Also Try
- Islam
- Middle East
- Middle East 2003
- Middle East Conflict - Why?
- Middle East Current Events Archives
- Muslim Rage
- Muslims Against Terrorism
- Terrorism
Discussions
- Arabs and Jews Seeking Peace (PEACE Mid - East Dialogue Group)
Provides discussion groups that allow Arabs and Jews to talk to each other, citizen to citizen, to work toward peace in the Middle East. 4-02
Lesson Plans
- Brokering Peace (USNewsClassroom.com - Watson)
Encourages students to discuss the Middle East Peace process and the role of the USA. Editor's Note - This lesson is dated 10-00 and is therefore old. Albright was replaced by Powell, Barak was replaced by Sharon, and Clinton was replaced by Bush. The student can use other resources in this section of the Awesome Library to gain more current news. Otherwise, the issues still need resolution. 5-02
- History of Middle East Conflict (USNewsClassroom.com - Cassutto)
Encourages students to discuss the history of the Middle East conflict. Editor's Note - This lesson is dated 10-01 and is therefore old. The student can use other resources in this section of the Awesome Library to gain more current news. Otherwise, the issues still need resolution. 5-02
- Palestinian and Israeli Perspectives (New York Times - Kohl and Harrad)
"Explores the perspectives of different groups of people involved in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, intended for use with students in grades 6-12." Editor's Note - This lesson is dated 5-00 and is therefore old. The student can use other resources in this section of the Awesome Library to gain more current news. Otherwise, the issues still need resolution. 5-02
- Palestinian and Israeli Perspectives (New York Times - Kohl and Khan)
Provides news articles and discussion questions. "Students then use lessons learned from other 20th Century conflicts and resolutions they research in class to make suggestions for the Middle East peace talks." Editor's Note - This lesson is dated 10-00 and is therefore old. The student can use other resources in this section of the Awesome Library to gain more current news. Otherwise, the issues still need resolution. 5-02
Lists
- History of the Middle East (OCLC NetFirst)
Provides historical resources related to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians with an emphasis on current events. Includes sources of information on organizations, leaders, lessons, and historical documents. 5-02
- History of the Middle East - Ancient History (University of Texas at Austin - Middle East Network Information Center)
Provides sources of information on ancient history and archaeology of the Middle East. 2-02
- History of the Middle East - Ottoman Empire (Awesome Library)
Provides sources of information on the Ottoman Empire. 12-01
- Israel - Culture and Government (University of Texas at Austin - The Center for Middle Eastern Studies)
Provides a set of resourches for studying Israeli culture, education, art, economy, media, and government. 2-01
- Middle East (Sunumi.com)
Provides maps and sources of information on countries and cities in the Middle East. 10-01
- Middle East - Travel Information by Location (Excite.Travel.com)
Provides information on dining, where to stay, and interesting things to see. Search by city, state, or country. Includes Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel and the Palestinian Territories, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen 3-02
- Middle East Culture (University of Texas at Austin - Middle East Network Information Center)
Provides sources of information on art, history, politics, religion, education, and more. Also includes maps. 2-02
- Middle East Peace and Human Rights Groups (Brooks)
Provides dozens of groups that are working toward peace and cultural understanding in Israel and Palestine. 2-01
- Middle East and North Africa (Donn)
Provides a set of resourches for studying the Middle East. 2-01
- Palestine - Culture and Government (University of Texas at Austin - The Center for Middle Eastern Studies)
Provides a set of resourches for studying Palestinian culture, education, art, economy, media, and government. 2-01
Materials
- Bias, Prejudice and Attitudes (IAT Corp and Tolerance.org - Greenwald and Banaji)
Provides a test of attitudes regarding age, race, gender, and obesity. Your responses are measured by your speed of associations. Most of us do have biases (preferences) that may conflict with our values. Biases can work invisibly and give us a tendency to treat others unfairly (with prejudice). By uncovering our biases, we can combat our prejudices more effectively.
