Definitions

Question 1

Al-Qaeda

Answer 1

a global militant Islamist organization founded in the late 1980s by Osama bin Laden and others, known for carrying out terrorist attacks on Western targets

Question 2

Alewites

Answer 2

a religious group in Syria and parts of Lebanon and Turkey that branched off from Shia Islam and has its own unique beliefs and practices

Question 3

Antisemitism

Answer 3

hostility, prejudice, or discrimination against Jews as a group.

Question 4

Arab Socialism

Answer 4

a political ideology that emerged in the Arab world in the mid-20th century, characterized by a mix of socialist, nationalist, and anti-colonialist principles

Question 5

Eastern Question

Answer 5

a term used to describe the political and diplomatic problems arising from the decline of the Ottoman Empire and the rise of European powers in the 19th and early 20th centuries

Question 6

Fatah

Answer 6

a Palestinian political party founded in the 1950s and currently led by Mahmoud Abbas. It is one of the two main Palestinian factions, along with Hamas

Question 7

Hezbollah

Answer 7

a Lebanon-based Shia Islamist political and military organization, designated a terrorist group by several Western countries, including the United State

Question 8

Intifada

Answer 8

a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation, characterized by mass protests, civil disobedience, and sometimes violence

Question 9

Islamic Jihad (Egypt)

Answer 9

a Sunni Islamist group based in Egypt that advocates for the establishment of an Islamic state in the country and is responsible for carrying out numerous attacks against government and civilian targets

Question 10

Islamic State (ISIS)

Answer 10

a militant Sunni Islamist group that emerged in Iraq and Syria in the early 2010s and sought to establish a caliphate based on its own interpretation of Islam. It is responsible for numerous acts of terrorism and human rights abuses

Question 11

Mandate system

Answer 11

a system established by the League of Nations after World War I, whereby certain territories previously held by the defeated powers were placed under the administration of various European powers with the goal of preparing them for eventual independence

Question 12

Maronites

Answer 12

a Christian sect primarily found in Lebanon, with significant populations also in Syria and Cyprus

Question 13

McMahon-Hussein Correspondence

Answer 13

a series of letters exchanged during World War I between British High Commissioner in Egypt Sir Henry McMahon and Sharif Hussein bin Ali, the leader of the Arab Revolt against Ottoman rule

Question 14

Oslo Accords

Answer 14

a set of agreements signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in the 1990s, which established a framework for the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Question 15

Pan-Arab nationalism

Answer 15

a political ideology that emphasizes the unity and solidarity of the Arab world and seeks to promote Arab culture and identity

Question 16

PLO

Answer 16

the Palestine Liberation Organization, a political organization founded in the 1960s that seeks the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem

Question 17

Saudi Aramco

Answer 17

the state-owned oil company of Saudi Arabia, one of the largest oil companies in the world

Question 18

Shias

Answer 18

a branch of Islam that believes in the political and spiritual leadership of Ali and his descendants, and is the majority religion in Iran and Iraq.

Question 19

“Sick Man of Europe”

Answer 19

a term used to describe the Ottoman Empire in the 19th and early 20th centuries, reflecting its decline in power and influence

Question 20

Sunnis

Answer 20

the largest branch of Islam, who believe that the first four caliphs were the rightful successors to the Prophet Muhammad, and is the majority religion in most of the Muslim world

Question 21

Sykes-Picot Agreement

Answer 21

a secret agreement between the governments of the United Kingdom and France, with the assent of Russia, defining their spheres of influence in the Middle East should the Ottoman Empire collapse during World War I

Question 22

Tanzimat

Answer 22

a series of reforms undertaken by the Ottoman Empire in the mid-19th century, aimed at modernizing the state and promoting equality and freedom for all citizens

Question 23

The Balfour Declaration

Answer 23

The Balfour Declaration was a public statement made by the British government in 1917 during World War I, expressing support for the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine. It was an important milestone in the history of Zionism and the eventual establishment of the state of Israel

Question 24

Tripartite Declaration (1950)

Answer 24

was a joint statement issued in 1950 by the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, affirming their commitment to the security and stability of the Middle East region. It was issued in response to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and sought to discourage any further aggression by either side

Question 25

UN Resolution 181

Answer 25

also known as the Partition Plan, was a United Nations General Assembly resolution passed in 1947 that called for the partition of British Mandate Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem as an international city. While the resolution was accepted by Jewish leaders, it was rejected by Arab leaders, and it ultimately contributed to the outbreak of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War

Question 26

UN Resolution 242

Answer 26

was a United Nations Security Council resolution passed in 1967 in the aftermath of the Six-Day War, calling for a “just and lasting peace” in the Middle East based on the principles of withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied territories and recognition of the right of all states in the region to live in peace and security

Question 27

White Paper (1930)

Answer 27

was a British government policy statement that sought to limit Jewish immigration to Palestine and restrict the sale of land to Jews in order to ease Arab-Jewish tensions in the region. It was criticized by Jewish leaders and led to increased Jewish resistance to British rule in Palestine

Question 28

The Young Turks

Answer 28

were a group of Turkish nationalist reformers who emerged in the late 19th century and played a key role in the overthrow of the Ottoman Empire in 1908. They advocated for a modern, secular, and centralized Turkish state and implemented various political and social reforms

Question 29

Zionism

Answer 29

is a political movement that emerged in the late 19th century advocating for the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine, the historical homeland of the Jewish people. It was founded by Theodor Herzl and other Jewish leaders in response to rising anti-Semitism in Europe and the desire to create a safe haven for Jews