Zionism, Israel and the Palestine

who held hawkish attitudes within israels government

moshe dayan (military leader) david ben gurion (PM)

who held dovish attitudes within israels government

moshe sharrett (foreign minister)

what was the premise of the hawkish view within israels government

arabs were incapable of accepting israels existence - advocated retaliation and a pre-emptive strike favoured large scale intervention and covert (secret) operations - spread disunity amongst the arabs and weaken their military

what was the premise of the dovish view within israels government

much more cautious approach arab disunity was against israels interests aarab consensus was needed to bring peace

When was the Cairo Conference?

1964

why was the statement issued by the arab leaders at the cairo conference so significant

first time they declared in official document that their ultimate aim was the destruction of israel

2 key aims of the PLO

unite all palestinians

win back land they lost in 1948-49 war

what was fatah

the largest group within the PLO. From 1965-67 Fatah carried out an increasing number of guerrilla attacks with the support of Arab states - mainly Syria

where did the fatah have bases

one in each of syria jordan and lebanon

which country gave the most support to the PLO

syria

who tried to restrict the activities of the PLO and why

lebanon and jordan because they were afraid israeli reprisals

why were there no PLO attacks on israel from egypt

UN troops had been placed on the border after the 1956 war to prevent further clashes

when did the ba'athists come to power in syria

feb 1966

what did the ba'athist government demand

revolutionary struggle against israel

liberation of palestine - arab states believed that this was their own issue and responsibility

why was nasser reluctant to go to war

knew the arab states were not ready and israel had stronger military forces than all neighbouring arab states combined

what did egypt and syria sign in november 1966

a defence agreement - if one state attacked, the other would come to its defense nasser thought it would calm new syrian government down but they now felt more supported to attack

why did israel attack samu

a mine exploded on the israel-jordan frontier, killing 3 israeli soldiers so they retaliated

when did israel attack the jordanian village of samu

13 november 1966

what event sparked an air battle on 7 april 1967

syrians opened fire on israeli tractor ploughing land in demilitarised zone so israelis fired back syria started shelling other israeli settlements - air fight over damascus

when was there an air fight over damascus between israel and syria

7 april 1967

when did the israeli general threaten to occupy the syrian capital and overthrow the syrian government (against wishes of his government)

12 may 1967 - widely interpreted by arabs as a sign that israel intended to attack syria

when did the soviets warn egypt of israel moving armed forces to syrian border to attack

13 may 1967

why may have the svoiets warned egypt of israel moving armed forces to syrian border to attack

may have seen it as an opportunity to expand their influence in the region at a time when the US was bogged down in the the vietnam war

whywas nasser forced to act in may 1967

the defence agreement with syria

had to respond as his leadership of the arab world was being challenged but he didnt want war because he knew arabs were not strong enough

when did nasser move troops into the sinai peninsula

15 may 1967

how many troops did nasser move into the sinai peninsula on 15 may 1967

100,000 - this alarmed the israelis

what did nasser ask the UN in may 1967

to remove troops from egyptian soil - wanted to prove that egypt was completely independent

when did nasser close the straits of tiran to israeli shipping

22 may 1967

why did nasser close the straits of tiran to israeli shipping in may 1967

denied israeli ships coming from the indian ocean and the far east access to the port of eilat

what did the syrian defence minister warn would happen to israel on 24 may 1967

they will never accept peace and will go to war with israel which would result in the destruction of israel

why was israeli government so keen to enlist US support for a first strike in may 1967

they needed to be sure that the US government would stand by israel in the UN if Israel attacked first

what did US president johnson say on 26 may 1967 that made israel wait to attack

according to US intelligence, egypt had no plan to attack but that, if it did, then the israelis would "whip the hell out of them" and that "israel will not be alone unless they decide to go it alone"

what did nasser demand on 29 may 1967

israel should allow the palestinian refugees to return to israel

israel should give up land taken in the 1948-49 war

why did king hussein reluctantly join with nasser on 30 may 1967

half the population of jordan was palestinian - demanded revenge in newspapers

signed a mutual defence treaty with egypt and a force of egyptian commands was flown to jordan

when did the israeli delegation demand the US government to take action to open the straits of tiran

31 may 1967

how did the americans respons to israeli delegates demanded US action to open the straits of tiran in may 1967

suggested that israel should take action on its own israel took this as the go ahead

who became defence minister of israel on 1 june 1967

moshe dayan

why had the israelis virtually won on the first day

they had destroyed the air forces of egypt, syria and jordan wihtin 4 hours - they had complete control of the skies

when was the universal company of the suez maritime canal constituted

20 december 1858

evidence of britains opposition of the universal company of the suez maritime canal

declined offers of shares and even organised a boycott which led to a shortage of investors

what percentage of the shares of the universal company of the suez maritime canal did egypt acquire

44%

when did construction of the suez canal begin

25 april 1859

when was the suez canal opened

November 1869

in the first year of its opening, what percentage of vessels using the suez canal were british

