A region in turmoil -- Ancient times -- The Arab Empire -- Decline and fall of the Arab Empire -- New intruders in the Middle East -- The importance of oil -- World War I -- New arrangements for the Middle East -- Between the wars -- World War II and after -- The birth of Israel -- Arab nationalism -- The Cold War -- The Suez crisis and the Sinai war -- Ten years of Arab optimism --The War of 1967 -- The War of 1973 - After the wars -- Peace and further conflict -- The turn to Islam-- The terrorist threat -- The grip of the past.