Terrorism and Israel Various Arab terrorist groups vs

Terrorism and Israel

• Various Arab terrorist groups vs. Israel • The 2 main Arab terrorist groups: • PLO – active in 1960’s and 1970’s • Hamas – active since the 1980’s

• ***The goal of the PLO and Hamas WAS to “destroy Israel and regain homeland for displaced Palestinian people”. • Current aim is to gain a Palestinian homeland based on the Gaza Strip and West Bank.

• Use of unconventional war – aircraft hijacking, car bombings, suicide bombers. • Very brutal warfare.

• Results: 1. From 1960’s to 1980’s, increased tension between Israel and neighbouring Arab states that harboured Palestinian terrorists.

2. Resulted in dramatic attack and large numbers of civilian casualties (ex: Munich Olympics Massacre, 1972) and Hamas suicide bombers today.

3. Forced Israel to become a “police state” with a negative image worldwide. 4. Palestinians gained a very negative image as terrorists.

ISRAEL Egypt’s SINAI PENINSULA SYRIA JORDAN LEBANON GOLAN HEIGHTS WEST BANK GAZA STRIP JERUSALEM TEL AVIV

• 1987 -1994 • Means “rebellion” in English. • Palestinians in occupied territories (Gaza, West Bank) conduct mass public demonstrations/riots against Israeli police and Army.

• The aim is to force Israel out. • Stone throwing and street barricades meet rubber bullets from the Israeli Army.

• Results: 1. Worldwide negative public image of Israeli repression. 2. Very violent with many deaths on both sides. 3. Forced Israel to adopt peace talks as they had no way to win.

• Broke out in 2000 and continues today. • Known as the Al-Aqsa Intifadah. • To date, the death toll is 5, 300 Pal. & 1, 000 Israelis.

• “Palestinian Liberation Organization” • Founded in 1964, its goal was to end the Israeli occupation and gain freedom for Pal. people. • Regarded by the Arab League since Oct. 1974 as the "sole legitimate representative of the Pal. people. "

• In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, the PLO carried out a number of attacks and plane hijackings – mostly directed at Israel. • In 1974, the PLO was granted observer status – no right to vote.

• Yasser Arafat led the PLO from 1964 until his death in 2004.

• “Palestinian National Authority” • Is the administrative organization established to govern the W. B. & G. S. • Formed in 1994 after the Oslo Accords, it was supposed to last until 1999. • It is a part of the PLO.

• Mahmoud Abbas took over as President after Arafat’s death in 2004.

• Means “Islamic Resistance Movement” in English. • Is a Pal. military organization and political party which currently holds a majority of seats in the elected legislative council of the PNA.

• Created in 1987 at the beginning of the 1 st Intifada. • Notorious for its numerous suicide bombings and other attacks on Israeli civilians and security forces.

• Hamas also runs extensive social programs and has gained popularity in Pal. society by establishing hospitals, education systems, libraries and other services throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

• Hamas' charter calls for the destruction of the State of Israel and its replacement with a Pal. Islamic state in the area that is now Israel, the W. B. , and the G. S.

• As of 2008, Hamas is listed as a terrorist organization by Canada, the European Union, Israel, Japan, and the USA, and is banned in Jordan.

Involved? Main Provision/Results - Peace treaty between Israel and Egypt - Israel withdrew from SINAI region which is ISRAEL (P. M. Begin), returned to Egypt - Egypt recognizes right of Israel to exist and EGYPT (Pres. Sadat) establishes diplomatic relations - PLO and other Arab states oppose the + Accord USA (Pres. - Sadat was assassinated in 1981 by Islamic Carter fundamentalists who opposed the Accord mediated)

Involved? ISRAEL (P. M. Shamir), ARAB STATES (Syria, Lebanon, PLO, Jordan) Spain – Host; USA/USSR – Main Provision/Results - For the first time, Israel entered into direct, face-to-face negotiations with Syria, the Palestinians, etc. - Targeted issues that concern the entire Middle East, such as water, environment, arms control, refugees and economic development. - Disrupted by violent attacks in Spain during the conferences.

Involved? ISRAEL (P. M. Rabin), PLO (Chairman Yasser Arafat) Main Provision/Results - Israel agreed to withdrawal from Occupied Territories (G. S. & W. B. ) in the near future and accept PLO self-rule in both areas - Israel immediately withdrawals from the town of Jericho (W. B. ) thus PLO gains control of 20% of the West Bank - Israel accepts the PLO as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people - PLO renounces terrorism and its aim to destroy Israel! - PLO sets up the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to govern under President Arafat

Involved? Main Provision/Results ISRAEL (P. M. Rabin), - Peace and diplomatic relations established - Ended 46 years of war between both countries JORDAN (King Hussein)

Involved? Main Provision/Results - Israel withdrawals from 7 ISRAEL Palestinian towns in the W. B. - Elections are to be held in (P. M. Palestinian territories for self. Rabin), government - Rabin assassinated by Jewish PNA (Pres. fundamentalist in order to destroy Arafat) peace process

Involved? ISRAEL (P. M. Netanyahu), PNA (Pres. Arafat), USA (Pres. Clinton mediated) Main Provision/Results - Aim was to “speed up” Oslo Process which was failing as both sides were not following terms; 1. PNA couldn’t stop terrorist attacks against Israel and settlements inside Occupied Territories 2. Israel continued to build new settlements and did not meet withdrawal timetable from WB. - Intifadah had led to great conflict in O. T. - Israel agreed to withdrawal from more areas in W. B. - PLO would remove the written aim to destroy Israel from charter - PNA agreed to stop Hamas terrorism and collect thousands of illegal weapons in the O. T.

Involved? ISRAEL (P. M. Sharon), PNA (Pres. Arafat), USA (Pres. Bush II initiated) Main Provision/Results - Aim was to restart peace process which had failed due to Intifadah 2 - Israeli repression continued (Israel continued to build settlements in the W. B. ) - Pal. violence against Israel was (this had destroyed Oslo Accord I) - USA’s plan was to restart Oslo and create a “two-statesolution” for region = Create country of Pal. - A Palestinian state would be allowed to exist in return for Israeli security from Palestinian terrorist attacks - Process has not worked well – Palestinian terrorism has continued and Israel still builds more settlements in the W. B.

Involved? Main Provision/Results ISRAEL (P. M. Sharon) - Israel lost all faith in PNA (Pres. Arafat) as it could not stop Pal. terrorism - Israel begins to build “security wall” and plans for unilateral withdrawal from G. S. - The aim was to separate Palestinians from Israelis, thus achieve security from terrorism