The Arab-Israeli

conflicttoday.

V.
 Geography.
Israel is a small but developed country on land to
the East of the Mediterranean sea.
It has its own religion Judaism- and is a recently
formed country-1948.
It is surrounded by Muslim (Arabic) countries on
three sides-Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, and
Syria.
It has a powerful friend in the USA.
The land itself is fertile if you have water.
There are major cities- Jerusalem, Haifa, Tel Aviv.
The land has a long history of war and bloodshed.
 Jerusalem- the main city.

Jerusalem is an ancient city that has been fought over for thousands of years. This is
partly because it is a place of fundamental religious importance for Christians,
Muslims and Jews. Each group is highly suspicious of the other. Conflict has been
violent and each group lives uneasily guarding its own space.

Jerusalem is also a modern city and an economic centre of Israel. Whoever controls
Jerusalem controls the region.
 Israel-coast

With enormous investment Israel has become very

prosperous.

The coastline has fabulous hotels and a super climate.

Once desert land now features luxurious golf courses.

 Israel-cities.

The Jewish people have been very industrious. They have

built up large modern cities with efficient infrastructures.
At the same time they have not neglected their traditions
however. They see these as major reasons why they have
survived as a people.
 Israel-the countryside.

The land itself has been a cradle of human civilisation. It formed the
western end of the fertile crescent that stretched from Persia to the
Mediterranean.
Water is the key element here. If you have a well then your land will
produce wonderful crops. Otherwise it will be desert.
Israel-the people.

Because of its location, and long history, Israel has a

large mixture of peoples. They are different faiths,
appearance, skin colour etc etc.
 So what is the problem?
The land called Israel is also a land called Palestine.
60 years ago the land was under British protection. The British had occupied it after the
First World war.
The local people of this land were Muslim Arabs. They were called Palestinians because
the land was called Palestine.
After World War Two Jewish people were escaping from a shattered Europe. Many
owned nothing and had stepped straight out from Hitlers death camps.
Using their memory of tradition they sought refuge in the land of their ancestors- Judea.
Judea (where the word Jew comes from) was also the name of the land known as
Palestine.
Jewish people started to migrate to Palestine (Judea) in large numbers. The British were
unable to stop them. The Jews pushed the Palestinian Arabs to the east and claimed
Palestine as their own territory by religious right. They were merely coming home. They
renamed it Israel.
The Palestinian arabs fought back, however, to keep their property. Against so many
people however they were forced back. They turned to their Muslim neighbours for help
and assistance. This time the Jews (Israelis) were outnumbered.
The Israelis turned to anyone who might help them- and found the USA willing to
support a struggling nation.
The two sides were now set up for war- and have been sparring ever since. On one side
is a well-equipped, modern, conventional Israeli army. On the other side is a
modern, not so well-equipped but innovative Muslim terrorist army Hamas. Both
sides are ruthless.
The fight claims military and civilian deaths regularly on both sides.
Hamas-the Arabic Palestinian terror
army or Palestinian freedom
fighters?
Familiar terror uniforms.

If someone had stolen your home

wouldnt you fight back?
 Bus bombers and sniper

These people are in disguise so that they, and their families,

wont be targeted by Israeli security forces.
Children as terrorists?
Propaganda is rife from both
sides.

Are children really being used

as terrorists?- or is this Israel
trying to make the Palestinians
look immoral?

What do you think of this?

Women,and child, in support.
Muslim woman terrorist/freedom
fighter.
This person was a doctor.
She decided she had to
fight- and consequently
die- for Palestine.
 Bus bombers

The idea is to blow up buses- and themselves- and disrupt

Israels infrastucture.
It attracts international attention to the Palestinian/Israeli
problem.
The results-notice the bodies.
Another bus bomb- note the
body.
US President George W.Bush. He is
shown here as a puppeteer-
controlling the Israeli prime
Minister.
The title shows the belief that
Israels money comes from the
USA.
 The Israeli army.

-returning violence for the terrorist violence..

The army has bigger weapons of
course.
 Even going to school can be
dangerous for children on both
sides.
 -frightened soldiers arent
inclined to be kind and gentle.
This boy has wet himself he is so terrified. Soldiers
have been known to break arms and legs to show their
authority.
 Soldiers are even fearful of
children. What has the child got
in the bags? Is he a terrorist?
But here is a child killed in the
fighting. Does it matter if he is
Jew or Muslim?
Jewish crowds taunting a Muslim
woman.
 Here is one possible solution to the
problem.
A wall.
The wall dividing Palestinian
Arabs from Jews.
Is this a good solution do you think?
Are humans so unbending that
we have to do this to the world?
Perhaps you can think of another
solution to this conflict?

Before you do, consider why this

conflict exists in more detail.
Examine causes and consequences.
Look at sources and evidence. Where
does truth lie. Who is right? What
can be done? Over to you.