Arab-Israeli Conflict

Question 1

What was the Sykes-Picot agreement?

Answer 1

A secret agreement between Britain and France during WWI for how to distribute the lands of the Ottoman Empire (giving France Syria/Lebanon despite already promising that to the Arabs)

Question 2

What was Britain’s position on Zionism?

Answer 2

Initially, pro.
Then in 1937, a sudden switch and restricts Jewish migration to Palestine.

Question 3

Why did Britain support Zionism after WWI?

Answer 3

Partly humanitarian, partly strategic:

The Sykes-Picot agreement is unsustainable due to US and Arab disapproval. A Jewish state would act as a non-French western-style state to be a buffer north of the Suez and to provide overland access to Iraqi oil.

Question 4

Why did Britain suddenly abandon Zionism in 1937?

Answer 4

Arab opposition to Zionism leads to industrial strikes, riots, and eventually guerrilla attacks against the British. Zionism is creating too much instability.

Question 5

Why is it significant that Britain abandoned Zionism in 1937?

Answer 5

Britain restricted migration to Palestine just as Jews began fleeing persecution in Europe.

Question 6

When did Britain leave Palestine?

Answer 6

1948

Question 7

Why did Britain leave Palestine?

Answer 7

The Arabs were angry at the British for enabling Zionism. The Jews are angry for the British blocking migration when Jews were being persecuted. And Britain can’t afford to manage the mess.

Question 8

What happens when Britain leaves Palestine?

Answer 8

The UN has created a two-state solution. But before Britain can even fully withdraw, there are clashes between Arab and Jewish militias and then Israel expands and takes extra territory from Palestine, still seizing land when the surrounding Arab countries send troops into Palestine.

Question 9

When were the main wars in the Israel-Palestine conflict?

Answer 9

1948: War of Independence / Nakba
1956: Suez Crisis
1967: 6 day War
1973: Yom Kippur War
After that, it’s just a series of conflicts where Israel goes after Palestinian militias in different places…

Question 10

When did the Nakba happen?

Answer 10

1948

Question 11

What is the Nakba?

Answer 11

The ‘catastrophe’ of the majority of Palestine being seized by Israel and the majority of Palestinian Arabs being displaced, denied the right of return, and having their villages destroyed

Question 12

When did the Suez Crisis happen?

Answer 12

1956

Question 13

What was the Suez Crisis?

Answer 13

Egyptian President Nasser nationalises the British-owned Suez Canal Company. The UK and France agree for Israel to pre-emptively invade Egypt from the north, and then the UK/France will seize the canal. The invasion takes the US by surprise, they refuse to help, and the UK/France fail to secure the canal.

Question 14

Why did the Suez Crisis happen?

Answer 14

After their failure in the first Israeli War, many Arab leaders are replaced by nationalist strongmen. The loudest is Nasser in Egypt. The West placate him with aid, until he signs an arms deal with Russia. When the West pull aid, he nationalises the Suez Canal Company.

Question 15

Why was the Suez Crisis significant?

Answer 15

The UK and France, scarred by the failure of appeasement, worried it was the first step towards a war for the Middle East. Instead, the failure it underlined British decline and US supremacy, legitimises Nasser, and created a distraction that allowed the USSR to invade Hungary.

Question 16

When was the Six-Day War?

Answer 16

1967

Question 17

What was the Six-Day War?

Answer 17

Nasser is emboldened by the Suez Crisis, and organises an Arab invasion of Israel 11 years later. Instead, Israel attacks pre-emptively and expands control to all of Palestine, plus the Golan Heights and the Sinai within 6 days.

Question 18

When was the Yom Kippur War?

Answer 18

1973

Question 19

What was the Yom Kippur War?

Answer 19

Nasser died in 1970, and was replaced by Anwar Sadat. Sadat invades in an attempt to bring a hubristic Israel to the negotiating table. The stalemate results in a peace agreement.

Question 20

When was the OPEC oil embargo?

Answer 20

1973

Question 21

What was the OPEC oil embargo?

Answer 21

Due to US support of Israel during the Yom Kippur War, OPEC stopped selling oil to the UK, US and other countries. Australia was not targeted and at the time was pretty much self-sufficient.

