Contemporary Conflict and Challenges

Question 1

Identity

Answer 1

Sense of belonging to a place or area where there is the same generic distinguishing character.

Question 2

Territory

Answer 2

The geographical area, including dependencies, under the control of a parliamentary authority (or other form of governance).

Question 3

Ideologies

Answer 3

Systematic, all encompassing bodies of belief regarding national lives and cultures. Both democracy and autocracy count as ideologies.

Question 4

Conflict

Answer 4

A serious, protracted disagreement between 2 or more parties. Can be national, regional (including over short parts of borders with no wider, national, implications) and local.

Question 5

Non Violent Opposition

Answer 5

Jan/Feb 2017. President Trump announced a ban on people from 6 muslim majority countries entering the USA for 90 days and for Syrians indefinitely. The ‘American Civil Liberties Union’ and the ‘ Council on American-Islamic Relations’ brought class action lawsuits which were upheld in 3 different states. This followed many days of protest outside airports. Same thing happened in the Orange Revolution in Ukraine.

Question 6

Legal Opposition

Answer 6

24th Jan 2017: The UK Supreme Court ruled that an act of parliament was required to honour the result of the UK referendum and trigger Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon. This led to the EU Notification of Withdrawal Act, 2017.

Question 7

Insurrection

Answer 7

ETA against the Spanish government in the Basque country. Armed uprising against a government

Question 8

War

Answer 8

As seen in Darfur. Declared fighting between two parties.

Question 9

Terrorism

Answer 9

Acts carried out by small groups to proliferate an ideology by having the maximum impact possible.22nd May 2017: Attack on Manchester Arena killed 22 and injured 116.

Question 10

Planning Permission

Answer 10

Applications checked for validity, the public are consulted. This is then rubber stamped for simple cases by the planning officer or, where the submission is more complex, decided on by a panel of councillors. It can then be accepted, rejected or accepted subject to amendments. It can then be appealed to the Secretary of State for the Environment by any party who is not happy.

Question 11

Localism Act 2011

Answer 11

This shifts the process in favour of developers by making councils publish ‘Local Development Schemes ‘ detailing how they planned to satisfy housing demand in their area. Some people see this as a way to silence people who want to protect the green belt, in reality it is a response to the housing shortage.

Question 12

Local Conflict: Slapton

Answer 12

A379 links Kingsbridge to Dartmouth via Torcross in 20 mins. The other route is 35 minutes long. On 11th and 12th January 2001 a severe storm washed away the seaward half of the road along 500m of Slapton Sands. An environmental impact assessment followed, Dormice were relocated and a 20m retreat of the road was carried out into Slapton Ley Nature reserve as a temporary solution.

Question 13

Slapton - Consideration of the Issues

Answer 13

South Hams District council are responsible for maintaining the road. They saw this as a key juncture at which sustainability could be brought in and as a result they recruited consultancy firm Scott Wilson to look into the options.

Question 14

Scott Wilson Report

Answer 14

• Do Nothing
• Managed Realignment - Retreat the road back further into the nature reserve, making the temporary road permanent.
• Hold the Line: put the road back in its original position. This could be done by using beach nourishment, rip-rap or a protective steep piling wall.
• Reroute the road to the West of the ley: this would cost half of Devon County Council’s annual highways budget. The Slapton Line Partnership was set up to include stakeholders in any future decisions.

Question 15

Slapton Stakeholder: Whitley Wildlife Trust and English Nature

Answer 15

Want sustainability, doing as little harm to the reserve as possible while maintaining access for visitors. There was a successful transition from freshwater lagoon to saltmarsh in Porlock, Devon so it could be done if a managed retreat option was gone for.

Question 16

Slapton Stakeholder: DEFRA

Answer 16

Their responsibility if for flood defences. They have protected Torcross from flooding with a £3m sea wall. Further defences would not pay off here.

Question 17

Slapton Stakeholder: Local Businesses in Slapton and Torcross

Answer 17

50% of trade is passing so they want to maintain that in the moment. Are an ageing population, road repair has 50 year shelf life.