- History of the Middle East - Ottoman Empire Map (Barteby.com)
Provides a map of the Ottoman Empire in 1566. 11-01
- Map of Areas of Israeli and Palestinian Control (CNN)
Provides a map that shows where Palestinians have control and where Israelis have control. Includes Ramallah. 10-00
- Maps of Israel and Palestinians Since 1920 (The Times)
Describes the evolution of borders among Israel, Palestinians, Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. 11-01
- Maps of the Middle East Conflict (BBC News)
Provides maps at key periods of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Also shows the development of Israeli settlements, roads, and areas of control inside Palestinian territories. 6-02
- Middle East Maps (University of Texas)
Provides maps of Israel, Jordan, the West Bank, Gaza, Kuwait, Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, Jerusalem, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Syria, Egypt, Jericho, Persian Gulf, Strait of Tiran, Palestinian Refugee Camps, Strait of Hormuz, Kurdish Lands, and more. 10-00
- Middle East Quiz (CBC News)
Provides a quiz on the Middle East conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. 9-02
- Quiz on the Middle East Conflict (CBC News)
Provides a quiz on the persons, land, and events involved in the Middle East conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. (Click an answer to see if it is correct.) 6-02
News
- -Middle East Conflict (ABC News Australia)
Provides news on the Middle East conflict between Israel and Palestinians. 5-02
- -Middle East Conflict (BBC News)
Provides news on the Middle East conflict between Israel and Palestinians. 5-02
- -Middle East Conflict (CBC News)
Provides news and articles about the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians in the Middle East. 9-02
- -Middle East Conflict (PBS.org - OnlineNewsHour)
Provides daily news focusing on the Middle East, primarily the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. 5-02
- -Middle East Conflict (WorldNews.com - Middle East News)
Provides news on the Middle East from international sources. 3-02
- -Middle East Conflict (Yahoo)
Provides daily news focusing on the Middle East, primarily the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. 5-02
- -Middle East Conflict - Israeli View (Jerusaleum Post)
Provides news from an Israeli perspective. 4-02
- -Middle East Conflict - Jordanian View ( Jordan Times)
Provides news on the Middle East conflict from an Arab view. 5-02
- -Middle East Conflict - News by Country (Al Bawaba)
Provides news regarding the Middle East in general, as well as by country. 2-02
- -Middle East Conflict - Palestinian View (Palestine Daily)
Provides news on the Middle East conflict from a Palestinian view. 5-02
- -Middle East News (AccessMiddleEast News)
Provides news and over 400 sources of information on news in the Middle East. 2-04
- -Middle East News (BBC News)
Provides news stories, features, and analysis of the news in the Middle East, with a heavy emphasis on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 6-02
- -Middle East News (Israelinsider)
Provides news from an Israeli viewpoint. 6-02
- -Middle East News (Palestine Chronicle)
Provides news from a Palestinian viewpoint. 6-02
- 01-29-04 Prisoner Exchange Between Israel and Hezbollah Completed (Fox News)
"Lebanese prisoners released by Israel returned home Thursday to a hero's welcome by tens of thousands of flag-waving people, from Hezbollah guerrilla comrades to veiled women who showered them in rice and rose petals."
"Israel also freed about 400 Palestinians to the West Bank and Gaza Strip as part of the German-brokered deal with Hezbollah. Delighted relatives greeted the Palestinians and expressed thanks to the Lebanese militant group."
"In return, Israel received the bodies of three of its soldiers and won the release of a kidnapped Israeli businessman. Israelis held a memorial service for the three dead, but whisked away Elhanan Tannenbaum (search), who was kidnapped while reportedly engaged in a shady business deal, for interrogation." 1-04
- 02-02-04 Israel Plans to Remove Jewish Communities from Gaza (CNN News)
"Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told an Israeli newspaper Monday that he has ordered plans to be made to dismantle Israeli settlements in Gaza." 1-04
- 02-09-04 Israeli High Court Hears Petitions on Barrier (MSNBC News)
"The Supreme Court heard petitions from two Israeli human rights groups against the West Bank separation barrier Monday, a day after the government said it would change the route to minimize hardship for Palestinians."
"Any Israeli court decision could affect Israel’s case before the world court, which is to issue an advisory ruling at the request of the U.N. General Assembly."
"Israel insists the barrier is necessary to keep out Palestinian suicide bombers, who have killed hundreds in three years of violence. Palestinians say it is a land grab aimed at preventing them from creating a state." 2-04
- 02-21-04 Israel to Remove Part of West Bank Barrier (ABC News - Goldin)
"Israel will tear down part of its controversial West Bank barrier on the eve of World Court hearings challenging its legality, officials said on Saturday."
"Workers will start dismantling an eight km (five mile) section of the barrier in the northern West Bank on Sunday after soldiers removed a watch-tower, cables and lighting from the area on Saturday." 2-04
- 03-23-04 New Palestinian Hamas Leader Chosen (ABC News)
"Abdel Aziz Rantisi, a hard-liner who rejects all compromise with Israel, was chosen Tuesday as the new Hamas leader, one day after the group's founder was assassinated by Israel."
"Rantisi told The Associated Press that Hamas would press for more attacks against Israel." 3-04
- 03-23-04 Palestinian Leader of Hamas Assassinated by Israeli Army (BBC News)
"Sheikh Yassin was leaving a mosque in Gaza's Sabra district in his wheelchair with an entourage when they were attacked by Israeli helicopter gunships at dawn on Monday."
"Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon congratulated the Israeli security forces for conducting a successful operation and vowed to continue Israel's policy of targeting militant leaders.”
"UN Secretary General Kofi Annan condemned the attack, saying it was against international law and did nothing to further the Middle East peace process."
"There has been widespread international condemnation of the assassination of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the founder of the militant group Hamas." 3-04
- 04-16-04 Bush and Blaire Support Theft of Palestinian Land (Washington Times)
"British Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday joined President Bush in endorsing Israel's claim to a disputed portion of the West Bank and said it was 'not a unilateral attempt to impose a settlement.' "
"At a joint press conference in the Rose Garden, Mr. Bush and Mr. Blair shrugged off Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's recent remark that the plan is a 'lethal blow' to Palestinians. 'It will bring their dreams to an end,' he told the Israeli newspaper Ma'ariv."
Editor's Note: The United Nations does not recognize the Israeli claim to Palestinian land in the West Bank. The Palestinian land was taken when the Israelis created illegal settlements in key areas of the West Bank. The settlements will make a true Palestinian state impractical because of a loss of contiguous territory.
The stated purpose of the American and British leaders, that they are supporting a Palestinian state, is certainly untrue. As American and British leaders support Israeli theft of essential Palestinian land, they are helping to incite Palestinian reprisals. The two leaders have made themselves part of the problem, not part of the solution. 4-04
- 11-28-03 Annan Asks Israel to Remove Wall (CNN News)
"Israel's construction of a security barrier thwarts the peace process in the Middle East, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Friday, and the expansion of the barricade should stop and be reversed." 11-03
Papers
- -Essay - Amos Oz Sees Two Wars in the Middle East (Guardian Unlimited - Oz)
Provides a view from the Jewish novelist, Amos Oz, that we must be clear to distinguish two wars. "Two Palestinian-Israeli wars have erupted in this region. One is the Palestinian nation's war for its freedom from occupation and for its right to independent statehood. Any decent person ought to support this cause. The second war is waged by fanatical Islam, from Iran to Gaza and from Lebanon to Ramallah, to destroy Israel and drive the Jews out of their land. Any decent person ought to abhor this cause."
He concludes that Israel must withdraw from Palestinian territories for moral reasons. If withdrawal does not end the war with fanatics, then he argues that Israel can continue to fight the second war with full moral authority. 4-02
- -History of the Middle East Conflict - Why? (Awesome Library - Adams)
 Provides a short history of the Middle East conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people. 9-01
- -History of the Middle East From Pre-History to the Present (MideastWeb.org - Isseroff)
Provides a summary of ownership of Israeli and Palestinian lands under dispute, going back to before recorded history. 6-02
- -Israeli and Palestinian Views on the Land (CNN.com)
Describes the modern history of conflict over the land on the West Bank and Gaza. Israelis began placing settlements in the West Bank after Israel won its war in 1967. Israelis want to keep portions of the West Bank on the basis of protecting national security. Palestinians want the Israelis to leave the West Bank (and Gaza) because those lands are part of Palestinian territory. 12-01
- -Israeli and Palestinian Views on the West Bank (CNN.com)
Describes the views of Israelis and Palestinians regarding ownership of the West Bank. 6-02
- -Jerusalem - East Jerusalem Focus of Conflict (CNN.com)
Describes the modern history of conflict over the "Old City," East Jerusalem. Both Muslems and Jews consider portions of the city too sacred to allow the other to have control of the area. "Ground zero in the dispute is a hill in Jerusalem known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif, or the Noble Sanctuary. That precious piece of real estate is believed to contain the ruins of Judaism's holiest temple, on top of which stands the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa mosque, Islam's third-holiest site." 12-01
- -Palestinian Refugees (CNN.com)
Describes the refugee problem that is at the heart of the conflict between Jews and Palestinians. "Despite a U.N. resolution recognizing the Palestinians' right to return to their homes, Israeli law barred those Palestinians from re-entering Israel at the end of the war. The Palestinians became refugees, taken in by other Arab states." The Jewish view is that allowing the Palestinians to return to their homes "would create a demographic problem for Israel, making it unable to continue as a Jewish state." From a Palestinian view, "the displacement of Palestinians cuts to the core of Palestinian national identity. Many Palestinians say their right to return goes beyond the U.N. resolution, stemming from a right of a people to live in their homeland." 12-01
- 02-10-04 Barrier - Israeli View (PBS NewsHour - Farnsworth)
Farnsworth: "The government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon says it is constructing a barrier between Israel and the West Bank to prevent attacks like last month's suicide bombing in Jerusalem."
