Lets Tackle World Affairs #2

Arab Israel Conflict

Okay peeps this is gonna be a crash down....

Some history...

• First King of Jews was believed to be Saul followed by David (the most popular) and then Solomon
• Solomon Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by Babylonian King Nebuchadneszzar I around 587 BC
• Jews returned to Israel during rule of Persian King Cyrus the Great
• The Second Temple was completed around 516 BC during Darius I (first Persian King to invade India)
• Meccabian revolt was against Seleucid Empire and its Hellenistic influence on Jews
• Israel was conquered by Romans in 64 BC under Pompeii. Under Romans, Herodth reclaimed Judea and refurbished the Temple Mount (holiest site for jews)
• The Second Temple was destroyed and Jews were expelled in 70AD under Titus and Romans renamed Judea as Palestina 
• When Roman empire split in 324 AD, Jerusalem was under Byzantine empire
• Islamic relic at the site of Second Jewish temple is Dome of the Rock built under Ummayath Khalifa (Abraham is believed to sacrificed his son here)
• Al Aqsa Mosque in Temple Mount is the third holiest site in Islam built around 705 AD and Prophet is believed to lead prayers towards Kabba in Mecca from here
• Palestine came under Ottoman Empire in 1517

Early 20th Century..

• Father of Zionist movement is Theoder Herzel who wrote the book Der Juden Staat, where he envisioned a state for Jews and reclaiming the lost lands which are the basic tenants of Zionism
• In 1897, First Zionist Congress was held at Basel in Switzerland
• Jews of European ancestry are known as Ashkenazi jews, those of Middle east origin are Mizrahi jews and those from Iberian peninsula are Sebhardi Jews
• The secret agreement for partition of Ottoman empire by Britain and France is called Syes-Picot agreement
• The Balfour deceleration is the statement of British Govt. for Jewish Homeland in 1917 in Palestine . Other offered regions for homeland were Uruguay and South America
• In 1937, a proposal for two state solution for Jews and Muslims in Palestine was proposed by Peel Commission 
• Israel declared Independence in 1948 under David Ben Gurion
• West Bank was initially under Jordan ( its the region to west of River Jordan) and Gaza under Egypt with Jerusalem planned to be under UN control as capital of both Israel and Palestine
• The Biblical name of the region is Judea and Samaria 

1948 onward...

• The Arab League was established in Cairo in 1945 under Alexandria protocol (with Egypt, Iraq,Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi, Syria) 
• First Arab Israel war took place in 1948 closely following the declaration of Israel state 
• Muslim brotherhood is a trans national Sunni Islamist Organisation founded in Egypt in 1928 by Hassan Al Banna
• The Egyptian mob attack on Israeli civilians were called Fedayeen
• In 1956, the closing of strait of Tiran and Blockade of gulf of Aquaba (essential for Israeli shipping) by Egypt triggered the Suez crisis. Also Egypt had nationalised the Suez canal upsetting the British. The Joint Israeli-British-French operation had invaded the Sinai region of Egypt following the crisis. It was defused by pressure from US and USSR which also signified the end of British Global power
• Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) was established in 1964 for liberation of Palestinian land but was considered a terrorist organisation by US and Israel until 1991 Madrid conference
• The Six Day War of 1967 gave Israel control of Sinai Peninsula of Egypt, Gaza, West bank, Sheba farms of Lebanon and Golan heights of Syria  
• Negotiations for Six Day War were held in capital of Sudan resulting in Khartoum resolution
• Following the Six Day War UNSC adopted a resolution for Arab Israel conflict called Resolution 242
• The limited war between Israel and Egypt between 1967-1970 was called War of Attrition
• In 1970 September King Hussein of Jordan expelled PLO from Jordan known as Black September raids. It was supported by Pakistan under Zia ul Haq
• Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack in 1973 along Sinai and Golan Heights during the Jewish day of Fasting called Yom Kippur War which ended in Camp David Accord. ( This is the first war in which US openly supported Israel)
• Operation Litani is the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1978 occupying uptill River Litani
• In 1982 Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) launched Operation Peace for Galilee invading South Lebanon. It was part of Lebanon civil war and led to formation of free Lebanon state and increasing Syrian dominance over Lebanon when Lebanon civil war ended in 1990
• Local uprising of Palestinians against Israeli occupation is known as Intifada in 1987 following disillusionment with PLO
• Agreements between Israel and Palestine for Peace after Intifada is known as Oslo Accords I &II [1991 &1993]. It created Palestinian authority for limited self governance and making PLO partner of Israel for peace process. PLO recognized existence of Israel state here/
• The second Infitada (2000-05) following visit of Ariel Sharon (Israel PM) to Temple Mount led Israel to launch Operation Defensive Shield and later build west bank barrier following withdrawal from Gaza.
• Fatah is an Palestinian nationalistic political party established by Yasar Arafat and controls West Bank region
• Gaza is under a Sunni Fundamentalism organisation called Hamas which came to power when Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005
• The Shia militant group in Lebanon supported by Iran is Hezbollah. Israel fought 2006 Lebanon war against Hezbollah fighters.
• In 2007 Israel bombed a Syrian nuclear complex under Operation Orchaid
• Qassam rockets are domestic made fired by Hamas from  Gaza targeting Israeli settlements. Israel counter it using the advanced Iron Dome anti missile system.
• Recently the city of Hebron was declared as a Palestinian heritage site by UNESCO