The geographical impact of international conflicts: the Israeli\/Palestininan conflict in the Middle East<\/p>\n
Who is involved?
\nPicture
\nWho are the Israelis?<\/p>\n
The Israelis are people living in Israel. They include:
\nJews: Jews have religious and historical ties to Israel dating back thousands of years. Many of them migrated from Europe and Russia to escape persecution e.g. after the Holocaust. Some Jews are religious and some are not.
\nZionists: Zionism is an ideology that believes that Jews should have their own homeland. Zionists may be either Jewish, Christian or Atheist.
\n The Zionist movement is a political movement founded by Theodor Herzl in1897. Most of the Israeli government are Zionists. Some Zionist groups are extremists and have carried out terrorist attacks.
\nArabs: (Muslim and Christian) About one fifth of the Israeli population are Arabs, descendants of the Palestinians who remained in Israel at its creation, despite the conflict
\nthat drove out many of their neighbours.<\/p>\n
Who are the Palestinians?<\/p>\n
Palestinians are mostly Muslim Arabs, but some are Christian. They also have important religious and historical ties to the area. They live in many countries around the world incl. the Middle East. Many live in the \u2018Occupied Territories\u2019 but do not have their own country. Notable groups include:
\nThe PLO: Umbrella political group formed in 1964. Some allied groups are extreme and have carried out terrorist attacks. They\u2019ve also used guerilla tactics against Israel. However, they have now renounced violence and terrorism and been recognised at the political representative of the Palestinians.
\nThe PNA: The governing body of the Palestinian urban centres in the Territories. They were formed in 1994 by the UN. Mahmoud Abbas is the head of both the PNA
\nand the PLO.
\nFatah: The largest faction of the PLO. Some members still associated with \u2018terrorist\u2019attacks against Israel but now not generally seen as a terrorist organisation. They were ruling party until 2006 when they became seen as corrupt and incompetent. Led by Mahmoud Abbas. Control the West Bank. On-going conflict with Hamas. Not the only political party in the West Bank
\nHamas: Formed in 1987 with 2 aims: social welfare and armed resistance. The EU, UK, US and Israel consider it a terrorist organisation following suicide bombings and
\n rocket attacks against Israeli civilians. However, it has earned support from many Palestinians. They won elections in 2006. Led by Ismail Haniya. Control Gaza. Not the only \u2018terrorist\u2019 group in Gaza
\nWhat are the occupied territories?
\nPicture
\n\u2022 The West Bank and the Gaza Strip make up the Occupied Territories
\n\u2022 About 3\/4s of the world\u2019s countries recognise these areas as \u2018Palestine\u2019. However, not the UN or major western nations such as the USA and the UK
\n\u2022 Gaza is ruled by Hamas and The West Bank is ruled by Fatah. However, they have little real power as they are under military occupation
\nTimeline of the conflict
\nThe impacts of the conflict
\nSocial
\nRestrictions on womens freedom by Hamas
\nPoverty
\nMalnutrition
\nUnemployment
\nResidents of Gaza hurt by white phosphorus used by the Israli army buring the victims skin
\nDamaged homes by shelling
\nInjuries caused by the Israeli army
\nLack of medical facilities
\nBlockade by the Israeli army makes it difficult to get supplies in.
\nEconomic
\nIsrael has spent $12 billion dollars on the war between 1989 and 2010
\nPalestinians banned from working in Israel – limiyed numbers of jobs in Gaza and the West Bank
\nMany services are run by outisde agencies – e.g. the UN
\nUnderground tunnels used to smuggle in goods and guns
\nOnly $60 million of Gaza $540 million budget is gnerated inside of Gaza – the rest from outisde donors
\n80% live in poverty and 35% are unemployed
\nEnvironmental
\nContamination of drinking water
\nShortage of food production
\nLimited access to the sea by the Israeli army
\nUsing new fish pond to raise fish for market
\nStruggling to remove sewage and other waste material – leading the spread of disease<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"