Beer: "People see what terrorism can do. They don't want the options for terrorists to come here, and that's why the people of Israel want the wall. They want to prevent the children to die in these bombings." 2-04
- 02-10-04 Barrier - Palestinian View (PBS NewsHour - Farnsworth)
Farnsworth: "Palestinian leaders say the attacks are an inevitable result of Israeli occupation, and call the barrier a 'catastrophe.' "
Ashwari: "It's a wall that distorts any Palestinian reality, that prevents any kind of emergence of a contiguous, viable Palestinian state. And at the same time it's an excuse for annexation of further land, annexation of water resources, and of course with the byproduct of displacement of Palestinians, of tremendous economic and daily living hardships." 2-04
- 04-28-03 Israel Demands Palestinian Refugees Stay Out (Newsday.com - Mroue)
"Israel will not take any permanent, concrete actions toward achieving peace in the Middle East unless the Palestinians 'unequivocally' withdraw their demand that millions of Palestinian refugees be allowed to return to their original homes, a top Israeli official said Monday." 4-03
- American Christian Zionism (PBS.org - NOW)
"Increasingly, American evangelical Christians have emerged to form an unlikely alliance in Israel. Citing Biblical prophecy, these evangelicals call for all of the West Bank to remain in Israeli hands, and oppose any two-state solution." 2-04
- Camp David Accords (U.S. Embassy)
Provides a framework for peace between Egypt and Israel. 10-00
- Camp David: The Tragedy of Errors (New York Review of Books)
Reviews the book, Camp David: The Tragedy of Errors, by Agha and Malley. It provides a detailed explanation why Camp David negotiations failed. The failure of the negotiations led to the removal of Barak as Prime Minister and to the uprising of the Palestinians.
"The Palestinians' overall behavior, when coupled with Barak's conviction that Arafat merely wanted to extract Israeli concessions, led to disastrous results. The mutual and by then deeply entrenched suspicion meant that Barak would conceal his final proposals, the 'endgame,' until Arafat had moved, and that Arafat would not move until he could see the endgame. Barak's strategy was predicated on the idea that his firmness would lead to some Palestinian flexibility, which in turn would justify Israel's making further concessions. Instead, Barak's piecemeal negotiation style, combined with Arafat's unwillingness to budge, produced a paradoxical result. By presenting early positions as bottom lines, the Israelis provoked the Palestinians' mistrust and by subsequently shifting them, they whetted the Palestinians' appetite. By the end of the process, it was hard to tell which bottom lines were for real, and which were not." 1-03
- Commentary - Sharon's Intentions (Council on Foreign Relations)
Siegman, a Jewish Middle East expert, asserts that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon considers the West Bank and Gaza to be disputed territory, not occupied territory. "Ergo, Sharon concludes, the West Bank and Gaza are not territory occupied by Israel's military but territory whose ownership - in principle, all of it - is 'in dispute.' Sharon is thus informing the international community that Israel's claim to the West Bank and Gaza is on a par with that of the Palestinians."
"Given Israel's control of all of the territories, and given its overwhelming military superiority over the Palestinians, there should be little doubt about the outcome of this contest of Israeli and Palestinian 'rights.' " Editor's Note - Siegman makes some absurdly false statements to make some of his points. He assumes that the reader is an expert on the Middle East and will recognize such statements as an attempt at humor. 8-02
- Commentary by Henry Siegman (Council on Foreign Relations)
Siegman, a Jewish Middle East expert, is neither pro-Israeli nor pro-Palestinian in his perspective to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Rather, he attempts to describe the pattern of events. Without outside intervention, he expects Israel, under Sharon's leadership, to claim ownership of at least half of the West Bank. 8-02
- Commentary by Henry Siegman (Council on Foreign Relations)
Siegman, a Jewish Middle East expert, provides his perspective to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Without outside intervention from other countries, Siegman predicts that Israel, under Sharon's leadership, will claim ownership of at least half of the West Bank. 8-02
- Debate - American Jewish and Arab Views on Conflict (MSNBC News)
"Two Americans - one of Jewish descent, the other of Arab descent - each with passionate views on the Mideast conflict. MSNBC.com promised both of them anonymity and asked them to debate for a month the ins and outs of what is happening in the Holy Land." 5-02
- Editorial - Can the Mideast Ever Be Democratic? (Boston Globe - Greenway)
"Middle Easterners can plainly see that the only true democracy in the region is also the country that is imposing a fierce, land-grabbing occupation upon an Arab population with the support of the United States. Middle Easterners may ask: If a democratically elected leader falls out of favor with the United States, as Yasser Arafat has, will they be told to find a new leader, as the Palestinians are being told? Could Americans recall a leader in the Middle East if they didn't like him, as they did in California? The hypocrisy of the Bush administration in allowing Israel to circumvent the "road map" to peace and continue building settlements suggests to Arabs that democracy isn't necessarily the key to Middle East stability." 11-03
- Essay - Birthrates in the Middle East Spell Trouble for Israel (Chicago Tribune - Kennedy)
"Israel now contains about 6 million people, one-fifth of whom are Arabs. Its population is projected to reach about 10 million in 2050--a strain on agricultural and water resources, no doubt, but nonetheless manageable if everything else went well."
