The League of Arab States

Dear Delegates,

As Chairperson of the Arab League, it brings me great pride and honour in

welcoming you to the 6th edition of SISMUN- SISMUN Conclave, 2016. You will be
a part of three days of intense debate, simulating arguably one of the most
dynamic committees SISMUN 2016 has to offer.
My name is Rishav Mehta, and I am currently in the 11th grade at SIS, studying
Math, Computer Science and English at a higher level. I have been involved in
over 20 MUNs, and started debating when I was in the 6th grade. Apart from
MUNs, my interests lie in reading, chess, and anything gastronomic. Your vice
chair, Dhruv Pandya, has seen a fair share of MUNs too, and specialises in IndoPakistan and Middle Eastern conflicts.
Our committee will focus on the question of the status of Palestine as a
permanent observer to the Security Council. A major debate of the 21st century,
this pertinent topic will hopefully stir some ardent debate. I look forward to three
days of lively discussions, and in order to establish that, I recommend that each
delegate be well versed in the topic by thoroughly researching each aspect of the
topic as well as your country. But apart from this, I hope each and every one of
you enjoys this years SISMUN.
Please dont hesitate in contacting me via my email address:
rishavmehta99@gmail.com, or my mobile number: 9967226632, if you have any
doubts regarding the agenda, or solely to get in touch with me to say hi! I look
forward to seeing all of you, prepared and ready, in February.
Ave atque vale.

Sincerely,
Rishav Mehta
Chairperson, Arab League

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Introduction to the Council

This year, at SISMUN, we will be simulating the Council of the League of Arab
States (also known as The Arab League). The Arab League was formed on 22
March 1945 in Cairo by Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Saudi Arabia.
Articles in Chapter VII in the United Nations Charter emphasizes the need for
regional arrangements in order to settle local disputes. The United Nations
Charter, however, was ratified a month after the Arab League Charter which was
ratified in April 1945, making the Arab League one of the oldest, functioning
organisations in the world. Currently the Arab league comprises of 21 member
states. Syria in the recent pass was suspended from the league as it resorted to
aggression and the extensive use of force to supress the Syrian uprising.

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The Arab League stands to protect its members interests, increase cooperation
between member states, and was primarily formed to serve as a platform to give
political expression to its members. Like all similar organisation, the league
emphasizes and advocates the need of peaceful solutions and stronger ties
between nations, this is outlined in the Article II of The Arab Leagues charter:
A. Economic and financial affairs, including commercial relations, customs,
currency and questions of agriculture an industry.
B. Communications; this includes railroads, roads, aviation, navigation, telegraphs
and posts.
C. Cultural affairs.
D. Nationality, passports, visas, execution of judgments and extradition of
criminals.
E. Social affairs.
F. Health affairs
The Origins of the Arab League
The bases of the Arab League were drawn upon the Pan-Arab ventures in the
nineteenth century, it was fundamentally as a response to the fallout of Ottoman
Empire over the Arab world; The British guaranteed the Arab world in 1915 that in
return for the Arab help in battling Ottoman Empire, the British would then give
national freedom to Arab nations. Amid both the World Wars, plans to form a
Unified Arab state started gaining more momentum. The Iraqi Prime Minister

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announced his backing of a unified Arab State in 1943. In 1944 Iraq, Syria,
Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt summoned in Alexandria where the Alexandria
Protocol was drafted. The meeting/protocol did not establish an Arab
subcontinent. Nevertheless, the protocol established a body to help have unity
amongst the Arab states. Subsequently, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi
Arabia and Egypt signed a modified version of the Alexandria protocol as the
Charter of the Arab League in the year 1945.

