Israel and Palestine: A History of Conflict

The modern day conflict between Israel and Palestine has its roots in the early 1900s. The area now known as Israel was formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, and after World War I, it was placed under British Mandate. During this time, the population of the area was about equally split between Arabs and Jews. However, the Jews were much more economically prosperous and politically active than the Arab population. In 1947, the United Nations proposed a partition plan for the area that would create an independent Jewish state and an Arab state. The Jews accepted the plan, but the Arabs rejected it. On May 14, 1948, Israel declared its independence, and the next day, the Arab states of Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon attacked. The War of Independence lasted until 1949 and resulted in Israel gaining control of about 80% of the area originally allotted for the Arab state in the partition plan. Over the next few decades, there were a series of wars and terrorist attacks between Israel and the Arab states, with neither side making much headway. In the early 1990s, there was a change in the dynamic with the start of the peace process between Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization. This process culminated in the Oslo Accords in 1993

1) 1948: Israel is created as a Jewish state in the Middle East 2) 1967: Israel defeats multiple Arab armies in the Six-Day War and seizes control of the Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula, and West Bank 3) 1973: Egypt and Syria launch a surprise attack on Israel in the Yom Kippur War, but Israel ultimately prevails 4) 1978: Israel and Egypt sign a peace treaty, followed by a similar treaty between Israel and Jordan in 1994 5) 2000: Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minis

1) 1948: Israel is created as a Jewish state in the Middle East

Since the early 1800s, Jews had been returning to their ancient homeland of Palestine, then a province of the Ottoman Empire. In 1917, the British government issued the Balfour Declaration, which stated its support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine. After World War I, Britain obtained a Mandate over Palestine from the League of Nations with the intent of implementing the Balfour Declaration. However, the Mandate did not go as planned. In addition to the Jews, Palestine was also home to a large Arab population who lived in harmony with the Jews prior to the Mandate. The Arabs did not want to see a Jewish state established in Palestine and resisted the British attempts to do so. The British response was to suppress the Arab resistance with military force, which only served to further antagonize the Arab population. The situation came to a head in 1947 when the British government announced its intention to withdraw from Palestine. The United Nations proposed a partition plan for Palestine that would create a Jewish state and an Arab state. The Jews accepted the plan, but the Arabs rejected it. On May 14, 1948, the day before the British Mandate was set to expire, the Jews in Palestine declared the establishment of the State of Israel. The Arab states immediately attacked Israel, but the Israeli defense forces were able to repel the invasion. Over the next few years, Israel fought several more wars with its Arab neighbors. In each war, Israel was able to defeat the Arab armies and expand its territory. As a result of these wars, Israel now controls all of the land between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River.

2) 1967: Israel defeats multiple Arab armies in the Six-Day War and seizes control of the Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula, and West Bank

Israel and Palestine have a long and complicated history, dating back to biblical times. In 1967, Israel was involved in a conflict with multiple Arab countries known as the Six-Day War. Israel emerged victorious from the war, seizing control of the Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula, and West Bank from the Arabs. The Six-Day War began on June 5, 1967, when Israel launched a surprise attack on the Egyptian air force. Israel destroyed much of the Egyptian air force on the ground and then turned its attention to the Jordanians, who had entered the war on the side of the Egyptians. Israel quickly gained the upper hand in the fighting, and by the end of the war on June 10, 1967, had captured the Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula, and West Bank from the Arabs. The Israeli victory in the Six-Day War was a stunning military achievement. In a matter of days, Israel had not only defeated the Egyptians and Jordanians, but had also seized control of key territories that had been under Arab control for centuries. The Six-Day War changed the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East, and its effects are still felt today.

3) 1973: Egypt and Syria launch a surprise attack on Israel in the Yom Kippur War, but Israel ultimately prevails

In 1973, Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. The Arab countries had been planning the attack for months, and they were confident that they would be victorious. However, Israel was able to repel the attack and counter-attack. The Egyptian and Syrian armies were defeated, and Israel regained control of the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights.

4) 1978: Israel and Egypt sign a peace treaty, followed by a similar treaty between Israel and Jordan in 1994

Since the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors had been tense, to say the least. In 1967, the Six-Day War saw Israel capture large swathes of Arab land, including the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt and the West Bank from Jordan. This led to increased tensions and, in 1973, the Yom Kippur War, in which Syria and Egypt attempted to retake some of their lost territory. In 1978, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat made a historic visit to Israel, becoming the first Arab leader to do so. This was followed by secret negotiations between Israel and Egypt, resulting in the signing of a peace treaty in 1979. This was a momentous achievement, as Egypt was the largest and most populous Arab country. Jordan had also been involved in the Six-Day War, losing the West Bank to Israel. In 1994, Jordan and Israel signed a peace treaty, formalizing a relationship that had been improving since the early 1980s. The signing of these two peace treaties was a major breakthrough in the Arab-Israeli conflict. For the first time, Arab countries were recognizing Israel's right to exist and were willing to negotiate a resolution to the conflict. This opened up the possibility of a lasting peace in the region.

5) 2000: Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minis

In 2000, negotiations between Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak finally resulted in an agreement, known as the Oslo Accords. This agreement resulted in the creation of the Palestinian Authority, which gave the Palestinians limited autonomy over parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. However, the Oslo Accords also left many controversial issues unresolved, such as the status of Jerusalem, the right of return for Palestinian refugees, and the final borders of a future Palestinian state. These unresolved issues would lead to further conflict in the years to come. In September 2000, Ariel Sharon, then-leader of the opposition Likud party, made a highly provocative visit to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. This visit, coupled with the failure of the peace process to make any significant progress, led to a wave of Palestinian violence that became known as the Second Intifada. The Second Intifada was marked by increased suicide bombings and other attacks against Israeli civilians, as well as a heavy military response from Israel. In 2002, the Israeli military launched a major operation in the West Bank known as Operation Defensive Shield. This operation led to the re-occupation of Palestinian cities, mass arrests, and the destruction of homes and infrastructure. The Second Intifada lasted until 2005, and resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 Israelis and over 3,000 Palestinians. In 2006, the Palestinian militant group Hamas won a majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council elections. This victory was seen as a rejection of the peace process by the Palestinian people. Hamas and Fatah, the dominant Palestinian political party, soon began to clash, leading to a civil war in the Gaza Strip between the two factions. In 2007, Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip from Fatah, leading to a further split between the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The situation in Gaza deteriorated further in 2008 when Israel launched a major military operation known as Operation Cast Lead. This operation was in response to increased rocket attacks from Gaza into Israeli territory. The operation resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 Palestinians, as well as 13 Israelis. In 2009, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas held a series of talks in an attempt to reach a peace agreement. However, these talks eventually broke down without any agreement being reached. The following year, 2010, saw the start of construction of a new Israeli settlement in the West Bank known as Givat Hamatos. This settlement caused international condemnation, as it would effectively divide the Palestinian territory of the West Bank into two separate parts. In 2011, the Palestinian Authority submitted a request to the United Nations for recognition of a Palestinian state. However, this request was vetoed by the United States. In 2012, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a new policy of building 3,000 new homes in the West Bank settlements. This announcement led to condemnation from the international

The conflict between Israel and Palestine is one of the longest-running and most complex in the world. Although a resolution appears unlikely in the near future, there have been promising developments in recent years, including the 2002 Arab League peace initiative and the 2005 Israeli disengagement from Gaza. With the continued commitment of the international community, it is hoped that a lasting peace can be achieved between these two countries.