"But that is the rub. Other things are highly unlikely to go well." Palestinian birthrates are double the Israeli rates. "By 2050, therefore, the forecast is that there will be almost 12 million inhabitants in the already crowded Palestinian areas."
"What this means is that, by 2050, 8 million Jewish Israelis will be sitting cheek-by-jowl with approximately 20 million Palestinians and a few million Israeli Arabs. How they will deal with simple basic daily needs, such as water, boggles the imagination. Already, Israel gets 55 percent of its water from outside its formal territories, by siphoning underground supplies from its neighbors."
"The hundreds of millions of desperate young men and boys in these lands will be encouraged by the same ruthless, exploitative leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas to make a supreme sacrifice by a terrorist act, and receive their everlasting reward, unless this can be headed off." 5-02
- Essay - Criticism of Israel Is Not Anti-Semitism (ABC News - Donvan and Koppel)
Explores the difference between criticizing policies or actions of Israel and being anti-Semitic (against Jews). 4-02
- Essay - How the Last Round of Violence (Intifada) Started (CBC News - MacDonald)
Provides the events, starting with Ariel Sharon's visit to the Temple Mount of Jerusalem, that led to the great increase in violence by Palestinians against Israeli civilians since September of 2000. "So, why would Sharon do it? Why come to this holy site and stick his finger in the Islamic eye, especially during the course of sensitive negotiations over sovereignty here?" MacDonald claims that Sharon provoked the Palestinians in order to improve his political position for running for Prime Minister.
MacDonald points out that Palestinians used the ensuing situation for their own purposes also, rather than to pursue peace. An Arafat official stated 'Our national duty is to continue the confrontation, continue to sacrifice our martyrs, so that the blood will not have been spilled in vain.' 4-02
- Essay - Islam and Tolerance (MideastWeb.org)
"The Islamist use and distortion of doctrine is no different than the politicization of Christianity or Judaism by fundamentalism. It represents a danger that is present in all religions if their ancient tenets are taken literally, but not necessarily the "core" of the religion as it is accepted today"
Quotes Thomas Friedman as writing, 'The real clash today is actually not between civilizations, but within them — between those Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and Jews with a modern and progressive outlook and those with a medieval one.' We make a great mistake if we simply write off the Muslim world and fail to understand how many Muslims feel themselves trapped in failing states and look to America as a model and inspiration. " 11-02
- Essay - Israel Extends Its Borders Further Into Palestinian Territory (Jerusalem Post - Nessman)
Provides news on Israelis building settlements on Palestinian territory with Israeli government encouragement and support. "These new settlement efforts send a clear message that Sharon is more interested in extending Israel's borders than in trying to negotiate peace, Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said." 5-02
- Essay - Israel Has Also Crossed a Line (Guardian Unlimited)
Argues that, although Israel has a right to defend itself against terrorists, the way it is treating the Palestinian people (while chasing terrorists) is not justified. "In fighting terrorists in this way, Israel has crossed a line no democratic government should cross." 4-02
- Essay - Israeli View of Palestinian Leadership (Jerusalem Post - Shaviv and Najib)
"Palestinians agree with Israel and the United States that their leadership needs to be reformed - but have a far different idea of what that means." "The changes, if they occur, only have one purpose: to make the battle against Israel even more efficient." Editor's Note - This article is included to help understand Israeli views of Palestinian leaders. 5-02
- Essay - Israeli View that the USA and Israel Agree on Next Steps (Jerusalem Post - Keinon)
Argues that both America and Israel want to replace Arafat, in a diplomatic way, as a first priority. States that, according to an Israeli official, a regional conference this summer is a good way to "buy time" and appear to move things forward while really moving forward to replace Arafat. Replacing Arafat is politely called "Palestinian reform." Editor's Note - This article is included to help understand Israeli views. 5-02
- Essay - Jewish View of the Conflict (Chicago Tribune - Grossman)
"For my people, the wait was almost 2,000 years. From the time the Romans exiled the ancient Jews from Jerusalem until the rebirth of Israel in 1948, each of them perennially lived the biblical phrase "a stranger in a strange land."
