexpected defeat of Arab forces in the Six-Day War, Arab leaders met in Khartoum to discuss the Arab position toward Israel. They reached concensus that there should be:

  • No peace with Israel.
  • No recognition of the State of Israel.
  • No negotiations with Israel.

On October 21, 1967, an Egyptian torpedo boat sank The Eilat, and in June of the following year, Egypt began bombarding Israeli positions on the east side of the Suez Canal. Thus commenced the War of Attrition between Israel and Egypt. Egypt's stated goal in this war was to compel Israel, which did not have manpower reserves, to surrender and return the Sinai Peninsula by inflicting heavy casualties on its military.

In August, 1970, American Secretary of State William Rogers formulated the Rogers Plan for a ceasefire. Israel, Egypt and Jordan agreed a ceasefire under its terms. Egypt and its Soviet allies violated its terms almost immediately by moving their missiles near the Suez Canal, and constructing the largest anti-aircraft system in history (up until that point).

Meantime, in Jordan, King Hussein's agreement to the Rogers Plan constituted a recognition of Israel, in violation of the Khartoum Resolution. This angered the PLO, which then began fighting the Jordanian government, and initiated a campaign of terrorist attacks against Israel. Syria aided the PLO against Hussein's government. But Israel positioned troops along the Jordan River in what appeared to preempt a Syrian incursion into Jordan. It is believed by some that this may have prevented direct Syrian involvement in the conflict. Following President Nasser's death by a heart attack in 1970, Anwar al-Sadat assumed the Egyptian Presidency. Under his leadership, the War of Attrition ended, but Egypt began preparations for another war with Israel.

On October 6, 1973, Syria and Egypt, eager to retake the lands which they had lost in the 1967 Six-Day War, commenced an attack against Israel. This attack deliberately coincided with Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, when most Israelis were praying and fasting. The Arab armies overpowered the surprised Israeli army, and advanced into the Golan Heights and Sinai Peninsula. The Israeli government quickly drafted a battle plan, and began to turn the tide of the conflict.

This clearly became an East vs. West conflict, in which the United States supplied Israel, and the Soviet Union supported the Arab armies. So long as the tide of war favored the Arabs, neither power found it necessary to declare a ceasefire. However, when Israel crossed the Suez Canal, and, having conquered new Syrian territory, began to shell Damascus, the USSR threatened military intervention. The United States, wary of nuclear war, secured a ceasefire on October 25.

1974-2000

Egypt

Following the Camp David Accords of the late 1970s, Israel and Egypt signed a peace agreement in March, 1979. This was the fist permanent peace agreement between Israel and an Arab state. Under its terms, the Sinai Peninsula would return to Egyptian hands, and the Gaza Strip would remain under Israel control, to be included in a future Palestinian state. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1980, and Israel completed its withdrawal from the Sinai in 1982.

Jordan

In October, 1994, Israel and Jordan signed a peace agreement, under whose terms both parties agreed to mutual cooperation, an end of hostilities, and a resolution of unsorted issues, such as the division of land and water resources between them.

Iraq

In June, 1981, Iraq finished construction of new nuclear facilities. Israel grew concerned with the prospect that an enemy state would have nuclear capabilities. Therefore, in June of that year, the IAF successfully attacked and destroyed these facilities.

During the Gulf War, Iraq fired a large number of missiles into Israel, in the hopes of uniting the Arab world against the coalition which sought to liberate Kuwait. At the behest of the United States, Israel did not respond to this attack in order to prevent a greater outbreak of war.

Lebanon

In 1970, following an extended civil war, King Hussein of Jordan expelled the PLO from his country. The PLO resettled in Lebanon, and in 1976 allied itself with Syria and Lebanese Muslims. From Lebanon, the PLO staged raids into Israel. In 1981, Syria positioned missiles in Lebanon, which threatened much of the Galilee. And so, in June, 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon. Within two months, the PLO agreed to withdraw from Lebanon.

In March, 1983, Israel and Lebanon signed a ceasefire agreement. However, Syria pressured President Amin Gemayel into nullifying the truce in March, 1984. In 1985, Israeli forces had mostly withdrawn from Lebanon, although a small force did remain in the South to secure the border.

Israel completely withdrew from Lebanon in May, 2000, leaving a power vaccum which Syria and Hezbollah were eager to fill..

Palestine

In 1987, the First Intifada began. This was a widespread and almost spontaneous protest in Gaza and the West Bank in response to ongoing Israeli occupation and settlement in Palestinian territories. The PLO was excluded from negotiations until it agreed to recognize Israel and renounce terrorism. Having done this the following year, Yasser Arafat gained the opportunity to negotiate on behalf of the PLO.

In 1993, Israel and the PLO signed the Oslo Accords, and their Declaration of Principles, which have been loosely used as the guidline for Israeli-Palestinian relations since.

2000-

Because suicide bombers continued to infiltrate Israeli territory from Gaza and the West Bank during the al-Aqsa Intifada, Israel raided alleged terrorist facilities in major urban centers in the West Bank in 2002, in an attempt to secure order. Violence again swept through the region. In 2003, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon began a policy of unilateral withdrawal and dismantling of settlements in the Gaza Strip, in hopes of restarting the peace process. This policy was fully implement by August, 2005. In July, 2006, Hezbollah fighters attacked an Israeli convy, successfully kidnapping two soldiers and killing several others. In this way, the organization set off the 2006 Israel-Lebanon Conflict. Thousands of Hezbollah rockets caused serious damage within Israel. Although Israel did not wage war directly against the Lebanese government or people, much of Lebanon's infrastructure was severely damaged during this conflict.

