aboutThe Middle East issueOfHistorical evolutionIt can be summed up as "one, two, three, four": one ancestor, two nations, three diasporas, four wars.PalestineIt was called Canaan in ancient times, and local residents called itCanaanite, originallythe arabian peninsulaSemiticA branch of.About the 11th century BC,aegean seaCoastalPhilistineMove to Canaan.In the 5th century BC, Greek historiansHerodotusFor the first time, the region was called "Palestine", that isGreek“PhilistineThe meaning of "land" has always been used.
About 1900 BC,SemiticAnother branch ofJudaism, the common prophet of Islam)Two river basinUr migrated to Canaan.According to the Bible, Abraham and his wifeSarahHave a childIsaacThey are the ancestors of Jews.After the Jews fled to Egypt,MosesHe led his people out of Egypt and returned to Canaan untilWorld War IIPost establishmentState of Israel, all originated from this branch.Abraham and his concubine EgyptianXia JiaIshmael, the father of a son, was driven to the Arabian Peninsula because of Sarah's disapproval,MultiplyThey are the ancestors of the northern Arabs on the peninsula, and Mohammed, the prophet of Islam, is their descendant.
In the early days of Mohammed's founding, Jews and Christians were hostile to him.With the increasing number of Muhammad followers, Arab cavalry also began to expand.Islam split in the 7th century.People who support the descendants of Mohammed and accept the caliph as the representative of God have gradually formed "Sunnis" and "Shiites".
Modern times
At the end of the 18th century, withNapoleonintrusionOttoman Empire(The last unifiedIslamic countries）, Other EuropecapitalismThe great powers (the Christian world) also began to carve up the territory and dependencies of the Ottoman Empire and establish colonies.
In the 19th century, due to various social conflicts andsocial changeMedium (mainlyImperialismThe invasion and plunder of the Islamic world, that is, the colonization and semi colonization of Islamic countries, gradually triggered the Islamic revival movement andNational liberation movementThe revolutionary movement of integration.
Actively supported in Britain after World War IIZionismOn November 29, 1947,United Nations General AssemblyAdopted resolution 181 (2) concerningPalestineFuture governance: Britain ended before August 1, 1948Mandate；Established within 2 months after the end of the mandatearabState and Jewish State;JerusalemAnd nearby villages and towns 158Square kilometersAs an independent subjectthe United NationsAdministration.
On May 14, 1948, Britain ended its mandate rule over Palestine.On May 14, 1948,IsraelAnnounce the founding of the country.Ten minutes later, the United States recognized the State of Israel.Twelve hours later, the Arab coalition attacked Israel.After 3 days,Soviet UnionadmitState of Israel。afterPalestinian areaThe unofficial war between Jews and Arabs began.From February to July 1949, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria signed armistice agreements with Israel respectively（IraqNot signed with Israel).Palestine exceptGaza Region andWest BankSome areas outside were occupied by Israel.Nearly one million Palestinian Arabs were driven out of their homes and turned into refugees.
In 1956, Britain, France and Israel withdrew under the pretext of EgyptSuez CanalThe company and the ban on the passage of Israeli shipscanalAndTyrant Strait, launched an attack on Egypt in an attempt to regain control of the canal and suppress ArabiaNational liberation movement。At the end of the war, with the solidarity of people all over the world, Britain, France and Israel were forced to agree to a ceasefire and withdraw their troops late at night on the 6th.The Egyptian army killed more than 1600 people and lost more than 210 planes;More than 200 British, French and Israeli troops were killed and about 20 aircraft were lost.UKFrench ArmyEvacuate in December.Since then, the United States has further intervened in Middle East affairs.The Israeli army withdrew from Gaza in March of the next year andSinai Peninsula(byUnited Nations forcesEnterGaza andAqaba BayCoastal area), but has obtainedRight of navigation。
In 1967, the Arab Israeli conflict and the US Soviet struggle for the Middle East intensified, and Israel further expanded outward with the support of the US, under the pretext of Egypt (then calledUnited Arab Republic）Blocking the Gulf of Aqaba and launching a surprise attack on Arab countries on June 5.The Israeli army took advantage of the Egyptian army's relaxed guard before breakfast and officers went to work, and concentrated on using 200 planes to air attack Egyptair base, destroy most of the Egyptian army's aircraft on the ground, occupy the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza area within 4 days, and then occupy the East Jerusalem area andWest Bank region, occupied on the 10thSyriaGolan Heights。Egypt suffered heavy losses.In August 1970, there was a final ceasefire.These two years of fighting are called“War of attrition”。
In October 1973, Egypt and Syria fought against Israel in order to recover lost territory and get rid of the "no war, no peace" situation caused by the United States and the Soviet Union.
