short essay on israel palestine conflict

Angela’s Substack

The Israel-Palestine Conflict: A Fight Between Freedom and Oppression

Are your beliefs fueling the fight for freedom or supporting evil.

Introduction

The Israel-Palestine conflict is often reduced to a simple territorial dispute, but at its core, it represents a profound battle between the values of freedom and suppression, good and evil. To truly grasp the complexity of this conflict, we must engage in mature and enlightened thinking—one that moves beyond the simplistic view of contemporary politics. Understanding this issue requires a deep exploration of the historical, religious, and moral foundations that have shaped the region and the values at stake today. These values include love and compassion, humility, integrity, respect for others, forgiveness, self-control, responsibility, gratitude, justice, and courage. Recognizing these principles is essential to comprehending the deeper struggle between the forces that seek to uplift humanity and those that aim to suppress it.

This is not a matter for those driven purely by instincts, emotions, and feelings; it calls for a level of divine enlightenment that our species and culture aspire to—an expectation that we rise above our basic human impulses. As mature adults, we are called to engage with these complexities thoughtfully and rationally, recognizing that true wisdom lies in discerning the deeper battle for the soul of civilization. At the heart of this conflict is a choice between the values that have built free societies and those that threaten to tear them down.

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This struggle demands that we examine our beliefs, challenge our assumptions, and acknowledge that support for ideologies or regimes that suppress freedom and human dignity is a choice that aligns with oppression. It’s time to move beyond simplistic narratives and embrace the call to enlightened thinking, understanding that the fight for freedom requires more than just taking sides—it requires a commitment to the values that uphold the dignity and rights of every human being.

Historical Context: Jewish Roots in the Land

The Jewish people are indigenous to the land of Israel, with their historical and spiritual ties to this region dating back thousands of years, well before the emergence of modern political disputes. The ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judea, established as early as the 10th century BCE, serve as a testament to the enduring presence of Jews in this land. This historical connection is not just a footnote, but a central narrative often overlooked in discussions about the region. It is essential to recognize that Jews originate from Judea, while Arabs trace their roots to Arabia—facts that clarify the distinct historical identities involved in the current conflict.

Judaism, the world’s first major monotheistic religion, emerged around 2000 BCE in this very region, laying the cornerstone for the moral and ethical frameworks that would shape Western civilization. Judaism introduced the revolutionary concepts of one God, justice, morality, and the intrinsic value of every individual—a sharp departure from the polytheistic and often authoritarian cultures that dominated the ancient world. The Jewish belief that humans are created in the image of God instilled a sense of individual worth and responsibility, setting the stage for a moral order that prioritizes human dignity over the whims of power.

Christianity, emerging from the Jewish tradition in the 1st century CE, expanded these principles further, profoundly influencing the development of Western values. The teachings of Jesus Christ emphasized the sanctity of every human life, the protection of the weak, the importance of compassion, and the transformative power of forgiveness. Unlike the prevailing empires of the time, which often thrived on conquest and subjugation, Christianity introduced a vision of society that values each individual as a reflection of divine love and grace.

This shift was nothing short of revolutionary. It challenged the status quo, where human value was often dictated by status, power, or utility. Instead, it championed the radical idea that every person, regardless of their background or circumstances, has inherent worth. These values became the bedrock of Western civilization, driving the evolution of concepts like human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.

However, this foundation is starkly contrasted by the values promoted through later conquests and the spread of Islam in the region. Islamic rule, which began with the Arab conquests of the 7th century, brought a different set of values centered on submission to divine authority as defined by Sharia law. The very meaning of "Islam" is "submission," reflecting a worldview that often prioritizes communal conformity and obedience over individual liberty and autonomy. This clash of values—between the Judeo-Christian emphasis on individual rights and the Islamic emphasis on submission—continues to underpin the cultural and ideological conflicts in the region today.

Understanding these historical roots is crucial because they highlight that the current conflict is not merely about land but about competing visions of what it means to be human and how societies should be structured. Israel, as a modern democratic state, represents the continuation of a legacy that values freedom, equality, and the sanctity of individual rights—principles that are inextricably linked to the Judeo-Christian heritage of the West and have led to the greatest sense of freedom our species has ever known. This is not just a political battle; it is a defining struggle over the values that will shape the future of humanity.

As we explore the Israel-Palestine conflict, it’s vital to acknowledge that this is more than a geopolitical struggle; it’s a battle between two fundamentally different views of human society. On one side, there is a commitment to values that uplift the individual and protect freedoms, and on the other, a legacy of submission and suppression. This distinction lies at the heart of the enduring conflict and frames the broader struggle between freedom and oppression, good and evil, that defines much of the historical and modern narrative in this region.

The Rise of Islam and the Conquest of Judea

Islam emerged in the 7th century CE, bringing with it a wave of Arab conquests that swept through the Middle East, including Judea—the historical homeland of the Jewish people. These conquests were not merely territorial expansions; they represented a profound shift in the societal and legal structures of the region. Under Islamic rule, religion was inseparably intertwined with governance, as Sharia law became the legal foundation. This conflation of religion and state stands in stark contrast to the Western concept of separation of church and state—a principle born from enlightened thinking in the West that recognizes the importance of keeping religious authority distinct from political power.

The expansion of Islamic rule often involved forced conversions and the subjugation of non-Muslims, who were designated as dhimmis—protected, but second-class citizens under Sharia law nonetheless. This legal framework imposed severe restrictions on non-Muslims, as well as on women and LGBTQ+ individuals, suppressing freedoms that are the fundamental ethos to the Judeo-Christian values of individual rights, dignity, and personal liberty. In Islamic societies governed by Sharia, personal freedoms are often sacrificed in favor of communal conformity and religious authority, reinforcing a societal model where submission is valued over individual autonomy.

Islam’s rise introduced a value system centered on submission to divine authority, as reflected in the very meaning of "Islam"—submission. This worldview often prioritized communal obedience and the enforcement of religious law over the protection of individual freedoms, standing in stark opposition to the Judeo-Christian principles that uphold the sanctity of each human life and the rights of the individual. This lack of separation between religion and state means that the legal and moral codes are dictated by religious doctrine, leaving little room for personal liberty or dissenting beliefs.

One stark example of values in direct conflict with Western civilization is the Prophet Muhammad's marriage to Aisha, who was betrothed at six and the marriage consummated when she was nine. This practice, while culturally normative in the 7th century, perpetuates an ethos that can still be seen in some parts of the Islamic world today, where the rights and dignities of women and children are often compromised. This stands in direct contrast to Christian teachings, which emphasize the protection and dignity of the vulnerable, especially children, and has influenced Western laws that seek to safeguard minors.

This divergence in values is not confined to history; it manifests in contemporary issues such as the grooming gangs in the UK involving individuals with Eastern values that conflict with Western ideals of gender equality, individual rights, and personal freedom. These incidents reflect a broader cultural ethos that often clashes with the principles of respect for all individuals, especially women and children, and highlights the ongoing struggle between these competing value systems.

Supporting regimes or ideologies that endorse such beliefs is not just a matter of cultural difference—it is an endorsement of practices that fundamentally suppress freedom and human dignity. The failure to separate religion from law reflects a lack of enlightenment that prevents the development of societies that truly value individual rights and freedoms. This clash of values—between the freedom and equality championed by Western civilization and the submission and control seen in certain interpretations of Islamic rule—lies at the heart of many of today’s societal and cultural tensions. It underscores why embracing and defending the principles of freedom, dignity, and individual rights is crucial for any hope of lasting peace and coexistence in the region.

The Clash of Values: East vs. West

At the heart of the Israel-Palestine conflict lies a profound clash of values between Eastern and Western societies, rooted in the differing principles of Islam and Christianity. Islamic values, which have significantly shaped many Eastern cultures, emphasize submission to divine authority, collectivism, and adherence to strict social norms as outlined by Sharia law. The very definition of "Islam" means "submission," reflecting a worldview that often prioritizes communal conformity and obedience over individual freedom and autonomy. This perspective promotes a societal structure where authority is centralized, personal liberties are restricted, and dissent is often suppressed.

Islamic teachings have historically placed the community above the individual, with strict gender roles that frequently result in the suppression of women’s rights. Practices such as mandatory hijab, restrictions on women’s movements, speaking in public, and limited educational opportunities highlight the broader ethos of control and submission. Furthermore, religious exclusivity is a cornerstone of these values, with non-Muslims often treated as inferior or second-class citizens. This societal model runs counter to the values of freedom and individual rights that are central to Western civilization.

In stark contrast, Christian values, which underpin much of Western culture, emphasize the dignity and worth of each individual. Rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ, these values advocate for compassion, forgiveness, and the protection of the weak. Christianity introduced the revolutionary idea that every person is made in the image of God, deserving of respect and equal treatment, regardless of their status or background. This belief laid the groundwork for the Western emphasis on human rights, democracy, and personal freedom.

Western societies, built on Christian principles, celebrate individual liberty, rational thought, and the rule of law. These values have given rise to free and democratic institutions, gender equality, and a commitment to human rights that are fundamentally at odds with the collectivist and often repressive tendencies seen in many Eastern cultures influenced by Islamic values. The Western ideal of enlightenment calls for rising above basic human instincts and emotions, encouraging mature, rational thinking and the pursuit of truth and freedom.

This clash of values is not merely a philosophical debate but a tangible influence on the societal structures and cultural tensions defining the Israel-Palestine conflict. The West's commitment to individual rights and freedom contrasts sharply with the values of submission and obedience embedded in the ideologies driving much of the conflict in the Middle East. Understanding this divide is crucial, as it underscores why true peace and coexistence require more than just political agreements—they require a fundamental alignment of values that respect human dignity and freedom.