75%

when did ismail pasha offer egypts shares of the canal for sale as he had incurred massive debts

mid 1870s

who bought egypts shares after they were offered by pasha in the mid 1870s

british pm benjamin disraeli for £4million

when did turkey (germanys ally from 1914) send troops to seize the suez canal

february 1915

when did britain give egypt nominal independence

1922

when was the anglo-egyptian treaty signed in london

1936

what did the anglo-egyptian treaty state

proclaimed egypt to be an independent sovreign state but allowed british troops to still be stationed in the canal zone for protection - until 1956 egyptian rebellion

when was italy (german ally) driven out of egypt by british and commonwealth counter-offensive

december 1940

when did italians (reinforced by german afrika korps) attacked and pushed the allied forces back

march 1941 - fighting continued until summer 1942

when did pasha (leader of wafd party) revoke the anglo egyptian treaty of 1936

1951

what did the palestinians realise as a result of the suez war

they were unlikely to get anywhere if they left matter in other hands and relied on their fellow arabs

who encouraged the fedayeen to attack israel

the discredited mufti of jerusalem

What group was formed at the end of the 1950s

the fatah - made up of young palestinians who gathered in british-run kuwait

what were the key aims of the fatah

destruction of israel and formation of a palestinian state

2 examples of Yasser Arafat and the desire for an independent stance

attempted to blow up saudis oil pipeline to the mediterranean arafat had nothing to do with the PLO or PLA

PLO and PLA

Palestinian Liberation Organization Palestinian Liberation Army

Why was Arafat suspicious of Nasser?

clearly saw that nasser needed the PLO in order to control the palestinians and curb their geurilla activity

What was Arafat's key aim and why did Nasser see this as unrealistic?

another arab-israeli war

nasser saw this as unrealistic because in open warfare, the disunited arab forces would stand little chance against the well-organised israeli military machine

when did the free officers overthrow the egyptian monarchy

1952

positive impacts of the suez crisis on israel

hawks win debate

straits of tiran open

UN force to police border with egypt - security

negative impacts of the suez crisis on israel

pressure from US and USSR to return conquests

no removal of nasser - became more popular across arab world

impacts of the suez crisis on the west

turning point for british and french influence

middle east dragged into cold war more (eisenhower doctrine)

many arab nations against atheistic communism - especially monarchies like saudi arabia, jordan and iraq

US still wants to keep ties close with arab nations - prevent them from becoming communist

when was the eisenhower doctrine

1957

what was the eisenhower doctrine

US will protect any countries who come under threat by a communist country

impacts of the suez crisis on egypt

nasser dismissed military loss

nasser hailed by arab masses for standing up against imperialism and israel undisputed leader of arab world

between the wars 1956-1967

arab nations officially at war with israel

armistices but no peace treaties

arab nations still deny israels right to exist

many threatened armed conflict but none wanted

saudi arabia between war 1956-1967

especially hostile towards nasser because they were a monarchy

saudis vs egypt of yemeni civil war "arab cold war"

leftish socialist republics of arab world

egypt, iraq (post 1958) and syria

monarchies, nationalist, pro-western aran nations

saudi arabia jordan - perhaps dont want war due to a lack of cohesian

egypt between war 1956-1967

united with syria to form UAR in 1958

nasser made threats to destroy israel but didnt actually

continued funding from US and USSR - nasser didnt want to jeopardise relationship

syria between war 1956-1967

very unstable, rigorously anti-israel

ba'ath party seize control in 1963 (military, secular group)

iraq between war 1956-1967

faisal ii opposes UAR and joins baghdad pact

military coup in 1958 - monarchy overthrown

ba'ath party takes control in 1960s

very unstable - aid and weapons from soviets

jordan between war 1956-1967

hussein - anti-nasser, pan-arab union with iraq but recieves aid from US and britain

400k palestinian refugees - potential conflict with israel

when did nasser make speeches containing anti-israeli rhetoric

1959

UAR

United Arab Republic

when did the six day war start

june 1967, started in part when Egypt wouldn't allow Israel access the gulf of aqaba

Arab casualties in six day war

15,000

Israeli casualties in six day war

fewer than 1000

Reason for Israel winning six day war in terms of their army

Arabs had larger armies but their air force was destroyed by israel

Foreign military support for Arabs in six day war

Modern soviet missiles

Foreign military support for Israelis in six day war

French fighter planes and tanks

Most advanced US electronic equipment - could intercept Arab communications

Why did Israel see no need to hurry peace negotiations with Arab states after six day war

Confident they were the regional superpower

Why did Israel decide on military occupation of the territories they had captured after the six day war

Made borders more secure

Buffer zone between main 3 enemies

What was the result of Israel capturing the golan heights in the six day war

Villages in the north of Israel were safe from Syrian artillery

Why were fortifications along the river Jordan and control of the West Bank so crucial for Israel during the six day war

Protected the country's narrow waist of 24km

What was the impact of Israeli occupation of the Sinai desert after the six day war

Huge buffer between Israel and the Egyptian army

What did the Israeli government order the army to do after six day war and why

Confiscate Arab land and build Jewish settlements to make areas more secure

What did Israel do with East Jerusalem after capturing it in the six day war

Annexed East Jerusalem as they were desperate to keep hold of it because it was the holiest of their holy places

How did the UN react to Israel annexing East Jerusalem after the six day war

Condemned because it violated international law

Who was the British PM during the suez crisis

Anthony Eden

Main reason for the failure of the suez plan

Eisenhower told Britain France and Israel to back off

What was operation focus

Israel's plan to take out Arab airforces

When were the straits of tiran closed

May 1967 - sparked Israeli attack

When did Israel capture East Jerusalem

7 June 1967

Main reasons for israeli success in six day war

Israel's air superiority

Israel was better trained and highly motivated as they believed they were fighting for nations survival

Arab lack of co ordination meant Israel could attack nations one by one not simultaneously

Who did Arabs blame the defeat in the six day war on

USA, Britain, and other European powers like France

What did the main oil producing Arab states agree to do after six day war

£135 million annually to Egypt and Jordan as compensation for losses in war