The Arab Israeli conflict

 Pan-Arabism- at its highest after Suez crisis, but bound to disappointment

(divisions- new nations- Iraq and Syria, old nations- Yemen and Egypt, vastly
different cultures)
 Nasser aims for asserting himself as a leader and creating an alliance of Arab
states independent of the USA and the USSR
 1958-
o United Arab Republic
 Syria requests a union with Egypt because Syria moved steadily to
the left with the radicalisation of the Baath gvnt, an arms deal with
the USSR in 1956 and the outcome of the Suez War
 Alarmed west and conservative Arab countries
o Iraqi monarchy overthrown- pro. British ,Hashemite monarchy overthrown
and replaced by a nationalist gvnt, withdrawing from the Baghdad pact,
tensions with egypt
o Arab countries seem to be moving left and radicalising as arab nationalism
grows
o Fatah-
 Al fatah, the movement for the liberation of Palestine, (Yasser
Arafat, salah khalaf),
 Argue liberation of Palestine must come first
 Nasser resentful to Fatah’s intention of provoking conflict, wants to
keep the movement under control
 Syria sponsors Fatah attacks on Israel, (reasons- want to be seen
as supporting PA cause, get leadership from Nasser, be seen as
leader of Arab world, more radical g)launched from Jordan, without
knowledge or approval of Jordanian gvnt, discredit Jordanian king)
 = one of the causes of teh 1967 war
 1961-
o UAR collapses, Syria resented being treated as a junior, Egypt’s soft
attitude to Israel, its economic interests subordinated,
 1962- Nasser intervenes in Yemen on the side of the revolutionaries, more
moderate nations back the monarchists, labelled Nasser’s Vietnam
 1964- Cairo and Alexandria summits-
o aim to moderate tensions between Arab states and Israel, Egypt fears
being pulled into a military confrontation
o reach a decision against military action
o divert river Jordan, but Israel bombs the construction sites
o create Palestinian Liberation Organisation
 denounced illegal partition of Palestine and the formation of israel
 not committed, only a gesture= al shuqairy the first leader “create
an activist facade blind which nothing would occur“
 Palestine liberation army
 Saudi Arabia hostile to it, Lebanon and Jordan refuse to allow bases
(Jordan- see as a threat as it wants Palestinian state including
territory annexed by jordan)
Six Day war

Long-term causes

 Issues left unresolved by conflicts in 1948 and 1956

o Arab sense of humiliation
o Israeli sense of insecurity and vulnerability
o Plight of Palestinian arabs and Israeli’s continuing opposition to
concessions on this issue
o Supplying of weapons by the USA and the USSR, although USSR supplied
more arms they were defensive and of an inferior quality and neither
power encouraged its allies to go to war

Short Terms Causes

 Militancy of Baathists gvnt

 Fatah escalation of attacks
 Border clashes between Syria and Israel, (April 1967)- levi eskhol moderate,
accused, orders retaliation raid in SAMU- WB,= King of Jordan criticised for not
defending PA
 Egypt serious economic problems, near bankruptcy, engages in aggressive
rhetoric
 USSR fake report on Israeli troops mobilisations near Syrian border

Progress

 Tank divisions sent to Sinai

 Egypth asks UNEF to withdraw
 Israel mobilises
 Occupies Sharm al sheikh and close straits
 Jordan signs a defence pact placing forces under egypt
 Superpowers try to restrain powers
 Israel cabinet divided, delay decision so president Johnson can negotiate,
o But, brings in more radical elements, dayan and begin who want war
o upon hearing of Egyptian representative going to US, consensus for war
o Importance of denying psychological and diplomatic victory had become no
less important than teh issue of navigation, want to deny Nasser political
victory, consult Washington
 Course
o Attack airbases
o Fighting in WB and J
o UN resolution, Jordan accepts
o I captures Sinai, destroys liberty, attacks Golan heights
o Syria accepts UN ceasefire
o Israel took Golan heights, accepts ceasefire
 Consequences
o 800 to 10 000 casualties
o Israel territory x3 (Sinai, Golan, WB, Gaza, Jerusalem)
o 1,1 m PA in I
o 350-400 000 refugees
o Nasser resigns
o Israel divided over next step, votes to keep Jerusalem, eskhol and eban
readz to negotiate, radicals want to keep territory, construct settlements
(16) and bar lev line
o Jordan and Egypt favour negotiations even de facto recognition, Syria and
PLO opposed
o The Khartoum conference 1967, 3 no’s- peace, recognition, negotiations
o War of attritions 68-70
o UN- resolution 242: just settlement of refugee pb, inadmissibility f
acquisition of territoriy by war, withdrawal of Israeli forces from territories
occupied,
o Johnson’s 5 principles- 67
 removal of threats to any country in region,
 settlement of refugee issue,
 halt to arms race,
 freedom of navigation,
 respect for political independence and territorial integrity of all
states”
o Rogers Plan 68
 Possible and desirable to enlist USSR help
 Against Kissinger(nixon) who wants to exclude USSR
 Wants to implement resolution 242- Israel withdrawal, join J-I
control of J
 Israel uses AIPAC- American Israeli public affairs committee
 Undermines plan, fails
o Rearmament of both sides, by US and USSR who want to show resolve,
extend influence anbd make sure rival’s allies do not become superior
militarily
o PA movements
 Fatah- Palestine national charter- armed struggle is the only way to
liberate Palestine, aim to destroy Zionist and imperial presence
 Battle of karameh 68- inspiring, lost but caused heavy casualties
 PLO- 69 arafat becomes president, plo radicalises, stages attack
 Inter-factional Rivalries within, PFLP, PDFLP
 High-profile attacks
 February 1970- blow up swiss air plane
 Spetember 1970- hijack three planes, land in Jordan, release
captives, blow up planes
 1972- hired Japanese gunmen kill 27
 Black September 72, kill 11 israeli athletes
  Black September 1970- problems in Jordan, state in state, cause
Israeli retaliation, destabilise, want war to gain WB and EJ, Hussein
wants these for himself= conflict, Syria tries to intervene, US urges
I to scrae them iff, Nasser mediates Cairo agreement and PLO
moves to Lebanon 1962