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Agenda A:
Granting Palestine a Permanent
Observer Status to The United
Nations Security Council:
BACKGROUND HISTORY:
Originally the League of Nations gave British the mandate over Palestine in the
1917. In 1948 after the Ottoman Empire died out, the British recognised the right
of a Jewish state. According to the UN partition it split Palestine into a Jewish state
(Israel) and an Arab state (Palestine). This arrangement did not work out for the
Arab world and in response attempted to invade the one-day old state of Israel to
gain full control and make it a full Arab state, however, Israel survived this wave
which came from its neighbouring countries (15 May 1958 as the British left).
Then in 1967 Gamal Abdel Nasser, the dictator of Egypt along with neighbouring
countries attacked Israel. Israel pre-emptively attacked Egypt and Syria. It called
upon the King of Transjordan (Jordan) in order to make peace, however,
Transjordan joined the fight. In this fight Egypt, Syria and, Transjordan lost control
over huge chunks of their land to Israel. This war is referred as the Six-Day War.
After this war Arab leaders met in Khartoum, Sudan where they signed the
infamous Khartoum declaration which agreed to three things regarding Israel; No
recognition, No peace and, No negotiation (Note: These 3 NOs have not been
strictly followed by the Arab Nations over time, some Arab nations have called for
peace and negotiations and have violated the Khartoum declaration). Then almost
a decade later in 1978 Israel gave Egypt its land back after Egypt agreed to the
sign a peace deal with Israel, but kept hold of the Jordanian-occupied West Bank.
All along Israel has agreed to give land to the Palestinians (Gaza and West Bank)

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to live in peace with Israel (Note: this is generally called the land for peace
solution), however, the Palestinians have continuously rejected the proposal
considering the whole of the original Palestine (which Palestine is (now) + Israel)
their territory. The deadlock has remained same ever since.

Gaza

UN Partition
Plan of
Palestine
1947

West Bank

BLUE: ISRAELI TERRITORY ACCORDING TO THE ORIGINAL

UN PARTITION PLAN IN 1947
RED + GREEN: PALESTINIAN TERRITORY ACCORDING TO
THE ORIGINAL UN PARTITION PLAN I 1947
GREEN:

CURRENT PALISTINIAN TERRITORY

BLUE + RED: CURRENT ISRAELI TERRITORY

PURPLE:
JEURESELM (ACCORDING TO UN PARTITION
WOULD BE NOR JEWISH OR ARAB) CURRENTLY EAST
JERUSALEM IS UNDER ISRAEL. ISRAEL HAS DECLARED
JERUSALEM AS ITS CAPITAL)

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West Bank
The West Bank is a mass of land in eastern Israel. It has a population of 2.6
million Palestinians, and is the heart of any Palestinian state. Palestinians (and
most of the international community) consider it illegally occupied Palestinian land.

Gaza
Gaza is a densely populated strip of land that is mostly surrounded by Israel.
Israel used to have a military presence, but withdrew unilaterally in 2005. It's
currently under Israeli blockade. Egypt controlled Gaza until 1967, when Israel
occupied it (along with the West Bank). In the Six Day War. Until 2005, Israeli
military authorities controlled Gaza in the same way they control the West Bank,
and Jews were permitted to settle there. In 2005, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon pulled out Israeli troops and settlers. From that time the Gaza strip is
governed by the Islamist group Hamas, which formed in 1987 as a militant
"resistance" group against Israel and won political power in a 2006 US- based
election. Hamas' takeover of Gaza prompted an Israeli blockade of the flow of
commercial goods into Gaza. Israel has eased the blockade over time, but the cutoff of basic supplies such as fuel still does significant humanitarian harm by cutting
off access to electricity, food, and medicine.

The Six-Day War (1967)/Khartoum Declaration

In this Egypt lost the Sinai Peninsula and West Bank,
Syria lost Golan Heights and, Jordan lost the control over
West Bank. Israel offered Syria Golan heights back in