Question 18

Slapton Stakeholder: Field Studies Centre

Answer 18

They are involved in reserve management so they want this to be maintained but, also, they want access. For the 6 months the road was out of action school coaches had to park some distance away and students had to be shuttled to the centre by minibus.

Question 19

Slapton Stakeholder: Devon County Council

Answer 19

Want to avoid rerouting because it would cost half of the annual highways budget. They like the current solution as it is not unpopular with the electorate but still allows them to invest in Plymouth and Exeter where demand is higher.

Question 20

Slapton Stakeholder: Local Residents

Answer 20

They want the road so that they can access ATM’s, Supermarkets and Schools which they do not have.

Question 21

Slapton Stakeholder: Tourist Board

Answer 21

This is a major tourist artery. Important to maintain as 5000 people in the area are employed in tourism.

Question 22

Slapton - Outcomes

Answer 22

Slapton Line Partnership Established. This allowed forward planning with planning permission already granted for further realignment when the time comes. In 50 years, residents realise the road will go so plans can be made to widen other routes. THE REALIGNMENT COST £300,000 AND IS ESTIMATED TO COST £50,000 A YEAR TO REPAIR ON TOP OF THAT.

Question 23

Sudan: Context

Answer 23

Pop. 40 million. Was Africa’s largest country until 2011 when S Sudan split off following a referendum where 97% of people voted to separate. The Dafur region houses 6.5 million people in a land area roughly the size of France bordering Chad. In North Sudan is the capital, Khartoum and the port city, Port Sudan, from where most oil exporting takes place. 80% of Sudan’s oil produce is exported to China, making up 5% of all oil imported by China.

Question 24

Situation in Darfur

Answer 24

Within Darfur, the Fur, Zagwhara and Masalit tribes coexist peacefully. They are Black African Muslims and make their livings by herding cattle nomadically. There are two major militias here. Both are poorly organised. The Sudan Liberation army and the slightly more organised Justice and Equality Movement (ran by Khalil Ibrahim who in 2000 published his ‘black book’ detailing alleged abuses in Darfur). The people of Darfur have seen the income sharing deal put to S Sudan at the end of a 22 year civil was in 2005 and want some equality for themselves.

Question 25

Conflict in Darfur: Trigger

Answer 25

On 25th April 2003 the SLA storm the government airbase at El Fasher. 7 aircraft are destroyed and the head of the Air Force is taken hostage. The government respond by attacking villages in Darfur with helicopter gunships, following which the Janjaweed (thought to be aligned with the government) go in, raping and pillaging. The President of Sudan is Omar al-Bashir. He was an officer in the army who took power in a coup.

Question 26

Environmental Impacts of the Conflict in Darfur

Answer 26

In the 40 years before the conflict broke out in 2003 population grew by 6x. Despite this, the area only received 7.48 inches of rainfall per year while dependence on agriculture has increased by 10%. This has been worsened as population density has increased in safe zones. Around camps, desertification is worsened by deforestation as the 2.5 million refugees require 12-16 million trees. People now have to walk 75km to get firewood and 3 hours to get water. Kunduwa Forest in Nyala has been destroyed, this was a haven of biodiversity.

Question 27

Social Impacts of the Conflict in Darfur

Answer 27

People live in wooden compounds that house around 8 people on average. The Janjaweed burn these and attack water sources. People lose land and heritage as land documents, called Hawakir, are destroyed. Graves of Fur Sultans at Jebel Marra have been desecrated. 90% of people in refugee camps are women and children who now have to do 80% of agricultural work. They no longer have time to grow nutritious beans, instead having to grow Mukheit - a toxic pea. 40% of under 5’s are malnourished. 300,000 HAVE BEEN KILLED, 3 MILLION HAVE BEEN DISPLACED.

