The Problems in the Middle East

The Problems in the Middle East

The land of Israel once belonged to the Jews in 1948, but Diaspora,

the Arabs claimed the land. Since the return of the Jews to their

'homeland' the two races have fought over what they both claim to be

their Holy Land. The conflict between Arab and Jew still rages, with

suicide bombings and militia violence happening every day. Because of

the nature and age of the conflict, perhaps a lasting peace between

Arab and Jew is impossible.

Jews believe that their God promised the land to them, and Jerusalem,

the capital of Israel, is their Holy City. Apart from the holy shrines

and places of worship, the Arabs and Israelis are fighting over living

space. Since the creation of the Jewish state of Israel, Moslem Arabs

have waged many wars on the new territory. In every one of those wars,

the Arabs lost or signed an armistice, sometimes even losing more of

their territory to the Jews. Unfortunately because of all this, it is

hard to imagine that there will be a lasting peace between Jew and

Arab in the foresee

In 1948 the state of Israel was created out of the land Palestine.

Since then there has been almost continuous conflict between Israel

and its neighbour Arabs. The Middle East has hardly ever been out of

news. In the time of Jesus first century ad Palestine was ruled by the

Romans. In AD 70 again in AD 135 the Jews rebelled against their roman

rulers. Roman soldiers crushed both revolt, destroyed the city of

Jerusalem and expelled the Jews. Many thousands fled to neighbouring

countries and over the next 200 years they settled in almost every

part of the Roman Empire. Many become merchants, sand f...

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...ed the

partition of Palestine into two separate states, one Jewish and a

second Arab state. The Arabs rejected it and the fighting continued.

With the help of more troops better weapons and transport, the British

forces gradually regained control of Palestine.

By 1939, when the rebellion ended, the British government had given up

all further ideas of partition. It declared that Britain would

continue to rule Palestine. It also said that it would restrict Jewish

immigration. The British government adopted this policy because war

was approaching and it feared the growth of friendship between Arab

leaders and Germany. Britain needed to keep the friend ship of the

Arab countries so that oil supplies from the Middle East would

continue to reach Britain. The jews were furious. Thousands took the

streets to demonstrate.