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return for peace with Syria , however, Syria rejected this after the Khartoum
declaration. Following this the United Nations Security Council unanimously
adopted resolution 242.
Arab Nations announced the 3 famous NOs regarding Israel in Khartoum
In response Israel vowed not to return to the 1948, 1949 armistice line calling it
vulnerable. Thus after that UN resolutions called upon the use of post-1967
borders.
UNSCR 242
UNSCR 242 established the principles that were to guide the negotiations for
an Arab-Israeli peace settlement, which took multiple proposals into account. It is
commonly interpreted that it establishes that land acquisition by the means of war
is inadmissible and referred to Article 2 of the UN Charter that states should settle
their international disputes by peaceful means. Israel disputes this as it claims that
it gives incentive or an unfair advantage to aggressors. Anwar Sadat, the Egyptian
leader was intent to make Israel give the Sinai Peninsula back to Egypt through
negotiations. In 1971 Mr Sadat expressed support for peaceful negotiations with
Israel, and called upon USSR to influence Israel stance, however, USSR refused
to take such actions to enforce its Anti-US position. Israel repeatedly failed to
pursue diplomatic talks with Egypt. This enraged Sadat and, thus he created an
Arab coalition consisting of armies from Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia,
Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Kuwait, Tunisia, Sudan, and the Palestinian Liberation
Organization in order to attack Israel on the ^ October 1973.
The 1973 Yom Kippur War: The United Nations Security Council met
immediately following the outbreak of the conflict. Resolution 338, adopted on
October 24, demanded an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, and
commencement of negotiations. The ceasefire was successfully implemented, and

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peace talks followed. On December 21,, 1973, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, the United
States and the U.S.S.R. began negotiations under the observance of the United
Nations. The United States possessed the influence that could prompt Israeli
withdrawal, and indeed the U.S. recognized its responsibility. While this peace
negotiation did not lead to substantive agreements, its success lay in the
establishment of a dialogue process.
Resolution 338 is significant for emphasizing the need for dialogue in order
to arrive at a peaceful solution. Since 1973, there have been numerous meetings
between Arab states and Israel. The United Nations, the League of Arab States
and the United States have overseen dialogue regarding the issue. For the
SISMUN debate, we must examine the international law that ought to guide these
nations, the circumstances under which negotiations have taken place, and why
they have either succeeded or failed.

Camp David Accords

In September 1978, President Jimmy Carter met with Israeli Prime minister
Menachem Begin, and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, to establish what came to
be known as the Camp David Accords. There two agreements were established:
1. A Framework for Peace in the Middle East,
2. The Framework for the Conclusion of a Peace Treaty between Israel and
Egypt.1
The Second Camp David Accord provided for Israeli withdrawal of the Sinai and
the opening of diplomatic relations under a U.N. flag. It called for cooperation
with Resolution 242, a United Nations Resolution that was passed in the aftermath
of the six day war. Resolution 242 calls for the Withdrawal of Israels armed
forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict [and the] Termination of all

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claims or states of belligerency and respect for and acknowledgment of the

sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every State in the
area and their right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free
from threats or acts of force."
The Resolution stipulated the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Sinai Peninsula,
the establishment of demilitarized zones, and the use of United Nations
peacekeeping missions. Guidelines and timelines for the withdrawal stated that
within months after signing the agreement withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula
would commence.
The First Camp David accord dealt with the more broad future of the West
Bank and Gaza, and provided for the election of a self-governing Palestinian
authority to replace the existing Israeli Military Government. In this agreement
both Israel and Egypt agreed to recognize and abide by the 4th Geneva
Convention that protects civilians in occupied territories. Israeli Prime Minister
Begin agreed to take steps towards recognizing the full autonomy of the people of
the West Bank and the Gaza strip. It called upon Egypt, Israel and Jordan to
oversee the process of providing the Palestinian state with autonomy.
Oslo Accords
In 1993 agreements took in Oslo to resolve a key issue: Israel and Palestine's
affirmation of one another's authenticity. The fundamental agreements that built up
were that Israeli troops would pull back from the West Bank and Gaza. Plus, a
'Palestinian Interim Self-Governing Authority' would be set up for a five-year
transitional period, prompting a perpetual settlement in view of resolutions 242 and
338. This understanding additionally indicated a two-state solution that was
strategically and politically a win, but couldn't be completely executed because of
the violent resistance from Hamas (refer to page 15 for Hamas).

