Core Concept: Israel is in conflict with some of its neighboring states and entities over where it can exist, and with others over whether it should exist at all. Israelis disagree on what steps should be taken to achieve peace with their neighbors. Essential Questions: What is the nature of the conflict between Israel and its neighbors? What steps should Israel take for peace? Key Points: Israel Today: Realizing the Dream Page 29 1. The search for peace between Israel and its neighbors began over 90 years ago, long before the creation of a Jewish state. The Arab states and Iran objected to the existence of any Jewish state at all. Egypt and Jordan are the only Arab states which have made peace with Israel. 2. Israel and the Palestinians both claim the same land. While Israel initially agreed to a division of the land into two states -- one Jewish and one Arab (the 1947 U.N. Partition Plan) -- the Arabs opposed the division. 3. Israel has shown itself far more willing than the Palestinians to give up its dream of exclusive statehood in exchange for genuine peace and security. While some Palestinians want peace with Israel, many Palestinian leaders remain opposed to Israel s existence and support terrorism against Israel. 4. Israel and Syria both claim the Golan Heights as their own. 5. Israelis have many different opinions about what (or whether) territorial concessions should be made in exchange for peace. Israel s political parties represent the wide range of these opinions. 6. Some Israelis believe that the disputed territories should remain part of a Jewish State for security reasons and others for historical and religious reasons. 7. Some Israelis believe that territorial concessions are necessary to achieve peace and security, while others believe that the Israeli presence in the West Bank has a negative moral effect on the nation. Prepare in Advance: Large map of the contemporary Middle East hung on wall (optional) Large map of Modern Israel hung on wall (optional) Green, blue, yellow, red, and orange colored pencils for each student Highlighters two colors for each student 6 sheets of poster paper (or 12 sheets if the class has over 17 students) Thick markers for writing on poster paper, 4-5 colors per group Divide the class into 2 groups Make extra copies of the British Mandate Palestine map on page 28 of the student workbook in case your students make mistakes. Please note that this is a double lesson. Please break the lesson when your class comes to a close, but be conscious of the time so that you are able to complete all the activities in two sessions.
Israel Today: Realizing the Dream Page 30 Step 1: Connect (Quad 1 Right), Attend (Quad 1 Left) and Image (Quad 2 Right) Objective: Students will understand that: a) the core of the Arab-Israeli conflict is that is a land claimed by two peoples; and b) many Arabs in the Middle East do not want a Jewish state at all. Activity: Teacher introduces these concepts as the context for the history and map exercises that follow. Time: 5 minutes In the next few lessons, we are going to focus on the pursuit of peace -- -- in Israel. Since the State of Israel was born in 1948, there have been numerous wars between Israel and the surrounding Arab countries. While this Arab-Israeli conflict is ostensibly focused on and how (or whether) Israel and the Palestinians should share one land, the problem extends well beyond these two peoples. Most Arab states don t want there to be any Jewish state at all. These states use the plight of the Palestinians as a weapon to keep opposition against Israel strong both among their own populations and in other countries. Many people (including Americans such as former President Clinton) have worked hard in pursuit of, but understanding the root of the Arab-Israeli conflict is much easier than finding a solution. People have many different ideas about how to make peace. In the next class, you will examine these ideas and select the ideas you support. Today, we will study the background information you will need in order to make informed choices. Before we begin, I would like to review and clarify a number of terms which I just mentioned. They are:
Israel Today: Realizing the Dream Page 31 (Ask students to follow along on page 27 of their student workbook as you read about these terms:) All of the Arab countries (and Iran) surrounding Israel have been involved in the Arab-Israeli conflict. They have all fought wars against Israel. Some also provide active support to terrorists who attack civilians inside Israel. Definition of Terms The Arab countries and Iran surround Israel. They have all fought wars against Israel. Some also provide active support to terrorists who attack civilians inside Israel. Palestinians 1 refers to Arabs who currently live in Israel and in the areas that are or have been under Israel s control (the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem; you will learn much more about these areas later.) Arab Israelis are Palestinian Arabs who live in and are citizens of the State of Israel. For clarity s sake, we will use the term Palestinians to refer to Arabs who live in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem and Arab Israelis for those who are Israeli citizens. The Arab-Israeli conflict involves Israel with the Arab countries and Iran as well as the Palestinians. The Arab countries and Iran say that the Arab-Israeli conflict is about the Palestinians claim to the Land of Israel. In most cases, this is not the real reason for their opposition to the State of Israel. As I mentioned, the Arab countries and Iran say that the Arab-Israeli conflict is about the Palestinians claim to the Land of Israel. In most cases, this is not the real reason for their opposition to the State of Israel. 