"When Arabs aggress, most of the world is muted in its criticism. Arafat might be gently urged to do a little more to restrain the bombers. When Israel strikes back, condemnation quickly follows." 5-02
- Essay - Jordan's Opinion on the Conflict (CBS News - Rather)
King Abdullah of Jordan said, "The Israelis are saying to the Americans that you have to have security before you can have peace. Your president said in a speech a few days ago you can’t have security if you don’t have peace...." 5-02
- Essay - Jordanian View of the Conflict Between Israel and the Palestinians (The Star - El-Sherif)
Provides a Jordanian view of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Jordan has helped to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians in the past. Jordan is also a strong supporter of the Palestinians. 4-02
- Essay - Middle East Conflict (The Nation - Falk)
"I was a member of a human rights inquiry appointed by the UN Human Rights Commission a year ago." "The basic conclusion of these efforts at impartial understanding was that Israel was mainly responsible for the escalations [of violence], and that its tactics of response involved massive violations of international humanitarian law."
He also argues that past peace offers to Palestinians reflected the realities of power and control of the Israelis over the Palestinians and not international law. The past offers, he argues, would never have provided an independent Palestinian state, but rather a Palestinian state that was under the control of Israel. 5-02
- Essay - Need for a Culture of Compromise (MideastWeb.org - Heggy)
"A few years ago, I discovered that there is no equivalent in the Arabic language, classical or colloquial, for the English word 'compromise', which is most commonly translated into Arabic in the form of two words, literally meaning ‘halfway solution’."
"As language is not merely a tool of communication but the depositary of a society’s cultural heritage, reflecting its way of thinking and the spirit in which it deals with things and with others, as well as the cultural trends which have shaped it, I realized that we were here before a phenomenon with cultural (and, consequently, political, economic and social) implications."
Heggy argues that "compromise is the strongest product of nature, life and the march of civilizations and cultures, while a rigid refusal to consider the merits of anyone else’s opinion and to insist on obtaining all one’s demands runs counter to the logic of science, nature, humanity, culture and civilization." 11-02
- Essay - Palestinian Rage from Exile and Occupation (Chicago Tribune - Karmi)
"These narratives are rooted in the fundamental attachment Palestinians have to the land historically known as Palestine--modern-day Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The land has been predominantly Arab since the 7th Century, and Palestinians base their claim to the land on 13 centuries of continuous habitation."
"Palestinians call the creation of Israel in 1948 al Nakbeh, the catastrophe. Out of a total population of about 1.25 million, almost 60 percent of all Palestinians were displaced...."
"Homeless and stateless, most of the Palestinian refugees ended up in camps hastily erected by their host countries and the UN. Most of these refugees and their descendants remain in those camps to this day. Many still have no passports and have never left the countries where they reside. Almost all still dream of their homes in Palestine, or, in more and more cases now, of their fathers' and grandfathers' homes."
"It is impossible to overstate the sense of injustice Palestinians feel over the displacement of almost their entire people." 5-02
- Essay Against Suicide Bombings (MideastWeb.org - Isseroff)
"Common sense dictates that anyone who wants peace between the Palestinians and Israelis must speak out loud and clear against suicide bombings and other terror attacks, but no peace groups have spoken out." 8-03
- Essays - Middle East Conflict (The Nation)
Provides essays by experts on the Middle East. Focuses on the conflict between Israel and Palestinians. 5-02
- Essays and Dialogues for Peace in the Middle East (MideastWeb.org)
Provides essays, dialogues, and news. The site was designed to promote peace between Israelis and Palestinians. 11-02
- Essays on the Middle East Conflicts and Other Current Events (History News Network)
Provides essays on both sides of issues in the Middle East conflicts and other major current events. 10-02
- Freshwater - International Freshwater Conflict Prevention (Applied Research Institute Jerusalem - Isaac)
Jad Isaac of the Applied Research Institute, Jerusalem, recommends a confidence building measure by the Israelis. He emphasizes that Gaza and West Bank Palestinians do not have sufficient access to water now and suggests that negotiations for peace include Israel making sufficient water available to the two areas. 4-02
- Freshwater - International Freshwater Conflict Prevention (Nobel Laureates 2000, Green Cross International - Peres and Gorbachev)
"There is one salient fact that overrides all others in the 21st century: Today's 6 billion people -- projected to grow to 8 billion within the next 25 years -- must share the same amount of water on this planet shared by less than one-sixth that many before the turn of the 19th century."
"In the past 10 years the various states in the Middle East have spent billions to acquire arms instead of building water pipelines or finding ways to conserve, clean and use water more efficiently on a shared, regional basis."
