1、INTRODUCTION TO THE MIDDLE EASTPart I,March23，2009,HERE IS THE WORLD,AND HERE IS NORTH AFRICA AND SOUTHWEST ASIA,Due to the location, its called the Crossroads of Continents: Europe, Africa, and Asia,SOUTHWEST ASIA IS MORE COMMONLY CALLED THE “MIDDLE EAST”,NORTH AFRICA,SOUTHWEST ASIA,MIDDLE EAST,SOM

2、E COUNTRIES IN NORTH AFRICA AREA,ALGERIA,LIBYA,AND EGYPT,(Sinai Peninsula),SOME COUNTRIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST AREA:,ISRAEL,SAUDI ARABIA,TURKEY,IRAN,KUWAIT,QATAR,AND THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE),IRAQ,AFGHANISTAN,Most of the climate is arid (dry) and semi-arid (partly dry),DESERT,DESERT,DESERT,DESERT

3、,SEMI,SEMI,SEMI,SAHEL,DESERT,DESERT,Some Physical Features you need to know are:,ATLAS MTS,TAURUS MTS,ZAGROS MTS,MEDITERRANEAN SEA,RED SEA,BLACK SEA,ARABIAN SEA,PERSIAN GULF,STRAIT OF HORMUZ,Bosporus Strait & Dardanelles Strait (SPLITS TURKEY FROM THE REST OF EUROPE),SAHARA DESERT,NILE RIVER,TIGRIS

4、RIVER,EUPHRATES RIVER,There is also a lot of seasonal flooding, alluvial soils (deposits from the river), and delta regions (like the Nile delta). An oasis is fertile land in a desert, usually fed by an underground spring,Many cities are known for their influence on culture and trade,CASABLANCA, MOR

5、OCCO,TRIPOLI, LIBYA,CAIRO, EGYPT,ISTANBUL, TURKEY,JERUSALEM, ISRAEL,MECCA, SAUDI ARABIA,BAGHDAD, IRAQ,TEHRAN, IRAN,Many Areas around the Middle East and North Africa are world famous.,Follow these cultural landmarks. Do you recognize any?,http:/www.fgsd.winnipeg.mb.ca/vmc/swaweb/cc/ccswow6.htm,The P

6、yramids at Giza,The ancient Egyptians used manual labor and wooden tools to build these magnificent tombs for pharoahs.,MOSQUES: places of worship for Muslims. Typical features are domes and minarets,DOME,MINARETS,The Dome of the Rock,Jerusalem: This Muslim holy site was built on the remains of the

7、Temple of Solomon, a holy site for Jews,/brvs/kaaba.html,The Kaaba,Located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the Kaaba is the most sacred site for Muslims. A Muslim must take the haj (pilgrimage) to Mecca at least once in his/her life.,/ddickerson/western-wall.gif,

8、The Western Wall in Jerusalem: Also known as the Wailing Wall,Palestinian-Israeli Conflict,Part II,Terms,Zionism Israeli Intifada Palestine West Bank Gaza Stripe Sinai Peninsula,Zionism,During the late 1800s demanded for a Jewish state in Palestine Romans had expelled the Jews in AD 70 1897 organiza

9、tion formed by Theodor Herzl to promote Zionism Jews began to migrate to Palestine Asked for Britain and other European nations to support them,Balfour Declaration（1917）,A British document that supported a Jewish homeland in Palestine In short Britain favors a Jewish homeland Nothing shall be done t

10、o hurt the non-Jew living there 1930s flow of Jews to Palestine,After WWII,Britain turned things over to the United Nations United Nations voted to partition Palestine into two states One Arab (45% of the land) One Jewish (55% of the land) Arabs refused to accept the partition or to recognize Israel

11、,1948 Arab Israeli War,Also known as the Israeli War of Independence Began after the declaration of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948 Forces of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Trans-Jordan and Iraq invaded Israel Israel defeated and occupied Arab territory Palestinian Arabs fled,Territorial gains in the Ar

12、ab-Israel War,War of 1956,Suez War Israel, Britain, and France verse Egypt Egypt trying to get $ to build Aswan Dam Egypt had captured the Suez Canal nationalized it Egypt prevents ships to pass that are coming from or arriving to Israel Captured the Sinai Peninsula but forced to withdraw (pressure

13、from US and SU) Did in exchange for shipping rights,War of 1967,The Six Day War Strike by Israel to protect itself Surprise air attack lead to defeat of Egyptian army Israel takes Gaza Stripe and the Sinai Peninsula (occupied territories) Jordan and Syria attach Israel takes West Bank from Jordan an

14、d the Golden Heights from Syria occupied territories Strategic importance Israeli water source High grounds Religious sites Jewish settlers moved in Returned the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt in the Camp David Accords in 1978 and Gaza Strip in 2005,1973 Yom Kippur War,Egypt and Syria launched a surprise

15、attach in the Sinai and Golan Heights Israel able to push Syria out of territory gained in the first week of the war United Nations call a cease-fire Israeli troops withdraw from the west of the Canal Egypt re-open canal Claim victory,Israeli view,Arab Hostility “holy war” against Israel Non-recogni

