The Hebrews and Their Homeland
The Hebrews were the ancestors of the Jews. They lived on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea until 70 CE, when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and forced most Jews to leave their homeland. For almost the next two thousand years, the Jews lived as minorities in different lands. Through the centuries, they were often unwelcome guests in their new countries.
Pogroms and the Birth of Zionism
The Jews faced organized massacres called pogroms, particularly in Russia and Eastern Europe. In the late 1890s, writer Theodor Herzl formulated the ideas of Zionism. Zionists felt that the only way Jews could be safe would be to recreate a Jewish state. The ancient homeland of the Jews was at that time known as Palestine and was populated by Arab-speaking people.
British Control of Palestine
The British took control of Palestine after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I. By this time, many Jews had settled on land their ancestors called home. Violence was frequent between the Jewish settlers and the local Arabic-speaking Palestinians.
The Creation of Israel
At the end of World War II in 1945, representatives of fifty countries formed the United Nations to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.” In 1948, the United Nations created the modern state of Israel as a homeland for Jews. Five Arab states immediately invaded Israel. The Jews fought back and extended the borders of their new nation. After another war in 1967, Israel occupied formerly Arab lands including the West Bank of the Jordan River, the Gaza Strip, the Sinai Peninsula, and the Golan Heights.
Peace and Tragedy
Egyptian President Anwar Sadat became the first Arab leader to agree to a peace treaty with Israel in 1977. Israel returned the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt, and the long dispute between the nations ended. Many Arabs saw Sadat as a traitor for making an agreement with Israel. Five years later, Sadat was assassinated by Egyptians who did not believe he should have agreed to peace with Israel.
Resources
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Mr. Donn has an excellent website that includes a section on the Middle East and North Africa.