The Cold War wasn’t just about the United States and the Soviet Union. As these two superpowers faced off, a number nations around the
world remained tense and on full alert. One particular hot spot was in the Middle East, where the Palestinians and the Israelis continually battled one another for
the most sacred land on earth.
The troubles in the Middle East eventually became a battle
ground for the entire Cold War. The United States offered its support to Israel. The Soviet Union backed the Arab nations. It became a chess match of global
politics, with both sides fearing the potential consequences of an unwise move.
Fortunately, global tensions were eased with the fall of the
Soviet Union in 1990, which effectively ended the Cold War. Middle Eastern
nations weren’t able to enjoy the peace that was experienced by many of the
former Soviet bloc countries in Eastern Europe.
The Middle East remained—and still remains—one of the world’s
most politically sensitive and tense places on earth. In fact, recent events
in the area are far too similar to the violent occurrences that took place
during the Cold War. In October 2004, over 30 Israeli and Egyptian tourists
were killed when at least three suicide terrorists drove car bombs into popular
Egyptian hotels.
Like other terrorist attacks, it has been hard to decipher
exactly who was responsible for the vicious murders. Several groups claimed
responsibility, but only after being safely hidden from immediate retaliation.
Experts believe that the attacks were aimed at Israeli civilians, over 15,000
of whom were visiting the area during the Jewish holiday season.
The infamous terrorist group al Qaeda has also been
suspected of the attack. Al Qaeda was the organization responsible for the
September 11th terrorist attacks, which were the worst ever on
American soil.
This attack on Israeli civilians has received an
international response that can be compared to the 1972 Munich Massacre. During
the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, eleven members of the Israeli
wrestling team were taken hostage by a Palestinian terrorist group.
The terrorists demanded over 200 Palestinian prisoners to be
released from Israeli jails. The request was refused. After an uncoordinated
attempt to fight the hostages by the local German police force, all of the
hostages were murdered. Five of the terrorists were also killed in the ensuing
gunfight. After a one day suspension, the games carried on as planned (with
the consent of the Israeli government).
Since that disastrous event, Israelis have been the victims
of numerous terrorist attacks from surrounding Arab nations. The Palestinian
people do not approve of the Jewish people having their own country in the area
(which includes the holy city of Jerusalem), when they would also like
to have their own country in the same location.
Over the past few decades, Israel has gained a hard-line
reputation by refusing to give into demands (just as it did not give into
demands during the Munich Massacre) or forfeit land. The Israelis are also
notorious for seeking redemption after terrorist attacks. Many of the culprits
of the Munich Massacre have since been hunted down and killed by the Israel government.