Question 28

Economic Impacts of the Conflict in Darfur

Answer 28

The economy in this region is barter based with cattle being the primary determinant of wealth. Janjaweed plunder cattle. $10m of damage has been done to dams and trees. Indeed, the Janjaweed have occupied some of the most valuable land.

Question 29

International Impacts of the Conflict in Darfur

Answer 29

250,000 people are dependant on WFP aid. Water has to be provided as in the Es Fasher Al Shouk camp 7 boreholes have dried up. 55,000 Chadians have been displaced and 250,000 refugees from Darfur have moved into Chad.

Question 30

Response by the AU

Answer 30

7000 strong peacekeeping force in the region. A UN resolution in July 2007 was meant to bolster this to 26,000 but currently the force stands at an ill equipped 9479 (2011). In 2006/7, the AU refused to re-elect al-Bashir as their leader. UN would commit more troops but they have 100,000 peacekeepers on 18 missions worldwide, this means that they are at full capacity.

Question 31

Darfur- Response from the ICC

Answer 31

The case was referred to them in 2005. In 2008 they issued an international arrest warrant for Omar al-Bashir for war crimes.

Question 32

Was the action in Darfur a genocide?

Answer 32

When a country declares a genocide they have a duty to protect. The USA declared it a genocide multiple times but, because of opposition from Russia and China (do not interfere with the domestic affairs of countries from whom they import) they did nothing. The EU circumvented this issue by calling the issue tantamount to genocide.

Question 33

Darfur - Response by NGO’s

Answer 33

Had been helping 2.5 million people by late 2006 but had to pull out when the security situation went downhill following the failure of a peace deal signed by a faction of the SLA and the government. This prompted the July 2007 UN resolution.

Question 34

Attempts at Peace in Darfur

Answer 34

The 2006 peace deal with the government, SLA and small rebel factions was seen as underwhelming. It opened the doors for negotiations but did not give the rebels any certainty of a resolution. This was failed causing the UN to resolve to bring in a peacekeeping force.
2011: the Doha document was again signed by the government and some minor rebel groups, no JEM or SLA representation. People do not feel the government can be trusted. The JEM lives on and has moved to the leadership of Gibril Ibrahim after his brother Khalil was killed. 1.4 MILLION PEOPLE STILL LIVE IN REFUGEE CAMPS.

Question 35

Multicultural Society: Definition

Answer 35

A society in which people from several different racial, religious and national groups co-exist in the same area

Question 36

Races

Answer 36

The world’s races can be broken down into Negroids (originating from Africa and Australasia), Mongoloids (from SE Asia and Americas) and Caucosoids (from Europe, through Russia and into the Middle East). Another group that is sometimes included is the Polynesians, from New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

Question 37

Evolution of the Racial Blend in the UK

Answer 37

In the 1800’s, the UK is almost entirely caucosoid. More enter from Ireland and Jews come from Europe. Post war and until the mid 1950’s, many negroid peoples enter the UK from the colonies. They were invited here due to the fact that they speak English to provide cheap labour for the rebuilding efforts. Many came in on ships like the ‘Empire Windrush’. 10’s of thousands came until this group of people were exhausted so the government invited people from the Indian Subcontinent and S Asia. Again, these people came from colonies and injected a mongoloid population into the UK. This continued until the mid 1970’s. After this point active encouragement stopped but people continued to come from Idi Amein’s Uganda and Vietnam. In 1991, the USSR fragments and many people enter the UK from here seeking stability.
In 2004, 10 new member states join the EU. Nearly 1 million Easter European’s arrive while the government were expecting 20-30,000.

Question 38

Population Structural Impacts of Migration

Answer 38

Migrants tend to be younger offsetting high aged dependency ratio. No country of origin comprises more than 1% of the UK’s population, the closest is India at 0.82%. 7.9% of the population are from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Question 39

Surprising Sources of Migrants

Answer 39

3rd largest source of migrants to the UK is Germany, 5th largest source is the USA.

Question 40

Spatial variation in diversity.