Yom Kippur

 Causes of Yom Kippur War

 Failure to achieve peace- I wants direct negotiations, Egypt and Jordan want
negotiations but mediated, PLO against, Syria aggressive
 Sadat searches for US support
 \Jarring’s proposals- 19171: 67 borders, free navigation, demili. Zone in Sinai,
recognition
 1972: Sadat expulses soviet personnel- appease USA get weapons from USSR
 Galili document 1973- settlements, 44 done, 50 planned
 Syria and Egypt ally
 Course
o Advance in Sinai and Golan, isreal taken by surprise (600 reservists)
o Eleazar decides to defend Golan, first offensive fails, demand US supplies
o Golan taken, sadat orders offensive but defeated, US supplies arrive
o Cut of third army
o OPEC- 70% raise in oil prices
o 2,2 billion aid- embargo
o Brezhnev and Kissinger meet and agree to cal for ceasefire
o UN resolution 338- ceasefire
o Israeli offensive continues
o Sadat appeals for enforcement, Nixon wants to allow I to gain territory,
USSR threatesn to intervene and mobilises, US responds by alert, both
back off
 Consequences
o Undermines I confidence
o Shatters IDF reputation of invincibility
o Greatest I losses ever-2700 men, equipment, cost 7 billion, foreign
o Dependence on US loans, from 70 million in 1970 to 2,6 billion in 1972
o Undermined support of labour party, ascension of likud, militant
o 15000 E and 7000 s dead
o Sadat’s prestige soars
o 1st use of oil weapon, prizes triple, damages economies, accounts for 38%
of world production compared to 7% in 1945
o Geneva conference 1973- no result, I, E, J, USA and USSR
o Kissinger’s shuttle diplomacy
 Kilometre 101- exchange of prisoners of war, supplies to third army
 Sinai 1, 1974- Israeli withdrawal
 Sinai 2- withdrawal, forced by withholding aid and delaying arms
deal, anebales Egypt to reopen canal, rebuild cities and acces
oilfields
o Syrian-israeli agreement 19754-israel pulls back, demilitarised zone,
 o Realtions between Syria and Egypt deteriorate sharply, accused of making
separate peace
o PLO- recognised as sole legitimate representative at summit of arab
leaders in 1974
 Invited to address Un general assembly- i have come bearing an
olive branch and a freedom fighters gun, do not let the olive branch
fall from my hands, condemns Zionism and talks of future where
jews and arabs live in peace
 Lebanese civil war- support faction muslim Lebanese national
movement, Syria and Israel each support one- Israel invades
Lebanon in 78 and 82
 Plo moves to Tunisia
 Palestinian national authority in any area liberated from Israeli
control, not opposed to 2 state solution anymore, before against
any partition
o Un resolutions
 3236- right to national independence and sovereignity, right to
return to their homes and property
 Plo gains observer status
 Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination

Camp David
 Carter- commited to search for peace, believer, rehabilitatete US after Vietnam,
favours general settlement and resolution of Palestinian pb
 Sadat- desperate for peace, ready for direct negotiations, huge economic problems
(53% of spending covered by borrowing), rising prizes cause revolts
 Israel-serious economic problems,foreign debt rose from 1,4 to 8,1 billion between 67
and 77, likud in power, but begin prepared to consider withdrawal from Sinai for
recognition if initiative came from sadat
 1977- sadat addresses Knesset
 Camp david accord 1978
 Requires a lot of pressure
 Two frameworks for peace-
o Diplomatic relations, recognition, peace treaty
o PA vague, move to autonomy over 5 years, then discuss status
 Sadat accused of signing a separate peace
 Washington treaty 1979-
o Begin interpreted treaty differently, 3 month moratorium only,
o Arabs hostile
o Provisions
 Ends war
 Withdrawal from Sinai
 Freedom of navigation
o Limitations
 Peace between 2 countries only
 Sadat assassinated
 Golan occupied and annexed in 81
 Palestinian problem not solved, no autonomy
 Plo attacks continue
 Intifada 1980’s- PA uprising