"We all know that deserts create poverty, and that poverty often leads to war -- especially when everyone is armed to the teeth. But missiles in an armed desert can't carry water any more than minefields can stop pollution from crossing borders."
"The alternative to another round of conflict, this time over water instead of land, is cooperation. Desalinization or joint management is cheaper than launching wars for rivers." 12-01
- Hamas (BBC News - Westcott)
"Hamas, the main Islamist movement in the Palestinian territories, was born soon after the previous intifada erupted in 1987."
"The organisation opposes the Oslo peace process and its short-term aim is a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian territories."
"Hamas does not recognise the right of Israel to exist. Its long-term aim is to establish an Islamic state on land originally mandated as Palestine - most of which has been contained within Israel's borders since its creation in 1948." 5-02
- Hamas - Who Are Hamas? (BBC - Asser)
"Branded terrorists by Israel and western countries, Hamas is seen by its supporters as a legitimate fighting force defending Palestinians from a brutal military occupation." 6-03
- History - Population of Palestine Before 1948 (MideastWeb.org)
Provides census information on Palestine 1922 through 1948. "The Zionist claim that Palestine was 'a land without a people' is challenged by pro-Palestinian historians who cite census figures showing a substantial Palestinian-Arab population by 1914." 5-02
- History of Jerusalem - Israeli View (The State of Israel)
Provides a short modern history of Jerusalem, from an Israeli point of view. 10-00
- History of the Middle East (CBS News - Katz)
Provides a history of ownership of the land that is now occupied by Israelis and Palestinians. 3-02
- History of the Middle East - Ottoman Empire (Discovery.com)
Provides a short history of the Ottoman Empire, from 1453 through 1924. 1-01
- History of the Middle East - Ottoman Empire (FORSNet)
Provides a timeline of the rise and fall of the Ottoman Empire. 1-01
- History of the Middle East - Ottoman Empire (Infoplease.com)
Provides an extensive history of the Ottoman Empire, from 1451 through 1922. 1-01
- History of the Middle East - Ottoman Empire Timeline (HistoryChannel.com)
Provides a history of Muslim rule, often called the Ottoman Empire. 12-01
- History of the Middle East Conflict (CNN)
Provides a history of war and peace negotiations in the Middle East. In the fact file on the right, the article also contains biographical information on the key players, such as Presidential Authority Yasser Arafat of the Palestinians, Prime Minister Ehud Barak of Israel, King Abdullah II of Jordan, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, and President Bashar Assad of Syria. Also includes maps of the region providing information on events from 1920 to the present. 5-02
- History of the Middle East Conflict (Washington Post)
Provides maps and short narratives of each period of conflict. Includes more than 3,000 years of history. Uses Flash software. 6-02
- History of the Middle East Conflict Between Israelis and Palestinians (Independent - Wasserstein)
"Bernard Wasserstein explains the complex chain of events that have led to today's blood feud." "But if the prospects for peacemaking seem tenuous, the probable consequences of continued warfare are grim. Against this background, the last superpower may at last be ready to use real muscle to call a halt to the conflict between the sons of Abraham." 4-02
- History of the Middle East From 1300 BCE to the Present (MideastWeb.org)
Provides a general timeline from 1917 to Present and another more detailed timeline going back to 1300 BCE. 5-02
- History of the Middle East From 1916 - 2001 (Avalon Project at the Yale Law School)
Provides historical documents that are important to understanding the current conflict between Israel and Palestinians. 5-02
- History of the Middle East Peace - British View (BBC)
Provides a short history of the Middle East area for the past 50 years from a British point of view. Includes a map of the area. 7-00
- History of the Middle East Regarding Israel (Guardian Unlimited - Brown)
Provides a timeline, starting in 1881, describing the events leading up to the formation of Israel. Also describes the conflicts between Israelis and other Middle East countries. 4-02
- Israeli View of Middle East (Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations)
Provides documents and informaton from an Israeli viewpoint. 10-01
- Middle East Conflict - A Political Perspective (Middle East Review of International Affairs - Rubin)
Provides an analysis of the Middle East from a political perspective. 7-00
- Middle East Maps and Profiles (ABC News)
Provides a map and short profile of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Iran. 10-01
- Muslim Rage (First Person Book Page - Mudge)
Provides an interview with Thomas L. Friedman regarding his book, Longitudes and Attitudes. " 'I'm quoting here from a U.N. study that's just come out that says it's a deficit of freedom, it's a deficit of education and it's a deficit of women's empowerment. Thanks to these three deficits they've [Arab Muslims] dug themselves a really deep hole.' " "'The dark side of all this, Friedman writes in his diaries, is that it leads to what he calls the 'Circle of bin Ladenism, which is made up of three components: antidemocratic leaders, who empower antimodernist Moslem religious educators to gain legitimacy, who then produce a generation of young people who have not been educated in ways that enable them to flourish in the modern world.' " 9-02
- Palestinian Agreements With Israel (Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine to the United Nations)
Provides the texts of the signed agreements between Israel and the Palestinians representatives. 10-01
- Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas (Fox News)
"Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, long in Yasser Arafat's shadow as No. 2 in the PLO, is a veteran advocate of peace with Israel and an outspoken critic of the 2 ½-year-old armed Palestinian uprising."