Supporting ideologies that suppress freedom and propagate hatred, as seen in some extremist factions, is not a path toward coexistence but a path toward societal decay. Diversity without unity leads to division and conflict, where shared values are essential for a harmonious society. In the struggle between freedom and oppression, it is vital to recognize that the battle is not just territorial but deeply rooted in the values that each side upholds. Advocating for a just and peaceful resolution requires a commitment to the principles of liberty, equality, and the inherent worth of every human being—values that have propelled Western societies toward progress and enlightenment.

Critical Thinking vs. Conformity and Submission: The Seeds of Tyranny

Questioning a religion or culture that suppresses critical thinking in favor of conformity is not merely a philosophical exercise; it is a vital safeguard against tyranny. Societies that prioritize obedience over inquiry become breeding grounds for authoritarianism, as history has repeatedly demonstrated. From ancient theocracies that demanded unwavering submission to modern-day regimes that enforce strict conformity, the suppression of free thought has consistently led to the erosion of individual rights and freedoms.

The Western tradition, deeply rooted in Judeo-Christian values, champions the intrinsic worth of each person and the right to question, reason, and seek truth. This has given rise to a culture where critical thinking, the questioning of authority, and the appreciation of individual perspectives are not just tolerated but celebrated. The Enlightenment, a pinnacle of Western thought, emphasized reason, science, and the value of personal liberty—key drivers of progress that have led to unprecedented advancements in human rights, democracy, and innovation.

The contrast with cultures that suppress these values is stark. In societies where conformity and submission to authority are mandated, dissent is often met with punishment, and individual expression is stifled. This suppression not only limits personal freedom but also stifles creativity, innovation, and the growth of ideas that are essential for societal progress. Authoritarian regimes thrive on this suppression, as controlling thought is the most effective means of controlling people. Without the freedom to question and critique, societies stagnate, and the potential of their citizens is wasted.

The Western commitment to critical thinking and individual rights stands in opposition to these oppressive dynamics. By promoting an environment where people are encouraged to think independently, challenge ideas, and engage in open discourse, Western societies have built a foundation that protects against the rise of tyranny. This is not just about preserving a cultural legacy; it is about upholding a way of life that values human freedom above all else.

Defending these Western ideals is essential because they are the bedrock of a society that allows individuals to live with dignity, freedom, and the opportunity to pursue their potential. It is this commitment to the value of the individual—fostering environments where people are free to think, question, and grow—that makes the West uniquely resilient against the forces of oppression.

When a society values critical thinking, it cultivates a populace equipped to recognize and resist the encroachments of authoritarianism. The ability to question and challenge power is not a weakness; it is a strength that protects against the descent into tyranny. It takes courage to stand up for truth, especially in the face of opposition or when prevailing narratives demand conformity. This ethos of inquiry, combined with the bravery to defend individual rights, is what sets Western civilization apart and why it continues to be a beacon of freedom in a world where so many are still subjected to the demands of conformity and submission. Embracing and upholding these values requires not only rational thought but also the courage to speak out against injustice and advocate for the freedoms that define our shared humanity.

Ultimately, defending the values of critical thinking and individual freedom is not just about safeguarding Western culture; it is about protecting the very essence of what it means to be human. It is about championing a vision of society where every person has the right to their own thoughts, their own beliefs, and their own voice. This is the legacy of the West, and it is one worth defending at all costs.

Extremist Teachings in Gaza: The Real Challenge to Freedom

Today, extremist factions within Islam, such as those governing Gaza, actively indoctrinate their children with beliefs that Jews and other non-Muslims are subhuman. Textbooks in Gaza are rife with content that incites violence, glorifies martyrdom, and portrays Jews as the eternal enemy of Islam ( Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education ). This deliberate teaching of hatred and division is not just a regional problem—it highlights a critical issue facing Western societies as well: the naive belief that such deeply ingrained ideologies can coexist with the values of freedom and equality that define the West.

It is dangerously naive to think or believe that importing diversity without a commitment to unity and shared values can lead to anything other than societal decay. This fragmented approach plays directly into the hands of those who wish to undermine the very foundations of freedom and prosperity that define Western civilization. To preserve the freedoms we cherish, it is essential that everyone living in the West upholds the core values of individual rights, human dignity, and freedom of thought and expression. These principles are the bedrock of a free society, and there is no room for ideologies that promote suppression, division, or hatred.

Freedom flourishes when there is a shared commitment to these foundational values; without it, we risk eroding the essence of what makes our societies resilient and prosperous. The challenge is not merely to coexist but to actively uphold the principles that allow diverse communities to thrive in harmony. True progress and societal well-being depend on this shared respect for individual liberties and the dignity of every human.

A crucial component of maintaining these values is ensuring that they are passed down to future generations. Teaching our children the importance of individual rights, personal responsibility, respect for others, and the value of freedom is not just a choice—it is our obligation. Children do not innately understand these principles; they must be taught through example, education, and deliberate guidance. This means instilling in them a sense of agency, critical thinking, and an appreciation for the freedoms that empower them to grow, question, and express themselves without fear.

This involves nurturing their ability to engage with diverse perspectives while grounding them in the core values that make a free society possible. We must teach them to distinguish between constructive dialogue and destructive ideologies, between the freedoms that enrich their lives and the false allure of conformity or suppression. By doing so, we equip them not only to integrate into society but also to contribute positively to its growth and defend it against the forces that seek to undermine it.

For those in the West who struggle to embrace this culture of freedom, it is important to recognize that the issue often lies not with the values of society, but with a personal reluctance to align with them. The challenge isn’t with everyone else; it’s an internal resistance to the ideals that make Western civilization a beacon of liberty and equality. If your beliefs fundamentally clash with these ideals, it may be time for introspection. Enlightenment calls us to rise above outdated or oppressive ideologies and to adopt a mindset that values freedom, personal responsibility, and the inherent rights of others.

Adapting to the values of liberty and equality is not just about fitting in; it’s about understanding that these principles are what protect us all and enable us to live in societies that are just, prosperous, and free. Embracing these ideals is not merely an expectation but a necessity for maintaining the harmony and success of Western civilization. It is our duty to impart these values to our children, ensuring that the freedoms we enjoy today are preserved for generations to come. If you find yourself in conflict with these values, the call is not for society to change to accommodate you, but for you to change and join in the pursuit of a truly enlightened and free world.

Supporting regimes or ideologies that actively suppress freedom and propagate hatred is not an act of tolerance or progressivism; it’s an endorsement of oppression and decay. By rejecting the path of enlightenment, one chooses to regress into a base state of humanity driven by instincts, emotions, and primal urges—forsaking the conscience and rationality that elevate us beyond mere survival. True progress and coexistence require a conscious commitment to the values that uphold freedom, dignity, and the inherent worth of every individual. Choosing anything less is not just a failure to advance; it’s a deliberate step backward into the darkness of ignorance and division, betraying the very principles that allow diverse societies to flourish. We must actively choose to be better, embracing enlightenment over regression if we are to build a world that honors the highest potential of our shared humanity.

The Danger of Over-Tolerance: A Warning for the West

The Western ideal of tolerance and inclusivity is often celebrated as a hallmark of compassion and progress. However, when not anchored in shared values of freedom, critical thinking, and respect for human dignity, this virtue risks becoming a gateway to our downfall. Tolerance, without discernment, can inadvertently empower ideologies that are fundamentally opposed to the very freedoms that allow a diverse society to thrive. As the boundaries of inclusivity stretch to accommodate beliefs and practices that undermine liberty and individual rights, we begin to erode the core principles that define Western civilization.

Western societies, built on the foundations of Judeo-Christian values and Enlightenment ideals, prioritize the protection of individual freedoms, the rule of law, and the sanctity of human dignity. These values have fostered environments where innovation, diversity of thought, and personal expression flourish. However, inclusivity that extends to ideologies promoting oppression, suppression of dissent, and the subjugation of individual rights threatens to unravel the fabric of free societies. The line between embracing diverse perspectives and tolerating the intolerable becomes blurred, weakening the very structures that protect our freedoms.

History and current events remind us that unchecked tolerance of oppressive ideologies leads to societal decay. From the fall of Rome, which succumbed in part due to the internal erosion of its core values, to the rise of totalitarian regimes in the 20th century, which exploited open societies to gain power, the lessons are clear: a failure to uphold foundational principles in the name of tolerance can be catastrophic. Tolerance without boundaries allows for the infiltration of destructive forces that aim not to coexist but to dominate and dismantle.

The modern West faces similar challenges. As societies increasingly embrace inclusivity, there is a growing tendency to avoid judgment or criticism, even of those who reject the values of freedom, equality, and human rights. This misplaced tolerance can create an environment where harmful ideologies take root, shielded by the very freedoms they seek to destroy. The result is a slow but steady corrosion of the principles that have made the West a beacon of liberty, progress and the greatest freedoms our species’ have ever known.

The path forward requires more than just open hearts; it demands discerning minds that can distinguish between unity in values and the blind acceptance of all beliefs. True inclusivity does not mean tolerating ideologies that devalue human life, suppress free thought, or seek to impose authoritarian control. Rather, it involves a commitment to a set of shared values that uphold the dignity of every individual and the freedom of all to live without fear of oppression.

Western civilization thrives not because it accepts everything but because it upholds ideals that protect the rights of the individual and promote the common good. The strength of the West lies in its ability to balance openness with critical scrutiny, to welcome diverse perspectives while rejecting those that threaten its foundational principles. It is this balance that has driven its success and made it a model for others.

To preserve the freedoms we cherish, we must be vigilant in defending the values that sustain them. This means being courageous enough to confront ideologies that, under the guise of inclusivity, seek to undermine our way of life. It means recognizing that tolerance is not an absolute virtue when it comes at the expense of freedom and justice. The West’s commitment to liberty and critical thinking must guide its approach to inclusivity, ensuring that it remains a force for good rather than a gateway to its own undoing.

