The Middle East

1
The Middle East

• Before WWII several ME countries had won their
  independence
• Iraq, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan
• Formed the Arab League (unify the Arab world)
• 1947 Palestine was the only European ruled
  territory left

2
Formation of Israel

• British promised the land to the Zionist Jews
• Arabs in Palestine increased their attacks on the
  Jewish settlements
• Jews attacked the British Palestinians (Britain
  leaves in 1947)
• UN voted to split Palestine up into two parts
  (Arab/Jew)

3
Middle East in Crisis

• When Israel is formed Syria, Lebanon, Iraq,
  Egypt, Jordan attack Israel
• Israel wins in 9 months
• Nasser became Arab hero after the Suez Crisis
• Eisenhower sends troops to Lebanon in 1956 to
  keep peace

4
Arab-Israeli Conflict

• PLO wanted an independent Palestinian state
• 1967 Syria Egypt attacked Israel
• Israel wins in 6 days, seizes Gaza Strip, Golan
  Heights, the West Bank
• PLO leader Yasir Arafat pledged that the Arabs
  would take back Palestine

5
Oil Conflict

• Oct. 6, 1973 Egypt Syria attacked Israel during
  Yom Kippur
• US airlifted weapons to Israel
• UN negotiated peace, American involvement angered
  Arab leaders
• OPEC raised the price of oil (4 times)
• Gas prices raised from .55 to 1.75

6
The Camp David Accords

• Egyptian President Sadat, USA Pres. Jimmy Carter,
  Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin meet at
  Camp David
• Sadat signed the Arab-Israeli treaty
• First Arab to make peace with Israel
• Other Arab nations were angered
• 1981 Sadat would be assassinated

7
The Palestinian Issue

• PLO staged high-jackings bombings in Israel
• Intifada uprising where Palestinians went on
  strike, wanted world attention
• 1993 Yitzak Rabin agreed to exchange occupied
  territory for security
• 1994 Israel/Jordan/Syria signed peace treaty
  Palestinians controlled Palestine