From September 22, 1980 to August 20, 1988, Iraq attempted toIranThe unstable Khomeini regime is attacked to completely solve the problemboundary disputeIran and Iraq fought for eight years, known as“Iran Iraq War”。[3]
Geographical concept
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Map of the Middle East
Middle Eastmediterranean seaEast South toPersian GulfA part of the coast.Geographically, the Middle East includes West Asia (exceptAfghanistan）And parts of North Africa (i.e. Egypt)AfricaAndeurasiaSubregion of.The Middle East isEuropeanWhat is a general geographical term usedcountries and regions , there is no accurate conclusion at home and abroad, generally referring towest Asia，North AfricaRegion, about 23 countries and regions, more than 15 millionSquare kilometers, 490 million people.
Most of the Middle East is West Asia, but the difference from West Asia is that the Middle East does not includeAfghanistan，[2]But it includes Egypt in North Africa.The Middle East is a place with one bay, two oceans, three continents and five seas. It is in contact with the three continents of Asia, Europe and AfricaAtlanticandthe indian oceanThe key position of.The three continents specifically refer to Asia, Europe and Africa, and the five seas specifically refer toCaspian Sea，Black Sea，mediterranean sea，Crimson Sea，arabian sea。The Caspian Sea is the largest lake in the worldsalt water lake。The Middle East has convenient transportation,Sea, land and airThe route can smoothly transport oil to all countries.The Middle East, located in the land of "three continents and five seas", is a thoroughfare connecting the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean, connecting the west and the east, and also a hub and throat from Europe to West Asia via North Africa.
The important position of the Middle East in world politics, economy and military has made it one of the most important places in world historycapitalismIt is a place where the great powers are fighting for deer and the military is fighting for it.
Political conceptualThe Middle East issueMeansarab countries(includingPalestine）AndIsraelConflict betweenPalestine Israel conflict。The Middle East issue is a historical product of the struggle of capitalist powers, and it is also a regional hot issue with the longest duration in the world.The core of the Middle East issue is the Palestinian and Israeli territorial issues.
terrain
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Topographic map of the Middle East
The terrain of the Middle East is mostly plateau, and there are high mountains on the edge of the plateau.The plain area is small, mainly distributed in EgyptNile Valley And estuariesDelta、IraqTwo river basins (also known asMesopotamian Plain"Two Rivers" refers toEuphrates RiverAndTigris River）, they are ancientEgyptian civilizationandAncient Babylon CivilizationCradle of.In addition, there are narrow plains along the Mediterranean coast.stayPalestineandJordanAt the junction, there is also a Dead Sea formed by fracture and collapse.The elevation of the Dead Sea Lake is - 415 meters, which is the lowest point of the land surface in the world.
climate
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The climate in the Middle East is dry, mainly includingtropical desert climate，Mediterranean climate，temperate continental climate 。Most of the area is located between 20 ° and 40 ° north latitude,the Tropic of CancerPassing through the middle, the temperature is hot.Here againSubtropical highAnd fromAsiaInland arid areanortheast tradesTherefore, it is drought and less rain.At the same time, the blocked plateau terrain in this area blocks the entry of marine humid air, which further aggravates the drought in this area, so it has formed a tropical desert climate.
national religion
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People in the Middle East mainly believe in Islam, Judaism and Christianity.
