Modern Israel and Arab/Israeli Relations

Performance Objectives and Course Outline

INITIATOR: K. Chiaro/E. Shaked
DATE: 11/05/01

Performance Objectives:

Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to do the following:
  1. Explain the origins of modern Israel and the Arab-Israeli relationships up to 1917.
  2. Explain the Palestine Mandate, Zionist State-Building, and Jewish/Arab relations up to 1948.
  3. Describe the State of Israel, relations with Arab states, search for security, and U.S.'s role between 1948-67.
  4. Explain the Arab/Israeli/Palestinian relationships, quest for the peace, and the U.S.'s role between 1967-84.
  5. Explain the Palestinian/Arab/Israeli relationships, and U.S.'s involvement in global and regional events from 1984 to the present.

Course Outline:

 Conceptual themes: Issues of national self-determination dialogue toward peace, and perspective importance of U.S.'s involvement before and after the Cold War.
  1. Origins of Modern Israel and Arab-Israeli Relationships up to 1917
    1. Judaism, Ancient Israel and Diaspora
    2. Arabs, Islam, Muslim and Ottoman rule
    3. Zionism
      1. Idea of Return, forerunners of Zionism, Old Yishuv in Eretz Yisrael/"Holy Land"
      2. Herzl, Zionism, and growth of the Yishuv
    4. Arabs and Jews
  2. Palestine Mandate, Zionist State-Building, and Jewish/Arab Relations up to 1948
    1. Arab nationalism
    2. World War I and the Balfour Declaration
    3. Building the Jewish national home
    4. Arab-Jewish relations, Arab revolt
    5. Jewish militancy; World War II; Arab League
    6. End of mandate, illegal immigration, U.N. Partition plan, Israel's establishment
  3. State of Israel, Relations with Arab States, Search for Security, and U.S.'s Role between 1948-1967
    1. Independence War/Nakbeh, Palestinian Arab refugees
    2. Growth of the Israeli republic and its diversity
      1. Political, religious, social, cultural, and economic developments
      2. Immigrations: European and Oriental, Jewish refugees from Arab states
      3. Arab minority, and other minorities
    3. Foreign Affairs
      1. Sinai and Suez: Eisenhower Doctrine
      2. Israel and Arab regimes with oil
      3. Arms race: U.S. to Israel, Soviet Union to Egypt and Syria
      4. Arab-Israeli/Six-Day War and its aftermath, Jerusalem
  4. Arab/Israeli/Palestinian Relations, Quest for Peace, and U.S.'s Role between 1967-1984
    1. America's Israel connection
    2. Palestinian nationalism, Palestinian Liberation Organization (P.L.O.), Arab politics
    3. War and peace, and U.S. diplomacy
      1. Israel politics, war of attrition, Yom Kippur/Ramadan War
      2. P.L.O.-Israel relations, Camp David Accords
      3. War in Lebanon
  5. Palestinian/Arab/Israeli Relations, and U.S.'s Involvement in Global and Regional Events from 1984 to the present
    1. Israeli politics, society, culture, and economy; Ethiopian and Russian immigration
    2. Intifada, HAMAS
    3. Gulf War/Desert Shield/Desert Storm, oil, and end of Cold War
    4. Israeli/Palestinian/Arab negotiations and agreements
    5. Palestinian/Israeli relations, and the peace process in the 21st century
      1. Israeli/Palestinian dispute
      2. Fostering a better future: Israeli/Palestinian relations and U.S. role