United Nations: Responses to the Arab-Israeli Conflict

1. United Nations: Responses to the Arab-Israeli Conflict

2. You are a member of the United Nations.You are about to l earn about real situations that took place in the Palestinian region AFTER World war i. You must decide on the best action for the united nations to take.

3. Event A: The UN’s Plan for Palestine • The situation: • Britain issues the Balfour Declaration • This supports the creation of a homeland for Jews in Palestine • Palestinians (90% of population) strongly oppose plan • Jewish immigration increases to the region and fighting between the groups intensifies • After WWII, Britain – realizing it has lost control - turns over the land to the United Nations (1947)

4. Your choices: • A. Make Palestine one state, and hold democratic elections to set the foundation for a democratic, secular (nonreligious) state. • B. Make part of Palestine into a Jewish state, and annex the Arab part of Palestine to the neighboring nation of Transjordan. • C. Divide Palestine into 2 states, an Arab state and a Jewish state. Make Jerusalem an international zone administered by the UN. • D. Keep Palestine as a United Nations mandate until violence between Jews and Arabs ceases and peace is secure.

5. Your choices: • A. Make Palestine one state, and hold democratic elections to set the foundation for a democratic, secular (nonreligious) state. • B. Make part of Palestine into a Jewish state, and annex the Arab part of Palestine to the neighboring nation of Transjordan. • C. Divide Palestine into 2 states, an Arab state and a Jewish state. Make Jerusalem an international zone administered by the UN. • D. Keep Palestine as a United Nations mandate until violence between Jews and Arabs ceases and peace is secure.

6. Event B:The 1948 War • The situation: • The UN has divided Palestine into a Jewish state, an Arab state, and a UN-controlled international zone of Jerusalem • Jewish state called Israel • Jews = ; Arabs =  • Arab troops from surrounding nations attack Israel • But Israel fights back and captures most of the Arab land proposed by the UN • About 900,000 Palestinians flee the fighting and become refugees • Palestinians demand to either be allowed to return to homes or be compensated for lost land/property • Israelis claim Palestinians chose to leave and their army rightfully won the land after Arabs attacked Israel.

7. Your choices: • A. Pass a resolution demanding that Israel, Egypt, and Jordan return land to Palestinian refugees so they can form a Palestinian state. • B. Do nothing, because the Israelis were attacked and simply struck back at the aggressor Arab nations. The Palestinians must suffer the consequences of losing. • C. Set up a fund to support Palestinian refugees with food and shelter. • Pass a resolution demanding that Israel compensate Palestinian refugees for lost land and property.

8. Your choices: • A. Pass a resolution demanding that Israel, Egypt, and Jordan return land to Palestinian refugees so they can form a Palestinian state. • B. Do nothing, because the Israelis were attacked and simply struck back at the aggressor Arab nations. The Palestinians must suffer the consequences of losing. • C. Set up a fund to support Palestinian refugees with food and shelter. • Pass a resolution demanding that Israel compensate Palestinian refugees for lost land and property.

9. Event C:The 1967 War • The Situation: • The PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization) founded to regain Palestine and eliminate Israel. • Israel feels continuously threatened by its neighbors and terrorist attacks • Launches surprise attack against Egypt and Syria • Israel takes the West Bank from Jordan and the Gaza Strip and Sinai peninsula from Egypt • So, all the Palestinians who were under Jordanian control and Egyptian control come under Israeli control • This equates to 1.5 million Palestinians. • These areas become known as the Occupied Territories.

10. Your choices: • A. Support Israel against its hostile Arab neighbors by recognizing Israel’s capture of the Occupied Territories. • B. Pass a resolution condemning the military conquest, refuse to acknowledge Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and demand the return of the Occupied Territories. • C. Send the peacekeeping forces into the Occupied Territories to act as a buffer between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians and to guard the borders against further fighting. • D. Establish an international commission to study the situation in Israel/Palestine and devise a plan to bring peace to the region.

11. Your choices: • A. Support Israel against its hostile Arab neighbors by recognizing Israel’s capture of the Occupied Territories. • B. Pass a resolution condemning the military conquest, refuse to acknowledge Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and demand the return of the Occupied Territories • C. Send the peacekeeping forces into the Occupied Territories to act as a buffer between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians and to guard the borders against further fighting. • D. Establish an international commission to study the situation in Israel/Palestine and devise a plan to bring peace to the region.

12. Resolution 242 • Resolution 242 – Calls for Israel to give back territory won in war. • However, contains vague language. Doesn’t say Israel has to give back ALL the territory, just that it has to give back territory • Israel responds by giving back the Sinai peninsula only.

13. Event D:The Intifada (1980s) • The Situation: • Intifada means “uprising” or “shaking off” in Arabic. • Israeli forces in the Occupied Territories are believed to be harassing Palestinians • Leads to increased unity and anti-Israeli activity among Palestinians • Arab people try to protest the Israelis • Kids throw rocks at Israeli soldiers and soldiers retaliate with tanks and guns – famous photos

18. The Intifada: Results • Israeli troops demolish homes and businesses, arrest thousands • More than 1,000 Palestinians die; 37,000 are wounded

19. Your choices: • A. Pass a resolution condemning Israeli human rights violations committed against Palestinians in the Occupied Territories. • B. Send peacekeeping forces into the Occupied Territories to stop the violence. • C. Take no action because the Intifada is an internal Israeli affair. • D. Send a Special Commission into the Occupied Territories to study Palestinian living conditions as a first step to ending the Intifada.

20. Your choices: • A. Pass a resolution condemning Israeli human rights violations committed against Palestinians in the Occupied Territories. • B. Send peacekeeping forces into the Occupied Territories to stop the violence. • C. Take no action because the Intifada is an internal Israeli affair. • D. Send a Special Commission into the Occupied Territories to study Palestinian living conditions as a first step to ending the Intifada.

21. So what happened next? • Eventually, moderate PLO leaders like Yasser Arafat accept Israel’s right to exist • In 1993, PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin shake hands and sign a peace agreement • It says: • Israel will withdraw from Gaza and the West Bank (i.e. the Occupied Territories) • Palestine will self-rule

23. So what’s happening now? • 2005 – Israel leaves the Gaza Strip • Palestinians democratically elect terrorist/militant organization called Hamas • Hamas controlled Gaza Strip but elected out – • (This group does not accept Israel’s right to exist) • But Israel still controls most borders of Gaza • Dec 2008 - January 2009 – Israel launches air strikes and ground strikes against targets in Gaza

24. United Nations • UN Resolution 1860: calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza and a full Israeli withdrawal • More than 1,300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed in the 22-day war

25. Most Recently… • Palestine granted non-member statehood • Gives Palestine more international rights • So is statehood coming? • Not quite…