Arab Israeli Conflict

The United Nations sets up Palestinian Conciliation Committee in order to bring out a peace treaty. This failed, as the UN only managed to secure a cease fire agreement. Arab wanted to secure the right of Arab refugees to return but Israel insisted that the problem could only be negotiated in a wider peace settlement so the refugee problem remained unsolved.

Egypt's Monarchy was overthrown by the Free Officers.

Small group of Palestinians who believed in the liberation of their homeland formed a group called Fatah (Arabic for conquest). Organization lead by Yasser Arafat, Khalil al-Wazir and Salah Khalaf.

Nasser replaces Mohammed Naguib as President and leader of Egypt.

Israel launches the Gaza Raid as a result of an Egyptian intelligence-gathering squad entering Israel and killing an Israeli cyclist. The raid killed 38 Egyptian soldiers.

Issue ultimatum as planned, Nasser refuses (as hoped).

For 2 days Britain and France bombed Egyptian airfields and destroy economic targets in Egypt.

The UN General Assembly approved a US-sponsored resolution for an immediate cease-fire and withdrawal of all forces from Egyptian territory. Israel, under severe pressure from the US was forced to accept and Britain and France agreed shortly after, Britain been forced by severe financial pressure from the United States to end the campaign.

Nasser establishes the PLO, Palestine Liberation Organization in an attempt to control the fedayeen, the Palestinian guerrilla. However, the PLO soon became the object of an inter-Arab struggle for influence between Egypt, Syria and Iraq, as well as an Arab-Palestinian struggle for control.

PLO established in order to represent in their search for a return to the occupied lands in Israel.

On June 5 1967 Israel launched a pre-emptive attack and the Israeli air force destroyed 304 Egyptian, 53 Syrian and 28 Jordanian aircraft, mostly on the ground.
The IDF crossed into the Sinai and into the West Bank.
Syria, Jordan and Egypt counter-attacked the same day and the three Arab states became embroiled in a land battle with the Jewish state, which continued until June 10.
The battle on the West Bank ended when Israel captured East Jerusalem on June 7 1967 and troops moved to the Jordan River before King Hussein of Jordan agreed to cease-fire later in the day.
Syrian-Israeli fighting did not even start until June 9, yet "shortly after the ninth, Syria, which had contributed so much to the crisis and nothing to the conflict" also agreed to a cease fire.
The war with Egypt ended when Israeli forces occupied Sharm al-Sheikh and reached the Suez Canal.
Having lost 2,000 soldiers in the fighting with Israel and another 10,000 in the retreat, Egypt had no choice but to agree to a cease-fire on June 8 1967.
The war left Israel in control of Jordan's West Bank, Egypt's Sinai peninsula and the Gaza Strip, and Syria's Golan Heights. Israel's air superiority was the most important factor in Israel's victory, followed closely by the lack of Arab coordination which enabled Israel to deal separately with Egypt, Jordan and Syria rather than having to fight a genuine three-frontal war.

Following a disastrous war for Arabs, PLO leadership was taken over by Yasser Arafat, brought the Palestinian cause to the rest of the world.

6th October 1973-Egyptian troops broke through the Bar Lev line fortifications and war begins. 6th of October is the Jewish festival of Yom Kippur. Consequently, the Israelis were caught off guard and the Egyptian and Syrian forces enjoyed initial success. By 9th of October, Israeli army has mobilized and they start to counter Arab advances. 11th of October Israeli forces began to advance beyond the 1967 ceasefire borders into Syria. 23th of October-Ceasefire talks begin because of international pressure on all belligerents.

Two agreements were concluded:
Israel would give up the Sinai, including settlements and airfields.
"Framework for Peace in the Middle East" based upon resolutions 242 and 338, the resolution to the Palestinian problem, good neighbourly relations as well as Palestinian autonomy in the West bank (excluding Jerusalem) and Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian autonomy was interpreted by Carter and Sudat, a Palestinian self-governing authority, freely elected by the inhabitants of the West Bank and Gaza Strip was to replace the Israeli military administration. However Begin interpreted this as no more than "personal autonomy"- the problems with the peace agreement had already started to take place.
During a five-year transition period the final status of the territories was to be negotiated.