Conflict in the Middle East, 1945–95 — Edexcel GCSE History

This topic covers the complex and often violent history of the Arab-Israeli conflict from the end of the Second World War to the Oslo Accords of the mid-1990s. It begins with the origins of the conflict, including the British Mandate in Palestine, the impact of the Holocaust, and the UN Partition Plan of 1947. You will study the key wars: the 1948 Arab-Israeli War (which led to the creation of Israel and the Palestinian Nakba), the 1956 Suez Crisis, the 1967 Six-Day War, and the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Each conflict reshaped borders, created refugee crises, and deepened rivalries. The topic also examines the rise of Palestinian nationalism, the role of superpowers (USA and USSR), and the peace processes, including the Camp David Accords (1978) and the Oslo Accords (1993). Understanding this topic is crucial because it explains ongoing tensions in the Middle East today and the roots of modern terrorism, diplomacy, and international law.

The topic is structured around three key themes: causes of conflict, key events and their consequences, and attempts at peace. You need to know specific details such as the terms of UN Resolution 242, the significance of the PLO under Yasser Arafat, and the impact of the 1973 oil crisis. The Edexcel specification expects you to analyse the roles of key individuals (e.g., David Ben-Gurion, Gamal Abdel Nasser, Anwar Sadat) and the influence of external powers like Britain, France, and the USA. You should also understand the competing narratives: the Zionist claim to a Jewish homeland versus Palestinian Arab rights to self-determination. This topic is not just about memorising dates; it requires you to evaluate the effectiveness of peace efforts and explain why the conflict has been so intractable.

Mastering this topic will help you in Paper 2 (Period Study) and also provides context for wider themes in modern world history, such as decolonisation, the Cold War, and nationalism. The exam questions often ask you to explain causation (e.g., 'Why did the Six-Day War break out in 1967?') or to assess significance (e.g., 'How important was the Camp David Accords for peace in the Middle East?'). You will need to use specific evidence, such as the names of agreements, dates, and key terms like 'intifada' or 'settlements'. By the end, you should be able to construct balanced arguments that consider both Israeli and Palestinian perspectives.

• →Zionism: The nationalist movement supporting the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, which gained momentum after the Holocaust and led to the creation of Israel in 1948.
• →Nakba (Catastrophe): The displacement of around 700,000 Palestinian Arabs during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, a foundational event for Palestinian national identity.
• →UN Resolution 242 (1967): A key UN resolution calling for Israeli withdrawal from territories occupied in the Six-Day War in exchange for peace and recognition; its ambiguous wording ('land for peace') remains controversial.
• →Intifada: Palestinian uprisings against Israeli occupation; the First Intifada (1987-93) involved civil disobedience and protests, while the Second Intifada (2000-05) was more violent. The First Intifada led to the Oslo Accords.
• →Oslo Accords (1993): A set of agreements between Israel and the PLO that established the Palestinian Authority and set a framework for future peace negotiations, though many issues (e.g., Jerusalem, refugees) remained unresolved.

• Conflicting interests and demands of Jews and Arabs within the British Mandate
• Key events leading to the end of the British Mandate, partition, and the creation of Israel
• Significance of the bombing of the King David Hotel
• UN Resolution 181
• Key events of the 1948-49 Arab-Israeli War
• Territorial changes and their impact
• Refugee status of Palestinian Arabs
• Creation of the Israeli Defence Forces and the Law of Return
• US aid to Israel
• Israel’s relations with Egypt
• Nasser and Egypt’s leadership of the Arab world
• Events and significance of Israeli attacks on Gaza in 1955 and Sinai in 1956
• Events and significance of the 1956 Suez Crisis
• Formation of the United Arab Republic (UAR) in 1958

• 💡Ensure you can link the end of the British Mandate directly to the outbreak of the 1948 war
• 💡Focus on the role of Nasser as a catalyst for regional tension in the 1950s
• 💡Use specific terminology like 'Law of Return' and 'UN Resolution 181' to demonstrate precise knowledge
• 💡When discussing the Suez Crisis, ensure you cover both the Israeli and Egyptian perspectives
• 💡Use specific evidence: In your answers, mention exact dates, names of agreements (e.g., UN Resolution 242, Camp David Accords), and key figures (e.g., Nasser, Sadat, Arafat). This shows detailed knowledge and boosts marks.
• 💡Structure your explanations: For 'why' questions, use a PEE chain (Point, Evidence, Explanation). For example: 'The Six-Day War broke out in 1967 because of rising tensions (Point). Nasser blockaded the Straits of Tiran and mobilised troops (Evidence). This was seen as a casus belli by Israel, which launched a pre-emptive strike (Explanation).'
• 💡Evaluate significance: For 'how important' questions, consider both short-term and long-term impacts. For example, the Oslo Accords were important in creating a framework for peace, but they failed to resolve final status issues, so their significance is limited.

• Confusing the causes of the 1948 war with the causes of the 1956 Suez Crisis
• Failing to explain the significance of the UN Resolution 181
• Overlooking the role of the British Mandate's end in the immediate post-war instability
• Generalizing the refugee crisis without referencing the specific territorial changes of 1948-49
• Misconception: The conflict is solely about religion. Correction: While religion plays a role, the core issues are nationalism, land, and sovereignty. Both Jews and Muslims have religious ties to the land, but the modern conflict is primarily political and territorial.
• Misconception: The 1948 war was a one-sided victory for Israel. Correction: Israel won, but at a heavy cost (about 1% of its population died). Arab armies were poorly coordinated, but they inflicted significant casualties. The war also created the Palestinian refugee problem, which remains central to the conflict.
• Misconception: The Camp David Accords ended the Arab-Israeli conflict. Correction: They only ended the state of war between Egypt and Israel. Egypt was expelled from the Arab League, and the broader conflict continued, including the Israeli-Palestinian dimension.