Answer 40

99.4% of people in Sedgefield in the NE are white British, compared to only 45.3% in the London Borough of Brent. London is the most diverse area, scoring 85% on the ONS’s diversity Index. 60% of black Caribbean people and 52% of Bangladeshi’s live here. The diversity index for Co. Durham is 2%.

Question 41

Economic Impacts of Migrants

Answer 41

They do manual, low paid jobs that others do not wish to do. They comprise 27% of the staff of TfL. Lots of costs to public services, especially schools. Djanogly City Academy has to employ 7 EAL teachers as 70% of their students have English as an Additional Language. At Forest Fields Primary, this figure is 90%. Pakistani, Indian and Chinese pupils perform better, however. White working class males, Black caribbean and Eastern european children perform worst. 73.5% of people from a UK origin are employed compared to 40% from a Bangladeshi origin. Act as an inflation check, saving mortgage payers £500 a year. A 1% rise in population can increase GDP by 1.25-1.5%.

Question 42

Social Impacts of Migrants

Answer 42

Cultural discord can lead to riots as seen in Oldham in 2003 and across the country in 2011. Attacks such as the Manchester Arena Bombings. But, they bring diversity to schools. Leicester has the largest Diwali celebrations outside of India.

Question 43

Separatism: Definition

Answer 43

An attempt by regional groups to gain more political control, often tending toward independence, over the area in which they live.

Question 44

Basque Country: Reasons for Separatism

Answer 44

• Lies on the border between France and Spain making it geographically peripheral.
• Has natural borders. Atlantic ocean to the N, Pyrenees to the W, R. Ebro to the S and the Sierra de la Demanda mountain range to the E.
• Has its own language - Euskara - and associated culture.
• Is much richer than the rest of Spain, stemming from Banking, Fishing and Tourism.
• Was, in the time of General Franco, oppressed. Euskara was banned and 10’s of thousands of people were killed/arbitrarily detained from 1937 when he came into power until 1975 when he died.
• Is a relatively large area, large enough to constitute a country with a population of 2 million and three large, prosperous cities (Santander, San Sebastian and Bilbao).

Question 45

Devolution in the Basque Country

Answer 45

Power was devolved in 1936, to be removed a year later when Gen. Franco’s autocracy started. In 1979, it was granted an independent parliament and police force which could control its own taxation and budget.

Question 46

ETA

Answer 46

Stands for Basque Homeland and Freedom. The group was formed in 1959. Killed over 820 people in the last 40 years but made their last killing in 2009. In 2011, they stated their intention to wind up- finally doing so in April 2017. Killed up to 10 people per year in the 1970’s leading the EU and USA to call it a terrorist group and ban its political wing Herri Battasuna. In April, there were only thought to be less than 25 members. Its designation as a terrorist organisation came in 2003, following the 2001 assassination of a senior popular party politician. It placed a car bomb in the car park of Madrid airport in December 2006.

Question 47

Scottish Separatism

Answer 47

The electorate in 1997 voted for greater devolution. This was enacted into law by the Scotland Act, 1998. This formed the Scottish Parliament. Many matters were devolved but important aspects of taxation and foreign policy were ‘reserved’ for Westminster. In 2011, the SNP won a landslide Scottish Parliament election leading the leader of the SNP Alex Salmond to call an Independence referendum to be held on the 18th September 2014. Salmond wanted Scotland to save £1bn of oil revenue a year for 30 years like Norway do, making Scotland ‘one of the world’s richest countries’. Whether those funds would belong to Scotland is another matter. Any EU/ Commonwealth citizen living in Scotland over 16 at the time could vote. 55% said No. The EU referendum has led to calls for another independence referendum as the whole UK voted 52:48 to come out of the EU while 63% of Scottish voters voted to stay in.

Question 48

State of World Poverty

Answer 48

In 2005, 880 people lived on less than $1 a day.

Question 49

GDP As A Poverty Measure

Answer 49

Of some use but can make very divided countries look well off. Only PPP accounts for cost of living.

