Section Two the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: 1967-1993
Section Two The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: 1967-1993 There are two clear dimensions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: the international dimension (involving Israel, the PLO, and nations in the region and beyond) and the domestic dimension (involving Israel, the PLO and Palestinians in the occupied territories). In reality, these two dimensions should not be separated, but for our purposes it is best to divide the post-1967 period into two sections. This section will mainly examine the conflict at the international level. Until the first intifada (or ‘uprising’) in the occupied territories beginning in 1987, most initiatives to end Israeli occupation came from the PLO leadership in exile. Other important actors at the international level discussed here, aside from Israel and the PLO, include the US, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon. To keep this unit brief, we will give less attention to the roles of Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and other Arab states. Students, however, are strongly encouraged to further investigate the role of these states in influencing the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the domestic-level Israeli- Palestinian peace negotiations covered in Section Three. Before we examine the major international issues, actors and events of the post-1967 period, it is a good idea to briefly highlight the important role of the US in the conflict. Following the 1967 war, the US and Israel developed a close partnership. During the Cold War (1946-1991), US strategic goals in the Middle East focused on containing Soviet influence, in addition to maintaining regional political stability and Western access to oil resources. These last two goals continue into the present, and often mean that the US supports authoritarian Arab leaders who can contain their citizens’ opposition to US policies—leading to regional ‘stability’ but also to frustration among Arab citizens who desire both a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and greater democracy in their own countries.
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