1. The term Palestinians comes from the word Palestine. In the 2nd century C.E., the Romans called Palaestina instead of Israel or Judah to minimize Jew ish identification with the land. This name was also adopted by the Western world in the century before the establishment of the State of Israel. Especially after the Six-Day War, Palestinian became the name of choice both for Arabs living in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem and those living within the rest of Israel. To make matters more complicated, there are also Arab Israelis. These are Arabs who are citizens of the State of Israel. We will use the term Palestinians to refer to Arabs who live in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem (more about these areas later). Don t worry if you do not have these distinctions straight yet; we will go over them many times together in the course of the unit.
Israel Today: Realizing the Dream Page 32 Step 2: Inform (Quad 2 Left) Objective: Students will know about the changing borders of Israel. Activity #1: Students examine a map of during the British Mandate. The teacher explains the state of affairs in and the surrounding areas during this period. Activity #2: In, student read and answer questions about Israel s changing borders. Students color-code the map of during the British Mandate. Time: 45 minutes Activity #1: Review British Mandate Palestine Map Ask students to turn to the British Mandate Palestine on page 28 in their student workbook. If you have posted a large contemporary map of the Middle East, you can have students glance at it to see how different it is from the British Mandate Map in their workbooks. This is a map of before the State of Israel was born. It was not an independent Arab country; it was ruled by the British after World War I when they defeated the (Turkish) Ottoman Empire. The British, along with other European countries, divided much of the Middle East into mandates. Look for each of these on your map as I mention them. Raise your hand if you have difficulty finding them. The French formed the French Mandate of Syria. Do you see it? Lebanon was considered part of Syria (which is why it doesn t appear on this map.) The British formed the Mandate of Palestine, which corresponds to Israel today (including the West Bank of the Jordan River.) They also formed the Mandate of Transjordan, which loosely corresponds to Jordan today. The borders were drawn by France, Britain and other Allied countries.
Israel Today: Realizing the Dream Page 33 British Mandate Palestine Map - Answer Key
Israel Today: Realizing the Dream Page 34 Activity #2: Mapping out the Changing Borders of Israel After World War II, the system of colonization collapsed in the Middle East. New local governments (not democratic) were born. Jordan, Syria and Lebanon all gained their independence in 1946, a year after the end of World War II. In Palestine, Jews and Arabs fought over who should be in control after the British left. You will read about what happened there on the next 12 pages of your workbook. In, read this story and answer questions. As you read, color-code your British Mandate Palestine map to mark the changing borders in. Be sure to color-code the key at the bottom of the map as well. Break students into and have them begin. Hand out the colored pencils and repeat that they should read through page 41 in their workbooks. Stress that they should make sure they understand the directions for each step before they mark the map; the instructions are complicated and it is not easy to undo mistakes made with the colored pencils. Circulate as students work to help them stay focused and to answer any questions they may have. When most students are done, call the class together to review their answers and correct any errors. Afterwards, have students add legends to their maps. When they are done, ask the following questions: Look at your completed British Mandate Palestine Map. Compare the borders of the proposed Jewish state in the U.N. Partition Plan (outlined and cross-hatched in blue) to the State of Israel after the War of Independence (shaded in green.) What do you notice? Now compare the boundaries of Israel before the Six-Day War in 1967 (shaded in green) to the boundaries after the war (add the areas in yellow.) What do you notice there? Finally, compare the additional territory controlled by Israel after the Yom Kippur War in 1973 (shaded in red) to before that war. What do you notice? What can we conclude? (Every time the Arab countries attacked Israel, they ended up LOSING territory. Yet Israel has given up territory twice for the sake of peace, while the Arab countries have ceded nothing.)
