Israel-Palestine Conflict and Partition History

These vocabulary flashcards cover the historical timeline, major agreements, key figures, and geographical disputes of the Arab-Israeli conflict as detailed in the session lecture notes.

Zionism

The movement for the establishment of a Jewish national homeland.

Jewish Diaspora

The historical dispersion of Jews from their ancestral homeland, often forced to flee and settle in areas like Europe, North Africa, and Rome.

Balfour Declaration (1917)

A formal statement by Great Britain expressing favor for the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.

Sykes-Picot Agreement (1916)

A secret treaty between France and Great Britain to divide the former Ottoman Empire in the Middle East between themselves.

McMahon Promise

Assurances made by the British commissioner in Egypt to Arabs promising them independence (including Palestine) if they remained on the land.

Mandate

An agreement where one country rules another until that country is considered ready for independence.

UN Partition Plan (1947)

A United Nations proposal to create both an Arab state and a Jewish state in Palestine; at the time, Palestinian Arabs made up $67\%$ of the population.

1948 Arab-Israeli War

Conflict triggered when six Arab countries launched an uncoordinated attack on Israel immediately after it declared independence on May 14, 1948.

IDF

The Israel Defense Forces, created following the declaration of Israeli independence.

1949 Armistice Line

The boundary established after the 1948 war, often referred to as the Green Line, delineating territory controlled by Israel, Jordan, and Egypt.

Six Day War (1967)

A conflict where Israel launched a preemptive attack on Egypt, Syria, and Jordan, resulting in Israel doubling its territory by taking the Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, West Bank, and Golan Heights.

U.N. Resolution 242

A resolution following the 1967 war that called for Israel to return territory and for Arab states to recognize Israel's right to exist, which ultimately failed.

PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization)

A political organization formed to represent all Palestinians and organize separate resistance movements; led by Yasser Arafat from 1969 to 2004.

October 1973 War

Also known as the Yom Kippur War, where Egypt and Syria attacked Israel on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar to reclaim lost territory.

Camp David Accords (1978)

A peace treaty signed by Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli PM Menachem Begin where Israel withdrew from the Sinai and Egypt recognized Israel’s right to exist.

Intifada

A Palestinian uprising in the West Bank and Gaza Strip that began in 1987 in response to Israeli military presence.

Oslo Accords (1993)

Agreements signed by Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat where the PLO acknowledged Israel’s right to exist and Israel recognized the PLO as the representative of Palestinians.

Hamas

A radical Palestinian group in control of Gaza that does not recognize the state of Israel and has engaged in terrorism.

Fatah

Moderate Palestinians, currently part of the Palestinian Authority (PA), who are in control of the West Bank and seek a two-state solution.

Settlements

Jewish neighborhoods built by Israel inside occupied territories; approximately $700,000$ Jewish settlers currently live in the West Bank.

West Bank Barrier

A structure of fences, trenches, and concrete walls started in 2002 by Israel to prevent suicide attacks, though much of its route sits inside the West Bank.

Yitzhak Rabin

Israeli Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize winner who led Israel toward peace until his assassination in 1995 by a Jewish extremist.

Gaza Economic Statistics

As of the provided transcript, Gaza has a population of $2$ million, a literacy rate of $97\%$, and an unemployment rate of $49\%Default$.