Living inwest AsiaMuslims in the region mainly belong to four ethnic groups, namely Arabs, Persians, Turks and Kurds.
Among the four ethnic groups, the Arabs, Turks and Persians all have their own countries, namelyarab countriesTurkey and Iran.
The Turks have only one country, Turkey, and the Persians have only one country, Iran.
AsArab nationHeroicsaladin Kurds, a direct descendant of, with a population of about 30 million, are distributed in many countries, including Turkey 18 million, Iran 7 million, Iraq 5 million, Syria 1 millionLebanon100000 yuanAzerbaijanandArmenia100000 yuan.
In addition, there are Jews (who believe in Judaism), and the majority of Lebanese Arabs believe in Catholicism and Christianity.
As for the classification of "Arabs", the classification criteria are different, and the results are naturally different.According to historical facts, "Arabs" in the broadest sense can be divided into Arabs, Arabized Copts and Arabized Berbers.[1]
traditional culture
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Middle EastArabic cuisineAs a representative, it has spread to other countries, so from the perspective of the entire Middle East region, the taste of dishes is very similar. Even in a country, there will be no different dishes in different regions.
Well known dishes includeOil immersionOkra, oil immersedgreen soya beans、Tomato in oilEuropeChieh quaWait, Middle Eastern people like to useOlive oilTo cook food.becauseLebanese cuisineThey advocate nature and health. Therefore, Middle Eastern people not only use a lot of olive oil in their dishes, but also use fresh lemon juice and garlic as seasoning. Almost all dishes are cooked on this basis.
In the selection of cooking methods,LebanonEven the whole Middle East likes to useSmokeless barbecueThey think that this way can not only taste the flavor of meat, but also not cause excessive pollution to the environment.
Middle East pocket breadIt is a food with Middle Eastern characteristics, which is influenced by the regionRice NoodlesCulture, plus local uniquePancakeThe choice of staple food is more diversified, and all Middle Eastern diets are inseparable from rice, wheatpeas and beansandmutton。
It is understood that wheat originates from the Middle East and is most commonly used for makingbread, such as ArabiaPocket breadAnd so on, as well as the common big cake on the Arab table.Middle East sauce stylecold dishIt is a special food in the Middle East.
useChickpeaMadeBean paste, plusSesame paste, salt andlemon juiceAdd fresh olive oil and stir it evenly. It looks ordinary, but it leaves a lasting aftertaste.In the Middle East, people also like to usePistachioAs one of the ingredients of desserts, the ice cream made of pistachio and various desserts with pistachio can be seen everywhere.
The main ethnic groups in the Middle East arewhite race。Historically, East and West cultures have exchanged frequently here, and various nationalities have gathered here.All ethnic groups in the Middle East still keep their ownreligious beliefAnd customs. Most of the residents believe in Islam, while a few believe in ChristianityJudaismAnd other religions.Islam, Christianity and Judaism willJerusalemRegard asHoly City。Cultural differences are also one of the important reasons for instability in the Middle East.
Their ethnic groups are Persians, Punjabis, Bangladeshis, Pashtuns and Malays.
Arab countries are the general name of countries with Arab nationality as the main body, includingSaudi Arabia、Iraq、Libya、LebanonEtc.The majority of Arab countries are Islamic countries, but there are also some problems. For example, Lebanon is mainly Christian, but Lebanese are mainly Arab.
