Israelis & Palestinians• Jews (aka Israelis) lived in Israel for

thousands of years but were kicked out 2000 yrs ago & scattered throughout the world– believe God gave them the land– Horribly persecuted

• Palestinians (Arab Muslims) moved into the territory (Palestine) & lived there for 2000 years– Holy to their religion

Who should get the Land?

• Many Jews from around the world want to create a Jewish homeland in Palestine

• Holocaust occurs & Jews get more international support

• Palestinians do not want to give up their land & their population is twice the size of the Jewish population

• Both consider Jerusalem holy• Your task: create a solution to this situation

The Decision

• UN partitioned Israel– 55% Jewish state

(though only made up 1/3 of population)

– 40% Arab state (made up majority)

– 5% Jerusalem (UN controlled zone)

– Arab countries voted against the partition

1948 War• 1948 Jewish leader

announces Israel’s Independence

• The next day, 6 Arab countries (Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon) invade and attack Israel

• Israel wins and takes over most Palestinian land

• Hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees flee the fighting– Gaza Strip & West Bank

What should the UN do?

1. Force Israel to give back the land (40%) back to the Palestinians and return to the original plan.

2. Do Nothing. Israel was attacked and deserves to keep the land.

3. Set up a fund to help the Palestinian refugees with food & shelter.

4. Force Israel to pay the Palestinians for their lost land.

6 Day War

• Egypt & allies ready to confront Israel– Cut off Israel from the Red Sea– Israel sees this as an act of war

• Israel attacks first, wins, and only lasts 6 days • Israel gained control of:

– Jerusalem – Sinai Peninsula– Golan Heights– West Bank– Nearly 2 million Palestinian refugees– Israel begins to take over more Arab lands…

What should be done?• 1. Support Israel and allow them to keep

the lands they captured.• 2. Condemn Israel and demand they

return the conquered territories.• 3. Send peacekeeping forces into the

territories to act as a Buffer between the Israeli soldiers and Palestinians.

• 4. Establish an international commission to study the situation and create a plan to bring peace to the region.

Intifada• 1980s, Israelis increase harassment of

Palestinians– Took more land, deported suspected activists,

arrested & imprisoned many w/o charge– Palestinians paid taxes but did not receive benefits– Permits to travel…much more– Israelis did not experience any of this

• Intifada: Palestinian uprising– Strikes, boycotts, marches, refuse to pay taxes– Main weapon: rocks– Israel responds violently (beatings, destroyed homes,

arrests…)– 37,000 Palestinians wounded, 1000 dead (56 Israelis)– Gets worse in 1990s

What should be done?• 1. Send peacekeeping forces into territories to

stop the violence.• 2. Take no action because this is an internal

Israeli affair.• 3. Condemn Israeli human rights violations and

demand that they return the land to the Palestinians so that they can have self-rule.

• 4. Send a special commission to study living conditions in order to create a plan for peace.