16、tion of Israels right to exist Destroy Israel Forced to fight for self-defense Many Israelis believe that minorities in Israel are treated justly,Palestinian view,State based on outdated claims Jews lived there 1,800 yrs ago doesnt give you claim now International law on their side UN resolution all

17、ows for refugees wishing to return Jews arrived with the intention of taking over not just immigration Israeli treatment of Palestinians is unjust,Camp David Accords,1977 Signed at Camp David in United States President Jimmy Carter Israelis agreed to withdraw from the Sinai Peninsula Egypt agreed to

18、 end state of war and establish peace with Israel Election to be held in West Bank and Gaza,Reaction,Mixed Arabs felt Egypt had deserted the Arab family Israelis took “wait and see” attitude President el-Sadat was assassinated Three unresolved Issues 1. Control of East Jerusalem 2. Fate of the 1.8 m

19、illion Palestinians living on the West Bank 3. Control of the Golan Heights,Intifada,Dec 1987 Uprising of Palestinians over the way they were being treated, lack of country, high unemployment, refugee problem etc Focused world attention Organization Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Dedicated

20、to regaining Palestinian territory Chairmen Yasir Arafat Some joined radical Palestinian organizations Hamas and Islamic jihad These groups call for the destruction of Israel,Oslo Accords,1993 Hopes for peace Meet in secret Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin of Israel and PLO leader Yasser Arafat First ti

21、me face to face Agreed to recognize each other Israelis right to exist PLO promised to stop attacking Israel Palestinian Authority would administrated the territory under its control they have their own state! Israel would withdraw its forces from parts of the occupied territories (Gaza Stripe and W

22、est Bank) Israel would allow limited self-rule in Gaza and Jericho Put Resolution 242 into effect,Road Map for Peace,Presented in Sept 2002 Players Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon United States President George W. Bush Called for End of terrorism by the P

23、alestinians Palestinians must make democratic reforms Israel must accept Palestinian gov Israel must end settlement activity It did not address The fate of Jerusalem The boarders between the two Derailed Both side claim the other did not go through with their promised,Arab Peace Initiative,Has a fin

24、al solution to the boarders The UN set boards back in 1967 Recognition of Israel Israel must withdraw forces from the occupied territories Recognition of a Palestinian States with capital at East Jerusalem A “just solution” for the Palestinian refugees Rejected by Israel but it is up for discussion,

25、Peace Breaks down,Unresolved issues 1. Jerusalem Israel had made the city its capital Scared to all religions 2. Right of Return Grant Palestinians who fled to return Many not allowed to return 3. Future of Jewish settlements in the Occupied Territories Numbers of Jews has increased Upset the Palest

26、inians 4. Allows Israeli troops to stay in the occupies lands,Today the Palestinians want,Their own country Part of Jerusalem Their refugees to be able to return,Israeli-Palestinian Arab ConflictPart III,Middle East after World War II,Middle Eastern nations achieved independence The superpowers trie

27、d to secure allies Strategic importance in the Cold War Vital petroleum fields Middle Eastern Nations would devote large parts of their gross national product to large armies and arms purchases from both the West and the Soviet bloc.,Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC),Egypt,In 1952

28、, army officers led a coup dtat against King Faruk and replaced him with President Gamal Abdel Nasser Nasser became very popular in the Arab world and very unpopular in the West Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal in 1956, leading to a war with Israel, France, and Great Britain,The U.S. and the Middl

29、e East,Turkey was the cornerstone of U.S. strategy (military bases) Greek/Turkish disagreement over Cyprus led to a Turkish armed invasion in 1974 and the subsequent division of Cyprus by the U.N. After that, Turkey would gradually move further away from the U.S. sphere of influence During the 1970s

30、 and 1980s, the U.S. would rely on Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Israel, along with bases in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea,U.S.S.R. in Afghanistan,Afghanistan had remained one of the poorest and least develop nations Following a cycle of coups and countercoups, Babrak Karmal emerged and was backed by

31、the Soviets December 1979, Soviet Union sent 80,000 troops to support the regime,U.S.S.R. in Afghanistan,Armed resistance by militant Muslims (Mujahedin) received support & training from U.S. Over a million refugees fled to Pakistan The mountainous terrain was ideal for guerrilla warfare and Soviet

32、forces could not eradicate Afghan opposition The Soviets withdrew in 1988-89,Iran,Iran was a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy after WWII. Led by pro-United States ruler Mohammad Reza Shah, Iran built a large military using U.S. aid and petroleum revenues The Shaw was overthrown in 1979 and Iran be

33、came an Islamic Republic (theocratic rule) led by the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (1902-1989),Iran,Iranian leaders denounced the U.S. as “the Great Satan” Demanded the Shah stand trial After the U.S. refused, the U.S. embassy was occupied and the staff taken hostage in 1979 They were released in Jan

34、uary 1981,Iraq,The Islamic revolution in Iran threatened to spread to Iraq The government under Suddam Husein attacked Iran in 1980 The war lasted until 1988 with Iraq receiving military supplies from the Soviet Union, other Arab nations, and the U.S. while Iran was supplied by North Korea, China, and Israel An armistice was signed in 1988 and Khomeini died in 19