In the end, the survival of Western civilization depends on its ability to remain true to the values that have made it great. This requires not just embracing diversity but doing so within a framework that honors freedom, respects the individual, and upholds the principles that protect us all. Only by maintaining this commitment can the West continue to be a beacon of hope and progress in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

The Suppression of Free Democracies

Throughout history, Islamic conquests and rule have systematically suppressed free societies in the Middle East and North Africa, dismantling vibrant cultures and stifling the liberties of diverse communities. The flourishing Christian communities of the Byzantine Empire and the Zoroastrian communities in Persia were largely decimated under Islamic rule, as religious and cultural conformity was enforced at the expense of freedom and diversity. Today, the region continues to be dominated by authoritarian regimes that suppress fundamental human rights, with Israel standing as the only true democracy in the Middle East that upholds freedom of speech, religion, and equality.

In countries like Iran, Christians and other religious minorities face severe persecution; conversion from Islam is punishable by death, and practicing non-Islamic faiths is heavily restricted ( U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom ). In Egypt, Christians have been targeted by extremist violence, and churches face ongoing discrimination and legal obstacles. Syria's ongoing conflict has seen systematic oppression of religious and ethnic minorities, with the Assad regime and various militant groups committing human rights abuses against those who do not conform to their ideologies ( Human Rights Watch ).

Meanwhile, in Gaza, where Hamas rules with an iron fist, even basic freedoms are denied to its citizens. Women are required to adhere to strict dress codes, LGBTQ+ individuals face persecution, and the media is tightly controlled to ensure that only narratives supporting the regime's agenda are disseminated. This is the same Hamas that claims Palestinians are being oppressed by Israel, while it is their own leadership that actively suppresses freedom and dignity for all but those who toe the line of their extremist ideology. The irony is stark: those who cry oppression are themselves the true oppressors, stripping their people of the very rights they accuse others of denying.

People in the West often remain blind or credulous to these realities, misled by narratives that fail to account for the pervasive suppression and brutality occurring in these regions. It is crucial to recognize that supporting regimes like these is not an act of solidarity or justice but an endorsement of the very oppression and decay they purport to oppose.

True freedom and progress cannot coexist with ideologies that crush dissent, devalue human life, and refuse to recognize the inherent worth of every individual. By turning a blind eye to the atrocities happening today—from the persecution of Christians in Iran to the suppression of free expression in Gaza—we fail to see the true nature of the struggle. This is not a conflict of territory; it is a battle of values, and those who stand with Israel stand with the principles of freedom and human dignity. Those who support its adversaries align themselves with the forces of suppression and tyranny, perpetuating the cycle of violence and oppression in a region desperately in need of enlightenment and liberation.

The Price of Persecution

To truly grasp the stakes of this cultural and ideological clash, one need only listen to the stories of those who have fled from oppression. A colleague of mine, a Christian from Lebanon, shared how she narrowly escaped religious persecution in her homeland. Her older brother barely evaded the regime that sought to suppress their freedom. Stories like hers are a sobering reminder of the real human cost when societies favor submission over freedom. They underscore the broader narrative that this is not just about geopolitical power struggles but about protecting the dignity and rights of every individual.

The Role of the British: Defeating Oppression and Paving the Way for Israel

The defeat of the Ottoman Empire by the British during World War I marked a significant turning point in the Middle East, ending centuries of Ottoman rule characterized by heavy taxation, religious discrimination, and the suppression of personal freedoms. In 1922, the League of Nations granted Britain the mandate over Palestine, with the dual mission of establishing a national homeland for the Jewish people in their ancestral land while also ensuring the development of all communities in the region. This mandate recognized the historical and spiritual connection of the Jewish people to the land and aimed to restore their rights after centuries of exile, persecution, and foreign domination.

However, the British mandate was fraught with immediate challenges, as Britain struggled to balance the conflicting aspirations of Jews and Arabs. Jewish communities, driven by the Zionist movement and their deep historical ties to the land, sought self-determination and the establishment of a sovereign state. Their connection to the land persisted despite repeated attempts by various empires, including the Romans, to erase Jewish identity and sever their ties to their homeland. Notably, after crushing the Jewish revolts—such as the Great Revolt (66–73 CE) and the Bar Kokhba Revolt (132–136 CE)—the Romans renamed the region "Palestine" in a calculated effort to diminish the Jewish presence and erase the historical identity of Judea. Despite these efforts, the Jewish people maintained their enduring connection to their ancestral land, preserving their cultural and religious heritage through centuries of adversity.

In contrast, Arab factions resisted the vision of a Jewish state, not from an indigenous or historical claim to the land, but from a legacy of control established through Islamic conquests beginning in the 7th century. The Arab presence in the region was rooted in centuries of dominance through conquest rather than a deep ancestral connection. Their opposition to Jewish immigration and the establishment of a Jewish state was driven by a desire to maintain regional dominance and prevent Jewish self-determination, rather than any legitimate, ancient claim to the territory.

This resistance was consistently marked by the rejection of numerous proposals for peaceful coexistence. Key initiatives, such as the 1937 Peel Commission's plan to partition the land into separate Jewish and Arab states, were accepted by Jewish leaders but rejected by Arab factions unwilling to recognize any form of Jewish sovereignty. This pattern continued with the 1947 United Nations Partition Plan, which proposed a two-state solution; once again, the Jewish leadership agreed, but Arab states violently rejected it, refusing to acknowledge the Jewish right to self-determination.

Further peace efforts, including the 2000 Camp David Summit and the 2008 Annapolis Conference, were similarly rejected by Palestinian leadership despite substantial concessions offered by Israel. These repeated refusals highlight a persistent unwillingness to coexist and a fundamental clash between values: the Jewish pursuit of freedom, peace, and self-determination versus the Arab factions' desire for control, dominance, and suppression of the rights of others. Their consistent rejection of peace proposals reveals a stark reality—they do not seek peace; they seek control.

The British mandate period, despite its challenges, ultimately laid the groundwork for the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. Israel emerged as a beacon of democracy, freedom, and human rights in a region dominated by authoritarian regimes that continue to suppress individual liberties. This stark contrast between Israel and its neighbors reflects a deeper ideological divide: Western culture, influenced by Judeo-Christian values, celebrates individual freedom, personal rights, and the separation of religious and political power. Meanwhile, many Eastern cultures, particularly those shaped by Islamic rule, prioritize the collective and often suppress individual liberties and freedoms in favor of religious authority and conformity.

The establishment of Israel not only represented the restoration of Jewish self-determination but also the triumph of values that uplift individual dignity and freedom. Supporting those who resist Israel’s right to exist is not merely a political stance; it is a moral alignment with forces that have historically oppressed and continue to oppress. This resistance to Jewish sovereignty is not about justice or liberation; it is an endorsement of ideologies that perpetuate suppression and control under the guise of resistance.

Enlightenment calls us to see beyond superficial narratives and recognize that true freedom is about the rights and dignity of every individual, not the perpetuation of dominance and oppression. The struggle between these opposing values—freedom versus suppression, individual rights versus collective control—continues to fuel tensions today. By standing with Israel, one supports the ideals of liberty, democracy, and human dignity. Conversely, aligning with those who oppose these principles is to support a legacy of oppression and to reject the values that have allowed free societies to thrive. Understanding this context is crucial in recognizing the broader implications of the Israel-Palestine conflict, which is not simply a territorial dispute but a defining battle over the very essence of human freedom and the rights of individuals.

Moral Equivalence and the Danger of Supporting Oppression

Supporting groups like Hamas and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), or advocating for a two-state solution without addressing the root causes of hatred and violence, is not a path to peace—it is a dangerous alignment with forces that fundamentally oppose freedom, equality, and human dignity. Hamas, for instance, not only refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist but actively teaches its children that Jews are subhuman and glorifies violence against them. The Hamas Charter explicitly calls for the destruction of Israel and the eradication of Jews (Hamas Covenant 1988), making it clear that their objectives are not merely political but rooted in a deep-seated ideology of hate.

These groups often celebrate acts of terror and violence as victories against freedom and democracy. For example, recent attacks on Israeli civilians were met with public celebrations in Gaza, where militants fired guns into the air and distributed sweets to children, glorifying the murder of innocents as a triumph over their perceived enemies. This celebration of violence and oppression starkly contrasts with the values of life, liberty, and the pursuit of peace that underpin Western civilization. Such actions should serve as a wake-up call to those who mistakenly believe that aligning with these groups is an act of justice or solidarity.

Similarly, the PLO has a long history of engaging in violence and promoting the eradication of Jews from the region. While some factions within the PLO have shifted their public stance in recent years, the underlying ideologies often remain at odds with the values of coexistence and peace. These groups and their actions are in direct conflict with Western values of rational and enlightened thinking, which uphold the principles of freedom, individual rights, and respect for all human beings. Supporting these organizations or their causes is, in effect, endorsing the very suppression and regression that stand in opposition to progress and democracy.

A two-state solution can only be viable if there is a fundamental change in how Palestinian children are educated—moving away from incitement, glorification of violence, and hatred, and towards education that fosters coexistence and respect for all individuals. Currently, programs like "Pay to Slay," where families of those who commit acts of violence against Israelis are financially rewarded, perpetuate a cycle of hate and violence. This system, supported in part by international aid, including from the U.S. (Middle East Media Research Institute), undermines any genuine efforts towards peace and fuels the continued suppression of freedom and human dignity.

The notion of moral equivalence—treating the oppressors and the oppressed as if they are on equal moral footing—is not just misguided; it is a betrayal of the values that uphold enlightened and free societies. By supporting or turning a blind eye to these ideologies, one is not promoting peace but rather aligning with forces that seek to undermine the freedoms and rights of individuals. True peace and coexistence require a commitment to the values of enlightenment, freedom, and respect for all people. Anything less is not just a failure to advance but a conscious step backward into the realms of ignorance and division.

