January 2013 Reesa; 13A01F How valid is the statement that the Arab-Israeli Conflict between 1945-2000 was

caused by Israelis desire to safeguard their security?

The Arab-Israeli Conflict was a series of violent armed conflict between the Arab nations, Palestinians and Israelis that started in 1945 and lasted until 2000. The statement above is valid to the extent that Israelis desire to safeguard their security was a major contributing factor to the conflict as the creation of Israel and subsequent declaration of its independence triggered the series of retaliatory violence between the parties involved. However, the importance of other factors must not be undermined in determining the cause of the conflict. There were several other problems and motivations of other major players that proved equally as fundamental, if not more so, in driving the conflict for over fifty years. Israelis desire to safeguard security provided their key purpose in participating in the conflict. The setting up of Israel itself stemmed from their perceived need to defend the lands they received from the UN Partition Plan in 1948 and to protect the Jews returning to their homeland after condemnation from German Nazis. The Jews insisted on defending their land, feeling that they had originally occupied the area before the Arabs and that they had a higher claim on the Palestine region. For much of the 20th century, the Israelis had to contend with Arab states denouncing the legitimacy of Israels claim to Palestinian territory, as well as the displaced Palestinians. Furthermore, Israels territorial insecurity was provoked by the Arab states repeatedly, by the formation of Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), Arab defense pacts, closure of straits and PLO guerilla attacks, among others. Additionally, many of the actions taken by Israelis in an attempt to safeguard their security was also largely in retaliation against the threats from the Arabs, which was justified by that fact that all four wars were either initiated by the Arab nations or Israels response to being provoked. Being the only Jewish nation surrounded by Arab nations like Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon, it is inevitable that Israel felt a strong desire to safeguard and protect their security. In contrast, the perspective of the Arab nations was that the creation of Israel was illegitimate and a threat to Arab nationalism, and was not viewed by the Arabs as Israelis safeguarding of their own security, providing them necessary conditions to start the conflict. Hence, Israels declaration of independence in 1948 had given the Arab states legitimate reason for use of force against Israel, marking the start of the Arab-Israeli conflict. However, the formation and retaliation of Israel was only one aspect in the cause of the conflict. Religious differences played a major role in expediting the start of the conflict and explained the sense of mutual animosity felt by the Arabs, Palestinians and Israelis. Jewish belief in the significance of the Jerusalem and the Temple Mount was in direct conflict with the Muslim claim over the same spot as the ascension of the Prophet to heaven. The overlapping sanctity of the location meant that neither was willing to cede Palestine and in particular, Jerusalem, to the other party. Historically, the Jews also cited occupancy during biblical times as legitimate cause for claim, while the Arabs argued their right by virtue of being descendants of Ishmael and heir to the Gift. The inherently divergent practices of both religions, such as Jews facing Jerusalem in prayer and Muslims having their backs towards Jerusalem during prayer, also exacerbated existing tensions between the Arabs and Israelis. There was also a significant increase in both Islamic and Jewish fundamentalism that contributed to the conflict, as seen from the formation of Hamas and Hizbollah (Arabs) as well as Gush Emunim (Jews).

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External involvement from Britain, France and the superpowers US and USSR, was also a key factor in causing the conflict. The role of British divide and rule policy served to play the Jews against the Arabs, breeding a sense of nationalistic animosity between the two contending groups of people. Promises made to the Jewish people, as well as Arabs in the Balfour Declaration of 117 and Hussein-McMahon Correspondence respectively, in which the British offered vague assurances of territorial claim to both sides, were in direct contrast and cultivated a sense of being aggrieved for both Jews and Arabs, each left with less than what they were initially promised. Furthermore, British attempts at resettlement of the Jewish population in Palestine with half-hearted attempts at integrating the oppositional populace has only served to further entrench the rivalry between the Jews and Arabs. Another instance was the Suez Crisis, where Israel was drawn in from July 1956 to support the Western powers, even though the initial Suez Canal Crisis was only between Britain, France and Egypt. For their own self-interests, Britain and France roped Israel in to their war plot to carefully and secretly plan their joint attack on Egypt, as seen from the infamous collusion meeting in October 1956 and the Protocol of Sevres. US and USSR, being enemies themselves, worsened tensions by showing support for their allies on opposite sides, Israel and Egypt, respectively. The superpowers provided their regional clients with a steady flow of arms, in a selfish attempt to keep their clients on their side - this was also one of the key factors to the start of the Yom Kippur War. Territorial dispute was undeniably the crux of the issue and can be said to be the main cause of the conflict. The dispute over Palestine land stemmed from deep-seated religious differences that were exacerbated by British policies of self-interest, culminating in the creation of Israel. This is evident from Egypts willingness to establish peace with the Israelis, once Sadat had achieved his goal of reclaiming Jewish occupied Sinai. Similarly, Jordans willingness to accede to peaceful relations with the Israelis in the 1990s can be attributed to the lack of outstanding territorial claims between Jordan and Israel. This explanation is further emphasised by the continued tensions that exist between Syria and Israel, with unresolved Syrian claims to Golan Heights a continued obstacle to peace processes between the Israelis and Syrians. Furthermore, the rise of extremist groups in the form of the nationalist PLO and the fundamentalist Hamas essentially rose out of a challenge to Israel claim over Palestine, as well as the treatment of Palestinians. In conclusion, although Israels desire to safeguard their security was a principle factor in causing the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Arabs had as much a part to play in its cause and there were also underlying factors (religion) and other equally as or more important factors (external involvement, territory) that started and prolonged the conflict.