Final answer:
Western involvement in the Arab-Israeli conflict includes military and financial support to Israel, the oil embargo after the Yom Kippur War, and backing the creation of an independent Palestinian state. This involvement has influenced Middle Eastern geopolitics and has been interwoven with Cold War dynamics.
Step-by-step explanation:
Western involvement in the Arab-Israeli conflict is a significant aspect of Middle Eastern history. Notably, during the Yom Kippur War in 1973, the United States and Western Europe supported Israel with military aid, leading to a backlash from OPEC's Arabic member states who in turn initiated an oil embargo against these Western allies. The ongoing conflict has been influenced by Western interests in the region, oil politics, and the Cold War dynamics, where the U.S. provided support to nonaligned Middle Eastern nations to counter Soviet influence, as elucidated in the Eisenhower Doctrine.
Furthermore, the establishment of Israel was heavily backed by Western nations like Britain and the U.S., which has led to a series of regional conflicts and the push for the creation of an independent Palestinian state, with territories such as the West Bank and Gaza Strip as the primary locations for this state. Western powers have also been involved in peace processes, with Egypt recognizing Israel in 1979 after the Camp David Accords.
The involvement of Western nations has had a profound impact on the geopolitics of the region, driving conflict as well as attempts at peace negotiations. The Western influence can also be seen in the financial and military support provided to Israel, even as the Arab world has at times shifted closer to the Soviet sphere of influence or sought support from other non-Western nations. It is important to recognize that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains a pivotal issue in Middle Eastern politics, influencing the policies of both Western and Arab nations.