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Saudi Peace Plan

In 2002, the League of Arab States came together to talk about the issue of
Israel's borders, and its relationship with its Arab neighbours. Saudi Crown Prince
Abdullah presented what got to be known as the Saudi Peace Initiative. Under this
deal, Israel's borders would be redrawn to its 1967 limits, there would be a fitting
arrangement found for the displaced people including a right of return. In return
Israel would pick up acknowledgment by Arab States. Israel was not able to
negotiate as s result of the pressure from the United States who warned Israel
against concessions, which were vital fir the agreement.
Camp David Accords 2000
In 2000, Israeli and Palestinian diplomats met to talk about basic yet critical status
issues: a one-state versus a two-state arrangement, the status of Jerusalem and
Palestinian refugees' right of return.
Amid the negotiations, Israel offered the Gaza Strip, a region of for which mostly
comprised of Palestinians, a critical segment of the West Bank, and Islamic
guardianship of huge locales in Jerusalem, alongside a guarantee to contribute
accounts to an asset for Palestinian Refugees. Yasser Arafat offered Israeli
control of the Jewish quarter of Jerusalem in return for the "privilege of return" for
Palestinian refugees. Nonetheless, at last, neither one of the sides was fulfilled.
Amid these arrangements, the issues talked about were more exact than any
other time, and it brought to light the key subjects of contention that are still on the
table today.

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Border Solutions
One-State Solution
The one-state solution and the similar bi-national solution are proposed
approaches to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict Proponents of a bi-national
solution to the conflict advocate a single state in Israel, the West Bank, and
possibly the Gaza Strip, with citizenship and equal rights in the combined entity for
all inhabitants of all three territories, without regard to ethnicity or religion. While
some advocate this solution for ideological reasons, others feel simply that, due to
the reality on the ground, it is the de facto situation. Though increasingly debated
in academic circles, this approach has remained outside the range of official
efforts to resolve the conflict as well as mainstream analysis, where it is eclipsed
by the two-state solution. The two-state solution was most recently agreed upon in
principle by the government of Israel and the
Palestinian Authority at the November 2007 Annapolis Conference and remains
the conceptual basis for negotiations proposed by the administration of U.S.
President Barack Obama in 2011. Interest in a one-state solution is growing.
Two-State Solution
The two-state solution refers to a solution of the IsraeliPalestinian conflict
currently under discussion, which calls for "two states for two peoples." The twostate solution calls for an independent State of Palestine alongside the State of
Israel, west of the Jordan River. The framework of the solution is set out in UN
resolutions on the "Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine", going back to
1974. The resolution calls for "two States, Israel and Palestine side by side
within secure and recognized borders" together with "a just resolution of the
refugee question in conformity with UN resolution 194". The borders of the state of
Palestine are "based on the pre-1967 borders". The latest resolution in November
2013 was passed 165 to 6, with 6 abstentions. The countries voting against were

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Canada, Israel, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Palau and the
United States. The Palestinians have "shown serious interest" in a two-state
solution since the mid-1970s, and its mainstream leadership has embraced the
concept since the 1982 Arab Summit. Over the years, polls have consistently
shown "respectable Israeli and Palestinian majorities in favour of a negotiated twostate settlement." Agreeing on acceptable borders is a major difficulty with the
two-state solution. There have been many diplomatic efforts to realize a two state
solution, starting from the 1991 Madrid Conference. There followed the 1993 Oslo
accords and the failed 2000 Camp David summit. In 2002, the Arab League
proposed the Arab Peace Initiative. The latest initiative, which also failed.
Three-State Solution
The three-state solution, also called the Egyptian-Jordanian solution, and the
Jordan-Egypt option, is an approach to peace in the IsraeliPalestinian conflict by
giving control of the West Bank to Jordan and control of the Gaza Strip to Egypt.
The three state solution essentially replicates the situation that existed between
the 1949 Armistice Agreements and the 1967 Six-Day War. Beginning in 1949,
Egypt occupied the Gaza Strip, Jordan occupied the West Bank, and no
Palestinian Arab state existed. In 1950, Jordan officially annexed the West Bank
and granted the Arab residents Jordanian citizenship.
Land Swaps
The border between Israel and the West Bank would probably have to change in
any peace deal. There are about 500,000 Jewish settlers living in the West Bank,
many of whom live near the border with Israel proper. In a two-state deal, some of
these settlers would have to leave the West Bank while some border settlements
would become Israeli land. In exchange, Israel would give over some of its
territory to Palestine. These would be called "land swaps." No set of Israeli and
Palestinian leaders has agreed on precisely where to draw the border.

