Free Sample Essays > Middle Eastern History
War on the Middle East
Collapse of Peace Talks
In July 2000, seven years after the signing of the Oslo accords that initiated the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, President Bill Clinton hosts Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak for peace talks at the presidential retreat at Camp David. In signing the Oslo accords the two sides recognized each other's right to exist and agreed to negotiate a peace process, but they left negotiations on tougher issues for final status talks. At the Camp David talks, the two sides broach issues including Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the right of return for Palestinian refugees, and sovereignty over Jerusalem. Barak proposes that Israel will withdraw from 95 percent of the West Bank, allow some Palestinian refugees to return, and force the evacuation of 40,000 Jewish settlers. Arafat rebuffs the proposal, in part because he believes that the Palestinians should accept no less than 100 percent of the West Bank and Gaza.
September 28-29
Riots spark "second intifada"
Israeli Arabs demonstrate in East Jerusalem in protest of Sharon's visit to the Al Aqsa mosque compound. The demonstrations turn into violent riots, sparking what has become known to Palestinians as the "second intifada" or the "Al Aqsa intifada." (The first Palestinian intifada, or "uprising," took place from approximately 1987 to 1992.) In the following days, street-fighting and riots spread to the occupied territories in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
September 28
Sharon visits Al Aqsa mosque compound
The head of the right-wing Likud Party (and current prime minister) Ariel Sharon visits the Al Aqsa mosque compound, Islam's third holiest site, located in Old Jerusalem. The rocky structure upon which the mosque is situated is considered holy by both Jews and Muslims.
October 2
Israel responds to riots with military action
In an attempt to quell the riots, Israel deploys tanks and gunship helicopters at the sites of violent flashpoints in the Palestinian territories.
October 6
Day of Rage
Palestinian leaders declare a "day of rage," with thousands protesting in the occupied territories and the Old City of Jerusalem. After Friday prayers at the Al Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem, a few rock-throwing Palestinian youths hoist a Palestinian flag on the compound; hundreds more hurl rocks at Israeli police near the Western Wall in Jerusalem and later storm an Israeli police station, setting it afire. In the West Bank and Gaza, thousands of Palestinians protest, and several gun battles break out between Israeli troops and Palestinian militias.
October 6
Israel responds with troops
In Jerusalem, armed troops use tear gas and rubber bullets to subdue the rioters and tear down the Palestinian flag they had placed on the holy site. By the end of the day, 10 Palestinians are dead. Hundreds more Israelis and Palestinians are injured.
October 12
Israeli soldiers killed
Palestinian mobs beat two Israeli reserve soldiers to death in Ramallah.
October 12
Retaliatory air raids
In response to the deaths of the soldiers in Ramallah, Israel fires missiles from attack helicopters at targets including Palestinian police and security stations in the [next page]