Israel vs. Palestine:

The conflict between Israel and Palestine is one of the most enduring and complex geopolitical issues in the world, stretching back over a century. Rooted in religious, nationalistic, and territorial claims, the history of this conflict is marked by significant events that have shaped the Middle East and drawn global attention.

Origins of the Conflict

Late 19th and Early 20th Century

The origins of the Israel-Palestine conflict can be traced back to the late 19th century, when both Jewish and Arab nationalist movements began to take shape. On the one hand, the Zionist movement, founded by Theodor Herzl in 1897, sought to establish a Jewish homeland in response to growing anti-Semitism in Europe. The Zionists identified Palestine, then part of the Ottoman Empire, as the ideal location for this homeland due to its historical and religious significance to the Jewish people.

At the same time, Palestinian Arabs, like other Arab populations across the Middle East, were developing a sense of national identity. Many Arabs in Palestine, who were largely Muslim but also included Christians, resisted the idea of large-scale Jewish immigration, fearing displacement from their land and changes to their way of life.

World War I and the Balfour Declaration

The geopolitical landscape shifted dramatically during and after World War I. The Ottoman Empire, which had ruled Palestine for centuries, collapsed. The region came under British control as part of the League of Nations Mandate system. In 1917, Britain issued the Balfour Declaration, stating its support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine. This declaration was seen by many Jews as a significant step toward realizing their goal of a homeland, but it was opposed by the Arab population, who feared it would lead to their displacement.

Interwar Period and Growing Tensions

During the British Mandate period (1920–1948), tensions between Jews and Arabs in Palestine increased. Jewish immigration to the region accelerated, especially with the rise of Nazi persecution in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s. Arabs in Palestine, concerned about their future in a land that they saw as theirs, organized protests, strikes, and occasional violent resistance. In response, the British authorities tried to maintain order, sometimes restricting Jewish immigration while attempting to address Arab concerns. However, these efforts largely failed to ease tensions.

The Partition of Palestine and the Birth of Israel

UN Partition Plan (1947)

After World War II and the Holocaust, there was increased international sympathy for the Jewish desire for a homeland. The United Nations (UN), which had replaced the League of Nations, proposed a partition plan in 1947 to divide Palestine into two states—one Jewish and one Arab—with Jerusalem under international control. The Jewish community accepted the plan, but the Arab community rejected it, seeing it as unfair because it allocated more land to the Jewish state, despite Jews being a minority in Palestine at the time.

1948 Arab-Israeli War

On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was declared, and the following day, neighboring Arab states—including Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon—invaded the new state, leading to the first Arab-Israeli War. The war ended in 1949 with Israel surviving and expanding its territory beyond the UN partition borders, while Jordan took control of the West Bank and Egypt took control of Gaza. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Arabs became refugees, a key issue that continues to drive the conflict to this day.

The Conflict Continues: Wars and Peace Efforts

1967: The Six-Day War

The Six-Day War in 1967 was another pivotal moment in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Israel launched a preemptive strike against Egypt, Syria, and Jordan, and in just six days, captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, and the Sinai Peninsula. Israel’s control of these territories, especially East Jerusalem and the West Bank, remains one of the central points of contention in the conflict. The war led to a new wave of Palestinian refugees, and Israeli settlement construction in the occupied territories began shortly after, further complicating peace efforts.

Peace Attempts: Camp David Accords and the Oslo Process

There have been several attempts at resolving the Israel-Palestine conflict, with varying degrees of success. The Camp David Accords in 1978, brokered by U.S. President Jimmy Carter, resulted in a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, but did not address the Palestinian issue.

In the early 1990s, the Oslo Accords, negotiated by Israeli and Palestinian leaders, created a framework for peace, including the establishment of the Palestinian Authority, which would govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza. However, the peace process broke down amid continued violence, disagreements over key issues (such as the status of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees, and Israeli settlements), and mutual distrust.

The Second Intifada (2000–2005)

The breakdown of peace efforts led to the Second Intifada, a period of intense violence between Israelis and Palestinians. Suicide bombings, Israeli military operations, and mutual retaliatory attacks left thousands dead and created further obstacles to peace. During this time, Israel began constructing a separation barrier between itself and parts of the West Bank, which it claimed was for security purposes, while Palestinians saw it as a land grab.

Recent Developments and the Ongoing Struggle

Hamas, Gaza, and the Blockade

In 2007, the Islamist group Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip after winning elections, leading to a split in Palestinian leadership between Hamas in Gaza and the more moderate Fatah party in the West Bank. This division has made peace negotiations more difficult. Since 2007, Gaza has been under a blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt, severely restricting the movement of people and goods. Periodic escalations in violence between Israel and Hamas, including wars in 2008, 2012, 2014, and subsequent conflicts, have resulted in significant casualties and destruction, particularly in Gaza.

International Diplomacy and the Role of the U.S.

The international community, particularly the United States, has played a key role in trying to broker peace between Israelis and Palestinians. The Trump administration, for example, released a controversial peace plan in 2020, which was rejected by the Palestinians as being overly favorable to Israel. While some Arab states have normalized relations with Israel through the Abraham Accords, the core issues of the Israel-Palestine conflict remain unresolved.

Key Issues in the Conflict

Several core issues continue to fuel the Israel-Palestine conflict:

Borders: Defining the borders of Israel and a future Palestinian state remains a major challenge, particularly with ongoing Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank.

Jerusalem: Both Israelis and Palestinians claim Jerusalem as their capital. The city is home to important religious sites for Jews, Muslims, and Christians, making its status highly contentious.

Refugees: Millions of Palestinian refugees and their descendants live in the Middle East. The question of whether they should be allowed to return to their former homes in what is now Israel is one of the most emotionally charged aspects of the conflict.

Security: Both sides have deep security concerns. Israel fears attacks from Palestinian militants, while Palestinians live under occupation and face significant restrictions on their movement and rights.

Conclusion

The Israel-Palestine conflict remains one of the world’s most intractable disputes. Despite numerous attempts at peace, the underlying issues of land, identity, and rights have proven difficult to resolve. As of today, the prospects for a two-state solution—long seen as the most viable path to peace—remain uncertain, with continued violence, political deadlock, and deep-seated mistrust shaping the reality on the ground.