Israel – Palestine Conflict | By Dr. Mahipal Singh Rathore

Table of Contents

The Holy Land

• ISRAEL
• CANAAN
• AL SHAM
• LEVANT
• PALESTINE
• THE PROMISED LAND

ORIGINS of the CONFLICT

• Late 19th century- OTTOMAN EMPIRE
• NATIONALISM in Europe
• Theodor Herzl – Jewish nation
• Zionism/zionist movement
• Migrations since 1890’s due to Jewish persecution throughout Europe

BRITISH !

• BALFOUR DECLARATION by UK in 1917 ‘’The establishment in palestine of a national home for jewish people’’

SYKES –PICOT agreement with France and Russia- Palestine for UK
Palestine promised to Arabs The Bristish Mandate of Palestine
After WW1
Migrations in huge number
Divide and rule policies
Jews rose to 30%
Buying of land and evicting of local palestinian arabs
1936- Arab revolt against British
Jewish militias formed – Aided British
Jewish Migrations restricted – militias against British
WW 2 – HOLOCAUST in Europe

CREATION OF ISRAEL

• UN Resolution in 1947
• Equal division of areas between a Jewish State and Palestine Arab state International control over Jerusalem

ARAB – ISRAEL WAR 1948-49

• Egypt,Syria,Iraq,TransJordan attacked the newly created state.
• Israel extends its boundaries • Refugees -7,00,000
• GAZA- Egypt
• West Bank- Jordan

SIX DAY WAR 1967

• EGYPT ,JORDAN and SYRIA
• ISRAEL captures Golan heights, Gaza,Sinai Peninsula, West Bank
• Crushing defeat of Arab nations
• Israel triples its area

1973 YOM KIPPUR WAR

• Egypt and syria try to regain Sinai and Golan
• Israel suffers losses initially but repulses the attack
• Lead to talks with Egypt

CAMP DAVID ACCORDS 1978

• Sinai returned to Egypt
• Egypt recognises state of Israel
• Slowly most Arab states make peace with Israel.
• No more outright wars between nations
• But PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANISATION carries on struggle for independent Palestine using both political and terror tactics.

1st INTIFIDA 1987-93

• The ‘uprising’
• Protests ,boycotts
• Large scale violence
• 100 jews and 1000 palestinians dead
• Rise of HAMAS – more nationalistic and extremist

OSLO ACCORDS 1993

• Between Israel and PLO
• After secret negotiations in OSLO, the agreement was signed in WASHINGTON DC
• Recognition of State of Israel by PLO
• Recognition by Israel of PLO as the representative of the Palestinian people.
• PALESTINE AUTHORITY for self governance of west bank and gaza CAMP DAVID II – 2000- Talks failed Peace process breaks down 2ND INTIFIDA (2000-05) More violent than the 1st one 1000 jews 3200 palestinians Bombings of buses Terrorist attacks

After the Intifida

• Changes in thinking and policies
• Rightward shift of politics
• Emphasis on ‘managing’ the conflict and not ‘solving’ it.
• Withdrawl of Isreali forces from Gaza strip-2005
• HAMAS became more influential after 2006
• Blockading of Gaza starts
• Hamas launches rockets into Israel THREE WARS 2008 2012 2014 Thousands killed Violence against civilians by both HAMAS & IDF

MAJOR ISSUES

Status of Jerusalem

• Holy site of Jews ,Muslims and Christians
• East part- Muslim populated
• West part- Jewish population
• Centre- holy shrines
• Israel controls the city and restricts access to holy sites*
• Not internationally accepted as capital

TEMPLE MOUNT/AL AQSA MOSQUE

Palestinian refugees

• 1948 ,67 wars
• Syria ,Jordan, Egypt and many other Arab countries house the refugees in camps
• Around 5 million

Other issues

• Israel’s security concern over terrorist activities and civilian attacks
• Israel’s military occupation of West Bank and blockading of Gaza.
• Israeli settlements in west bank.
• Water resources

The West Bank Wall

WAY FORWARD

• TWO STATE SOLUTION
• Each party has to understand the legitimacy of each other’s narrative.
• Presence of Hawks and doves among the stakeholders on both sides.
• Reach Common ground by talks