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The Road Map

The Quartet - made out of the United States, the European Union, Russia and the
United Nations - met up in 2002 to investigate new choices for Israeli-Palestinian
peace negotiations. In April 2003, the Quartet discharged its "Execution based
Roadmap to a Permanent Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Crisis."
The Roadmap traces a three-stage program prompting an autonomous
Palestinian state and a last and far reaching settlement of the Israel-Palestine
strife by 2005. However, as an "execution driven" procedure with no
implementation system, the Roadmap relied on upon the great confidence of all
sides and their wilful consistence with commitments under the arrangement.
Neither Israel nor the Palestinian Authority has exhibited such consistence. The
Roadmap requires that the Palestinians "quickly attempt an unqualified end of
brutality" and that Israel "solidifies all settlement movement." Yet Israel keeps on
building settlements and develop its illicit division divider in the West Bank. Israeli
hostility, especially as death endeavours, prompted the breakdown of an onesided Palestinian truce arranged by then-Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. Israeli
Prime Minister Sharon has declined to think about Arafat as a partner in the
negotiations, debilitating the Palestinian pioneer's power. Roughness has
proceeded with, the Quartet has demonstrated no capacity for imposing
necessities on the parties and the Roadmap has steadily lost its validity.
The Problem
Israel seeing that the Arab countries deny their presence and right to exist, Israel
with the help of US has kept Palestine from being a member of the United Nations.
This is because in order to gain membership in the United Nations a state has to
be accepted by United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and then the Security
Council (UNSC). In the case of Palestine, even if the proposal is passed by UNGA

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it will not pass in the UNSC as it is likely to be vetoed by the United States or is
supported by Israel\/USs strong lobby in the UNSC. The same can be said for the
state of Palestine seeking a permanent observer status in the UNSC.
*Self-determination: It is the right of people to decide upon their governance, and,
in a conventional sense it is dictated by the principle 2 of the Atlantic Charter that,
the right of all peoples to choose the form of government under which they will
live. Self-determination is clearly described in resolution 2625 as the right of
people to freely to determine, without external interference, their political status
and to pursue their economic, social and cultural development. This right has
been given by the UN charter and is explicitly stated in Article 1(2).

Key Terms:

Anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism is prejudice against, hatred of, or discrimination against Jews as a
national, ethnic, religious or racial group. It is said to be the primary reason for the
the start of Zionism
Zionism
Zionism is an ideology that believes that Judaism both a religion and nationality. It
is said that it was formed out of anti-Semitism. Bearing this in mind Zionists
advocate the formation of a Jewish state (Israel), giving the reason that all Jews
have the right to return to their land.
Nakba: (which, in Arabic, means catastrophe)
The aftermath of the 1948 war displaced approximately 700,000 Palestinians
which has caused a refugee crisis that is till date unresolved.

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Israeli Settlements
These are settlements of Israeli Jews in the West Bank. These settlements started
after Israel gained control of West Bank in 1967.There are multiple for this reasons
such as: religious reasons, subsided house/ cheaper cost of living, Israelis want to
claim it as their land. These are widely considered as an obstacle to peace as they
hinder the defined boundaries for a possible Palestinian state in the future.
Multiple International lawyers consider this as a violation of the 4th Geneva
Convention; which does not allow for population transfer into occupied territories.

