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January 22, 1999/5 Shevat 5759, Vol. 51, No. 17
PBS tells 50-year history of conflict in five hours"The 50 Years War-Israel and the Arabs," a special five-hour Public Broadcasting System presentation over two nights, will air from 9 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Sunday and Monday, Jan. 24-25, on KAET-TV Channel 8.The story of the Arab-Israeli conflict from 1948 to 1998 is being told in six segments, with three airing each night. "The 50 Years War" features interviews with current and former leaders on both sides, power-brokers in Washington and Moscow, generals, terrorists and others who molded events. Filming took place in Israel, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, the areas of Palestinian self-rule, the United States and Russia. The first segment, "Land Divided, 1948-56," tells of the birth of Israel and of Arab attacks on the new nation. "The Six Day War, 1967" tells of the Soviet Union provoking a crisis in the Middle East, and of Israel's capture of Sinai, the Golan Heights, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. "Palestinian Exiles, 1970-82" concerns civil war in Jordan, and the establishment of Palestine Liberation Organization headquarters in Lebanon. "Peacemaking, 1970-79" tells of war between Egypt and Israel, and of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat's historic trip to Jerusalem, which paved the way for the first peace treaty between Israel and an Arab state. In "Banging Heads, 1987-91," Palestinians riot in Gaza and the West Bank. Exiled PLO leaders in Tunis make peace overtures to Israel, but Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir isn't interested. Finally, in "Land Divided, 1992-98," Israel and the PLO agree to the Oslo accord, but a peace deal between Israel and Syria falls through. Then Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin is assassinated, and Benjamin Netanyahu gains control. |