Internal contradiction
Egyptian soldiers Nasser and Sadat fired the first shot of the Islamic Revolutionary Revival Movement.stayWorld War IIAfter that, 34 apparently independent Islamic countries emerged.Then a large number of religious leaders tried to find a new revolutionary path to oppose secular regimes, implement the "Islamic Revolution", and restoreTheocracyRule.The process from the Islamic national revolution to the religious revolution has always been permeated with the realistic political goal, that is, separating from the West orSoviet UnionPolitics andEconomic control, hoping to become a truly independent country;Change the royal regime and establish a republic;Dream of building newarab league , review the pastArab EmpireDreams;oppositionZionismAnd jointly resist Israel militarily.
But for various reasons,Arab WorldThere is no internal unity: first, different sects in different countries believe in Islam (manyWithin the countryThere are also sectarian disputes, leading to political instability), the conflict between sects has affected the relations between countries;Secondly, in the Islamic worldArab nationAccording to history, most non Arab nations who believe in Islam have been discriminated and prejudiced by Arab nations. Because of old grievances, conflicts easily occur when conflicts arise;Third, when countries strive for independencethe WestSome countries and nations were divided for their own interests, laying the groundwork for future disputes (such as the Gulf War, when Iraq invaded Kuwait on the pretext that Kuwait had always been Iraq), which caused countries to constantly conflict over territory, race, etc;Fourth, in the process of Islamic revival in modern times,Pan IslamismAlthough Islamic fundamentalism is the dominant ideology in the Islamic renaissance movement, this unrealistic illusion is far from reality. Many Arab leaders with heroic views have adopted tough confrontation with the West in their national policies, firmly established a great and unified Arab country, and completely eliminated Israel,Naturally, it is restricted by Israel and western countries.Under the influence of multiple reasons (such as the control of Western countries and internal ethnic conflicts), many Arab countries are divided into pro Western and pro Western groups (for example, Egypt and Israel reconciled in 1978, and Egyptian President Sadat signed a contract with Israeli Prime Minister BeginCamp David AgreementIt was opposed by some Arab countries;Syria and Israelpolitical standCompletely different, resolutely opposed to Israel.)
In 1964“Palestine Liberation Organization”Establishment of "Palestine"liberation army”。It does not have a national boundary and is in essence a form of governmentPolitical entitiesOrganization of.In 1969, Arafat led“Fatah”The moderates became members of the PLOruling party, although at the beginning there weremilitary conflictHowever, it later changed to hope to negotiate with Israel through peaceful means.With the intensification of the Palestinian Israeli conflict at the beginning of the 21st century, Arafat died, and his successor Abbas continued to adhere to the path of peace.Did not expect the Palestinian nation afterAuthorityDefeated by the radicals after re-election“Hamas ”(It has always been regarded asTerrorist organizations）Leader Hania.Originally, since the late Arafat period, Palestine and Israel have gradually entered a stumbling period of peace, but this political upheaval on the Palestinian side has cast a shadow on the future.
Therefore, there are great differences within Israel and Palestine.
Western intervention
In the WestThe RenaissanceUnder the influence of Martin Luther, the 16th centuryChristDuring the Reformation, CatholicismChurch schismOutprotestantism。At the same time, the reform movement of Protestantism is also in the transition period of European political and economic development. Protestantism emphasizes to ask for God's salvation by going deep into the secular life of believers.Protestantism encourages secular behavior, which makes people pursueBusiness profitWas released atA sense of guilt, making businesscapitalismAll the fields of operation of the system have the final basis of religion.
stayWorld War IIn China, the western countries themselves are allied with the Arab countries to fight against the past land crossingEurasianFeudal military empires on three continents——Ottoman EmpireHowever, after World War II, due to the support for Israel's restoration, the relationship with Arab countries was very tense. In order to fight against Western countries, Arab countries also significantly raisedInternational oil price。The Arab people in the Middle East have experienced a very tortuous process in their ideal of founding a nation (a unified Islamic country).At the beginning of the 20th century, the Arabs tried to get rid of Turkish ruleGreater Syria Establish Arab countries (Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine have been regarded as a whole since ancient times).But after the First World War, the western capitalist powers divided Syria into four regions for their own interests.After World War II, the Western countries supported the establishment of Israel and completely shattered their dreams.At the same time, Islamic society has been constantlyWestern ChristianityThe erosion of world culture, advocated by western capitalismHumanism, tolerance, self-reliance, science, rationality and democracyvalue system Slow influences the Islamic world.