Intifadas
The intifadas were two Palestinian uprisings against Israel, the first in the late
1980s and the second in the early 2000s. The First Intifada was a largely
spontaneous series of Palestinian demonstrations, non-violent actions like mass
boycotts and Palestinians refusing to work jobs in Israel, and attacks on
Israelis. The Israeli military responded to the protests and attacks with heavy
force.
The 2000-2005 Second Intifada
For many who had hoped that progress in Israeli-Palestinian relations would follow
from the Oslo Accords, the subsequent period of violence was a demoralizing
defeat. The Palestinians viewed the on-going violence as part of their struggle for
national independence, justice, and an end to Israeli Occupation. In Israel, the
Second Intifada is viewed as yet another wave of attacks of Palestinian terrorism.
This conflict was devastating due to the amount of casualties. The conflict is said
to have taken the lives of an estimated 5,500 Palestinians and 1,100 Israelis. On
November of 2004 Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat died, which suddenly
rendered an internal conflict between Hamas and Fatah. During this time Israel
also unilaterally disengaged from the Gaza Strip. In 2005, the Sharm El-Sheikh

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Summit resulted in Abbas declaring that the use of violence would come to an
end. In return Ariel Sharon agreed to release 900 Palestinian prisoners
The Israeli Wall
The Israel Wall is a partition barrier built and being built by Israel in the West Bank
or along the 1949 Armistice Line ("Green Line"). Upon finishing, its aggregate
length will be around 700 km (430 mi) and incorporate the western side on roughly
9.4% of the West Bank and 23,000 Palestinians. Israel contends that it shields
regular folks from Palestinian terrorism, for example, suicide bombings that
expanded fundamentally amid the Second Intifada. Somewhere around 2000 and
July 2003, 73 suicide bombings were completed from the West Bank. From
August 2003 to the end of 2006, just 12 assaults were completed. On July 9, 2004
decision of the International Court of Justice prompted that the wall is a violation of
International Law. It not only questions Palestinian sovereignty but blocks key
humanitarian aid into West Bank.

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Key UN Actions regarding Palestines recognition status:

22 November 1974: UNGA Resolutions 3236 and 3237 collectively

recognised Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) and gave it a nonmember observer status.

PLO: The Palestinian Liberation Organisation is currently the national

representative of the Palestinian people and runs the Palestinian National
Authority (PA). PA is a semi-autonomous governmental body with its main
Agenda being the management of Palestinian territories until it strikes a deal
with Israel, however, it continues to control only the West Bank as Hamas still
has control over Gaza

9 July 1998: UNGA resolution 52/250 , however, does not recognise

Palestine as a State but gives it a higher status than the rest observer
states yet a lower status than member states, often termed as new sui
generis observer status.
23 September 2011: UNGA submitted Palestines membership application
to the UNSC.
4 December 2012: UNGA Resolution 67/19 recognised Palestine and
gave it a non-member observer State status in the UN and, confirmed
that over one hundred UN member states recognised Palestine as a state.
It also called upon the UNSC regarding Palestines application form.

Both resolutions 3237 and 67/19 assert Palestines right to self-determination. The
application was not voted upon by the UNSC and according reports not only US,
but EU members were not confident enough to give Palestine a full UNmembership, and signalled that intermediate steps have to be taken such as

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resolution 67/19 before giving it full membership. According to UN procedures the

UNSC can postpone debate on the application or not take a stance on it
indefinitely. Such was the case with Palestines application.

Important Groups/ People/ States involved in Palestine:

Palestine/PLO: (refer to page 8): After the year 2006 PA has been spliced into two
separate governments. In 2006 after Hamas being the only challenger to Fatah
won the electoral in response US, EU, and Israel stopped recognising PA. Most of
the funding after Hamas victory was cut. Then in June 2007 Hamas officially took
control of the Gaza. Splitting the governance between Fateh (PA) in the West
Bank and Hamas in Gaza.
Hamas:
Hamas is a Palestinian Islamist political association and a militant group that has
battled against Israel since its 1987 establishing. It looks to dissolve Israel with a
Palestinian state. Hamas main goal is the total annihilation of Israel. It till date
represents and controls the Gaza strip autonomously of the PA, and denies Israel
state recognition. Hamas throughout the 1990s and 2000s lead a wave of suicide
bombings in Israel, however, recently it has used other means of attack such as
rockets. Hamas has established an effective system of social services to
Palestinians as an alternate option to extremely corrupted PA institutions.

