Morgan Schwenn
Geography Final
Israel
* Ottoman empire, then british * Jewish state created in Palestine over Palestinian objections * Original plan: divide into Israel and Palestine, was rejected by Palestinians- Response of international community- all territory goes to Israel * Arabic countries quickly became anti-western, joined by Soviets * Israel became an “other” for Arab dictators to rally ppl against * Israel able to beat bark assaults to gain land * Gaza Strip- took from Egypt and Sinai Peninsula (Sinai went back to Egypt) * West Bank (of Jordan River)- formerly part of Jordan * Golan Heights- was Syrian * Small country * Behaves in questionable ways for expansionism and settlements * Sets up car bombs to attack suspected terrorists/throws rockets * Both Israel and Palestine are not moral in attacks on each other * Important ali of US- cultural and economic ties to US * Some countries don’t like US b/c we support Israel * One of the more affluent countries in the Middle East * Well-developed technology center * Well-developed weapons manufacturing center- has developed nuclear weapons but other countries look the other way * Tourism is big b/c 3 major religions consider this to be holy ground * West Bank- biggest chunk that would make up Palestinian state * Best land for small-scale ag. * Palestinians work as low-wage workers in Israel and Palestinian area * Gaza Strip- very poor, underdeveloped * West Bank and Gaza Strip- central to proposed Palestinian state * Golan Heights- most controversial area b/c Israel took land from Syria b/c it is the best source of fresh water
Lebanon and Syria
Lebanon- very small country * Post ottoman empire was a French territory * Different b/c some muslim and 35% Christian * Due to and size hasn’t been able to function as independent country * For 20 yrs Israel occupied South Lebanon b/c Lebanon had terrorists attacking Israel * Impacted greatly by Syria * Syria indirectly occupied Lebanon b/c ppl in power in Lebanon had to do what Syria wanted * Beruit- capitol- was most thriving city in Meditteranean – culturally and economically- eventually fell to weak gov. * Made Lebanon one of most unsafe countries * Big civil war between different muslim sanctions * 1980’s many Americans were held hostage * 80’s US decided needed to have a presence here to stabilize the country and make sure violence didn’t spread to our ali Israel- we pulled out when 200 of our marines died in terrorist attack * Little by little Beruit was rebuilding until out of S. Lebanon terrorists kidnapped some Israeli Soldiers, so Israel bombed all over Lebanon including Beruit- now trying to rebuild * Syria causes destruction in politics- they assassinate Lebanese politicians who want Lebanon to get along with Israel and Western Nations and to break away from Syria * Hezbollah- terrorist group- makes it unsafe/unstable
Syria
* Always anti-western, anti-US- not friendly to neighbors * Difficult for outsiders to enter and for Syrians to leave * Ruled by dictatorship, 1 family who is minority religion (muslim group) * Even though tense with other countries, used to be stable politically * b/c ruthless dictatorship, crime was down- has changed now * as a result of Arab Spring- Syrians realized could cause change in own country and remove dictator- hasn’t been easy * civil war- here now * president decided no one can force him to leave, so by now 80,000 ppl. Have been killed in violence related to civil war * one of most unsafe places in world * minor oil exporting nation * not affluent * seems will get worse socially, economically and politically before it can get better
Jordan
* made peace with Israel (like Egypt)- helped w/ trade w/neighbors * used to be training ground for terrorists in 60s