To truly advocate for peace, one must reject the false narratives that equate the oppressor with the oppressed and instead champion the principles that promote genuine freedom and coexistence. The path forward is not through appeasing ideologies of hate but through steadfast support of values that honor the dignity and worth of every human being. By aligning with the forces of oppression, one is not standing for justice but rather perpetuating the cycles of hatred and violence that have long plagued the region.

A Warning to Christians: The Danger of Severing Roots

It is particularly concerning when Christians find themselves supporting Palestinian causes that are aligned with oppressive ideologies. Christians must recognize that their faith is deeply rooted in the heritage of Judaism, the original monotheistic faith that forms the bedrock of Western civilization’s values. Severing Christianity from its Jewish roots is severing it from the very source of its moral compass. The Christian values of love, forgiveness, and the sanctity of human life are intertwined with the Jewish understanding of justice, human dignity, and the worship of one God.

Christians who side with those who oppose Israel must be vigilant not to be lured by false narratives that promise peace through the abandonment of these core values. The history of those who celebrate the defeat of freedom is a history of eroding the values that protect individual rights and human dignity. To stand against Israel is to stand against the continuity of the very faith that birthed Christianity. The triumph of ideologies that oppose freedom and oppress others is a direct attack on the principles that undergird both Judaism and Christianity.

We cannot be deceived into believing that Christianity can survive, let alone thrive, when severed from its foundational connection to Judaism. The relationship between Christianity and Judaism is not merely historical; it is a living bond that upholds the principles of justice, compassion, and the inherent worth of every individual. Supporting those who reject these shared values is to side with forces of division and oppression, not with the forces of true peace and justice.

This is a time for discernment, where supporting freedom, dignity, and the values that have led to the flourishing of Western civilization must be paramount. Aligning with those who celebrate the defeat of these ideals is not only a betrayal of our values but a step toward the destruction of the freedoms that both Judaism and Christianity hold sacred. It is crucial to understand that without the Judeo-Christian foundation, the moral and ethical structures that support Western civilization would be at risk.

Christians must be wary of being drawn into alliances that compromise the core tenets of their faith. To support regimes or ideologies that fundamentally oppose the values of freedom and human dignity is not an act of solidarity; it is a surrender to forces that threaten the very existence of those values. The call to action is clear: uphold the connection to the roots that give life to Christian principles, and resist the lure of narratives that seek to divide and diminish the integrity of these beliefs.

Choosing to align with Israel is not just a political decision; it is a reaffirmation of the shared values that form the backbone of Western civilization. It is a commitment to a legacy of freedom, human dignity, and the recognition of every person's worth—values that are essential for the survival and prosperity of both Judaism and Christianity. As stewards of these values, Christians must stand firm against ideologies that seek to undermine the very principles that have allowed their faith and our species’ freedom to flourish.

The Path to True Enlightenment: A Call to Christ

In the pursuit of true enlightenment, it is essential to understand that genuine freedom and dignity are rooted in the truth revealed through Jesus Christ. As Jesus declared, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). This path to enlightenment invites us to transcend beyond mere human instincts, emotions, and societal conformities, embracing a relationship with the Divine that honors the worth of every soul. This transcendent truth serves as a beacon of hope, standing in stark contrast to ideologies of submission and conformity that diminish the individual and stifle personal freedom.

True enlightenment is not achieved through enforced conformity or rigid submission; it flourishes in the freedom and grace provided by a relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This divine guidance calls us to rise above our limitations, seeking not just knowledge but wisdom rooted in love, compassion, and the intrinsic value of every human being. Moreover, it calls us to engage in rational thought and critical thinking, reflecting the Divine nature that encourages us to seek truth and understanding.

Christianity does not demand blind obedience but invites believers to engage their minds, to question, and to seek deeper understanding, knowing that faith and reason can coexist harmoniously. It is this blend of faith and rational inquiry that elevates the human spirit and enables us to confront the complexities of life with discernment and clarity here in the West. Embracing this divine call leads to a freedom that liberates and elevates, guiding us toward a higher understanding of ourselves and our place in the world, and ultimately, toward the true enlightenment that only a relationship with God can provide.

The Israel-Palestine conflict is not merely a territorial dispute; it is a fundamental struggle between freedom and oppression, good and evil. Israel, as a democratic state, embodies the values of individual rights, religious freedom, and equality—principles that are foundational to Western civilization and rooted in the legacy of monotheistic religions. These values have propelled societies toward enlightenment, rational thought, the recognition of every individual's worth, thus paving the way for the greatest freedoms humanity has ever experienced.

In stark contrast, the very definition of Islam means "submission," which inherently runs contrary to the Western ideals of rational thought and the pursuit of enlightenment. Submission, as practiced in many Islamic contexts, often involves yielding personal freedom and individual rights to authority, suppressing the potential for free thought and self-determination. This fundamental conflict in values is at the heart of why coexistence between ideologies that suppress freedom and those that champion it remains such a formidable challenge.

To support a future of peace and coexistence, we must reject ideologies that propagate hatred and submission and instead stand with those who champion the dignity and freedom of all people. True and lasting peace can only be achieved when we address these core issues—when we create a world where every child, regardless of their religion, can grow up in a society that values them as human beings, not as instruments of ideology.

As Jesus said on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). This serves as a powerful reminder that while some individuals may support oppressive regimes out of ignorance or misinformation, the path forward lies in enlightenment, education, and unwavering support of values that uplift humanity. It is a call to rise above submission to any ideology that diminishes human dignity and to embrace a culture of freedom, reason, and respect for all.

This is not just about choosing sides in a conflict; it is about choosing the values that will define our civilization and the future we want for generations to come. It’s a choice between submission and freedom, between oppression and enlightenment—and it’s a choice that each of us must make with a full understanding of what’s truly at stake. By standing with Israel, we align ourselves with the ideals of liberty and human dignity, rejecting the forces of oppression and division that threaten to tear apart the fabric of a free society.

In this defining moment, we are called to defend the principles that have shaped the most prosperous and free societies in history. We must not be swayed by the allure of false equivalence or the deceptive narratives that seek to undermine these values. Instead, let us reaffirm our commitment to freedom, equality, and the inherent worth of every individual, standing resolutely against the ideologies that oppose them. The future of our civilization depends on the choices we make today—choices that will either uphold the legacy of enlightenment or surrender to the darkness of oppression.

Ready for more?

Everything you need to know about Israel-Palestine

A comprehensive guide to the basics of the world’s most controversial conflict.

To understand the Israel-Hamas war, you have to understand how we got here.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the longest-running and most controversial in the world. Since Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel and Israel’s retaliatory war in Gaza, it has been in one of the bloodiest periods of its already-bloody history.

At its heart, the conflict is between two self-determination movements — the Jewish Zionist project and the Palestinian nationalist project — that lay claim to the same territory. But it is so, so much more complicated than that, with seemingly every fact and historical detail small and large litigated by the two sides and their defenders.

This guide is designed to give you an entry point into understanding this immensely complicated conflict. If you’re wondering about the basics — like how the conflict got started or the role the city of Jerusalem plays in it — then you’ve come to the right place.

My hope is that, regardless of your view of who’s right, you can read this and feel like you’ve gotten an honest, clear guide to the key elements of the situation. And if you don’t know anything about it, then you can come away feeling like you can basically make sense of what’s happening today.

— Zack Beauchamp

Editor’s note: A version of this guide was originally published in 2018. Since then, some existing stories in the guide have been updated and new stories have been added to reflect the developing situation.

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Timeline

Explore the history and important events behind the long-standing Middle East conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians from 1947 to today. 

Smoke rises in Gaza following Israeli strikes on October 9, 2023.

Source: Mohammed Salem / Reuters

The conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians reflects a long-standing struggle in the region encompassing the land between the Jordan River to the east and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. That conflict has deep historical roots, shaped by statehood claims from the Israelis and the Palestinians that have been supported by various international agendas and activities over time. 

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict dates back more than a century, with flashpoints building from the United Nations’ 1947 initial UN Partition Plan to the 1973 Yom Kippur War, to the recent Israel-Hamas war sparked in October 2023.

Despite continued efforts at brokering peace—including the 1979 Camp David Accords, the Oslo Accords of the 1990s, and the 2020 Abraham Accords—conflict has persisted.

This timeline explores some of the pivotal moments in the conflict from 1947 to today.

Universal History Archive

The UN General Assembly passes Resolution 181 calling for the partition of the Palestinian territories into two states, one Jewish and one Arab. The resolution also envisions an international, UN-run body to administer Jerusalem. The Palestinian territories had been under the military and administrative control of the United Kingdom (known as a mandate) since the 1917 defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I. Civil strife and violence between the Jewish and Arab communities of the Palestinian territories intensifies.

Saar Yaacov/Israel GPO

Israel declares its independence as the British rule ends. Sparked by Israel’s declaration of independence, the first Arab-Israeli War begins. Egypt (supported by Saudi Arabian, Sudanese, and Yemeni troops), Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria invade Israel. The fighting continues until 1949, when Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria sign armistice agreements.

Bettmann / Getty Images

Over the course of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, at least seven hundred thousand Palestinian refugees flee their homes in an exodus known to Palestinians as the nakba  (Arabic for “catastrophe”). Israel wins the war, retaining the territory provided to it by the United Nations and capturing some of the areas designated for the imagined future Palestinian state. Israel gains control of West Jerusalem, Egypt gains the Gaza Strip, and Jordan gains the West Bank and East Jerusalem, including the Old City and its historic Jewish quarter. In 1948, the UN General Assembly passes Resolution 194, which calls for the repatriation of Palestinian refugees . The Palestinians will later point to Resolution 194 as having established a “right of return” for Palestinian refugees and their descendants. The specific parameters of that return are debated in the decades that follow, including among many descendants from the 1948 refugees and the three hundred thousand Palestinians who will flee their homes during the June 1967 war.