Fatah:
Fatah is a major Palestinian secular nationalist political party that began in 1965
as a liberation movement in Palestine by Yasser Arafat. Fatah was initially
restricted to the opposition of the PLO. With Syrian backing Fatah began
dispatching terrorist assaults against Israeli targets in January 1965 from Jordan,

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Lebanon and Gaza, which was controlled by Egypt at that point of time. Fatah has
conducted massive attacks on regular civilian population. Subsequent to assuming
control the PLO in 1968, which really degraded its popularity amongst the
Palestinian public.
Hezbollah:
Hezbollah was established in 1982 in light of the Israeli intrusion of Lebanon, as a
Lebanese aggressor resistance bunch which has been bolstered by Iran and
Syria. Today the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, Australia, and Canada
have characterized Hezbollah as a terrorist association (despite the fact that the
European Union stays separated on this arrangement). In July 2006, Hezbollah
assaulted Israeli non-military personnel territories utilizing rockets, murdering
eight. Israel reacted by shelling and attacking Lebanon, with the goal to dispose of
Hezbollah. Following a month of contention, the United Nations Security Council
collectively affirmed UN Resolution 1701. The Resolution was endorsed by Israeli
and Lebanese governments and required the demilitarization of activist gatherings
including Hezbollah, and withdrawal of Israel from Lebanon. Hezbollah still
assumes a critical part in Lebanese governmental issues. It could connect with
Lebanon into a war against the will of the sovereign government. In spite of two
United Nations Security Council Resolutions (1559 and 1701) which require the
demobilization of all Lebanese local armies, however it has so far declined to
participate with United Nations Policy.
The United States
Although the United States is frequently seen as an uncompromising ally of Israel,
it has played a more nuanced role in negotiations with both sides during the
conflict. The United States makes up part of the Quartet (EU, Russia, US and the
UN) that aims to structure negotiations to resolve the Arab-Israeli disputes.
Meetings of the United Nations are frequently hostile to Israel and the United
States often stands as Israels sole supporter. Israel has responded by voting with

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the United States in virtually all issues. However, just as Israel is often the target
of hostilities, the United States receives an equal amount of criticism for its
continued support to Israel, regardless of the international laws that Israel breaks.
In light of recent of Israeli attacks on heavily populated civilian areas of the Gaza
Strip in 2009, Amnesty International called for the United States to suspend
military aid to Israel on human rights grounds. The United States has done no
such thing and has continued its support for Israel. The International Community
has accused the United States of merely pumping billions of dollars worth of
advanced weaponry into lands that can be used as an outpost with which to
extend its foreign policy ambitions into the Middle East. In 2009, President Barack
Obama declared that Americas commitment and my commitment to Israel and
Israels security is unshakable. In February 2011, the United States vetoed a
Security Council Resolution that would have made Israeli Settlements in the West
Bank illegal. While the United States officially recognizes the settlements in the
West Bank as illegal, it vetoed the resolution on the grounds that it would hinder
the peace process, and that agreements made outside of the United Nations
would be more conducive to negotiations and concessions. President Barack
Obama maintains relations with PLO leader Mahmoud Abbas, and has stated that
he is open to negotiations outside of the Security Council.
Latin America
With the exception of Venezuela, Cuba and Bolivia, the Latin America states have
relations with both the Arab states and Israel. In 2009, Venezuela joined
Bolivia in severing ties with Israel in protest against its war in the Gaza
Strip, which left more than 1,000 Palestinians dead. Venezuela was trying to make
a larger statement against imperial western powers. Brazils former president
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was the first Brazilian president to visit Israel officially. He
also dramatically changed Brazilian policy towards Israel when he officially
recognized the Palestinian state, and recognized the land gained by Israel in 1967
as occupied territory. Israeli-Brazilian relations have been tense ever since. Brazil

