The Arab Israeli Conflict Flashcards
Long Term Causes of 1948 War
– Zionism
– International Relations
– Anti-Semitism
– Arab Rejectionism
Short Term Causes of 1948 War
– Arab armies attacked along the borders of the Jewish State
o Response to UN 181 – Partition of Palestine
o Declaration of Independence by Israel
– Jews willing to defend the State of Israel (even under the partition guidelines) and Arabs willing to defend the whole of western Palestine as their independent state.
Consequences of 1948 War
Ramifications for Jews outside of Palestine
Palestinian Refugees
Armistice not Peace
– There were also irreconcilable goals of both parties o Existence of Israel o Border issues o Refugees o Jerusalem o Access to water
Consequences for the War for Israel and Palestine to 1967
- Refugees
- Nationalsim
- Ongoing conflict (Suez Crisis)
- Fedayeen Raids
- Unresolved Issues (Border Issues, Refugees & right of return, Water, Jerusalem)
Political and Social Issues in Arab-Israeli Relations in 1967
- Right of return or compensation for Palestinian refugees
- The burdens on the new state of Israel
- Support and involvement by international players
- Superpowers sphere of influence
- The Palestinians and the Arab World
- Pan-Arabism and its consequences
- Israel under threat
Long term causes of 1967 War
• Water disputes and formation of United Arab Command
• Border raids based in Syria, Egypt + Jordan = counter raids
• Egypt economic problemsEgypt mobilises army because the Soviets fed information into Egypt, that Israel was mobilising on the Syrian border, and Egypt had a pact with Syria. (Legitimate excuse they had been waiting for to mobilise)
• Soviet also told Syria and the US. All surveillance suggested the Soviets were wrong
- IN MIDST OF COLD WAR
Creation of PLO
• By Nasser in 1964, to control the Fedayeen groups, as he didn’t want Egypt dragged into another war
• He wanted to take Palestinian nationalism and use for Pan-Arab purposes
• Functioned as an umbrella organisation, working from diverse smaller groups
• Was set up with the help of the Arab League, and funded by Arab countries
• 1967 was impetus for change → Growth in Palestinian nationalism, as Arab states could not solve the Palestinian problem – own self interest
o Focused on Statehood aspirations
o Leadership change from Nasser to Arafat in 1969
Aims of PLO
- Liberate Palestine from Zionist ‘colonial oppressors’
* Use a method of armed struggle to create an independent state → do this through the destruction of Israel
Methods pre–1967 of PLO
• Conquer Israel through a untied Arab front and through force → traditional military methods
Methods post–1967 of PLO
Terrorism
o Change in methods intrinsically linked to their power → terrorism is the ‘weapon of the weak’ (Robert Goodin)
o No viable alternatives → indication of their desperation and hopelessness of the situation
o Results → elevated conflict from a regional to international level, gave the Palestinians a tool for negotiations, and made the ‘Palestinian problem’ and international problem
Method post-1974 of PLO
• The international attention of the Palestinian cause as a result of terrorism tactics saw the apparent turn to diplomacy, especially through Yasser Arafat
• Apparent strategy changes
o Opportunities for diplomacy
o 1974 Phases Plan → opportunity for any land would be taken, even if it involved negotiating with Israel.
o Moving away from Arab rejectionism (still didn’t accept Resolutions 181, 242, 338)
Effectiveness of PLO 1964-1967
o Ineffective → dominated by Egypt, Syria and Saudi Arabia
o Most guerilla operations were conducted by the Fatah, and though large, it was not coordinated with other groups and not largely effective → posed real but limited threat
Effectiveness of PLO 1968-1974
o Effective → Fatah and Arafat emerged as legitimate leadership, Formed under Palestinian Nationalism → unified goal, represented themselves
o Terrorism put the Palestinian problem on the international stage.
• Granted recognition in the Arab League in 1974
• 1974, Arafat was the first leader of a national movement to address the UN General Assembly, that lead to the granting of the PLO as an UN observer status
• 1975, General Assembly invited the PLI to participate in debates concerning the Arab-Israeli conflict
• 1975, US State department acknowledged the ‘legitimate interests of the Palestinian Arabs’ must be taken into consideration
Long Term Causes of 1973 War
o Egypt’s desire to regain lost territory, military honour and to defeat Israel, particularly after the fiasco of the 1967 war
Course of 1967 War
- Independence Day, Egypt Mobilised (Soviets fed information of Israeli mobilisation)
- Rumour spread, removed UNEF, Israel mobilised (stop entire country)
- Driven by fear and pragmatism - pre-emptive strike
- Egyptian air forces bombed and destroyed within 30 minutes, Israel could focus on Sy & Jor
6 days, 2000 Eg died fighting, 10000 in retreat
