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Six-Day War
A war between Israel and Egypt, Syria, and Jordan which gave Israel control of areas with large Palestinian populations after their victory. They took control of the Golan Heights, Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, West Bank, East Jerusalem, and West Bank and Gaza. -
Yom Kippur War
A war launched by Egypt and Syria against Israel to win their territory back on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur; the Israeli counterattack, supported by the United States repulsed the Syrians and Egyptians. After weeks of fighting, both sides agreed to a cease-fire. -
Camp David Accord
Egypt wanted peace with Israel so the U.S. president, Jimmy Carter, invited Sadat and Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin to Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland. An agreement known as the Camp David Accords was reached where Egypt recognized Israel and Israel returned the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt. The treaty ended 30 years of hostility between Egypt and Israel and was the first Arab nation to recognize Israel’s right to exist. -
Intifada
Tensions were building in the West Bank and Gaza, where Israel had begun building settlements and the Palestinian resentment of Israeli occupation boiled over into a rebellion called the intifada. During this rebellion, Palestinian youths battled Israeli troops in widespread street violence. Israel responded with strong military and police resistance, but the fighting continued until the early 1990s. -
Second Intifada
In the second intifada began, Palestinian youths were joined by Palestinian security forces with guns and suicide bombers were sent into Israel to attack civilians. The Israelis countered by sending troops backed by tanks, fighter jets, and helicopter gunships into cities in the West Bank and Gaza.
