• Itattractsworldattentionforthreereasons.
• Oil.One-thirdoftheworld’scrudeoilproduction,10%ofrefinedproduction.Most
of the world’s reserves of oil are in the area.
• Long-standingconflictbetweenIsraelandthePalestinians,whichledto three wars and created a displaced community of Palestinians throughout the Arab world.
• Sept.11.Theregionhasbeenscenariooftheriseofextremistandterrorist movements related to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, in New York city