After World War II, Britain first suppressed Zionism in the Middle East and changed its colonial policy, then provoked territorial and religious conflicts between Arabs and Jews, and then ostensibly withdrew and left the problem to the Western control at that timethe United Nations, pay close attention to the situation secretly.The United States, after Britain, began to support Israel, the PresidentTrumanPut pressure on Britain to take the lead in receiving Jewish immigrants.After the founding of Israel, the United States was the first to recognize Israel.several timesMiddle East WarIn China, the United States and some western countries (such as Britain and France) have provided Israel with a large number of weapons and equipment.Without the support of the United States, Israel could not have been established and developed on a large scale.
In general, the United StatesThe Middle East issueThe main points of the above policies are: to transform the Islamic society (suppress Islamic fundamentalism, and influence Arab countries imperceptibly with western capitalist free economy and "democracy" values);Fostering pro American regimes;controloil resources ；Regulating the Israeli Palestinian conflict (resolving it peacefullyQuestion of Palestine）Etc.
A little more than one
More: oil resources
The Middle East is the region with the largest oil reserves and the largest oil production and output in the world. Oil in the Middle East is mainly distributed inPersian GulfAnd coastal areas.Because of its ownConsumptionFew, more than 90% of the oil produced in the Middle East is used by ports along the Persian Gulftankertransport toWestern Europe, the United States, Japan, China, etccountries and regions It is the region that exports the most oil in the world and has a decisive impact on the development of the world economy.
Percentage of Middle East oil reserves, production and exports in the world in 2019
Percentage of Middle East oil reserves in the world
Middle East oil production as a percentage of the world
Middle East oil exports as a percentage of the world
61.5%
30.7%
44.7%
The major oil producing countries in the Middle East areSaudi Arabia, KuwaitThe United Arab Emirates, IranIraqSaudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, etc., have gained considerable economic income by exporting oil and become rich countries.However, as oil production is less, these oil producing countries are considering their own economic outlet when oil resources are exhausted.Their agricultureAnimal HusbandryMainly, richDate palm。
The oil reserves in the Middle East account for 61.5% of the world's proven reserves in use, with a total of 742 billion barrels (about 100.2 billion tons).Among them, Saudi Arabia has the largest oil reserves in the Middle East, ranking second in the world. The proven oil reserves are 262.6 billion barrels, accounting for 17.85% of the global oil reserves.
Kuwait in the Middle East is one of the major oil producing countries in the world, with an area of more than 17000 square kilometers and a population of more than 900000.Most areas are deserts. Rivers and lakes without water all the year round lack fresh water. The drinking water mainly depends on seawater desalination and groundwater.An important part of its international trade is the export of crude oil, the import of fresh water and equipment related to the manufacture of fresh water.
Less: water resources
The Middle East is extremely short of water resources, which is in sharp contrast to the rich oil resources.The Middle East has a dry climate, few rivers, and a large area of desert areas without rivers.Lack of water resourcesIt seriously affects the life and production of the people in the Middle East.With the growth of population and economic development, the shortage of water resources in the Middle East is becoming increasingly serious.RiversLake water resourcesThe contradiction in distribution is also one of the reasons for the tension in the Middle East.[2]
Turbulent outcome
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Many years of war have plunged countries in the Middle East into panic and self distrust, leading the region into an arms race or evenNuclear raceStatus of.The countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Iran, purchase the largest amount of arms from the United States and the West, which to some extent has led to the reduction of economic and livelihood investment and increased poverty in some countries.[4]
