Role of belligerent states in the development of the AIC

Question 1

Role of Arab nations in threatening Israeli and other countries’ economic welfare which led to the outbreak of war (ST) (particularly in the suez crisis)

Answer 1

1956 Suez Crisis
Egypt closed the Straits of Tiran after Op Black arrow which was a vital maritime passage for trade of goods to Israel from Asia, Africa and Europe
Egypt nationalised the Suez which threatened British and French stock holdings in the Company as the canal afforded Western countries access to Middle Eastern oil and threatening to cut off Europe’s oil supply; UK had seen a waning influence in the region with their share of oil production falling from 49% to 14% since 1945 → revenue cut

Question 2

Role of religious affinity in Arab nations and Israel that led to lasting tensions and recurring conflict in the LT

Answer 2

1948 Nakba
First started in the outbreak of the war and the context of British Mandate Palestine where the area of Jerusalem was being shared and disputed over by the Christians, Muslims and Jews but particularly amongst the latter 2
Jews only controlled part of Jerusalem after the Nakba, having to share it with Jordan and the muslims who controlled Eastern Jerusalem

1967 Naksa
Jews finally launched an offensive that allowed them control over Jerusalem completely after expanding their occupied territories

Question 3

Arab nations and Israel were most significant in prolonging the conflict in the LT due to competing nationalisms as the main movers of the AIC

Answer 3

1948 Nakba
Egypt, Joran, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq had called for a strike through the Arab Higher Committee and declared war on Israel to liberate Palestine from them which turned what was a civil war into an inter-state conflict
Israel responds by defending their sovereignty and existence, launching Plan Dalet to secure Jewish areas in Palestine promised under the 1947 partition plan, driving out inhabitants and destroying communities

1967 Naksa
1957 creation of Fatah and the PLO which was mainly under Arab leadership leading to many Arab countries becoming increasingly militarised to push for the Palestinian cause to assert influence and gain control
Israel and Syria clashed in the Sea of Galilee causing Egypt to sign a mutual defence pact with Syria, Jordan joins in to increase fedayeen operations against Israel
Israel perceived it was under threat and hence launched an offensive, the Battle of Samu, engaged in air battle with Syria
Egyptian side received report from USSR that they were under threat of a huge Israeli offensive and hence the Arabs mobilised
Seeing this, the Israelis mobilised and struck first destroying 385 Arab aircraft leading to Naksa

1969 War of Attrition
Unresolved issues with Israeli occupation of Arab territories led to Egypt launching prolonged low-intensity war through sporadic bombardment, commando raids and firings on strongholds
Also to force superpowers to help Egypt reclaim Suez Canal as part of its nationalistic efforts and dislodge Israel from the Suez and Sinai through the destruction of the Bar Lev Line fortification

1973 Yom Kippur
Israeli PM Dayan said that the government now regarded the Suez Canal as part of the permanent borders of Israel which went against the territorial sovereignty and hurt the nationalism of Egypt
Yom Kippur: following UN failure to address their plight and refugee crisis after the failure of Resolution 242, led to radicalisation with the PFLP who argued only terrorism in the West could bring about favourable conditions for them, Israel attacked the Palestine refugee camps to counter them, lending legitimacy to Arab states attacking Israel

Question 4

Arab nations and Israel were most significant in preventing a smooth ending to AIC due to foundational LT security concerns

Answer 4

Conflicting aims of regional security

Arab countries wanted regional military superiority and are afraid of Israeli expansionism further into their territories such as in the Golan heights during the 1973 Yom Kippur war
They are afraid of Israel’s military might as well, being aided by the west such as through the sale of M48A3 tanks and A4 skyhawk aircraft that upset the regional power balance

Israel is concerned with the existential threat posed by hostile neighbours seeking its extermination as demonstrated in the 1948 Nakba and low-intensity bombings and raids carried out throughout the periods leading up to the Suez Crisis during the Naksa and Yom Kippur war from the fedayeen

Question 5

Belligerent states hampered UN conflict resolution as they were unwilling to cooperate in order to further their ideals in the LT

Answer 5

Second Partition Plan
Rejected the new partition plan by Bernadotte without any consideration, no engagement with Israel

Armistice Agreements
Israeli-Jordan nego: Jordan never ratified the agreement because they insisted on territorial concession to which the notion of land for peace was unacceptable
Syria kept demanding half of Sea of Galilee
Egypt demanded parts of Negev desert
Jews did not want to cede land and repatriate the Palestinian refugees

1948 UNTSO and MAC
Israel boycotted regular ISMC meetings and withdrew in 1953 unilaterally
Arabs infiltrated Israel still which undermined the armistice agreements

Resolution 242
Abused the ambiguity of this resolution in the Naksa
Arabs insisted Israel had to withdraw from all territories
Israel insisted it had to hold on to the territories to live within secure borders
UNEF II (1973)
Egyptian-Israeli relations are still very much cold and significant policy agreements persisted over the Palestinian cause
Fundamental issues of the Palestinian issue remain unsolved leading to further conflict

Camp David Accords (78) and Egypt-Israel Peace treaty (79)
Israel continued to expand illegal settlements in the occupied territories which continued to be a major obstacle to peace and a source of contention between Israel and the Palestinians