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has also promoted a policy of dialogue with Iran, frightened both Israel and the
United States. Argentina has followed this policy as far as recognition of
Palestinian Authorities. Israel signed a free-trade agreement with the Mercosur,
the fifth-largest bloc in terms of gross domestic product in the world. This has been
unfavourable to the Palestinians, who identify the Free Trade Agreement as a
boost to the Israeli military and industrial complex.
Iran
Iran (along with Syria) constitutes Israels greatest security threat in the Middle
East. Ever since the Islamic Revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini, Iran has
severed all diplomatic relations with Israel, and has even condemned those who
enter into negotiations with Israel. It actively supports Hamas and Hezbollah,
claiming that they are freedom fighters, and not the terrorists the Western
nations insist they are. Iran equates the term Zionism with racism Irans supreme
leader Ayatollah Ali Khomeini has recently stated Today Palestine is the symbol
of life, determination, faithfulness, diligence, and dignity, Official Iranian policy
sustains that the September 11 terrorist attacks were a plot by the US
government, to create an excuse for supporting Israel and extending its reach into
the Middle East. Among the most controversial policies include Irans denial of the
Holocaust. In a statement to the United Nations, President said, they (the
Western powers) launched the myth of the Holocaust. They lied, they put on a
show and then they support the Jews.

Arab League on this issue:

The Arab League has always maintained a close connection to the Palestinian
cause. In 2010, the Arab League urged Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to
abandon the Peace Process. While the Arab League supports the Palestinian
cause, the extent of its support can fluctuate. For example, after the Yom Kippur
war, Egyptian President Anwar Sadats desire to negotiate with Israel earned him

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fierce opposition and even economic isolation from the Arab League. Egypt and
Jordan are among the few nations who have pursued diplomatic relations with
Israel. Recently Arab foreign ministers have decided to reject a demand made by
Israel that Palestinian negotiators recognize Israel as a Jewish state, arguing that
a Jewish state would compromise the possibility of the right of return for nonJewish refugees. Arab League chief Amr Moussa has addressed the HamasFatah conflict, stating that Arab governments should consider sanctions against
the fighting Palestinian political factions Fatah and Hamas if they hinder
reconciliation efforts by the League. The recent Arab Spring has affected Arab
League-Israeli relations, as new, more democratically accountable governments
form. The Arab League has fallen out with Syria, due to its violent suppression of
popular protests, barring it from meetings of the Arab League. The Arab League
has boycotted Israeli goods, and defends its decision to do so by pointing to
Israels refusal to cooperate with international law, past U.N. resolutions, and
peace talks.

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Bibliography:
www.arableagueonline.org
http://www.lse.ac.uk/internationalDevelopment/research/crisisStates/download/wp/
wpSeries2/WP452.pdf
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-15747941
http://www.un.org/press/en/2012/ga11317.doc.htm
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/
https://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&
uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwisuNP8xqjKAhVIbY4KHVj5CxIQFggmMAE&url=https%3A
%2F%2Fwww.jewishvirtuallibrary.org%2Fjsource%2FUN%2Fmeaning_of_242.ht
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vMJAQ
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4314898.stm
http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/
Http://www.mfa.gov.il
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6666393.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6666393.stm
http://www.merip.org/palestine-israel_primer/intifada-87-pal-isr-primer.html
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l?scp=5
Http://www.ifcj.org
Http://www.lib.unb.ca
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/1482803/Palestinianceasefire-ends-four-year-intifada.html
www.sixdaywar.org
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/the-big-question-what-areisraeli-settlements-and-why-are-they-coming-under-pressure-1692515.html

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=315642
http://www.un.org/Depts/dpi/palestine/ch12.pdf
http://bigpeace.com/cglick/2010/12/11/why-latin-america-turned-against-israel

**This Background Guide Is By No Means Exhaustive. It Is Merely A Mode Of

Guidance For Delegates. Further Research Carried Out By Delegates Is
Utmost Significant. Please Note That Content From The Guide Cannot Be
Quoted As Evidence. Factual Statements May Be Questioned By Other
Delegates Or By The Dais, Because Of Which Appropriate Evidence Is A
Must.**

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