Saddam Hussein was hanged
Highlights
29 highlights from The Middle East Since 1945 · page 1 of 2
The Anglo-American coalition launches war against Iraq
President Hafez Al-Assad dies
Iraq invades Kuwait
The ‘Declaration of Principles on Palestine Self-Rule’ aka Osla Accords was signed. PLO recognised Israel’s right to exist, and Israelis simply recognised the PLO as the sole representative of the Palestinian people
First Intifada (meaning ‘shaking-off’ or ‘trembling’) by the Palestinians
This was not done or started by the PLO. It was done by the people of Palestine who were constantly under “siege” by Israel. It was a people’s movement.
Start of Iran-Iraq War
One of the destabilising effects of the Iranian Revolution stemmed from Khomeini’s determination to export it.
Ayatollah Khomeini comes back to Iran from exile
Shah flees Iran
Sadat was assassinated by Muslim extremists
Camp David Accords was signed
Today's readers, used to interpreting events in the Middle East largely in religious terms, may recall that, before Iran's Islamic Revolution (1979) and the collapse of the USSR
(1990), the secular left-right (communist-capitalist) divide was as significant as any Shia-Sunni-Alawite-Christian distinction, perhaps even more so.
Egypt & Syria launch the fourth Arab-Israeli war, popularly known as the Yom Kippur war
Yasser Arafat was elected the PLO chairman
Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) was established
MoD Hafez Assad carried out a military coup in 1970 following the military defeat & loss of territory after the six day war and made himself president in 1971.
Nasser dies of a heart attack & is succeeded by Anwar Sadat as the president who then tries to offer peace with Israel which was rejected by both the US & Israel.
Nasser accepts ceasefire after the start of The Six-Day War with his reputation in tatters.
Six-Day War: Israel launched an offensive against Egypt, Syria, and Jordan.
Egypt, Transjordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq invade Israel.
Israel declares independence
Britain ended its Palentine mandate.
Egypt organized an Arab League with Syria, Saudi, Iraq, Transjordan, Lebanon, Yemen, & itself as members. Primary objective was to foster unity & cooperation among Arab peoples. Activities were largely social, cultural, & economic. Political activity was very limited.