Teh Arab Israeli Conflict Essay Research Paper — страница 3

foothold in the Middle East. If so, it defeats the perception that Israel is a country struggling for survival against the Arab nations. It becomes Israel using the Arab nations for her struggle for survival. A further confusion that would shed more light of the standard portrayal would be the Palestinian question. These are two levels of wars and conflicts that Israel faced, with the Arab nations and against the Palestinians. Particularly over the Lebanon War of 1982, the issue was that of the Israelis against the Palestinians refugees, loosely represented by the Palestinians Liberation Organisation (PLO). Operation Peace for Galilee, the attack on Lebanon, was a classic example of Israel s aggression. This means i) the Middle East conflict is not always a case of Israel against

the Arabs and ii) Israel is not always a defender. In this case, we question, should this level of conflict be considered under Arab -Israeli conflict , given that the Palestinians are not Arabs? It was suggested that the antagonism of the rest of the Arab states is a by product of the Palestinian cause and moreover, some Arab states were drawn to the conflict because of this cause, a perfect example being Lebanon. Another fallacy in the standard portrayal is implicit grouping together of all the Arab nations as a single entity against Israel and therefore creating the impression that they are formidable. As a combined entity, no doubt they would be a force to reckon with as proved by the October War. However the Arabs were hardly united. Their own national interest must always

come first. An example could be the case of Israeli attack on Syria. It took Egypt a long time, and continual pressure from the Arabdom before she decided to apply pressure on Israel, and even so, half-heartedly. Therefore the standard portrayal of the Arab Israeli conflict is hardly accurate. It is romanticising the truth, and is bias towards Israel. It thus has to be re-evaluated, and take in other cosiderations. Bibliography Gainsborough, J.R The Arab Israeli Conflict Gower 1987 Bassiouni, M, Cherif, The Middle East: The Misunderstood Conflict The Arab Israeli Conflict Princeton University Press 1977 Yost, Charles W. The Arab-Israeli War: How it began The Arab Israeli Conflict Princeton University Press 1977 Cohen, Eliot A Israel after Heroism Foriegn Affairs Volume 77. No. 6

Stone, Julius, The Middle East under Cease Fire The Middle East Conflict Princeton University Press 1977 Bickerton, Ian. J. A Concise History of the Arab Israeli Conflict Prentice Hall 1991 Khouri, J. Fred The Arab-Israeli Dilemna Syracuse University Press1985 Harkabi, Y. Position of the Palestinians The Arab Israeli Conflict Princeton University Press 1977 [1] Article 51 0f the UN Charter states that Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations… [2] Article 2(4) states that All Members shall refarin in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state…