Israel GPO.

Israel and several of its Arab neighbors fight the Six-Day War. Israel wins a decisive victory: it suffers seven hundred casualties; its adversaries suffer nearly twenty thousand. Israel emerges with control of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip—areas inhabited primarily by Palestinians—as well as all of East Jerusalem. Israel also takes control of Syria’s Golan Heights and the Sinai Peninsula, which is part of Egypt. Israel will stay in the Sinai Peninsula until April 1982.

Yutaka Nagata / United Nations

The UN Security Council passes Resolution 242 calling for Israeli “withdrawal … from territories occupied in the recent conflict” and for the termination of “states of belligerency and respect for and acknowledgement of the sovereignty , territorial integrity, and political independence of every state in the area and the right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries.” The resolution establishes the concept of land for peace .

Another Arab-Israeli war, known variously as the Yom Kippur War, the Ramadan War, and the October War, is fought when Egypt and Syria attempt to retake the Israeli-occupied Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights. Cold War tensions spike as the Soviet Union aids Egypt and Syria and the United States aids Israel. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries begins an oil embargo on countries that support Israel, and the price of oil skyrockets. The fighting ends after a UN-sponsored cease-fire (negotiated by the United States and the Soviet Union) takes hold. The UN Security Council passes Resolution 338, which calls for implementing UN Security Council Resolution 242.

Warren K. Leffler / Library of Congress.

Israel and Egypt sign the Camp David Accords, which establish a basis for a peace treaty between the two countries. The accords also commit the Israeli and Egyptian governments, along with other parties, to negotiate the disposition of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.  

François Lochon / Getty Images

Egypt and Israel sign a peace treaty, the first between Israel and one of its Arab neighbors. The treaty commits Israel to withdraw from the Sinai Peninsula and evacuate its settlements there. The termination of the state of war between Egypt and Israel leads to the normalization of diplomatic and commercial relations between the two countries. Israel’s prime minister and Egypt’s president exchange letters reaffirming their commitment—outlined in the Camp David Accords—to negotiate the disposition of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Jim Hollander / Reuters

An Israeli driver kills four Palestinians in a car accident that sparks the first intifada, or uprising, against Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza. The image of Palestinians throwing rocks at Israeli tanks becomes the enduring image of the intifada. Over the next six years, roughly 200 Israelis and 1,300 Palestinians are killed.

A Palestinian cleric named Sheikh Ahmed Yassin establishes the militant group Hamas as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood. Hamas endorses jihad as a way to regain territory for Muslims; the United States designates Hamas a foreign terrorist organization in 1997.  

Ali Jareki / Reuters

King Hussein of Jordan relinquishes his country’s claims to the West Bank and East Jerusalem in favor of the claims of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). In December of the same year, PLO Chairman Yasir Arafat denounces violence, recognizes Israel’s right to exist, and acknowledges UN Security Council Resolution 242 and the concept of land for peace. The United States responds to Arafat’s announcement by beginning direct talks with him, though it suspends the talks following a Palestinian terrorist attack against Israel.

David Valdez / U.S. National Archives

The Madrid Peace Conference begins, sponsored jointly by the United States and the Soviet Union . Israeli, Jordanian, Lebanese, Palestinian, and Syrian delegates attend the first negotiations among those parties. The talks proceed along bilateral tracks between Israel and its neighbors, though the Lebanese join the Syrian delegation and the Jordanian team includes Palestinian representatives. A multilateral track includes the wider Arab world and addresses regional issues. The talks last for two years without any breakthroughs.  

Saar Yaacov / Israel GPO.

Secret negotiations in Norway result in the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements, also known as the Oslo Accords. Before the accords are signed, Israel and the PLO recognize each other in an exchange of letters. Israel and the PLO agree to the creation of the Palestinian Authority to temporarily administer the Gaza Strip and West Bank. Israel also agrees to begin withdrawing from parts of the West Bank, though large swaths of land and Israeli settlements remain under the Israeli military’s exclusive control. The Oslo Accords envision a peace agreement by 1999. Palestinian leader Arafat, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 for their efforts on the Oslo Accords.  

Patrick Baz / AFP / Getty Images

The Israelis and the Palestinians sign the Gaza-Jericho Agreement, which begins implementation of the Oslo Accords. The agreement provides for an Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza and Jericho, a town in the West Bank, and for a transfer of authority from Israeli administration to the newly formed Palestinian Authority. The agreement also establishes the structure and composition of the Palestinian Authority, its jurisdiction and legislative powers, a Palestinian police force, and relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Arafat returns to the Gaza Strip after a long absence.

Sa'ar Ya'acov / Israel Government Press Office Photo

Israel and Jordan sign a peace treaty, settling their territorial dispute and agreeing to future cooperation in sectors such as trade and tourism. This is Israel’s second peace treaty with an Arab state. It accords special administrative responsibilities for Jerusalem’s Muslim holy places to Jordan.

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators sign the Interim Agreement, sometimes called Oslo II. It gives the Palestinians control over additional areas of the West Bank and defines the security, electoral, public administration, and economic arrangements that will govern those areas until a final peace agreement is reached in 1999.

President Bill Clinton hosts Israeli and Palestinian leaders for talks at Camp David. Reports indicate that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak is prepared to accept, among other things, Palestinian sovereignty over some 91 percent of the West Bank and certain parts of Jerusalem. The deal would include a land swap in which some Israeli land would go to the Palestinians in compensation for the remaining 9 percent of the West Bank, which would go to Israel. Two weeks of intensive discussion, however, fails to produce an agreement. President Clinton blames Arafat for the failure. Before leaving office several months later, Clinton lays out proposals for both sides. Talks between them continue, but without success.  

Natalie Behring / Reuters

Israeli politicians, including Ariel Sharon, a controversial retired Israeli general, visit the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif. The Palestinians view the visit as an effort to change the status quo at the holy site. The ensuing demonstrations turn violent, marking the beginning of a second intifada. It will last until 2005 and be markedly more violent than the first intifada. Four thousand Palestinians and one thousand Israelis die.

Nir Elias / Reuters

A terrorist attack kills thirty people at a Passover celebration at a hotel in the Israeli city of Netanya. As a result, the Israeli military reoccupies portions of the West Bank, including the city of Ramallah, where the Palestinian Authority is located and where Arafat has his West Bank headquarters.

Israel begins building a security barrier in the West Bank to protect Israeli cities and towns from terrorist attacks. The barrier, which is a wall in some stretches and a fence in others, is controversial because in places it cuts deep into West Bank territory to protect settlements. The Palestinians are cut off from Jerusalem, some Palestinian villages are sliced in half, and some Palestinians are unable to get to work or school as a result of the security barrier’s path. Israel’s Supreme Court forces changes in the barrier’s route, but the barrier continues to impede Palestinian movement and commerce in certain areas.    

Ali Jarekji / Reuters

The Quartet, an informal group created to pursue Middle East peace comprising the United States, Russia, the United Nations, and the European Union , puts forth a Road Map for Peace based on the outline President George W. Bush offered in his 2002 speech. The road map lays out a plan for peace based on Palestinian reforms and a cessation of terrorism in return for an end to Israeli settlements and a new Palestinian state.  

Paul Hanna / Reuters

Israel begins a unilateral withdrawal of settlers and military forces from the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military remains in control of Gaza’s borders (except the Gaza-Egypt border, which is controlled by Egypt), airspace, and coastline. After Israel’s withdrawal, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad , and other smaller militant groups fire rockets from Gaza into southern Israel.

Ahmed Jadallah / Reuters

Hamas defeats Fatah, a Palestinian political faction founded in 1950s which was a long-dominant faction within the PLO, in Palestinian elections. The United States and other countries suspend their aid to the Palestinian Authority  because they consider Hamas to be a terrorist organization. Fatah and Hamas make a deal to govern the West Bank and Gaza Strip together. The deal quickly fails, and Hamas takes over the Gaza Strip in 2007.

Ronen Zvulun / Reuters

Hamas operatives kidnap an Israeli soldier named Gilad Shalit on Israeli soil near the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military tries and fails to free him. He is held captive in Gaza until Israel—with the help of Egypt and the United States—negotiates his release in 2012.

Ammar Awad / Reuters

Israel attacks the Gaza Strip following nearly eight hundred rocket attacks from Gaza on Israeli towns in the months of November and December. The war lasts less than a month but kills hundreds of civilians, in addition to hundreds of combatants, and sparks international criticism.

Jonathan Ernst / Reuters

Secretary of State John Kerry seeks to restart final status negotiations. The process begins with the Israeli’s agreement to release 104 Palestinian prisoners and the Palestinians’ agreement not to use their new observer state status at the United Nations to advance the cause of statehood. Negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority collapsed in April 2014 over such issues as Israeli settlement growth, the status of a final round of prisoners, and Palestinian attempts to join several international organizations.

Suhaib Salem / Reuters

The PLO and Hamas sign an agreement to form a unity government. Tensions between the factions remain, however, and no unity government is formed. Gaza and the West Bank remain disconnected and under the control of rival Palestinian leaderships.

Baz Ratner / Reuters

After tit-for-tat attacks on Israeli and Palestinian civilians by extremists on both sides, Israel invades the Gaza Strip. The operation, code-named Protective Edge, lasts for fifty days, killing about two thousand Gazans, sixty-six Israeli soldiers, and five Israeli civilians. Unlike the conflicts from 2008 to 2009 and in 2012, Palestinian rocket fire targets major Israeli cities. The war ends after the United States, in consultation with Egypt, Israel, and other regional powers, brokers a cease-fire .

