Many believe that the Israeli- Palestinian conflict focuses solely on religion and has been ongoing for centuries, when in reality, the conflict stems from the mid-20th century and revolves mainly around land disputes. The region of that is the center of the conflict previously belonged to the Ottoman Empire and was a place of religious diversity and peace. However, nationalism began to grow amongst the Arab people, and in Europe, many Jews were joining the movement known as ‘Zionism’ that called for the re- establishment of a Jewish homeland in the land of Israel. Zionism resulted primarily from increasing anti-Semitic beliefs in Europe during the late 19th century. Many Jews in Europe believed Zionism to be the only way to secure safety from the persecution they faced. As Zionism increased in popularity, the Jewish population in Palestine increased by the ten-thousands from 1880-1910.

When the Ottoman Empire collapsed after World War I, the British promised to divide the Arab territories and created the Mandate for Palestine that lasted from 1919-1940. The British called for greater integration between the Arabs and Jews, yet tensions continued to rise as more and more Jews settled in farming communities in the region. The British then began to curb Jewish immigration to Palestine which resulted in the creation of Jewish militias that resisted British rule and clashed with the Arabs. After World War II, Jewish people in Europe fled the continent for British Palestine, with support from the international community.

Violence between the Jews and Arabs only grew, and so the United Nations adopted Resolution 181 in 1947 that called for the creation of a Jewish state (Israel) and an Arab state (Palestine). The city of Jerusalem was to become a special international zone. This Resolution was intended to pacify both the Arabs and Jews and also relieve the British of the sectarian violence they could no longer control. Despite an about equal size of land given to the Jews and Arabs, the borders were complex.

The next year, in 1948, Israel declared independence and the Arab states declared war on Israel in an effort to establish a unified Palestine where all of British Palestine had been. The Israelis were victorious, however they then occupied ⅓ more land than they previously controlled. At the end of the Arab-Israeli War, Egypt controlled the Gaza Strip and Jordan controlled the West Bank while over 700,000 Palestinians were forced to flee their homes and found refuge in surrounding Arab nations.

After years of no territorial change, Israel and several Arab states went to war again in 1967 in what became known as the Six-Day War. Israel won and gained control of the Golan Heights (from Syria), the West Bank (from Jordan), and the Gaza Strip and Sinai Peninsula (from Egypt). In response to the War, the United Nations adopted Resolution 242, which called for Israel to withdraw its forces from the territories occupied by the War and all participants to recognize independent Israeli and Palestinian States. After the War, the broad Arab-Israeli conflict shifted towards a more focused conflict between the Palestinians and Israelis.

Since 1964, the Palestine Liberation Organization oversaw guerrilla groups that attacked civilians,but also used nonviolent tactics to work for the creation of a Palestinian state. Meanwhile, the Israeli government had begun establishing Jewish settlements in Palestinian territories including East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank. According to international law, these settlements are illegal, but Israel counters the arguments saying that because Palestine is not really a state, the settlements are, in fact, not illegal.

In 1987, Palestine launched the First Intifada that lasted until 1993. The uprising was against Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and saw the foundations of Hamas, a violent
Sunni fundamentalist group that initiated the first suicide bombings in Israel in 1993. The First Intifada also saw the emergence of peace talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis. This led to the Oslo Accords which created the Palestinian Authority that governs parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip; and, it acknowledged that the PLO is now Israel's partner in permanent status negotiations about remaining issues.

In 2000, United States President Bill Clinton invited PLO President Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak to Camp David in order to continue peace talks. The Camp David Summit fell apart and a Second Intifada occurred. The Second Intifada was much more violent than the first and it brought skepticism to the Israelis regarding whether Palestine would ever accept peace. Israeli politics also became more right-wing. Checkpoints were implemented to control the movement of Palestinians and the government built walls surrounding the West Bank, claiming to protect civilians.

In 2005, Israel withdrew its forces from the Gaza Strip and Hamas was elected to power. The organization split from the Palestinian Authority and governs apart from the West Bank. Israel has maintained a blockade against the Gaza Strip, Hamas has frequently launched rocket attacks into Israel, and Israeli settlements have continued to settle in the West Bank. In the current state of affairs, fighting between the two sides occasionally breaks out. Palestinians continue to believe that a Palestinian state was denied to them, and the Israelis desire a Jewish homeland
and protection against neighbors that actively go against them. Each side seeks a right to exist and fails to legitimize the concerns of the others.


