Peacemaker USA?
The Role of the United States in the Arab-Israeli Conflict in the 1990s
- Art: Diplomarbeit
- Autor: Ilka Kreimendahl
- Abgabedatum: November 2004
- Umfang: 107 Seiten
- Dateigröße: 888,2 KB
- Note: 1,0
- Institution / Hochschule: Universität Kassel Deutschland
- ISBN (eBook): 978-3-8324-8983-0
-
ISBN (Paperback) :
978-3-8324-8983-0 P - ISBN (CD) :978-3-8324-8983-0 CD
- Sprache: Englisch
- Prämierung:
- Arbeit zitieren: Kreimendahl, Ilka November 2004: Peacemaker USA?, Hamburg: Diplomica Verlag
- Schlagworte: Nahost, Außenpolitik, Israel, Palästina, Clinton
In den Warenkorb
48,00 €
Diplomarbeit von Ilka Kreimendahl
Abstract:
When Eretz Israel was founded under David Ben-Gurion in 1948, its existence was immediately recognized by President Truman and the United States of America. Following this historic date, a strong and profound relationship developed between the two states, deepening over the years. With the inauguration of President Bill Clinton in 1993, a new era began: in the following years, Clinton made the peace process in the Middle East one of his top priorities in foreign policy. The United States became the trusted mediator between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, two parties that had refused to negotiate for years.
Numerous critics and especially the Arab nations hold the Jewish lobby in Washington responsible for the exceptional American engagement in the Middle East, while others assume that this engagement is mainly due to U.S. strategic interests and the growing importance of Arab oil. Throughout the years, the United States have constantly tried to accomplish a balance between their commitment to the state of Israel while keeping their strategic interest in the Arab world in mind. Owing to the hostilities and the continuing violence in the Middle Eastern region, the Americans were of the opinion that merely a lasting peace settlement between Arabs and Israelis could secure their interests.
The following thesis focuses on the role of U.S. Middle East policy during the Clinton administration, centering on the conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis. It will question whether the United States, and particularly Bill Clinton, functioned as a peacemaker between the hostile parties and achieved significant progress in the peace process. Beginning with an illustration of the historical facts, we will take a closer look at the origins of biblical Israel, the emergence of the name Palestine, and the role of Palestine in World War I. Furthermore, the work deals with the establishment of the Jewish state and the subsequent wars with surrounding Arab nations.
The third chapter attends to the Palestinians and their national movement which was dominantly influenced by the appearance of Yasser Arafat and the Palestine Liberation Organization. It will also investigate the question of whether the Palestinians can be viewed as a lever of the Arab states and to which extent the Arab nations play a role in the conflict. Subsequently, the focus will be on the United States and its traditional close relationship with Israel, in order to concentrate afterwards on the central question – the various steps of the peace process during Clinton administration and its achievements in the 1990s. Finally, the thesis will discuss additional factors influencing U.S. foreign policymaking and conclude with a summary of the results coming from this work.
Table of Contents:
| I. | Introduction | 1 |
| II. | Israel, the Promised Land? | 3 |
| II.1 | Palestine, “Land of the Philistine” | 4 |
| II.2 | Palestine, Plaything of the Great Powers | 5 |
| II.3 | The Origins of the State of Israel | 7 |
| II.4 | Fighting for the Holy Land – The Arab-Israeli Wars | 10 |
| III. | On Palestine and Its People | 11 |
| III.1 | The Palestinian National Movement | 11 |
| III.2 | Yasser Arafat and the PLO | 12 |
| III.3 | The Palestinian Refugees – Lever of the Arab States? | 14 |
| III.4 | The Role of the Arab States | 15 |
| IV. | The United States and Its Special Bond with Israel | 17 |
| VI.1 | American Presidents of the Twentieth Century and their Relation to Israel | 17 |
| V. | The United States Middle East Policy of the Clinton Administration | 31 |
| V.1 | The First Term of Office: From the Oslo Accords to the Takeover of the Likud | 31 |
| V.1.1 | The Oslo Accords | 34 |
| V.1.2 | The Gaza-Jericho Agreement | 38 |
| V.1.3 | The Peace Treaty Between Israel and Jordan | 40 |
| V.1.4 | Oslo II – The Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip | 43 |
| V.1.5 | The Likud Bloc Comes Into Power | 47 |
| V.2 | The Second Term of Office: From the Hebron Protocol to the Year 2000 | 50 |
| V.2.1 | The Hebron Protocol | 50 |
| V.2.2 | U.S. Cabinet Reshuffle and Policy Change | 52 |
| V.2.3 | The Wye River Memorandum | 56 |
| V.2.4 | The Way to Camp David 2000 | 60 |
| V.2.5 | Camp David II | 62 |
| VI. | Other Factors Influencing U.S. Foreign Policy | 64 |
| VI.1 | Clinton’s Staff | 64 |
| VI.2 | The U.S. Congress | 67 |
| VI.3 | The Influence of the Lobbies | 72 |
| VI.4 | Public Opinion | 77 |
| VI.5 | The United Nations | 80 |
| VII. | Conclusion | 83 |
| Appendix | 85 | |
| Bibliography | 95 |
The primary aim of the Oslo Accords was the establishment of a Palestinian interim self-government within a period of five years. During these five years, the Israelis would gradually withdraw its troops and transfer some functions in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian Authority elected by the people. The negotiations on the permanent status of Palestine was to begin as soon as possible, discussing the remaining controversial subjects which included the question of an undivided Jerusalem, the Israeli settlements in the Occupied Territories, the return of the refugees, and a range of other things.193 The United States then took over control and began right away with the implementation of the Oslo Accords by trying to convince the concerned factions with financial ‘support.’194 At that point in time, they probably made every effort to press peace negotiations forward because they felt endangered in their position as the historic ‘peacemaker’ by the [...]
My task is to try to lay out for you the Clinton administration’s approach to the Middle East. […] a democracy-oriented foreign policy; a foreign policy that would promote the interests of American business abroad; a foreign policy that would work with our friends and allies in the Middle East -- Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia -- to protect American interests in the Middle East and to counter the threats to those interests from radical regimes, be they secular or religious; a foreign policy that would seek to stem the flow of weapons of mass destruction to this volatile region; a foreign policy that would have as a priority the promotion of real and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.183 [...]
President Clinton and I are pleased to announce that based upon intensive efforts and consultations over the last several days, there has been a breakthrough in our efforts with respect to the deportation issue. Under the terms of the process that Israel has announced today, Israel will permit a significant number of the deportees to return either to Israel or to the Occupied Territories within the next several days. Israel also will reduce the sentences of all other deportees, and, as a matter of arithmetic, this means that all the deportees will be able to return before the end of this calendar year.181 [...]
In den Warenkorb
48,00 €
Link zur Arbeit:
http://www.diplom.de/ean/9783832489830
Arbeit zitieren:
Kreimendahl, Ilka November 2004: Peacemaker USA?, Hamburg: Diplomica Verlag
Schlagworte:
Nahost, Außenpolitik, Israel, Palästina, Clinton
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