This summary of the Israel and Palestine conflict is by no means all-inclusive, nor does it provide details for each period. It is meant to be a generalized review of the conflicts that occurred throughout history, ending in the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7th, 2023 and the current war in Gaza.
The Israel and Palestine conflict is a complex and longstanding one that dates back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It has its roots in the competing national aspirations of Jews and Arabs in the region, as well as in the broader context of European imperialism and decolonization.
Balfour Declaration of 1917
One key event in the history of the conflict was the Balfour Declaration of 1917, in which the British government expressed its support for the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine. This declaration was a significant moment in the Zionist movement, which sought to create a Jewish state in the region.
Tensions between Jewish and Arab communities in Palestine escalated during the British Mandate period, particularly in the 1930s and 1940s. This period saw acts of violence and terrorism committed by both sides, as well as efforts by the British authorities to maintain control over the territory.
United Nations Partition Plan of 1947
The United Nations partition plan of 1947 proposed the division of Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem to be placed under international control. While the Jewish leadership accepted the plan, the Arab states rejected it, leading to the outbreak of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
1948 establishment of the State of Israel – Al Nakba
When the British left, Israel claimed the land, which resulted in the establishment of the State of Israel in May 1948 and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, who became refugees in neighboring countries. This event, known to Palestinians as the Nakba or “catastrophe,” remains a central part of the Palestinian national narrative and a source of ongoing resentment towards Israel.
Jordan occupied land which became known as the West Bank, and Egypt occupied Gaza. Jerusalem was divided between Israeli forces in the West, and Jordanian forces in the East. Because there was never a peace agreement there were more wars and fighting in the following decades.
Wars of 1967 and 1973
Subsequent conflicts, including the Six-Day War of 1967 and the Yom Kippur War of 1973, further exacerbated tensions between Israel and the Palestinians. The Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip since 1967, as well as the construction of Israeli settlements in these territories, have been major sources of contention in the conflict.
According to BBC:
In a war in 1967, Israel occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, as well as most of the Syrian Golan Heights, Gaza and the Egyptian Sinai peninsula.
Most Palestinian refugees and their descendants live in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as in neighbouring Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
Neither they nor their descendants have been allowed by Israel to return to their homes – Israel says this would overwhelm the country and threaten its existence as a Jewish state.
Gaza and the Israel occupation
Gaza is a narrow strip of land between Israel and the Mediterranean Sea, with a portion bordering Egypt. It is 25 miles long and 6.2 miles wide with a population of about 2 million. It is one of the most densely populated areas on Earth.
Prior to the 1947-1948 war, Gaza was occupied by Egypt for 19 years. It was then occupied by Israel in the 1967 war where they remained until 2005. Israel’s military and settlers left Gaza in 2005, but it still controlled the airspace, shoreline, and shared border with Gaza. With Israel still controlling the border, deciding what (food, medical supplies, and other deliveries) can go in and who can leave—and the fact that Israel can turn off electricity whenever they want—the U.N. still considers the strip as being occupied by Israel (as do most people to this day).
Peace Negotiations
Efforts to resolve the conflict have been ongoing for decades. Peace talks and negotiations occurred between 1990 and 2010 with conflict erupting in between, but a lasting resolution still remains elusive. Israel’s current Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was the opposition leader during the time when an agreement was reached in 1993, and he called it a threat to the State of Israel, derailing the entire thing.
Netanyahu’s attempt to stay in power
Benjamin Netanyahu has now declared that there will never be a Palestinian state as he has killed over 35,000 Palestinians in his war against Hamas, 24,000 of which are women and children, 10,000 still under the rubble, and he says the war could continue for another 6 months. 105 journalists have been killed, hundreds of humanitarian aid workers, and Gazan doctors have disappeared.
Protests have been ongoing in major cities all over the world, and on college campuses here in the United States. With the ICC recommending arrest warrants for war crimes committed by Netanyahu and the leaders of Hamas, Israel and the United States are only growing more disliked by the international community. Ostracized for the actions of Israel with the full support and funding of the U.S.
Where do we go from here?
The dispute between Israel and Palestine is deeply rooted in historical grievances and competing national aspirations. The status of Jerusalem, the right of return for Palestinian refugees, and the final borders of a potential Palestinian state continue to be major points of disagreement between the two sides. It has had a profound impact on the lives of Palestinians, as well as on the wider Middle East region. Finding a just and lasting solution to the conflict, especially amidst the current war, remains a major challenge for the globe.
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