Lecture 18

In this final lecture we began talking about modern Jerusalem and the more current issues tackling the area.  We first began by talking about the Six Day War.  Here are notes on this:

·         Six-day war, 1967

o   Soviets “informs” Syria of impending Israeli attack (may 13)

o   Egypt amasses troops in sinai

o   Jordan signs military agreement with Egypt (May 30)

o   Israeli forces launch pre-emptive strike and reduce Egyptian air force within hours (june 5)

o   Israeli forces enter the old city (june 7)

§  Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook announces at the wall: “we shall never again move out of here”

o   Moshe Dayan

§  Israeli general

·         Gives control of Haram to Muslims (June 17)

o   Jews forbidden to pray on the Haram (Temple Mount)

·         Israeli Knesset formally annexes old city and east Jerusalem (june 28)

·         UN rejects annexation of Jerusalem (July)

o   Everyone wants the Golan Heights

§  Top of the mountain

·         Strategic

§  Comes from mountain to eastern shore of sea of galilee

§  Lots of good, fertile, volcanic soil 

We then discussed "Terrorist" attacks at the King David Hotel.  This led us to a discussion of what true terrorism is, and the connection to the recent intifadas that have taken place.  These intifadas came for different reasons, such as the Oslo Accords (1st intifada).  Here are notes on the Oslo Accords and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO):

·         Oslo Accords, 1993

o   The “declaration of principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements” or Declaration of Principles (DOP)

o   First face-to-face agreement between Israel and PLO in Oslo, Norway

o   Called for creation of PNA

o   Called for Israeli withdrawal from Gaza strip and West bank

o   Letter of mutual Recognition

§  Israel acknowledged PLO (Arafat) as legitimate representative of Palestinian People

§  PLO recognized israel’s right to exist as a state and renounced terrorism

o   Officially signed at a public ceremony in Washington DC on Sept 13, 1993

·         PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization)

o   Founded in 1964

o   “Sole legitimate representative of the Palestine people”

o   Considered by US to be terrorist organization until Madrid Conference in 1991

o   Yasser Arafat was Chairman of PLO executive committee from 1969-2004

o   State of Palestine unilaterally declared nov 15, 1988

We then went into 21st century Jerusalem.  I have a list of dates here that describe what has been recently happening in this small land mass:

·         2000 – May, Israel withdraws from southern Lebanon

·         2000 – Sept. (28?), Second (“Al-Aqsa”) Intifada

·         2001 – Sept. 11^th attack results in invasion of Afghanistan (Oct 2001) and Iraq (March 2003)

·         2002 – Israel begins construction of West Bank Barrier

o   West bank barrier

§  Good fences make good neighbors? Or apartheid?

·         2004 – PNA Chairman Yasser Arafat dies Nov 11

·         2005 – Aug-Sept. “Israel’s Unilateral disengagement plan” forcibly removes Israelis from gaza

·         2006 – Jan 25, Hamas defeats Fatah in Palestinian elections

·         2006 – July, Israel-Hizbullah war or “Lebanon war” fought in Southern Lebanon and Northern Israel

·         2007 – June, “Palestinian civil war” (wakseh).  Hamas controls Gaza, Fatah controls West bank

·         2007-9 – “Operation Cast Lead” or “Gaza War” Dec 27 – Jan 21 2008

·         2010 – March 9, Israel announces new housing settlements in East Jerusalem

·         2010 – May 31, IHH Gaza Flotilla boarded by Israeli troops resulting in 9 deaths

This brings us up to date with the current affairs surrounding Jerusalem.  Will peace be achieved in those countries?  I think so, but they need to work together and learn what it means to sacrifice in order to attain peace.  We are close, but who knows how long it could take now.  This class is one small step to enlightening students about this area and the current affairs, and could help inform those that could potentially have an impact.  Thank you for reading!