Outcome: Understanding the Conflict

The Middle East

Jerusalem

Understanding the Conflict1. Setting the Stage

a. Fact: History has shown that humans will fight and die for what they believe in

b. Crossroads for three major religionsi. Judaism:

1. Israel/Palestine lie in the heart of the promised land of the Hebrews

2. Jewish temple in Jerusalem destroyed by the Romans

3. Jesus was Jewish

Western Wailing Wall

Understanding the Conflictii. Christianity

1. Jesus was born in Bethlehem2. Jesus lived in Nazareth3. Jerusalem is site of Jesus’

crucifixion

Understanding the Conflicti. Islam

1. Mecca and Medina are in modern day Saudi Arabia

2. Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem site where Muhammad arose into heaven

Israel and Palestine

Understanding the Conflict2. Israel & Palestine: Conflict over land and

religiona. Palestine:

i. An area that today includes Israel and the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, as well as part of Jordan, and some of both Lebanon and Syria.

ii. Other names include Canaan, Zion, The Holy Lands

b. Palestinians: i. Arabic-speaking people with family origins in

Palestineii. Mostly Muslimiii. Upset about Israeli control in Israel, West Bank, &

Gaza Strip

Understanding the Conflictc. Israel:

i. The worlds only predominantly Jewish state, roughly 5.7 million Jews

ii. Following the Holocaust, Jewish survivors sought refuge from Germany & Britain

Understanding the Conflictd. Conflict over land and religion

i. UN approved a partition of Palestine creating a Jewish and Arab state

ii. Instead, the pre-Israel government, The Jewish Agency, declared independence on May 14, 1948 and named their country Israel

iii. The following day, the armies of five Arab countries—Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq—attacked Israel, launching the 1948 Arab-Israeli War

iv. Jews and Arab Muslims in the region have disliked each other since

West Bank & Gaza Strip

Understanding the Conflictv. The West Bank and the Gaza Strip:

i. West Bank was originally called Judea and Samaria

ii. Under Israeli occupation since 1967: major cause of conflict

iii. Islamic group Hamas now rules Gaza Strip. Israel left in 2005

Hamas Flag

Understanding the Conflict1. US Involvement

a. Afghanistan Then and Nowi. Then: The Cold Warii. Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979; US

protest by boycotting Moscow Olympics in 1980iii. US secretly supplies Afghanistan freedom

fighters with weapons (Film: Charlie Wilson’s War)

iv. Afghanis were first country to beat the mighty Soviet Army

v. Last Soviet troops left in 1989

Understanding the Conflictii. Now: The Taliban & Terrorism

1. The Taliban: Islamic Political Group that governed Afghanistan from 1996-2001 when overthrown by US; Has revived since 2004

2. Very oppressive, especially to women

3. Fighting against the US and others with US supplied weapons

4. Supported by Pakistan and Iran but both countries deny involvement

5. Terrorism: Osama bin Laden was head of Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda; primarily trained in Afghanistan

6. Al-Qaeda attacked US on 9-11-017. Osama bin Laden was shot and killed in

Pakistan in May 2011

George Bush Sr.

Understanding the Conflictb. Two Iraq conflicts

i. The Persian Gulf War (Desert Storm) Aug 2, 1990 – Feb 28, 1991

1. Iraq invaded Kuwait2. UN initiated a coalition force from 34 nations

with purpose of expelling Iraqi forces from Kuwait

3. Kuwait was liberated in Feb 1991, however Saddam Hussein still ruled Iraq

Understanding the Conflictii. Iraq War March 2003-Present

1. Sent in to find Saddam Hussein’s WMD; did not find any

2. Changed goal to “Liberate Iraq”3. Found Hussein in a bunker; Iraqi’s put him on trial

and executed him4. Still fighting insurgents: soldiers loyal to

Saddam’s army5. Trying to install a democracy; takes time

Saddam’s Hiding Spot

Saddam Hussein after…He put up no

resistance although armed with a pistol.

"My name is Saddam Hussein. I am the president of Iraq and I want to negotiate," he told the US troops in English, according to Major Bryan Reed, operations officer for the 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division.

Understanding the Conflictc. Iran: future enemy?

i. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has not shown he is an ally of America

ii. Ahmadinejad dislikes Israel and is a denier of the Holocaust (anti-semitic)

iii. May be building nuclear weapons?

Understanding the Conflict Result: Peace in the Middle East will not be easy to achieve.

When cultures and religions clash, it becomes difficult to negotiate a compromise that satisfies all sides. With dictatorships and violent histories already in place, it may be a long time before the Middle East achieves peace.