Conflict in the Middle East. Flashcards
What was Palestine part of from 1516?
The Ottoman Empire.
What happened during the First World War?
The Ottomans sided with Germany and Palestine was occupied by Britain. The Ottomans were defeated. Britain attracted the Arabs by agreeing they should be an independent arab state. However, the Balfour Declaration in Nov 1917 gave support for a Jewish state.
What did the League of Nations give Britain in 1923?
A mandate to rule Palestine. Arabs were furious as Britain went back on their promise. Terms of the mandate were:
-Protect the rights of Arabs.
-Establish a state for Jews.
-Prepare to leave the country for its independence.
What was the Haganah?
A Jewish defence force to protect themselves as tensions between Arabs and Jews increased.
What was an Irgun?
A Jewish terrorist organisation was formed in 1931 to create a Jewish state by force.
When was the Arab revolt?
1936-39. Ended by the British troops and so was the Hagnah.
What happened during the Second World War?
The British needed oil from Arabs so they drastically limited Jewish immigration. This created the stern group-Most extremist Jewish group.
What is Zionism?
A movement to create a Jewish state in Palestine.
Jewish insurgency (violent uprising) 1945-47.
-Irgun and Stern gang bombed British offices, police stations, bases etc. Bombing of the King David Hotel on 22nd July 1946 was the deadliest act of terror.
-Hagnah brought ships and smuggled Jews in illegally.
-Communication lines were targeted to make it expensive/difficult to rule.
What was the US reaction towards the Jewish insurgency?
Increased its support after 1945 because of pressure and its large Jewish population. Welcomed Holocaust refugees, criticised Britain for immigration restrictions and applied economic pressure on Britain.
What did the UN set up in May 1947?
Set up a special committee for Palestine (UNSCOP) to find a solution.
What did the UN resolution 181 recommend?
To partition the into Jewish and Arab states. This would lead to the creation of the state of Israel.
What was the significance of the UN resolution 181?
-Toured Palestine in 1947 but they received little input from Arabs as they were seen as pro-zionists.
- USA/USSR voted in favour of the resolution. Wanted others to do the same.
-British gov against the resolution as it would lead to civil war. It drew on 15th May 1948.
-Most Jews agreed with it but Arabs didn’t.
-Arab liberation Amry set up to fight Jews.
-14th May 1948-State of Israel was founded.
The civil war, December 1947-May 1948.
-Arabs attacked Jews throughout Palestine.
-Organised by higher Arab committee.
-Jews led by the Hagnah fought back.
-100,000 Arabs fled to other countries.
-Palestinians removed in Israeli land (ethnic cleansing).
Deir Yassin.
1)Feb 1948, Arabs prevented supplies reaching the 100,000 Jews in Jerusalem.
2) Deir Yassin-small arab village. Had chosen not to fight with Jews.
3) On 9th April Irgun reached there and killed 100 Arabs inc women/children
4)Widely reported to encourage others to fight. 250,000 Palestinians fled.
The start of the Arab-Israeli war.
-14 May 1948 the new state of Isreal was declared. Biritsh mandate left on 15th May and the Arab countries attacked Israel.
-650,000 Jews.
-40 million Arabs. (combined from different nations).
Arab-Israeli war-key events.(1948-49)
-Arabs invaded Israel in May-June 1948.Few advances made into Jewish state.
-Months ceasefire-11th June by UN. Isreal- arms from Czechoslovakia. More Israeli soldiers as less Arabs were sent. separate leaders-failed to coordinate attacks. They struggled to buy weapons.
-Jewish expansion-suprise attack by Idf which broke ceasefire on 8th July. 2nd ceasefire was broken by the Idf. Galilee and Negev desert was taken driving Egyptians into Sinai.
-Battle for Jerusalem-Arabs blocked the city. April 1948-Irgun broke it and resupplied Jews.
-Each Arab nation negotiated its own ceasefire. Final one with Syria began on 20th July 1949.
What was the al-Nakba?
It was ‘the catastrophe’ in 1948 for Palestinians. More than 700,000 Palestinian refugees due to territorial changes.
What was the consequence of the Al-Nakba war? 1948-49.
-Many Palestinians migrated to Middle east or USA
-Some settled in one of the 55 tented camps.
-Emergency relief given by UNRWA-International organisation.
-Arab league denied citizenship to Palestinians to avoid war.
-Only Jordan ignored this.
The creation of the israeli defence forces.
1) David Ben-Gurion created the IDF on 28th May 1948 It received the greatest portion of the Israeli government budget.
2)Former members of the Hagnah. Later Irgun/stern gang members joined.
3) Well led and organised.
4)Conscription of all Israeli citizens, Males served for 30 months and women 18 months from 18.
5) Huge reserve force.
The law of return 1950.
-Jews came from arab countries where anti-Semitism was growing. Jewish immigration was supported. July 1950- Law of return-any Jews the right to Israeli citizenship. Palestinians forbidden to return.
US aid to Israel.
-300 million to support new Jewish immigration to Isreal
-Us did not send arms to Israel.
-Many donated huge amounts of money to help.
Clashes between Egypt and Israel.
1) Many Palestinian refugees made raids into Israel to get their belongings, take crops or attack Israelis.
2) These were known as Fedayeen (freedom fighters)
3) Idf carried out reprisal raids-killing Palestinians.
4) Jordan tightened up borders. Egypt did little to stop the Fedayeen.
Who became king in Egypt after King Farouk was taken down?
Colonel Gamal Abdel Nassar.