"His balancing act will include cracking down on militants without triggering civil war, easing powers away from Yasser Arafat without being accused of betraying a national symbol, and re-establishing trust with Israel after 31 months of fierce violence without abandoning the Palestinians' bedrock positions." 4-03
- Palestinian Refugee Camps (CBC News - O'Malley and John Bowman)
"When the dust had settled [in 1948], Israel controlled three-quarters of what was Palestine, Jordan took control of the West Bank of the Jordan River, and Egypt took over the Gaza Strip. The Palestinians took over nothing, except the transient security of life in refugee camps throughout the region." "UNRWA estimates the number of registered Palestinian refugees has grown from 914,000 in 1950 to more than 3.8 million in 2001, and keeps rising." 5-02
- United Nations - Palestinian Questions and Resolutions by the United Nations (United Nations)
Provides "United Nations resolutions related to the question of Palestine, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the current Middle East peace process, in reverse chronological order." 5-02
- United Nations - Resolutions Related to Palestinians and Israelis (United Nations)
Provides resolutions. 5-02
- United Nations Documents on the Conflict Between Israel and the Palestinians (UNISPAL - UN Information System on the Question of Palestine)
Provides all key documents that have been made available to the United Nations regarding Palestinians and their relationship to the Israelis. Starts before 1945 and provides almost daily updates. Documents are typically written by official observers for each side of the question and attempt to present facts, what has recently happened, before asking for the UN to respond. 8-01
- Wall - Opinions on the West Bank Wall (BBC News)
Provides opinions from people in the UK, USA, Russia, Europe, Israel, and other locations. No opinions are included from Palestinians. 2-04
- Wall - What Is the West Bank Wall? (BBC News)
"The West Bank 'security fence' has been highly controversial ever since the Israeli government decided to build it in 2002."
"After initial hesitation, the government adopted the plan saying it was essential to prevent Palestinian would-be suicide bombers from entering Israel and attacking Israeli civilians, as has happened many times during the Palestinian intifada."
"Pro-settlement objections have been largely assuaged by the fact that the structure is not being built on Israel's pre-1967 boundary, but snakes several kilometres into the West Bank to link settlements up to Israel."
"For Israel's critics, the plan epitomises everything that is wrong with Israel's occupation of Palestinian land and its approach to making peace with its Arab neighbours."
"Palestinian land is confiscated to build the barrier; hundreds of Palestinian farmers and traders are cut off from their land and means of economic survival. Most significantly, it creates 'facts on the ground' and imposes unilateral solutions which preclude negotiated agreements in the future."
"The impact of the plan has been felt most acutely in Qalqilya itself, once known as the West Bank's 'fruit basket', which lies within a tight loop in the wall. It is cut off on three sides - from the farms which supply its markets and the region's second-largest water sources in the region. Access to the 40,000-inhabitant town will pass through a single Israeli checkpoint."
"Two separate court challenges are being made to the barrier, one in The Hague and the other in Israel itself." 2-04
- Women's Views - Voices from Behind the Veil (Christian Science Monitor - Gaouette)
Provides an inside view on the experience of Muslim women in the Middle East. "They bridle at Western assumptions about the nature of Islam and a woman's place in it. Like their Afghan sisters, these women stress that culture shapes their lives as much as religion and if they have problems, the veil certainly isn't one of them. They want change, but on terms that suit their society. Most of all, they would like Westerners to stop rehashing old clichés about who they are." 3-02
- Wye River Peace Accords (U.S. Embassy)
Provides a copy of the Memorandum signed by Palestinian Chairman Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to facilitate implementation of the Interim Agreement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip. 10-00
Projects
- Essay Contest on Tolerance (YouthNoise.com)
"Compose an original essay, poem, play or short story (500-750 words) answering the following: 'How has Danny's story, or some experience of your own with intolerance or cultural hatred, affected you? What do you think should be done to promote respect and acceptance?' " . It is due before February 7, 2003. 12-02
- Israeli-Palestinian Conflict - Simulation (Donn)
Provides a simulation to help understand the views of Palestinians and Israelis. 2-01
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