| Date | November 2016 | Marks available | 6 | Reference code | 16N.1s2a.BP.TZ0.3 |
| Level | Both SL and HL | Paper | Paper 1 (The Arab–Israeli conflict 1945–79) - last exams 2016 | Time zone | TZ0 |
| Command term | Assess | Question number | 3 | Adapted from | N/A |
Question
Source C
Shlomo Ben-Ami, an Israeli historian and politician, writing in an academic book, Scars of War, Wounds of Peace: The Israeli-Arab Tragedy (2006).
(In the summer of 1967) Israel was surrounded by an all-Arab coalition aggressively supported by the Soviet Union, without being able to rely on an alliance with, or security guarantees from, a Western superpower …
De Gaulle was now about to formulate a new policy for France in an attempt to heal the wounds of the war in Algeria and build bridges with the Arab world, and he would not let the “arrogant” and trigger-happy [willing to fight] Israelis spoil his strategic shift. The British waited for America’s leadership. And America wavered. She was not ready to provide any guarantees or commitments. Israel’s almost hysterical appeal to the United States, to declare that any attack on Israel was equivalent to an attack on the US, was refused by US President Johnson who was distracted by his mounting troubles in the Vietnam War.
Source E
The Khartoum Resolutions, signed by eight Arab heads of state on 1 September 1967, at the end of the third Arab Summit. The Resolutions were released to the press.
Clause 3: The Arab heads of state have agreed to unite their political efforts at the international and diplomatic level to eliminate the effects of the aggression and to ensure the withdrawal of the aggressive Israeli forces from the Arab lands which have been occupied since the aggression of 5 June. This will be done within the framework of the main principles by which the Arab states abide, namely, no peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel, no negotiations with it, and insistence on the rights of the Palestinian people in their own country.
Clause 6: The participants have agreed on the need to adopt the necessary measures to strengthen military preparation to face all eventualities.
With reference to their origin and purpose, assess the value and limitations of Source C and Source E for historians studying the conflict in the Middle East during the period from 1955 to 1975.
Markscheme
Source C
Origin: Shlomo Ben-Ami, an Israeli historian and politician, writing in an academic book published in 2006.
Purpose: To provide an overview of the conflict in the Middle East.
Value: Since the book was published over 30 years after the events in question, it is likely to benefit from hindsight. It can provide an insight into an Israeli perspective. An academic historian’s book is likely to have been carefully researched, with possible access to declassified documents.
Limitations: The author’s Israeli status could mean that his analysis may offer only an Israeli perspective. Also, the title of the book suggests that it is offering a broad overview. This could mean that it may not provide an in-depth study of developments within the period (1955–1967).
Source E
Origin: An extract from the Khartoum Resolutions, the outcome of the third Arab Summit that was attended by eight Arab heads of state in 1967.
Purpose: To convey to the rest of the world, and in particular to the Middle East region, the viewpoint and decisions of Arab leaders with regard to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Value: Since this was agreed by eight Arab leaders, the statement gives an insight into the attitudes and aims of the Arab world at that time.
Limitations: Since this was a document for public consumption it does not necessarily show the true intentions of the Arab leaders, it may be, to a great extent, rhetorical. Its purpose was to boost Arab morale and thus may be glossing over any differences between the Arab leaders. It cannot tell the historian whether these Resolutions were subsequently applied. Given its origin, this source can only provide an Arab perspective.
Do not expect all the above. Ideally there will be a balance between the two sources, and each one can be marked out of [3], but allow a [4/2] split. If only one source is assessed, mark out of [4]. For a maximum of [6] candidates must refer to both origin and purpose, and value and limitations.
[6 marks]
