The Middle East is culturally rich and diverse, and has continuously changed since ancient times. Religion is tightly woven into society in the Middle East, and the predominant religion of the region is Islam. Islam has two different sects, Shi'a and Sunni. The two have some theological differences, but hold the same core beliefs. These beliefs guide life in the Middle East, where many people are devout followers and practitioners of Islam. These guiding beliefs lead many in the region to be more conservative than western people, and even followers of Islam in the west. The Middle East is home to some of the most beautiful landscape in the world, along with architectural feats only seen in the region. From The White Desert in Egypt, to Petra, a city built into a mountain, in modern day Jordan, the Middle East has many beauties and wonders to offer.
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However, the region does have some difficulties. One such difficulty is the constant battles between Shiites and Sunnis. Sunnis are the majority of the followers of Islam, being about 90% of the Islamic population. Shiites only hold about 10% of the Islamic population. Because of this majority, many times when countries are dominated by Sunnis, Shiites are impoverished, discriminated against and oppressed. This has caused many of the conflicts in the region to have religious undertones.
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The religious battles are not exclusive to Islam. The Arab-Israel Conflict is a political event highlighted by tensions and military conflicts between Israel and Middle Eastern countries. Throughout its history, Israel and all of the Middle East have fought against each other in disputes over Israel's land, beliefs, and its treatment of Palestinians. Since 1967, Israel has created settlements along the West Bank, which has angered many Arabs and has soured relations between them. Israeli actions like this have spurred terrorism by organizations like the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) which have created further conflict in the region. Though peace talks are in the works, minimal progress has been made and it seems that there is no end in sight.
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