Question 50

PQLI

Answer 50

Physical Quality of Life Index. 1-100 scale measuring IMR, life expectancy and literacy rates. This was good when launched in 1995 as there was no direct economic measure. Yielded surprising results. Average was 72 and some very poor countries were down in the 30’s but Sri Lanka was up at 82. You can be developed as a country without being rich.

Question 51

HPI

Answer 51

By 1997, understanding of poverty had increased. It was not seen as just a problem for developing countries but could exist in developed nations too. Here, there were two indices:

• HPI1 DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. Measured life expectancy from 40+, number of people without access to clean drinking water and literacy rates.
• HPI2 DEVELOPED COUNTRIES. Measured life expectancy over 60, functional literacy skills and the % of people below the national poverty line.

Question 52

Multidimensional Poverty Index

Answer 52

Perhaps the gold standard as it assesses all of the determinants of quality of living but, good performance in one area can cover up bad performance in another and in a country such as Afghanistan, which has not had a census since 1988, the data is often not available.

Question 53

Millenium Development Goals

Answer 53

These were introduced in 2000, to be completed by 2015, with the aim of eradicating world poverty. The UN has called them the most successful poverty reduction strategy in history. They have been replaced with 17 sustainable development goals which have less sweeping, more realistic targets which are easier to achieve by the end date of 2030.

Question 54

MDG1 - End Extreme Poverty and Hunger

Answer 54

Goal: To halve the number of people on less than $1 a day and the number of people chronically undernourished.
Outcome: Number living on less than a dollar a day has fallen 56%, chronically hungry has fallen 45%. 836 million still live on

Question 55

MDG 2- Universal Primary Education

Answer 55

Primary school enrolment has increased from 83% in 2000 to 91% today. Africa still lags behind: 60%–>80%.

Question 56

MDG 3 - Promote Gender Equality

Answer 56

Goal: Gender ratios should be even in primary and secondary school by 2005, in universities by 2015. There should be more women in parliament.
Outcome: In S Asia, a real problem area, M:F ratios in school have gone from 100:74 to 100:103. Still a disparity in university although some universities in the UK see a change.

Question 57

MDG 4 - Reducing Child Mortality

Answer 57

Reduce Under 5’s mortality by 2/3. In fact, it has reduced by 48%. 16,000 children still die a day from preventable causes. Measles vaccination rates have increased from 73% to 84%.

Question 58

MDG 5 - Reducing Maternal Mortality

Answer 58

Reduce maternal mortality by 2/3. All births to be attended by a skilled birth attendant. Maternal mortality has fallen by 45%. Only a 20.3% increase in the number of births attended by a skilled birth attendant.

Question 59

MDG 6 - Combat the spread of HIV, Malaria and other major diseases

Answer 59

By 2015, the spread of these diseases should stop and the reversal should have begun.
In reality, Malaria still causes 24% of deaths in Mali. HIV infection rates have fallen by 40%, access to ARV treatment has increased by 1600%. Measles vaccination rates up by 11%pts.

Question 60

MDG 7 - Ensure Environmental Sustainability

Answer 60

Halve the number without access to clean drinking water.
This was achieved, 2.6bn people have gained access to clean drinking water. 166% increase in the areas designated for environmental protection.

Question 61

MDG 8 - Develop a Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.

Answer 61

Internet access has risen from 6% to 43%. International aid has increased by 66%

Question 62

Afghanistan - Context

Answer 62

A DTM S2 country. Population of 31.9 million, 45% of whom are under 15, 2% over 65. Has experienced 20 years of war with 3 million having died in wars since 1988 (last census) and 6 million fleeing. Despite this, its population has increased by 3.9% per year (6.9%pa in Kabul). 78% of the population live in Rural areas with 20% being nomadic goat herders.

Question 63

Afghanistan - Politics

Answer 63

Taliban ruled from 1994 to 2001, filling power vacuum left after years of Soviet influence that came in after US backed mujahideen overthrew the ruler. 89% of women completely uneducated with only 1.3% having attended university. Female professionals dismissed. In 2004 a constitution was signed and Hamid Karzai was its first democratically elected president.

