International Relations of the Middle East Israel (cont.

November 15, 2012

There is a system in the United States Electoral College with a magic number of 270 for nominees to become the President. o In Israel the objective is to get 61. In the territories that are occupied by Israel citizens are allowed to vote in the general elections. o The Knesset has 120 seats; ergo, the magic number of 61 (majority rule). o Until the 1970s the Israeli Government was controlled by the Labor Party. o From the mid-1970 until today the Likud Party has formed a coalition government and has provided the Prime Minister. o Israel is one single electoral district; any one political party can enter 120 people to run for the election. Kadima, 22.4%; 28 seats in the Knesset Labor, 9.9%; 13 seats in the Knesset. Likud, 21.6%; 27 seats in the Knesset. Yisrael, 11.7%; 15 seats in the Knesset. Coalition members: o Likud Party; o Yisrael Beiteinu Party; o Independence Party. Over the past 30 years it is agree that the government has not moved forward on the Palestinian question. This is mostly due to the fact that the political parties are afraid to lose the vote of the people and other parties. Arab | Israeli Conflict

Bechtold gives an introduction that is about 15 minutes; most of the introduction is fairly pointless. Most of it is a Bechtold-centered stories about the conflict; other than that there is a little bit of Christian history There will be three timelines that will be provided. o The United States has recognized the conflict since October 1967. The Arab world has recognized the conflict since the 1870s (150 years). o The question that needs to be address is if the state of Israel is a Jewish State or not. o In the future there will be more gentiles than Jews in the Israeli state: Between 2015-2020 this will happen. The Zionist Movement was based off the understanding that there needed to be homeland for the Jewish people.

o This movement was founded by Theodor Herzl; he wrote Der Judenstaat (The Jewish State). Nationalism come to Europe after the French Revolution and this opened the flood gate for many European ethnic groups to fight for their own homeland. o Zionism and Arab Nationalism were fueled by the mistreatment of both said groups in different parts of Europe. 3,000 years ago King David united the northern and southern tribes of the holy lands; since then there has been a Jewish presence in Jerusalem. o Who gets to live in and control the Holy Lands? This is a 3,000 year old question and conflict. Cham Weizman went to the British Government to ask for a secure homeland for the Jewish people. o The British Government offered them lands in Africa; however, the Jewish people wanted their historical holy lands in the Middle East. There are four analytical concepts to take into account: o In the occupied territories (West Bank, Gaza, and Golan Heights) there are both Jews and native people living side by side. This is a zero fund game and can be considered an existential fight. There is a question of who gets what lands; how much of these disturbed lands will go to the Jews and how much will go to the Palestinians? o The Arab conflict state; this is an issue with the nations that boarder Israel. This is a war and peace question. These wars are mostly not about lands but simple war and peace. Peace Treaties between Israel and Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. There is no such treaty(ies) between Israel and Libya, and Syria. Most of these non-treaty nations are due to religious reasons. Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States have decided to be a part of this conflict. The United Kingdom due to history, while Russia and the United States due to their role within the United Nations. Muslim nations have decided to be a part of the conflict because of religious reason. There cannot be a foreign flag flying over the holy Muslim landmarks in the Middle East (Israeli Flag). Canaan: 3000-5000 BC; o Not an empire per se: it was a city-state often conquered by larger empires. Biblical Times: o Divided Jewish state: land of Israel and Judah. o Assyrians eliminate Israel (722 BCE), Babylonians overtakes Judah (586 BCE). Arrival of Islam: 630 CE o Slow conversion of local populations from Christianity to Islam.

o Remaining Christian population approximately 10%. British Mandate Period: the British over took the lands and Iraq to secure a trade route to India. United Nations Partition Plan, 1947. o The United States, among others, used their power to make sure this plan was passed through the United Nations.