Muhammad Hamed / Reuters

Changing long-standing U.S. policy, U.S. President Donald Trump formally recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. He also pledges to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to that city, though the move is not set to occur immediately. Numerous foreign leaders, including those of Egypt, France, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, along with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, criticize the policy change. It also sparks protests and violence throughout East Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank, as well as in Egypt, Iran, Iraq, and Jordan. In January 2018, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declines to meet with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence during Pence’s trip to the region.

Carlos Barria / Reuters

The Trump administration recognizes Israeli sovereignty  over the Golan Heights, which Israel had formally annexed from Syria in 1981. The United States is the first country other than Israel to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the territory.

Trump unveils his administration’s proposed Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, crafted by U.S. and Israeli diplomats without Palestinian input. The plan calls for a two-state solution with significant economic aid to the Palestinians. Many analysts criticize the plan as being one sided, stipulating impossible requirements for Palestinian statehood and paving the way for Israeli annexation of the West Bank. Palestinian authorities reject the plan immediately. Following the plan’s announcement,  Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announces Israel’s plan to annex portions of the West Bank as outlined in Trump’s proposal.

Tom Brenner / Reuters

Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates agree to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel, becoming the first Arab countries to do so in over twenty-five years. In return, Israel announces the suspension of its plans to annex territory in the West Bank. Morocco and Sudan subsequently also sign on to the agreement and normalize relations with Israel.

Evictions of Palestinians in East Jerusalem and clashes at al-Aqsa Mosque spark conflict between Israel and Hamas. Over two hundred people in Gaza and at least ten in Israel die. The Joe Biden administration helps mediate a truce and restores some U.S. aid and diplomatic contact with the Palestinians.  

Israel launches a counterterrorism operation in the West Bank in response to attacks by Palestinians against Jewish Israelis. The operation and resulting resurgence contribute to the deadliest year for both sides since 2005, an uptick in violence that only turned out to rise in 2023. 

Mohammed Salem / Reuters

Hamas launches an unprecedented surprise attack on Israel, leading to an explosion of violence.  According to the Israeli government, the attack kills approximately 1,200 people, many of them civilians. Over 200 people are also taken hostage. The attack is the deadliest in Israel’s history. Hamas military leaders justify the attack by citing Israel’s long-running blockade on Gaza and its occupation of Palestinian lands. Following the attack, Israel launches a deadly counter offensive aiming to eradicate Hamas in Gaza. International bodies, including the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice, have since issued investigations into Israeli and Hamas officials for violating international law . Both parties reject these claims. Despite a growing humanitarian crisis, as well as numerous attempts to broker ceasefire deals, the warring parties remain in conflict. As of July 2024, over 35,000 Palestinians have been killed, many of them civilians. Over 100 Israeli hostages are still held by Hamas. 

Home — Essay Samples — War — Israeli Palestinian Conflict — Israel-Palestine Conflict: Historical Context, Causes, and Resolution

Israel-palestine Conflict: Historical Context, Causes, and Resolution

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Published: Jan 31, 2024

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Table of contents

Historical context, causes of the conflict, major parties involved, international involvement, consequences and impacts, attempts at resolution, current situation and future prospects.

• United Nations. "Israel-Palestine Conflict: An Overview." https://www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/israel-palestine-conflict/
• BBC News. "Israel and Palestinians: The Conflict Explained." https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-43789452
• Council on Foreign Relations. "The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict." https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/israeli-palestinian-conflict

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Religion and the Israel-Palestinian Conflict: Cause, Consequence, and Cure

Mohamed Galal Mostafa is a former Egyptian diplomat, and currently a researcher at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is driven by several factors: ethnic, national, historical, and religious. This brief essay focuses on the religious dimension of the conflict, which both historical and recent events suggest lies at its core. That much is almost a truism. What is less often appreciated, however, is how much religion impacts the identity of actors implicated in this conflict, the practical issues at stake, and the relevant policies and attitudes -- even of non-religious participants on both sides. It follows that religion must also be part of any real solution to this tragic and protracted conflict, in ways a concluding paragraph will very briefly outline.

Why is religion at the core of this conflict?

Several religious factors pertinent to Islam and Judaism dictate the role of religion as the main factor in the conflict, notably including the sanctity of holy sites and the apocalyptic narratives of both religions, which are detrimental to any potential for lasting peace between the two sides. Extreme religious Zionists in Israel increasingly see themselves as guardians and definers of the how the Jewish state should be, and are very stringent when it comes to any concessions to the Arabs. On the other hand, Islamist groups in Palestine and elsewhere in the Islamic world advocate the necessity of liberating the “holy” territories and sites for religious reasons, and preach violence and hatred against Israel and the Jewish people.

Religion-based rumors propagated by extremists in the media and social media about the hidden religious agendas of the other side exacerbate these tensions. Examples include rumors about a “Jewish Plan” to destroy al Aqsa mosque and build the Jewish third temple on its remnants, and, on the other side rumors that Muslims hold the annihilation of Jews at the core of their belief.

In addition, worsening socio-economic conditions in the Arab and Islamic world contribute to the growth of religious radicalism, pushing a larger percentage of youth towards fanaticism, and religion-inspired politics.

The advent of the Arab spring, ironically, also posed a threat to Arab-Israeli peace, as previously stable regimes were often challenged by extreme political views. A prominent example was the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, who after succeeding to the presidency in 2012, threatened to compromise the peace agreement with Israel based on their religious ideology – even if they did not immediately tear up the treaty.

Practical Consequences O n Negotiations

If we take a closer look at the permanent status issues – borders, security, mutual recognition, refugees, the Jewish settlements in the West Bank, and the issue of authority over Jerusalem -- we find that the last two are directly linked to the faiths of Jewish people and Muslim people around the world. The original ownership and authority over Jerusalem are highly contested due to the presence of holy sites for Christians, Jews, and Muslims in the city. This conflict is also deeply rooted in history, in which Jerusalem has been attacked fifty-two times, captured and recaptured forty-four times, besieged twenty-three times, and destroyed twice. The city was ruled by the Ancient Egyptians, the Canaanites, the Israelites, the Greeks, the Romans, the Persians, Byzantines, the Islamic Caliphates, the Crusaders, the Ottomans, and finally the British, before its division into Israeli and Jordanian sectors from 1948 to 1967.

In Jewish and Biblical history, Jerusalem was the capital of the Kingdom of Israel during the reign of King David. It is also home to the Temple Mount, and the Western Wall, both highly sanctified sites in Judaism. In Islamic history, the city was the first Muslim Qiblah (the direction which Muslims face during their prayer). It is also the place where Prophet Muhammad’s Isra’ and Mi'raj (bringing forward and ascension to heaven, also called the night journey) ensued according to the Qur’an.

Thus the sanctity of Jerusalem resonates among many Muslims around the world, not just Palestinians. Reactions in the Arab and the Islamic world to the recent violence in Gaza and the West Bank after the U.S. decision to relocate the embassy to Jerusalem suggest that many view this issue mainly in a religious light. The narratives on social media platforms and the media in general in those countries usually included references to religion, even among seemingly secular people.

The issue of West Bank settlements, too, has a religious aspect. It concerns the physical restoration of the biblical land of Israel before the return of the Messiah, something central to the beliefs of some orthodox Jews. They continue to settle the West Bank to fulfill this prophecy, clashing with the local Palestinians.

On the other hand, according to fundamentalist schools of Islam, at the end of days, the whole land of Israel and Palestine should be under Islamic rule. Prophecies surrounding this issue are deeply rooted in some versions of the Hadith (traditional sayings of the Prophet), although only implied in the Qur’an.

Historical and Organizational Consequences

As far back as the 1948 war, some Jewish extremist groups justified their contribution to the conflict as part of a divinely promised return to the holy land of Israel. More recently, however, the most extreme such groups, like the “Gush Emunim Underground” which plotted to bomb the mosques in the Temple Mount area back in the 1980s, have been banned by the Israeli authorities

On the other side, several religious extremist groups like the Muslim Brotherhood justified their contribution to the conflict in 1948 as an eschatological event pertinent to the approach of the Day of Judgment. Nowadays, terrorist Brotherhood offshoots like Hamas call for using violence against Israel in the name of Islam, without distinction between civilian and military targets. They continue to use religion to gain supporters in Gaza and elsewhere by propagating this apocalyptic narrative. This Muslim Brotherhood group ideology, stretching through many Arab (and several non-Arab) countries, seeks to revive Islam and re-establish the historical Islamic Caliphate by seizing power. They consider Israel to be a “foreign object” in the continuum of a potential Islamic Caliphate, and they continue to call for the use of violence against it.

In parallel to this extreme Sunni side, ever since the Islamic revolution in Iran in 1979, Iran has been the fiercest in opposing Israel. Its radical regime calls openly for the destruction of Israel and asserts the necessity of this quest from a theological standpoint. It finances Hezbollah and Hamas and supplies them with weapons and training, as well as supporting Assad’s forces in Syria, thereby posing a direct security threat to Israel – all allegedly in the name of Islam.

Social Consequences

For two Arab countries, Egypt and Jordan, direct peacemaking was achieved with Israel. Nevertheless, that did not entail the people-to-people or cultural normalization that is assumed to accompany peace, due to many reasons -- including religious ones. Accepting peace with Israel may be viewed as religious treachery, which goes against the beliefs not only of extremists but also of many relative moderates in Arab states. The key point is that these various forms of religion-based conflict drivers are not limited to religious groups, but are linked to much wider bases in society. This results from two major factors, as follows:

Interest and Identity Overlap: Interests of religious extremists who are directly linked to the religious drivers at many instances overlap with other segments in the Arab and Islamic societies. They share some elements of their identities, if not the whole. For example, a secular nationalist Palestinian and an extremely religious, Salafi Palestinian in the Qassam Brigades of Hamas may share very similar views of Israel. Much the same is true of some secularists, traditionalists, and fundamentalists in other Arab or Islamic societies.

