Conflict in the middle east, c. 1945-95 Flashcards
What was the Holocaust?
The murder of six million jews in 1933-45
What is Zionism?
A movement that wanted a Jewish homeland in Palestine
What is a mandate?
A legal authority
What was the Haganah?
A jewish defence force
What was the Irgun?
A Jewish terrorist organisation to create a Jewish state by force
What was the Lehi (stern gang)?
Extreme terrorist group to continue to use violence to create a Jewish state.
What were the conflicting interests and demands between Jews and Arabs?
Palestine was the Promised land for Jews for over 3000 years, Holocaust increased zionism. Arabs wanted to rule what they saw as their own land and wanted to end mass Jewish immigration. Arabs were furious that they weren’t consulted about the creation of Israel and that they weren’t the rulers of Palestine after WWI
What were the key events before 1945? (7)
1) Palestine was part of the Ottoman empire - most arabs, some jews
2) Ottomans sided with Germany. Palestine was occupied by Britain after they Ottomans defeated. Britain gained Arab support after agreeing Palestine was for Arabs.
3) League of Nation gave Britain the mandate to rule Palestine.
4) Most Jews happy for refuge in Palestine. Jewish agency encouraged immigration
5) Jews formed Haganah + Irgun to defend against Arabs
6) An Arab revolt was ended by British and Haganah; Peel Commission suggested a partition
7) Britain needed Arab support and access to oil so Jewish immigration was limited.
What were the terms of the British mandate?
- Protect the rights of Arabs
- Establish a state for Jews
- Prepare to leave the country to its independence
What was the significance of the King David Hotel bombing? (5)
- Was the headquarters for British mandate and army.
- It split the three Jewish groups - Haganah condemned the bombing.
- Worsened relation between British and Jews as they increased random searches, arrests and interrogations.
- Made running Palestine difficult and expensive
- British public opinion turned against the mandate and against the Jewish cause on Palestine.
How did the US react to the Jewish insurgency?
- Increased support for the creation of a Jewish state due to its large Jewish population and pressure from US zionists.
- Welcomed Holocaust refugees
- Criticised the British for restricting immigration into Palestine
- Applied economic pressure to try to change British policies.
What was the Jewish Insurgency?
A violent uprising against British rule by Jews
- Irgun and Lehi bombed offices, police stations, military bases, airfields and bridges.
- Haganah used large ships to smuggle masses of Jews - gained sympathy for Jews
- Communication lines were targeted to make the rule harder
Describe the significance of the King David Hotel Bombing (5)
- Headquarters of British mandate and army
- Split the three Jewish groups; the Haganah condemned it
- Worsened relations between Jews and Brits as Brits did random searches, arrests and interrogations
- Made running Palestine more difficult + expensive for Brits
- Brit public turned against the British mandate and the against the Jewish cause for Palestine
How did the US react to the Jewish Insurgency and the bombing? (4)
- Increased support for the creation of Jewish state
- Welcomed Holocaust refugees
- Criticised Brits for restricting immigration into Palestine
- Applied economic pressure on Brit to change its policies
Why did Britain decide to withdraw from Palestine? (4)
- Britain relied on US and desperate not to fall out
- The morale on the Brit public were affected by the insurgency
- Britain realised that they couldn’t keep their promises with the Arabs and Jews
…..So they asked the UN to find a solution.
What was the partition plan 1947? (5)
- Holy places (Bethlehem + Jerusalem) would become international zones
- 1% Jewish pop in Arab state and rest arabs
- 55% Jewish pop in Jewish state and 45% Arabs
- 49% Jewish in international zone and 51% Arabs
- Both states + int zones share same currency, transport and communications services
Describe the significance of the UN resolution (7)
- Arabs thought UNSCOP was pro-zionist
- US + USSR in favour - put pressure on both countries to accept
- Brit against as they thought it was more in favour of arabs
- Jewish agency accepted as they had their own state
- Extremist jew against - wanted Jerusalem in jewish state
- Arabs furious as they thought that the UN had no right to take away land.
- Led to the official creation of Israel after end of British Mandate
What led to the civil war in Dec 1947 - May 1948?
Resolution led to Arabs attacking Jews. Haganah (Jews) fought back leading to civil war. More than 150,000 Arabs fled.
Describe the start of the Arab-Israeli war
Israel was recognised by US+USSR as a state. Brit mandate ended and British troops left. Armies from Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq invaded Israel. War begun. Israel unlikely to survive - 650,000 vs 40 mil people.
Describe the events of the Arab-Israeli war (11)
15/5/1948 - Arab counties declare war on Israel
17/5/1948 - USA complains to UN
28/5/1948 - IDF is created
29/5/1948 - UN calls ceasfire
11/6/1948 - Ceasefire starts - Arabs in control of Galilee, West Bank, Gaza Strip and Negev desert
18/7/1948 - Second ceasefire starts
15/10/1948 - Israel breaks it and invades Galilee and Negev desert.
24/2/1949 - Armistice with Egypt
23/3/1949 - Armistice with Lebanon
3/4/1949 - Armistice with Jordan
20/7/1949 - Armistice with Syria
What was the importance of the first UN ceasefire?
