Land For Peace

Goals

• Students will understand the history, context, and human cost of Israel's two major land withdrawals, the Sinai/Yamit evacuation of 1982 and the 2005 Gaza Disengagement, and what each was intended to achieve.
• Students will analyze how the contrasting outcomes of these two withdrawals, decades of stable peace with Egypt versus Hamas's takeover of Gaza and the events of October 7, have shaped sharply opposing conclusions about whether land-for-peace works.
• Students will evaluate the genuine tension between security, peace, and connection to the land, weigh these competing values against one another, and articulate a defensible position of their own

Essential Questions

1. Is giving up land an effective way to achieve peace?
2. How do historical events shape opinions about land and security in Israel?
3. When values conflict (land vs. life), how should decisions be made?

Big Ideas

1.  Israel’s decisions about land are shaped by both history and values.
2. Different land withdrawals have led to different outcomes and perspectives.
3. The “land for peace” debate involves balancing competing priorities with no simple answer