On August 14, 2006, a UN-sponsored ceasefire went into effect, ending the 2006 Israel-Lebanon Conflict.

Notes

  1. https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/is.html
  2. "THE GREENING OF THE MIDDLE EAST: Oil for Feud". {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |source= ignored (help)
  3. Abdel Mahdi Abdallah (Dec. 2003), More specifically, author Edward Said affirms his belief that if a solution can be found in Israel, the global community may be able to follow this guideline, generating peace and understanding between the cultures of the East and West. "Causes of Anti-Americanism in the Arab World: A Socio-Political Perspective," Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA) 7.4, accessed January 9, 2007.
  4. Section 2: "Clash of Civilizations," in Arab-Israeli Conflict: Role of religion, Israel Science and Technology ("the national database and directory of science and technology related sites in Israel"), (c) 1999-2007, accessed January 9, 2007.
  5. Ibrahim Al-Khouli and Wafa Sultan (February 21, 2006), "Arab-American Psychiatrist Wafa Sultan: There is No Clash of Civilizations but a Clash between the Mentality of the Middle Ages and That of the 21st Century," Clip No. 1050, printable transcript of television interview with Sultan conducted by Al-Khouli, broadcast on Al Jazeera, online posting, Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) February 22, 2006, accessed January 9, 2007.
  6. Sela, Avraham. "Arab-Israeli Conflict." The Continuum Political Encyclopedia of the Middle East. Ed. Avraham Sela. New York: Continuum, 2002. pp. 58-121.
  7. ^ http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/History/Modern+History/Centenary+of+Zionism/The+Arab-Israeli+Wars.htm
  8. "The incredible shrinking Palestine". {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |source= ignored (help)
  9. ^ "Israel." Encarta Encycolpedia. http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761575008_10____75/Israel_(country).html#s75 Cite error: The named reference "Encarta" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  10. http://www.mideastweb.org/ga997.htm
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  20. 'Egypt Closes Gulf Of Aqaba To Israel Ships: Defiant move by Nasser raises Middle East tension', The Times, Tuesday, May 23, 1967; pg. 1; Issue 56948; col A.
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  37. CNN (2006). "Lebanon truce holds despite clashes". Retrieved December 7, 2006.

References

Further reading

  • Associated Press, comp. (1996). Lightning Out of Israel: : The Arab-Israeli Conflict. Commemorative Ed. Western Printing and Lithographing Company for the Associated Press. ASIN B000BGT89M.
  • Bard, Mitchell (1999). Middle East Conflict. Indianapolis: Alpha Books. ISBN 0-02-863261-3.
  • Carter, Jimmy (2006). Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid. New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0-7432-8502-6.
  • Casper, Lionel L. (2003). Rape of Palestine and the Struggle for Jerusalem. New York & Jerusalem: Gefen Publishing House. ISBN 965-229-297-4.
  • Citron, Sabina (2006). The Indictment: The Arab-Israeli Conflict in Historical Perspective. New York & Jerusalem: Gefen Publishing House. ISBN 965-229-373-3.
  • Cramer, Richard Ben (2004). How Israel Lost: The Four Questions. New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0-7432-5028-1.
  • Dershowitz, Alan (2004). The Case for Israel. New York: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0-471-67952-6.
  • Falk, Avner (2004). Fratricide in the Holy Land: A Psychoanalytic View of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Madison: U of Wisconsin P. ISBN 0-299-20250-X
  • Gelvin, James L. (2005). The Israel-Palestine Conflict: 100 Years of War. New York & Cambridge, Eng.: Cambridge UP. ISBN 0-521-61804-5.
  • Gold, Dore (2004). Tower of Babble: How the United Nations Has Fueled Global Chaos. New York: Crown Forum. ISBN 1-4000-5475-3.
  • Goldenberg, Doron (2003). State of Siege]]. Gefen Publishing House. ISBN 965-229-310-5.
  • Hamidullah, Muhammad (1986). "Relations of Muslims with non-Muslims". Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs. 7 (1): 9. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  • Israeli, Raphael (2002). Dangers of a Palestinian State. New York & Jerusalem: Gefen Publishing House. ISBN 965-229-303-2.
  • Katz, Shmuel (1973). Battleground: Fact and Fantasy in Palestine. Shapolsky Pub. ISBN 0-933503-03-2.
  • Khouri, Fred J. (1985). The Arab-Israeli dilemma (3rd ed. ed.). Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press. ISBN 0-8156-2339-9. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help)
  • Lewis, Bernard (1984). The Jews of Islam. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP. ISBN 0-691-05419-3.
  • –––. (September 1990). "The Roots of Muslim Rage." The Atlantic Monthly.
  • Morris, Benny (1999). Righteous Victims: A History of the Zionist-Arab Conflict, 1881-2001. New York: Knopf. ISBN 0-679-42120-3.
  • Segev, Tom (1999). One Palestine Complete: Jews and Arabs Under British Mandate. New York: Henry Holt & Co. ISBN 0-8050-6587-3.

External links

General sources

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Think tanks and strategic analysis

Peace proposals

See main article: List of Middle East peace proposals

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