Question 22

What happens after the Yom Kippur War?

Answer 22

Israel and Egypt start negotiating, leading to the 1978 Camp David Accords (with Jimmy Carter). In 1981, Islamists assassinate Sadat for abandoning the Palestinians.

Question 23

Who did the US and Soviets support in the Middle East?

Answer 23

The US protected the conservative monarchies (e.g. Saudi, Jordan) against any potential of revolution that could invite Soviet cooperation. The Soviets therefore generally supported the Arab nationalists (e.g. Syria, Iraq).

Question 24

To what extent has the US favoured Israel since its creation?

Answer 24

The US initially only supported Israel to the extent of maintaining the status quo against Soviet-aligned Arab countries.

But from Reagan onward, Israel and the US had deeper cooperation on security, and the US provided lots of aid and weapons.

Question 25

When was the Lebanese Civil War?

Answer 25

1975-1990

Question 26

Why was there a Lebanese Civil War?

Answer 26

The post-WWII political system favoured the Christian-majority. The large Muslim minority grew with Palestinian refugees. An uneasy coalition of Ba’athists, socialists and Muslims began fighting against the Christian government.

Question 27

What is Ba’athism?

Answer 27

A secular ideology of pan-Arab nationalism with one-party government, opposition to foreign domination, and ‘socialism’ in the sense of improving the material wellbeing of all Arabs.

Question 28

When did Israel invade Lebanon?

Answer 28

1982

Question 29

Why did Israel invade Lebanon?

Answer 29

The PLO had moved there during the Lebanese Civil War, and was using it as a base for terrorist attacks on Israel.

Question 30

What was the outcome of the Israeli invasion of Lebanon?

Answer 30

Israel initially captured Beirut and the PLO fled. But Israel then withdrew and Lebanon descended into in-fighting between Syrian Ba’athists and local religious factions. In the end, Hezbollah dominate south Lebanon.

Question 31

When was the First Intifada?

Answer 31

1987-1991

Question 32

What was the First Intifada?

Answer 32

Locally organised Palestinian protests, including mass strikes, civil disobedience and some violence.

Question 33

What was the result of the First Intifada?

Answer 33

The PLO and Israel negotiate the Oslo Accords, partly due to the need for a resolution and partly because both parties want to cut out Hamas who are involved in coordinating the Intifada.

Question 34

What were the main Israeli peace agreements?

Answer 34

1978: Camp David Accords
1993 & 95: Oslo Accords

Question 35

What are the Oslo Accords?

Answer 35

To sideline the rising terrorist group Hamas, Israel and the PLO start negotiating. Both countries formally recognise each other, but borders, settlements and refugee questions are left to be resolved later.

Question 36

What happens after the Oslo Accords?

Answer 36

Israel increases settlements and disruptions in the West Bank. Hamas increases its attacks. Israeli opposition leader provocatively visits the Al-Aqsa Mosque (Dome of the Rock) in September 2000. Negotiations break down.

Question 37

What did the US do during the Lebanon War?

Answer 37

The US tried to get Israel to withdraw to avoid a wider war with Syria. When Israel eventually withdrew (following refugee camp massacres), the US had to fill in the vacuum to prevent pro-Syrian militias overthrowing the government. After attacks on US forces, the US withdrew again.

Question 38

When was the First Intifada?

Answer 38

1987-1991

Question 39

When was the Second Intifada?

Answer 39

2000-2005

Question 40

What was the Second Intifada?

Answer 40

A more violent Palestinian uprising following the failure of negotiations for an ultimate settlement.

Question 41

How did the Arab Spring change things?

Answer 41

For Israel, it showed the risk of how easily a Palestinian state could be toppled and could become an Islamist state.
For Arab monarchies, they recognised their vulnerability and tried to thaw relations with Israel, gain US favour and isolate Iran. This led to the Abraham Accords with UAE and Bahrain in 2020.

Question 42

What is my view on the Israel-Palestine situation?

Answer 42

In the long-term, only a two-state solution can work. Israel’s strategy of peace by domination requires either having a Jewish state without a Jewish majority voter base, or an Apartheid state. Neither are sustainable. But they won’t relent until they have certainty of peace.