Czechoslovakia arms deal - Israel bought lots of weapons despite UN trading ban. Increased their firepower and training so they had a better chance
What were the weaknesses of arabs? (5)
- Not united
- miscommunication; couldn’t work together
- Underestimated Israel
- poor leadership
- no direction or organisation
What were the territorial changes of the Arab-Israeli war? (6)
- Israel had Galilee, fertile land and easy to defend against Lebanon
- Israel had part of West Bank back, direct access to Jerusalem
- Some of Jerusalem (Capital of Israel now)
- Nearly all of Negev desert
- Jordan had most of West Bank
- Gaza Strip remained to Egypt
What was the impact of the Arab-Israeli war on Palestinians? (5)
- Only 160,000/900,000 remained in Israel after war
- Palestinians fled or were deported
- Few emigrated to the US
- Most lived in huge refugee camps in the Gaza Strip or West Bank
- Forbidden from returning to Israel - would be attacked by IDF if tried.
Describe the IDF
> Well-organised, well-led, professional soldiers
Former members of Haganah, Irgun and stern gang
Received a lot of government money
At 18, all males had to serve for 30 months and females for 18 months
Describe the Law of Return and why it began
Jews arrived from Arab states where anti-semitism was growing. Israeli parliament supported immigration. Law of Return every Jew in the world the right to Israeli citizenship. New arrivals stayed in abandoned Palestinian areas.
How did the US aid Israel? (3)
- US gave 300 million dollars to Israel
- But refused to sell arms after 1950
- Many Jews donated money to help the new state
Describe Israel relations with others. (3)
- Many Palestinians made raids into Israel to collect their belongings
- IDF carried out reprisal raids, killing Palestinians and destroying homes
- Jordan tightened its borders
Describe economic problems for Israel. (4)
- Immigrants had few belongings
- Israel had little money due to war, couldn’t support immigrants
- Immigrants based in tents
- High Unemployment
Describe General Nasser and Egypt
Nasser became leader of Egypt after the fall of King Farouk. He wanted strong Arab nations and independence from other countries. His prestige increased when he stood up to western powers and Israel.
Describe the policies of Egypt under Nasser. (3)
- Independence from Britain. Nasser persuaded them to leave the Suez canal
- Internal reforms. Gave fertile land to the poor from the wealthy. Started schools and hospitals
- Aswan Dam project. Dam across River Nile to control flooding and provide water for land but it was very expensive.
What was the significance of the Israeli attacks? (4)
- Increased tension with Egypt; forced Nasser to act
- Proved the supremacy of the IDF and gave them confidence
- Led to Egypt buying more weapons and became soviet ally. This angered western powers and scared Israel.
- Made trade for Israel difficult as Nasser blocked the Gulf of Aqaba due to the attacks
What are the events of the Suez Canal Crisis?
- Britain, France, Israel agree to work together against Egypt
- IDF invade Gaza and Sinai
- UN meet to discuss crisis
- Egyptian troops sink ship to block canal
- UN appeal for ceasefire - Brit + France agree due to threats from US + USSR.
- UN troops arrive to protect Arab-Israeli border
- IDF withdraw after US pressure.
Describe the nationalisation of the Suez Canal. (3)
- Owned by British and French shareholders. Important for trade as it linked the Mediterranean and the Red sea.
- Nasser nationalised the canal. He took over ownership as it was under state control
- Britain and France feared that this would affect trade and their position in the middle east.
What was the significance of the Suez Canal crisis?(8)
- remained under Egyptian control
- Brit + France humiliated and lost influence over Arab countries
- Nasser prestige increased
- Ensured Egypt’s alliance with USSR
- USSR paid for Aswan dam building
- USA’s role in humiliating Brit + France made it the most powerful in the Middle East
- UN troops increased Israel’ security
- Israel’s ability to trade increased.
Describe the formation of the UAR
In 1958, as a sign of Nasser’s status, Syria and Egypt became the United Arab Republic with Nasser as president. It lasted until 1961 where Syria left due to feeling like the lesser power.
What was the significance of the Cairo conference in 1964? (4)
- Highlights the problem of Palestinian land and refugees - PLO and PLA (army) was created to unite Palestinians.
- Confirmed Egypt as the leading Arab nation and Nasser the leader o Arabs
- Showed that Arabs needed to work together and were all anti-israel
- Nasser prevented Israel’s plan to divert River Jordan for farms and settlements - led to Headwater diversion plan; Syria and Lebanon would divert sources from the Sea of Galilee
Describe the Fatah (6)
- Founded by Yasser Arafat in 1959
- Wanted Palestinian state
- Used Guerrilla tactics
- Violence to destroy Israel
- Bases in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria
- Israel retaliated with great force gaining publicity for them
Describe the support for Fatah (3)
- Syria supported Fatah with weapons and money and set up training camps
- Syria accused Nasser for not helping. Led to Egyptian-Syrian pact to help the other when attacked
- Jordan was US ally and was trying to establish good relations woth Israel
Describe the Israeli raid on Samu
An explosion on the Israeli-Jordan border killed and injured a few civilians. Fatah was suspected. Israeli retaliated by raiding Samu. International condemnation for Israel reaction. Destroyed hope + good relations between Israel and Jordan. King Hussein pressured Nasser to act against Israel.
