Term
| Who is Gen. David Petraeus? |
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Definition
| He is currently the U.S. commander in Iraq. This fall, he takes over as chief of U.S. Central Command, where he will turn his attention to military operations in other parts of the region, including Afghanistan. |
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Term
| What is the largest denomination of Islam? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the second largest denomination of Islam? |
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Definition
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Term
| Which denomination of Islam believes that Mohammad's family, the Ahl al-Bayt (the People of the House), including his descendants known as Imams, have special spiritual and political rule over the community? |
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Definition
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Term
When did Sunnis and Shiites split? What was the cause of the split? |
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Definition
| The schism occurred when the Islamic prophet Muhammad died in the year 632(AD), leading to a dispute over succession to Muhammad as a caliph of the Islamic community. |
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Term
| What nationalities are Iraqi Sunnis? |
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Definition
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Term
| What were some of the persecutions suffered by Shiites under Saddam Hussein? |
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Definition
1. Public Shia festivals such as Ashoura were banned. 2. Shia clerical families claimed members of their families were tortured and murdered. 3. In 1969 the son of Iraq's highest Shia Ayatollah Muhsin al-Hakim was arrested and allegedly tortured. 4. From 1979-1983 Saddam's regime executed 48 major Shia clerics in Iraq, included Shia leader Mohammad Baqir al-Sadr and his sister. 5.Tens of thousands of Iranians and Arabs of Iranian origin were expelled in the 70's and 80's. 6.Shia opposition to the government following the first Gulf War was reportedly suppressed. |
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Term
| Where is "the middle east"? |
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Definition
It includes countries and regions in Western Asia and parts of North Africa...the area surrounding the Persian Gulf. Typically: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Palestinian territories, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen |
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Term
| What is the legislature (parliament) in Israel called? |
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Definition
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Term
| Who is the president of Afghanistan? |
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Definition
Hamid Karzai he was elected in October 2004. |
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Term
| What countries border Israel? |
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Definition
Lebanon (north) Syria (northeast) Jordan (east) Egypt (southwest) The West Bank and Gaza Strip are also adjacent. |
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Term
| What was UN Partition Plan for Palestine? |
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Definition
| It was a plan approved by the United Nations on November 29, 1947 to terminate the British Mandate of Palestine by August 1, 1948 and recommend the creation of two states, one Jewish and one Arab, in Palestine. |
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Term
| Who was David Ben-Gurion? |
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Definition
He was an important Zionist leader who was instrumental in the founding of the state of Israel. He led Israel during its War of Independence and became its first Prime Minister in 1948. |
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Term
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Definition
a Zionist leader President of the World Zionist Organization the first President of the State of Israel (1949-52) a chemist who developed a new process of producing acetone through bacterial fermentation
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Term
| What was The Balfour Declaration of 1917? |
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Definition
A policy statement by the British government stating that they "view with favour" the establishment in Palestine of "a national home for the Jewish people" on the conditions that "nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine" or "the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country." |
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Term
| What are the two major leadership positions of the Israeli government? |
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Definition
The President of Israel is the head of state, but his duties are largely ceremonial.
The Prime Minister is the head of government and head of the Cabinet. |
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Term
The 6-day War: Which territories were captured during the 6-day war? From whom? By whom? What year?
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Definition
Sinai Peninsula, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights from Egypt, Syria, and Jordan Israel 1967
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Term
| What date was the state of Israel established? |
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Definition
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Term
| Who is the current Israeli Prime Minister? |
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Definition
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Term
| Who is the current Palestinian President? |
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Definition
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Term
| What are the official languages of Israel? |
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Definition
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Term
| What type of government does Israel have? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the currency of Israel? |
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Definition
Israeli new sheqel (or just "new sheqel") |
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Term
| What is the largest city in Israel? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the capital of Israel? |
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Definition
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Term
| What city is the main financial center in Israel? |
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Definition
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