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After the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in WW1, a secret agreement between the British and French governments (Sykes-Picot Agreement) was made to partition the Ottoman empire amongst the allies. After occupying Palestine, the British aspirations of Jewish migration to the promised land began. Albert James Balfour, the British Foreign Secretary, wrote a letter to Lional Walter Rothschild, the leader of British Jewry, which read like this: |
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Dear Lord Rothschild,
I have much pleasure in conveying to you, on
behalf of His Majesty's Government, the following
declaration of sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations
which has been submitted to, and approved by, the Cabinet.
'His Majesty's Government view with favour the
establishment in Palestine of a national home for the
Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to
facilitate the achievement of this object, it being
clearly understood that nothing shall be done which
may prejudice the civil and religious rights of
existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the
rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any
other country.'
I should be grateful if you would bring this
declaration to the knowledge of the Zionist Federation. |
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On July 24, 1922, the British mandate over Jewish immigration to Palestine was passed by the League of Nations. |
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The aftermath of World War II left many Jews dead or homeless. The USA placed its support behind the Zionist movement and on November 29, 1947 the United Nations voted with a 2/3 majority to partition Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states.
May 14, 1948 saw the proclamation of the State of Israel. War broke out between the new nation and the neighbouring Arabs. Egypt, Transjordan (aka Jordan since April, 1949), Iraq, Syria and Lebanon occupied areas in southern and east Palestine, then captured the Jewish quarter of the old city in Jerusalem. Israel beat off Arab attacks until July, 1949 when negotiations and the signing of the Armistice Agreements finally put a cease to the clashes.
After this conflict
Israel ended up with more land than had been allocated by the United Nations and 800,000 Palestinians were driven out of their homes. |
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In October, 1956, Egyptian leader Gamal Abdul-Nasser nationalised the Suez Canal and sealed of Israels shipping port of Eilat. On October 29, Israel responded by launching an attack; Britain and France also launched a campaign to reverse Nassers action. However in March, 1957, Israel received international guarantees that its waterways would remain open and hence withdrew their troops who were replaced by UN troops. Despite the guarantees Israel received, Egypt refused to open the Suez canal to Israel, and the canal remained Egyptian. |
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Between June 5th and 10th, Israel eliminated the Egyptian Air Force and the Arabs lost the Old city of Jerusalem (captured in 1948), the Sinai, Gaza Strip, West Bank and the Golan Heights. Israel lost about 780 people compared with 15000 Arabs. 200,000 Palestinians were forced out of their homes and sought refuge in neighbouring Arab nations. |
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October 6, 1973: the Egyptians crossed the Suez canal and Syria attacked Israeli defense stations in the Golan Heights. On October 20, the US, with Soviet support, proposed a cease fire resolution in the UN Security Council. On October 24, 1973, the fighting ended. |
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After four months of secret negotiations between Israel and the PLO, Shimon Peres and Mahmoud Abbas signed a joint Israeli Palestinian Declaration of Principles. The ceremony took place on September 13, 1993 on the lawn of the White House under the Clinton administration and concluding with the historic handshake between President Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat. The D.O.P outlines arrangements for Palestinian self-rule in the Gaza-strip and West Bank beginning no later than the third year interim and permanent status to take effect after the fifth year interim period. |
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After the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, Benjamin Netanjahu of the Likud coalition won office. On January 17, 1997 a protocol was established for Israeli redeployment from areas of Hebron and a temporary UN observer force was established in these areas.
The Wye Agreement of November, 1998 was intended to see Israels withdrawal from Palestinian territory on the condition that illegal weapons were confiscated and the cancellation of all clauses in the PLO charter referring to the destruction of Israel. The agreement was never fully implemented as it brought on the collapse of the Likud government. |
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Following the election of Ehud Barak, the new prime minister rapidly put the peace process back on track. The Sharm el-Sheikh memorandum of September 4, 1999, established new deadlines and extended the old, aiming to finalise the major issues between the two sides: Jerusalem, refugees, settlements, water and Palestinian statehood.
However, the major issues were not addressed within the twelve months allocated. An emergency summit was called at Camp David but the two sides could not reach a compromise. |
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On 29th of September, 2000 violent attacks began in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and continue despite efforts by the UN to put an end to the conflict. |
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ARMISTICE AGREEMENTS - signed between Israel and:
- Egypt on February 24, 1949
- Lebanon on March 23, 1949
- Jordan on April 3, 1949>
- Syria on July 20, 1949
As a result of these agreements
- Jordan was given control of the West Bank including the old city of Jerusalem
- Egypt regained control of the Gaza Strip
- Israel withdrew from Lebanon
- Syria withdrew from the Golan Heights
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