1. Should the solution to the conflict be a one-state or two- state solution?
2. How should the Israeli
Government treat Palestinians within the region?
3. Should the borders between
Israel and Palestine revert back
to the 1948 borders?

Bibliography

“1967: Six-Day War Ends.” History.com, A&E Television Networks. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.
“Arab-Israeli Wars.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.
Beauchamp, Zack. “What Were the Intifadas?” Vox, 31 Mar. 2014. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.
Black, Eric. “Resolution 242 and the Aftermath of 1967.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.
Israel and the Palestinians: Can Settlement Issue Be Solved?” BBC News, BBC, 16 Feb. 2017. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.
McElroy, Damien. “Israel-Gaza Conflict: What Is an Intifada?” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 6 Nov. 2014. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.
“Oslo Accord.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.
“United Nations Resolution 181.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2 Nov. 2014. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.

Topic 2 - The Kashmir Conflict

Kashmir is the valley between the Himalayas and Pir Panjal mountain ranges and comprise over 100,000 square kilometers of land. The regions are north of the Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan and south west of the Republic of China. The land is used primarily for agriculture and tourism, but has significant political, economic, religious, and military potential, thus leading to the power struggle.

The dispute began with the 1947 partition of India, when 526 Indian states could choose between Pakistan and India. The area was predominantly Muslim but had a Hindu leader, making the choice difficult for him. He wanted to remain neutral, but eventually he signed an Instrument of Accession with India in exchange for military support, it was
only supposed to be temporary until the people could decide, which they have still yet to do.

In 1948, the UN ordered a ceasefire, allowing India some military presence, but Pakistan none which they have yet to follow. In 1962, China and India clashed in territorial dispute. China
overpowered the Indian military and occupied the area, they obtained the Aksai Chin region. In 1971, war broke out again between Pakistan, and India, resulting in Pakistan surrender at Bangladesh and the signing of the Simla Agreement. This treaty agreed to settle issues peacefully and established a line of control. However, prior to the ceasefire in 2003 the line was of the most violent prone areas in the world. Additionally in 1999 tensions were so tight between Pakistan and India that the US intervened in fear of nuclear conflict.

Since 2013, India administers 43% of the area, including most of Jammu, Kashmir Valley, Ladakh, and the Siachen glacier. Pakistan is in charge of 37% primarily Azad Kashmir and northern parts of Gilgit and Baltistan.

Finally, China retains control of 20% mainly the Shaksam valley which it claims is part of Tibet.As the Maharaja Harin Singh signed the Instrument of Accession in 1947, India believes the region to be theirs. Additionally, due to the UN resolution in 1948 they accepted India’s stand on the issue. Furthermore, they believe that Pakistan has been supporting military groups and spreading anti-India sentiment in order to create instability in the area. Also, Pakistan’s removal of its military forces from the region is what they believe to be the first step to resolution.

On the other hand, Pakistan believes the area should belong to them based on the two-nation theory since the area has a Muslim majority. They do not recognize the validity of the Instrument of Accession claim because Maharaja did not have support of most of the Kashmiris. They also believed he handed over control under duress, invalidating India's claims.

Additionally, according to Pakistan, India has disregarded the resolutions of the UN by not holding a plebiscite. Furthermore, they claim that between 1990-1999 Indian Armed forces were responsible for over 4,000 civilian deaths and rapes. Also they believe the uprising by the Kashmiri demonstrates the people’s desire to either by with Pakistan or independent.

It is hard to ascertain the Kashmiri people’s view on the issue. Various people align more closely to either Pakistan or India. A survey done by the Chatham House showed that 43% of adults wanted independence, 50% of Azad Kashmir want to join Pakistan, opposed to the 2% in Jammu and Kashmir. However, only 14% of the
total population want to make the line of control a permanent border. Thus, Kashmir does not have a united voice on the matter.

Questions to Consider:
1. How should the sovereignty of the area be decided?
2. Should a plebiscite actually take place, and how would it be enforced?

Bibliography

"A Brief History of the Kashmir Conflict." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 24 Sept. 2001. Web. 02 Apr. 2017.
Hunt, Katie. "India and Pakistan's Kashmir Dispute: What You Need to Know." CNN. Cable News Network, 30 Sept. 2016. Web. 02 Apr. 2017.
"Kashmir: Conflict Profile." Insight on Conflict. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2017.
"Kashmir Conflict: Tension on the India Pakistan Border." BBC News. BBC, 01 Oct. 2016. Web. 02 Apr. 2017.
"Kashmir Fast Facts." CNN. Cable News Network, 29 Mar. 2017. Web. 02 Apr. 2017.