Systematic Abuse of Linkages to Wider Bases in Societies: Religious extremists in the Arab and Islamic world and in Israel, whether violent or not, have used deliberately the ideological and functional linkages to connect to wider bases in their respective countries. Ideologically, links with the wider society are established by trying to radicalize elements that have this potential, either due to natural tendencies toward perceived communal self-defense, or to the superficial knowledge of their religions. For example, extremists would use an isolated incident of violence against the Jewish community to justify retaliation by their wider society. A non-religious traditional Arab might well share the fear of secularization, and of “Jewish influence,” with the Islamist.  Functionally, extreme Imams have very strong tools at their disposals across the Arab and Islamic world to promote violence through their mosques and privately funded media, subjecting people repeatedly to the narrative and rhetoric of violence against Israel in particular and Jewish people in general.

Possible Interventions

To contribute to curbing the religious violence in this conflict, several interventions can be considered: interfaith dialogue; the remembrance of past fruitful cooperation between Jews and Muslims, ever since the seventh century; and focusing on religious texts asserting positive and tolerant religious values, and reinforcing these values in educational systems on both sides. These are perhaps not new ideas. What should be new, however, is the urgency and centrality of this religious component as part of any current effort to achieve an Israeli-Palestinian “deal of the century” – or even just to mitigate the conflict and pave the way for peaceful coexistence in the long-term future.

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The Israel-Hamas War: The Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza

By Christina Bouri and Diana Roy

Last updated February 8, 2024 4:00 pm (EST)

International calls for a cease-fire are mounting as the humanitarian situation in Gaza deteriorates rapidly amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.

In October 2023, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a massive surprise assault on southern Israel, the deadliest single attack on Israelis in history. Israel’s subsequent declaration of war with the intent to destroy Hamas has further worsened an already dire situation in the Gaza Strip, where more than two million Palestinians lived prior to the conflict. International efforts to negotiate a full humanitarian cease-fire have failed as the war’s death toll has climbed.

During their assault, Hamas militants killed around 1,200 Israelis , about 70 percent of them civilians, and took roughly 240 hostages. While Hamas freed more than 100 hostages under a weeklong cease-fire deal in November, it still holds some 136 people captive, though an estimated 32 of them have died, according to an assessment conducted by the Israeli military and reported by the New York Times . In a January 2024 ruling, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to contain the civilian death toll in Gaza, though it did not issue an order demanding a cease-fire.

How bad is the humanitarian situation in Gaza?

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Humanitarian Crises

Wars and Conflict

The Gaza Strip, a small territory of about 139 square miles (360 square kilometers), or roughly the size of the city of Detroit, was already experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis before the current hostilities broke out. As a result of a sixteen-year blockade by Israel, more than half of all Gazans depend on international assistance for basic services. Additionally, some 80 percent of Gaza’s residents are considered refugees under international law, and Palestinians overall compose the largest stateless community in the world.

Israel’s military operations in response to Hamas’s attack have resulted in “colossal human suffering,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in January. As of February, Israel’s retaliation has killed 27,748 people [PDF] and injured more than 66,800 others, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health. (These figures could not be independently verified, but outside sources have also reported similar numbers.) More than 120 journalists and media workers have also been killed, as well as over 150 UN employees, the highest number of aid workers killed in any conflict in UN history.

Israel maintains a complete siege of Gaza, cutting off electricity and water, and supplies of food and medicine remain scarce. A December report  [PDF] by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, an initiative composed of independent international food security and nutrition experts, warned that an estimated more than 90 percent of Gaza’s population is facing crisis levels of food insecurity. Without fuel, meanwhile, Gaza’s only power station has gone dark. The lack of electricity has shut down desalination and waste-water treatment plants, further compromising access to safe drinking water. 

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Israel’s aerial bombardments have demolished neighborhoods, schools, and mosques; satellite imagery analyzed by the United Nations shows that approximately 30 percent of Gaza’s total structures have been destroyed or damaged. (Similar satellite imagery analysis by the BBC puts this number higher, at between 50 and 61 percent .) The Israeli military has said that Hamas has placed portions of its command network and military tunnel system below civilian infrastructure, including hospitals , which Israeli strikes have hit.

Gaza’s health system, which was reported to have collapsed in November 2023, remains crippled, with hospitals running extremely low on rationed fuel reserves and medical supplies. Northern Gaza’s two major hospitals have long greatly exceeded their capacity, and Nasser Hospital, the largest functioning medical facility in southern Gaza, is now unable to provide critical medical care. Health authorities have also warned of the growing risk of disease outbreaks as health conditions rapidly decline.

What are the refuge options for Palestinians in Gaza?

Gazans’ options for refuge are severely limited. As of January, some 75 percent of the territory’s population of more than two million have been displaced. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have fled bombing in the north, cramming inside the southern city of Rafah, considered the last designated safe zone for those seeking shelter. However, Israel’s defense minister announced in February that the Israeli military plans to expand its ground campaign into Rafah, now the strip’s most populous city. Aid groups say such a move could lead to a large-scale loss of life and place more pressure on neighboring countries to take in refugees, though Israeli officials have said they will coordinate with Egypt before any ground offensive takes place to evacuate displaced Palestinians northward.

Egypt, which shares the Rafah border crossing with Gaza and already hosts some 390,000 refugees and asylum seekers , primarily from around the region, is the only viable outlet left. The Egyptian government was initially reluctant to open the crossing following the outbreak of war. Since then, Israel has allowed aid trucks carrying water, food, fuel, and medical supplies to enter Gaza. (UN agencies have said that aid delivery has been hindered by ongoing fighting, a slow vetting process, and the lack of crossings into Gaza.) A few hundred foreign nationals and injured civilians have also been allowed to flee Gaza via the border crossing, which has temporarily closed several times due to Israeli strikes.

How are humanitarian aid organizations responding?

In November 2023, the United Nations launched an updated $481 million flash appeal to address the needs of people in Gaza and the West Bank; as of December, nearly half of total funding requirements had been pledged. In Gaza, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) are helping to provide essential goods and services, such as medical supplies, fuel, and emergency assistance. However, the Joe Biden administration announced in January that it is temporarily suspending new funding to UNRWA following allegations by Israel that a dozen agency employees participated in Hamas’s October 7 attack; many other countries, including Canada, Germany, and Japan, have also suspended their donations.

Several other major organizations, including the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement—which comprises the Palestine Red Crescent Society—and Doctors Without Borders, are also supplying humanitarian aid. As the fighting continues, international calls for a humanitarian cease-fire have grown; in December, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution calling for the immediate cessation of hostilities; ten countries, including the United States, voted against the measure.

Recommended Resources

This article by CFR Senior Fellow David J. Scheffer explains humanitarian law in the context of the Israel-Hamas war.

At this CFR media briefing, panelists discuss international law and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The Center for Preventive Action tracks the Israeli-Palestinian conflict .

CFR’s World101 library explores the history behind the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Will Merrow created the graphic for this In Brief .

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Essay Service Examples History Arab-Israeli Conflict

Israel and Palestine Conflict Essay

Table of contents

Introduction, literature review, history of israel and palestine conflict, cause of conflict, 2030 security concept of israel, current situation of the peace process, bibliography.

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• Ataöv, T. '. (2004). On Arab-Jewish State; The Ottoman Experience And After. The Turkish Yearbook of International Relations 35, 107-115.
• Baskin, G. (2008, December 15). Encountering Peace: The Emerging Bi-national Reality. Retrieved from Jerusalem Post: https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Encountering-Peace-The-emerging-bi-national-reality
• Beauchamp, Z. (2018, May 14). How do the current Israeli and Palestinian governments approach the conflict? Retrieved from Vox: https://www.vox.com/2018/11/20/18080092/israeli-palestinian-conflict-current-governments
• Benvenisti, M. (1987). The Second Republic. Journal of Palestine Studies 16, no. 3, 197-201.
• Dowty, A. (2012). ISRAEL / PALESTINE, Third Edition, Fully reserved and updated. Cambridge, United State of America: Polity Press.
• Dowty, A. (2012). ISRAEL / PALESTINE, Third Edition, Fully reserved and updated. Cambridge: Polity Press.
• Lewis, B. (1984). The Jews of Islam. Prinston University Press.
• MoFA, I. (2018, August 15). PM Netanyahu presents the ‘2030 Security Concept’ to the Cabinet. Retrieved from Israel Ministry of Foreign Affair: https://mfa.gov.il/MFA/PressRoom/2018/Pages/-PM-Netanyahu-presents-2030-Security-Concept-to-the-Cabinet-15-August-20180816-2202.aspx
• Tareq Y. Ismael, and Glenn E. Perry. (2013). The international relations of the contemporary Middle East: subordination and beyond. London and New York: Routledge.

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The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: A Very Short Introduction

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The Palestinian–Israeli Conflict: A Very Short Introduction explains the history of this conflict, reducing it to its very essence — a modern territorial contest between two nations and one geographical territory. It is one of the most highly publicized and bitter struggles in history. Over the last 120 years the conflict has had many facets, most tangibly the sharing of land. It is historically very complex involving changes in relationships among people and events. What significance have the 1897 Basle Congress, the 1917 Balfour Declaration and British occupation of Palestine, and the 1947 UN Partition Plan and the war for Palestine had on the conflict as a whole? How and why has partition been so difficult? How do efforts to restore peace continue today?

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Make Your Note

Israel-Palestine Conflict

• 10 Oct 2023
• 11 min read
• GS Paper - 2
• Bilateral Groupings & Agreements
• Regional Groupings
• Indian Diaspora
• Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests

For Prelims: Israel , Palestine , Middle-East , Arab World , Yom Kippur War, Zionism , Al-Aqsa , Gaza Strip , Jerusalem , Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO)

For Mains: Impact of Israel-Palestine Conflict on India and International geopolitical scenario.