Question 64

Afghanistan - Economics

Answer 64

In Taliban time opium cultivation constituted 60% of the economy, now 33%. It still supplies 90% of the world’s opium. Under Taliban female professionals were dismissed. Since 2001 $10bn of aid has been pledged.

Question 65

Alternative Livelihoods work in Afghanistan

Answer 65

1 million people in Helmand given $55 a year (25% of the average annual salary) to farm other crops. This has failed. Helmand’s opium production fell 10% with heavy security presence but in neighbouring Nimroz it increased by 1370%.

Question 66

Aid Issues

Answer 66

2007 Aid impact report warned of ‘aid juggernaut’ preventing any positive multiplier effects. UK aid in maternity services has saved 40,000 babies. Good schemes include those where, THROUGH THE AFGHAN EDUCATION MINISTRY, the UK pays the salaries of 10% of teachers. Not so good ones include a $10m opium survey project. Afghan government wanted to employ local people to do it on foot, the British backers overruled them and did it from the air. It is largely seen to have failed. Only 1/70th of alternative livelihood funding pledged has been delivered.

Question 67

Israel: Context

Answer 67

Population of 8.2 million of which 1.7 million are Arabs. Has a GDP of $31,000 and its defence force is 168,000 strong. Major US Aid recipient

Question 68

West Bank: Context

Answer 68

2.7 million people including 765,000 Israeli settlers. Defence consists of the Palestinian Authority Defence Force of whom there are 56,000. GDP $2700.

Question 69

Gaza Strip: Context

Answer 69

Only 2 miles long. 1.7 million people. Under the control of Hamas militants.

Question 70

Israeli Politics

Answer 70

Benjamin Netanyahu elected for a second, non consecutive term in 2013. He is part of the right wing Likud party.

Question 71

West Bank Politics

Answer 71

The president here is the president of the Palestinian Authority (created after 1994 Oslo Accords) Mahmoud Abbas, elected in 2005. This holds in West Bank but not Gaza. Abbas wants to quit but this cannot happen as Gaza is too unstable to organise elections in. Day to day running of the west bank is down to Fatah. In 2012, it was given ‘non-country observer membership’ of the UN.

Question 72

Gaza Politics

Answer 72

Run by Khaled Mashal of Hamas. They are regarded as a terrorist group by most of the world. First elected in 2009 and then again, following his first and only visit to the strip, in 2013. He lives in Qatar.

Question 73

Israeli Invasion of Gaza Strip - Context

Answer 73

Operation Protective Edge, characterised by airstrikes as a precursor for a later ground invasion, was launched (8th July 2014) as a response to an increasing frequency of Hamas rocket fire that ‘endangered Israelis’ and the kidnap and killing of 3 Israeli teenagers in the West Bank by two Hamas members. Hamas wanted prisoners to be released. Neither faction will admit to breaking the ceasefire that had held since Nov 2009.

Question 74

Impact of Protective Edge on Gaza

Answer 74

20,000 homes and the strip’s only power plant were destroyed. £4.8bn of damage was done. 75% of casualties were civilians. 2101 people were killed and 30% of people in Gaza were displaced. 2/3 of Hamas’ rocket arsenal was destroyed. £4.8bn of damage.

Question 75

Impact of Protective Edge on Israel

Answer 75

The operation cost $2.5bn including damage to Israel. There were 730 Israeli casualties, 66 soliders and 5 civilians were killed.

Question 76

Conclusion of Protective Edge

Answer 76

There was a ceasefire on 26th August. The EU called for bilateral restraint as did Pres. Obama (meanwhile authorising $225bn of aid to Israel). Both sides accused of breaking the Geneva Conventions. Israel argue that before striking they dropped leaflets. Amnesty et al. argue that due diligence was not applied.