The student delegates selected by their respective schools to represent the historic individuals mentioned above should be very familiar with the use of technology. In an attempt (we hope that it will work – first time for everything!) to create more “realism and real-time”, chrome-books will be provided and used by each delegate to communicate with the committee chairs and crisis staff in the passing of notes and the receiving of important messages, communiques and news updates.

The date is November 4, 1979.
An Iranian student group has just stormed the American embassy in Tehran and is currently holding an estimated five dozen American personnel. The students involved are avid supporters of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who had established a militant Islamic theocracy the past summer. It is reported that they are also acting out against President Carter’s allowance of former Shah, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi to enter the United States to receive treatment for his lymphoma. Pahlavi had been heavily criticized for his cooperation with the United States. Many Iranians disapprove of supposed American influence on society. It is unknown if all embassy workers are present at the building and are being held. No other embassies have experienced attacks or anything similar. Little is known about the Iranians’ intentions. With many American lives and foreign relations at risk, action must be taken swiftly.

When the embassy was attacked, the staff was able to follow the correct procedure when handling classified material. However, the staff was not prepared when their furnace would not burn fast enough, and they had to use shredders in order to destroy documents. This proved to be somewhat problematic, as the Revolutionary Guard is using manual labor to sort out the scraps and attempt to make the documents legible again. The CIA would be considered responsible for the destruction or collection of classified material.

The Americans being held have also been displaced and split up in Tehran. The American military and intelligence community do not know where the State Department employees are being held. One of the first issues the committee must solve is a lack of credible intelligence information. While the situation in Iran is dire, conditions at home in the United States need to be considered. Action is being demanded by the American people. The clock is ticking. Consider the background and current situation. Then we just might get through this.

Questions to Consider:

1. Are all embassy employees accounted for?
2. Should the U.S. approach a
potential rescue mission? If so, how?
3. What is the world reaction to the event?

Topic 2: The Future of Relations between Iran and the United States

Ever since the American embassy was sacked, US-Iranian relations have deteriorated to the brink of war. President Carter has threatened military action against the revolutionary government, and the Ayatollah of Iran has told his supporters and countrymen that they must “fight to the death” if war were to break out between the two. Since the US has not supported any militant form of theocracy (up to 1979), then it is safe to say it views the Revolutionary Guard as a threat to its interests in the Middle East. Nations typically opposed to the United States, like Egypt and Lebanon have come out against the new Iranian state.

The future of foreign relations in The Middle East appears to be changing with the growing tension in Iran. Since the Revolutionary Guard practices Shia Islam, it follows closely with the teachings of the Quran. There are photos that have gone out showing the brutality and horror that these extremists- from hanging ‘suspected’ homosexuals by construction cranes to shooting those not considered devout. Up to this point, the conflict has taken over 30,000 lives and shows no sign of stopping.

Beyond the imminent threat that this violent revolution poses, there are more distant things to consider. First, you must consider the fact that Iranian children and future generations will be taught this form of neo-conservative theocracy and view the US and her allies as the enemy. Since the US has no military assets within the country,
another thing to consider is how Western nations will respond to this conflict and new, anti-capitalistic state.

Iranian/American relations have already been tarnished by the US propping up Mehdi Bazargan, as the 75th prime minister of Iran, and
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi as the Shah of Iran. These both were very unpopular and their forces were not prepared to handle anti-Shah militant riots. The revolution came about because nobody was expecting it, and when it hit, the government was not prepared. Luckily, the government in power was able to flee the country before it fell into
revolutionary hands. They are now housed in the United States and being cared for by the CIA at an unspecified location.


1. Will the United States take direct military action or try and defuse the growing situation in Iran?
2. How will the US respond to its allies/adversaries in the Middle East in response to Iran?
3. Will the US try and depose the Ayatollah and Revolutionary Guard?


History.com Staff. "Iran Hostage Crisis."
History.com. A&E Television Networks,
2010. Web. 11 Apr. 2017. Department, State. "A Guide to the
United States’ History of
Recognition, Diplomatic, and
Consular Relations, by Country, since 1776: Iran." U.S. Department of State. U.S. Department of State, n.d. Web.
11 Apr. 2017