Israel Today: Realizing the Dream Page 35 1947 U.N. Partition Plan 1948: War Erupts After Jewish State Declared On November 30, 1947, the United Nations approved the partition [division] of Palestine into two states one Jewish and one Arab. 33 nations voted for this plan, including the U.S. and Canada. 13 nations (mostly the Arab League) voted against the plan. 11 nations abstained from voting, including Great Britain. The Partition Plan divided Palestine as follows: The Jewish state was to receive fertile lowland plains on the coast and east towards the (Sea of Galilee). The bulk of the proposed Jewish state s territory, however, consisted of the barren Negev Desert. The Arab state was to receive most of the highlands where the majority of the Arab population lived including the area that today is referred to as the West Bank (the area west of the Jordan River.) Jaffa, next to Tel Aviv, was to be an Arab enclave. Jerusalem, holy to three faiths, was to be an international city. The Jewish provisional government in British Mandate Palestine accepted the Partition Plan. The surrounding Arab states rejected it (the Arabs who lived in British Mandate Palestine had no governing body.) On May 14, 1948, the Jewish State was declared. On May 15, 1948 the British Mandate ended and the State of Israel was born. Immediately, the armies of six Arab countries, Egypt, Syria, Transjordan, Lebanon, Saudia Arabia and Iraq, invaded Israel. They advanced rapidly with the intention of destroying the one-day-old state. 1. On the British Mandate Palestine map, outline in BLUE the borders and lightly cross-hatch INSIDE the Jewish State according to the U.N. Partition Plan. (Note that the proposed Jewish State on the 1947 U.N. Partition Plan map appears in white.) 2. Why do you think Jerusalem was to be made into an international city, instead of part of either Israel or an Arab state? 3. Why do you think the Jews accepted the Partition Plan while the surrounding Arab countries did not? 1949 Armistice Lines 1949: Fighting Ceases and Borders are Drawn Between May 1948 and January 1949, the new State of Israel fought for its survival against the 6 invading Arab countries and defeated them. In the spring and summer of 1949, Israel and its neighbors signed agreements establishing Israel s armistice (cease-fire) lines. The borders for Israel were similar to those of British Mandate Palestine, except that: East Jerusalem and the West Bank were occupied by Transjordan and added to its territory. (In 1950, Transjordan was renamed Jordan. ) Egypt occupied the Gaza Strip. The border between Israel and Jordan is called the Green Line because a green pen was used on the map to mark the cease-fire lines of the armistice agreement with Jordan. Both Jews and Arabs paid a heavy price in the war. More than 4,000 soldiers and 2,000 civilians were killed out of a total Jewish population of 650,000. The figures for the dead from the invading Arab countries were never disclosed. 1 Thousands of Arabs lost their homes as a result of the war; some left on their own to avoid the fighting or were frightened into leaving by their own leaders. Those who were in the Israeli army s path or who provided shelter to enemy armies were expelled. Most of the Arabs who left Israel were placed by their host countries in refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Egypt. They expected to return as soon as the Arab armies defeated the newly-born state. Although some communities did return after the war, many did not. Some were not allowed to return by the new state. Israel did, however, absorb tens of thousands of Jewish refugees who were forced by local laws or by persecution and terror to leave Arab countries and Iran. Israel encouraged the integration of these refugees into Israeli life with great success. The Arab countries, to the contrary, prevented Arab refugees from integrating into their countries. They and their descendants remain in refugee camps today, often mistreated, isolated and without citizenship. Jews celebrate the birth of Israel on the 5 th of, the Hebrew anniversary of May 14, 1948 when the Jewish state was declared. Arabs mourn this day as al Nakba, the catastrophe. 1. Martin Gilbert, The Routledge Atlas of the Arab-Israeli Conflict, Eighth Edition (Great Britain: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, 2005) pp. 45-46. Koret Communications (israelinsider.com/maps) all rights reserved