Question 77

West Bank Barrier - Context

Answer 77

70% of this project that will cost $2bn when done. It very roughly follows the green line established following the Israeli War of Independence which is the border the Arabs agree on. However, this incorporates 9.5% of Palestinian land and is 2x as long as the original green line as it has snaked around 69 settlements throughout the West Bank, bringing 80% of Israeli settlers onto the Israeli side of the barrier.

Question 78

Impacts of the West Bank Barrier - Israel

Answer 78

Israel claim that it is a success, 13 soldiers were killed in 2015 compared to 426 at the height of the 2nd Intifada which caused the 2002 approval of the barrier.

Question 79

Impacts of the West Bank Barrier - Palestinians

Answer 79

At the moment, 10,000 palestinians are stuck on the wrong side of the barrier to their crops. This number is expected to rise. Many now have trouble accessing schools and health centres on the Palestinian side. Accessing E Jerusalem from the West Bank used to require a 10 minute walk, now a 3 hour car journey.

Question 80

Reaction to the West Bank Barrier

Answer 80

It was branded illegal by a UN resolution in July 2004. The EU pushed Israel to comply with the Oslo roadmap to peace. Even President Bush said that the wall hindered the peace process. At the start of 2004, Israeli support for the wall was high at 78%, falling 6% over that year.

Question 81

Golan Heights - Context

Answer 81

Technically owned by Syria, with parts claimed by Lebanon. Occupied by Israel following the 1967 Six Day war. Israel tried to formally annexe them in 1981. This was condemned as illegal by the international community. Today, the area is occupied by 20,000 Israelis and 20,000 Syrians.

Question 82

Strategic Advantage of the Golan Heights to Israel

Answer 82

Contains Lake Tiberias and mountain aquifers. 685 million m3 of water comes from here, feeding the Jordan river. Therefore, water from this source (both directly and indirectly) constitutes 60% of Israel’s water. Despite using half the water of Southern California in a similar climate, for a lot of agricultural irrigation Israel has to rely on recycled sewer water. The need could perhaps decline as today 55% of Israeli water comes from desalination. Also, they represent high ground useful in a war.

Question 83

Negotiations Over The Golan Heights

Answer 83

In 2000, PM Ehud Barak was close to returning the area to Syria before they broke down. In 2003, Assad said he would return to talks which continued until 2009 before breaking down. To give them back, 20,000 Israeli settlers would have to be removed at a cost of $10bn. Netanyahu was elected on the promise that he would take a hard negotiating line. Luckily, because of the 2011 outbreak of civil war in Syria he has never had to go to the negotiating table.

Question 84

Jerusalem

Answer 84

All 2 state solutions proposed have this as a DMZ. In 1949 the Israelis seized E Jerusalem and W Jerusalem in 1967. There are four significant quarters in Jerusalem.

Question 85

Christian Quarter

Answer 85

NW. Contains the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This is the site where Jesus is thought to have been buried and resurrected. A pilgrimage site since the 4th Century.

Question 86

Muslim Quarter

Answer 86

NE. This is complex. Contains what the Muslims would call the Al Aqsa mosque and what the Jews would call temple mount. Muslims see this as a place of holy sanctuary, Jews believe that when the messiah comes, he will come here. Much tension.

Question 87

Armenian Quarter

Answer 87

SW. Contains St James Cathedral which was built on the site of the Roman 10th Legion encampment. The population of Armenians here, at 1500, is growing due to tensions in Armenia, contested between Russia and Turkey.

Question 88

Jewish Quarter

Answer 88

Contains the Western Wall, the most sacred site in Judaism and the site of the (subsequently destroyed) first Jewish temple.

Question 89

Two State Solution

Answer 89

This is the solution in the Oslo Roadmap to Peace. This is 3 stage plan. The 1st stage should have been completed in in 2005 but has not been due to a lack of impetus to do so in Israel.

Question 90

One State Solution

Answer 90

This would involve Israel staying as is. The West Bank going to Jordan (Jordan would be happy; the west bank would not) and the Gaza Strip going to Egypt (neither party happy with that).