Teacher’s Guide

Grade Level: 9-12

Curriculum Focus: World History

Lesson Duration: Two class periods

Can there be peace in the Middle East? The Oslo Peace Accords in 1993 brought a glimmer of hope

to ending a decades-old dispute. Learn the obstacles that have prevented Israel and Palestine from

compromise, including border disputes, refugees, settlers, terrorism, and years of distrust and

bloodshed.

Part I—Before watching the video

• What does the expression “land for peace” mean in Israel?

• As you watch the program, pay attention to the specific land involved in negotiating peace for

Israelis and Palestinians. Think about the land’s geographic and religious importance.

• What other factors are obstacles to the peace process?

Part I—After watching the video

• One of the major obstacles to a lasting peace accord in the Middle East is settling who will

control the city of Jerusalem. What are the key reasons for this dispute?

• Discuss whether the conflict between Jews and Muslims over this issue is so great that it cannot

be resolved.

Part II—Before watching the video

• Palestinians and Israelis are the primary groups that are struggling for peace, but some

extremist groups oppose the peace process.

• As you watch the program, take note of the tactics of these adversarial groups. What are the

effects of their actions? Which actions derail the peace process?

Part II—After watching the video

• Why do you think the United States has been closely involved in helping Israelis and

Palestinians negotiate peace?

• How do other countries in the Middle East perceive U.S. involvement? What are the risks to

continued U.S. involvement in the Middle East peace process?

Israel and Palestine: The Fight for Peace: Teacher’s Guide

2

• Research the history of the peace process in the Middle East.

• Write a paper outlining ways to promote negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians.

• Israel and Palestine: The Fight for Peace video and VCR

• Paper and pencils

• Computer with Internet access

1. Set the stage for the lesson by showing students the first two minutes of the video Israel and

Palestine: The Fight for Peace. Tell students to take particular note of the brief overview of the

Oslo peace process, the events leading up to the signing of the Oslo peace agreement, the

assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, and the visit to the Temple Mount and the escalation of

violence.

2. After watching these segments, go over the events leading up to the current violence in the

Middle East. Make sure students understand the following key points:

• By 1987, there was mounting frustration and anger among the Palestinians, who had

been living in the West Bank and Gaza under Israeli occupation for 20 years. The

Palestinians have a strong desire for their own state, independent from Israeli control.

• As violence continued over the next couple of years, newly elected Prime Minister

Yitzhak Rabin decided that it was time to enter into peace negotiations with the

Palestinian Liberation Organization, known as the PLO, under the leadership of Yasser

Arafat.

• Rabin authorized secret negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians that took place

in Oslo, Norway. The Israelis and the Palestinians negotiated an agreement, which was

signed in Washington, D.C., on September 13, 1993. The agreement called for a

withdrawal of Israel from the occupied land and a mutual cease-fire over a period of

five years.

• The peace process began to fail when Rabin was assassinated in 1995. His successor,

Benjamin Netanyahu, slowed the Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank, further fueling

anger and mistrust between the two sides.

• In 1999 Netanyahu was defeated in his bid for reelection by Ehud Barak. President Bill

Clinton brought Barak and Arafat to Washington in 2000 to try to renew the

negotiations, but the attempt failed.

Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.

Israel and Palestine: The Fight for Peace: Teacher’s Guide

3

• Violence has escalated in the region over the past few years. Ariel Sharon, the current

prime minister, has pursued an aggressive policy, in part because Palestinians have

deployed suicide bombers. At this point, the two sides are at a stalemate.

3. Discuss the complexity of the situation with students. Point out that the most skilled negotiators

have been unable to reach a solution that has led to lasting peace. Then tell students that they

will try to develop a strategy that might work.

4. Divide students into pairs. Present each pair with the following statement and questions:

• In 1993 it looked as though Israel and the Palestinians were on the brink of peace, but

now the situation has greatly deteriorated.

• If you were in charge of the negotiating team, how would you initiate a new round of

talks?

• What would you do to correct the mistakes made in the 1990s?

5. Tell students to write a two-page paper describing how they would bring the opposing sides

back to the negotiating table, the compromises they would expect from each side, and strategies

to prevent making the previous mistakes.

6. Allow students time in class to work on their papers. Encourage them to conduct additional

research. The following Web sites offer helpful information on the history of the peace process

in the Middle East.

• http://www.jcpa.org/jl/vp448.htm

• http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L23201361

• http://www.rnw.nl/hotspots/html/pal021223.html

• http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/meast/12/21/mideast/

• http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/mideast/stories/overview/

• http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/conflict/

• http://www.americans-world.org/digest/regional_issues/Israel&Palestinians/viewConflict.cfm

• http://www.npr.org/news/specials/mideast/history/

7. Have each pair present its paper to the class. Then hold a class discussion about the findings

and ideas. Ask students their thoughts about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. What

compromises do they think each side should make? What do they think other countries should

do to help resolve this situation?

Use the following three-point rubric to evaluate students’ work during this lesson.

• 3 points: Students researched the topic carefully and thoroughly; considered the questions

carefully and wrote a thoughtful, factually accurate paper; participated actively in class

discussions.

• 2 points: Students researched the topic; gave the questions some thought and wrote a

competent and mostly factually accurate paper; participated somewhat in class discussions.

Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.

Israel and Palestine: The Fight for Peace: Teacher’s Guide

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• 1 point: Students did not complete their research; wrote a paper characterized by gaps,

misunderstandings, and many inaccuracies; did not participate in class discussions.

Definition: Co-founder and former chairman (1969-2004) of the Palestinian Liberation

Organization (PLO), the political organization that represents the Arab people in Palestine

Context: Some say that as long as Yasser Arafat is the head of the PLO, it will be extremely

difficult for the Palestinians to negotiate a peace agreement with Israel.

Definition: The 10th prime minister of Israel (1999-2001), he defeated Benjamin Netanyahu in

1999.

Context: Ehud Barak tried to revive the peace process, but his distrust of Arafat was so strong

that he was unable to make much progress.

Definition: The term describes a Palestinian uprising in protest against continued Israeli

occupation of the Gaza Strip and West Bank

Context: An intifada that erupted in 2000 has escalated ever since.

Definition: A historic peace agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians reached in Oslo,

Norway, on September 13, 1993. It outlined a process whereby the Israelis agreed to withdraw

from the West Bank in exchange for an end to violence, and the Palestinians were promised

their own state.

Context: The Oslo peace agreement was the closest Israel and the Palestinians have ever come to

negotiating a long-term plan for peaceful coexistence in the Middle East.

Definition: The prime minister of Israel from 1992 until his assassination in 1995

Context: Yitzhak Rabin made a serious effort at negotiating for peace in the Middle East, but his

assassination cut the process short.

Definition: The current prime minister of Israel

Context: Some people believe that Ariel Sharon set off the current round of violence when he

visited the Temple Mount, a holy site for Jews and the Muslims.

Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.

Israel and Palestine: The Fight for Peace: Teacher’s Guide

5

Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.

McREL's Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education

addresses 14 content areas. To view the standards and benchmarks, visit link:

This lesson plan addresses the following national standards:

• History—World History: Understands the search for community, stability, and peace in an

interdependent world

• Language Arts—Viewing: Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret

visual media; Writing: Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process, Gathers

and uses information for research purposes

NCSS has developed national guidelines for teaching social studies. To become a member of NCSS,

or to view the standards online, go to

This lesson plan addresses the following thematic standards:

• Time, Continuity, and Change

• Power, Authority, and Governance

• Civic Ideals and Practices

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