In the late 1800s a group in Europe decided to colonize this land. Known as "Zionists," this group consisted of an extremist minority of the world Jewish population. They wanted to create a Jewish homeland, and at first considered locations in Africa and South America, before finally settling on Palestine for their colony. At first this immigration created no problems. However, as more and more Zionists immigrated to Palestine the indigenous population became increasingly alarmed. Eventually, there was fighting between the two groups, with escalating waves of violence.
A group of Zionists in Africa
In 1947, the UN stepped in. Under considerable pressure from high-placed American Zionists, the UN decided to give away 55 percent of Palestine to a Jewish state -- despite the fact that this group represented only about 30 percent of the total population, and owned under 7 percent of the land.
When the inevitable war broke out the outcome was never in doubt, according to U.S. intelligence reports from the time. The Zionist army consisted of over 90,000 European-trained soldiers and possessed modern weaponry, including up-to-date fighter and bomber airplanes. The Arab forces, very much a third-world army, consisted of approximately 30,000 ill-equipped, poorly trained men. The U.S. Army, British intelligence, and the CIA all agreed: it would be no contest.
By the end of the 1948 war the Jewish state, having now declared itself "Israel" ? had conquered 78 percent of Palestine. Three-quarters of a million Palestinians had been made refugees. A new map was being drawn up in which all of the cities were given a hebrew name. All parts of the Palestinian culture were to be erased. In fact, for many decades Israel denied the very existence of this population. Golda Meir once said, in fact:"There is no such thing as a palestinian"
Palestinians rebelling in the West Bank
In 1967, Israel conquered still more land. Following the Six Day War, in which Israeli forces launched a highly successful, Pearl Harbor-like surprise attack on Egypt, Israel occupied the remaining 22 percent of Palestine the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Troops rolling in to fight in the Six Day War
Israel's continued confiscation of Palestinian land in the West Bank and Gaza is being resisted by the Palestinian inhabitants. It is these occupied territories that, according to the Oslo peace accords of 1993, were going to become a Palestinian state. However, when Israel continued to take land in these areas and to move its citizens onto it, the Palestinian population rebelled. This uprising, called the "Intifada" (Arabic for "shaking off") began at the end of September 2000 and continues to this day. The Palestinian "Intifada" is a collection of Palestinian suicide bombers and uprisings in Israel. Many peace treaties have been proposed but only few accepted. Will it ever end?
Palestinian boy throwing rocks at tank
These are things that I think will help the war calm down
The new Palestinian leader that replaced Yessir Arafat the former prime minister
New peace treaties
The U.S. terrorism wars
People that are a big part in the war
Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas
Israeli prime minister Areil Sharon
George Bush
Osama Bin Laden or head of terrorist groups in mideast
A group of Zionists in Africa
Palestinians rebelling in the West Bank
Troops rolling in to fight in the Six Day War
Palestinian boy throwing rocks at tank
A map of Israel
source: www.ifamericansknew.org/history/
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