Israel Today: Realizing the Dream Page 36 1967: An Unwanted War, An Unexpected Victory 1. On the British Mandate Palestine map, outline in GREEN the borders of Israel from 1949 until 1967. Shade INSIDE of the entire territory of Israel from 1949 until 1967 in green. (Note that Israel appears in white on the 1949 Armistice Lines map.) 2. How did Israel s borders from 1949-1967 compare to the borders proposed in the U.N. Partition Plan? 3. Who were the two groups that experienced population transfers (a move of a large group from one place to another) in the Middle East with the creation of the State of Israel? What happened to the people involved? In the years after Israel s independence, Arab countries refused to recognize the existence of Israel or its borders. They refused to trade with Israel and boycotted companies from other countries that traded with Israel (like Coca-Cola ). In 1967, the following events led to the Six-Day War, : Egypt mobilized its troops in the Sinai Peninsula and expelled the U.N. peacekeeping forces that were supposed to separate Egyptian forces from Israel. This signaled to the world that Egypt was preparing to attack Israel. Cairo Radio in Egypt announced: This is our chance, Arabs, to deal Israel a mortal blow of annihilation, to blot out its entire presence in our holy land... The Arab people is firmly resolved to wipe Israel off the map. 1 The governments of Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Saudi Arabia moved their troops to Israel s borders. gypt blockaded the Straits of Tiran, stopping all shipping to Israel s southern port, Eilat. A sea blockade is considered an act of war in international law. Convinced that an attack was imminent, Israel conducted a pre-emptive strike, destroying military air bases throughout Egypt on June 5, 1967. In the next few days, Israel decisively won a war it hadn t wanted to fight. This war became known as The Six-Day War,. How did Israel know it was about to be attacked? 1. Martin Gilbert, The Routledge Atlas of the Arab-Israeli Conflict,Eighth Edition (Great Britain: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, 2005) p. 65. June 10, 1967 Israel After the Six-Day War 1967: Israel More Than Triples In Size The 1967 Six-Day War started as a result of aggression from neighboring Arab states, but it ended with a decisive victory for Israel. Israel and the world Jewish community were euphoric. By the end of the war, Israel had conquered the following territories: The Gaza Strip, on Israel s southeastern coast. The Sinai Peninsula in the south. The Golan Heights in the north. The West Bank, to Israel s east. The West Bank refers to the land west of the Jordan River (immediately north of the Dead Sea). 1 Immediately after the war, a coalition of Arab states met in Khartoum, Sudan and declared The Three No s : No peace with Israel, No recognition of Israel, and No negotiation with it. Despite this statement, soon afterwards the United Nations passed Resolution 242 which called for Israel s withdrawal from the territories it had conquered in 1967 in exchange for a full peace with its neighbors. Six years later, in 1973, Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel on. Caught unprepared and without support from the United States, thousands of Israelis died in this war,. In the end, Israel both survived and held onto the territories they had gained in 1967 (with minor changes.) 1. On the British Mandate Palestine map, shade territories that Israel acquired after the 1967 Six-Day War in YELLOW. Label these territories on the map. 2. Fill in the blanks: From 1947-1967, the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula had been occupied by, the Golan Heights by and the West Bank by. 3. Why do you think Israel did not immediately return the captured territories after the war? 1. Many Jews call the area west of the Jordan River by its biblical names of Judea and Samaria,. Critics of Israel often refer to this area as the Occupied Territories. For the sake of consistency, it is referred to in all our texts by the relatively neutral name, The West Bank.