Why in News?

Recently, the Hamas , the militant group ruling the Gaza Strip , have mounted a scathing attack on Israel from the land, air and water leading to multiple casualties. This has revived the century-old dispute between Israel-Palestine Conflict once again, necessitating the intervention by global and regional powers.

• Israel, in the recent times, has cemented many peace agreements with neighboring countries such as UAE, Saudi Arabia etc which is set to feel a jolt due to the recent attack.

What is the Israel-Palestine Conflict?

• The seeds of the conflict were laid in 1917 when the then British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour expressed official support of Britain for a Jewish "national home" in Palestine under the Balfour Declaration.
• The UN presented a partition plan to create independent Jewish and Arab states in Palestine which was not accepted by most of Arab nations.
• In 1948 , the Jewish declaration of Israel's independence prompted surrounding Arab states to attack. At the end of the war, Israel controlled about 50 % more territory than originally envisioned by the UN partition plan.
• As per the Plan, Jordan controlled the West Bank and Jerusalem's holy sites, and Egypt controlled the Gaza Strip . But it fell short of solving the palestinian crisis which led to the formation of Palestinian Liberation Organisation in 1964.
• The United Nations granted the PLO observer status in 1975 and recognizes Palestinians' right to self-determination.
• Six-Day War: In 1967 war, Israeli forces seized the Golan Heights from Syria, the West Bank & East Jerusalem from Jordan and Sinai Peninsula & Gaza strip from Egypt.
• "Framework for Peace in the Middle East" brokered by the U.S. set the stage for peace talks between Israel and its neighbors and a resolution to the "Palestinian problem". This however remained unfulfilled.
• Hamas- It is regarded as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. In 2006, Hamas won the Palestinian Authority's legislative elections. It ejected Fatah from Gaza in 2007, splitting the Palestinian movement geographically, as well
• 1987: Tensions in the occupied territories of West Bank and Gaza reached boiling point resulting in the First Intifada (Palestinian Uprising). It grew into a small war between Palestinian militants and the Israeli army.
• 1993: Under the Oslo Accords Israel and the PLO agree to officially recognize each other and renounce the use of violence. The Oslo Accords also established the Palestinian Authority, which received limited autonomy in the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank.
• 2005: Israel begins a unilateral withdrawal of Jews from settlements in Gaza. However, Israel kept tight control over all border crossings (blockade).
• 2012- UN upgrades Palestinian representation to that of "non-member observer state".
• West Bank: The West Bank is sandwiched between Israel and Jordan. One of its major cities is Ramallah, the de facto administrative capital of Palestine. Israel took control of it in the 1967 war and has over the years established settlements there.
• Gaza : The Gaza Strip located between Israel and Egypt. Israel occupied the strip after 1967, but relinquished control of Gaza City and day-to-day administration in most of the territory during the Oslo peace process. In 2005, Israel unilaterally removed Jewish settlements from the territory , though it continues to control international access to it.
• Golan Heights: The Golan Heights is a strategic plateau that Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 war . Israel effectively annexed the territory in 1981. Recently, the USA has officially recognized Jerusalem and Golan Heights as a part of Israel.

How has the relationship of India with Israel evolved over the years ?

• India was one of the few countries to oppose the UN’s partition plan in 1947, echoing its own experience during independence a few months earlier.
• India recognised Israel in 1950 but it is also the first non-Arab country to recognise Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) as the sole representative of the Palestinian. India is also one of the first countries to recognise the statehood of Palestine in 1988.
• In recent times, India is being seen shifted towards a Dehyphenation of Policy.
• India’s policy on the longest running conflict in the world has gone from being unequivocally pro-Palestine for the first four decades, to a tense balancing act with its three-decade-old friendly ties with Israel.
• In recent years, India’s position has also been perceived as pro-Israel.
• Further, India believes in a Two-State Solution with respect to Israel-Palestine conflict , and proposes the right to self-determination to both the countries in a peaceful manner.

What is the Impact of Assault on Israel-Saudi Arabia Ties ?

• One of the reasons for Hamas' assault on Israel can be attributed to disrupting efforts to bring Saudi Arabia and Israel together, along with other countries that may be interested in normalizing relations with Israel.
• Hamas had highlighted threats to Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque , the continuation of an Israeli blockade on Gaza and Israeli normalization with countries in the region.
• Dehyphening Saudi Arabia from Israel will help promote the agenda of Muslim Brotherhood and territorial sovereignty over the Arab and Middle East region.
• Normalization of ties of regional powers with Israel will further embolden and strengthen the position of Israel vis-a-vis reclaiming Palestinian territories.
• Ties with UAE,Egypt,Saudi Arabia etc will provide a vigorous push to infrastructural development, and create inter-dependence and inter-relationships among these countries, much to the chagrin of Palestinians.

Way Forward

• The world at large needs to come together for a peaceful solution but the reluctance of the Israeli government and other involved parties have aggravated the issue more. Thus a balanced approach would help to maintain favorable relations with Arab countries as well as Israel.
• The recent normalization agreements between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco , known as the Abraham Accords , are the steps in the right direction. All regional powers should envisage peace between the two countries on line of Abraham Accords.
• India’s role in multilateral organizations requires “strenuous efforts in cooperation with all related parties to achieve security and stability in the Middle East and West Asia”.
• India is currently serving as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for 2021-22 and was re-elected to the Human Rights Council for the 2022-24. India should use these multilateral forums to act as a mediator to resolve the Israel-Palestine issue.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Q 1. Which one of the following countries of South-West Asia does not open out to the Mediterranean Sea? (2015)

(a) Syria (b) Jordan (c) Lebanon (d) Israel

Q1. ‘Too little cash, too much politics, leaves UNESCO fighting for life.’ Discuss the statement in the light of US’ withdrawal and its accusation of the cultural body as being ‘anti-Israel bias’. (2019)

Q2 . “India’s relations with Israel have, of late, acquired a depth and diversity, which cannot be rolled back.” Discuss. (2018)

Content Search

The israel-palestine crisis: causes, consequences, portents.

The confrontations across Israel-Palestine are well on the way to becoming one of the worst spasms of violence there in recent memory. In this Q&A, Crisis Group experts explain what is behind the explosive events and where they might lead.

How serious is the most recent flare-up in the conflict?

It is extremely serious, partly because it is taking place on several fronts at once: Israeli police actions against Palestinians protesting home evictions or praying at the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, cross-border fighting between Israel and Palestinian armed groups in Gaza, marches from Jordan on the West Bank border, and violence in Israel’s mixed cities – towns with significant numbers of Jewish and Palestinian citizens. Combined, these confrontations are well on their way to becoming one of the worst spasms in the recent history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The flare-up could get worse still, namely if Israel decides to launch a ground offensive into the Gaza Strip. Israeli officials are still reportedly considering this option, with tanks and heavy artillery close to the territory’s northern perimeter and already involved in fighting, though from the outside; residents in the northern parts of the strip have started evacuating their homes in response. The situation will be further compounded if Israel deploys its military battalions into the mixed cities, an option it also appears to be considering.

Even if the parties can bring some of the fighting to a halt through, for example, a Gaza ceasefire, all the underlying problems remain, now much further inflamed, and crying out for a far more serious effort to forge a durable solution than has been the case in the conflict to date.

The toll in human and material terms is already shattering. By 10 May, some 250 Palestinians had been injured during police operations against what started as peaceful protests in East Jerusalem. Since then, when Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement that governs Gaza, began firing rockets at Israel and Israel mounted retaliatory airstrikes, the fighting has become much bloodier. The health ministry in Gaza has recorded 830 Palestinians hurt and 119 killed, including 31 children, as a result of Israeli aerial and artillery bombardment. During the same period, nine Israelis, including one child, have been killed and over 400 injured in Hamas rocket attacks.

In an unprecedented wave of violence, dozens of people have been injured throughout Israel’s mixed cities and neighbourhoods. Some of the worst attacks occurred in Lod/Al-Lid. On 10 May, Palestinians set fire to a synagogue and police cars, and a Jewish gunman shot dead a Palestinian during altercations, after which the government placed the city under a nightly curfew, which ultra-nationalist Jews subsequently breached. Authorities also imposed a state of emergency – for the first time since Israel dismantled its military rule over its Palestinian citizens in 1966 – and moved Border Police units into the city from their main area of operations in the occupied West Bank. On 12 May, Israeli ultra-nationalists attacked Al-Lid’s Al-Omari mosque ahead of the curfew, which led the mayor, Yair Revivo, to declare a state of civil war.

Similar incidents took place elsewhere. Jewish mobs from Israel and Israeli settlements in the West Bank, organised through cell phones and social media, sought out and attacked Palestinians in various cities, at times under the gaze of Israeli security forces nearby. In Acre, Palestinians assaulted a Jewish man, leaving him in serious condition. In Bat Yam, dozens of nationalist Jews bearing the Israeli flag assaulted a Palestinian citizen, who was hospitalised. In West Jerusalem, a Palestinian was stabbed on 12 May and remains in serious condition.

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli strikes have done enormous damage to buildings and civil infrastructure, bringing down several apartment and office towers and levelling government buildings, service facilities such as schools and banks, homes and security compounds, including several police stations. As of 13 May, Hamas had fired over 2,000 rockets and mortars at Israel (a number of which misfired, and most of which Israel intercepted with its Iron Dome air defence system, but some of which landed in Tel Aviv and other urban areas); and Israel had carried out hundreds of air and artillery strikes. Hamas’s firepower, both in terms of number of rockets and their reach, far surpasses earlier escalations, and Israeli retaliation has been swift and devastating, making this episode’s destruction more comparable to the four earlier Gaza wars – in 2006, 2008-2009, 2012 and 2014 – than any of the flare-ups in between.

Most significantly, perhaps, this occasion is the first since the September 2000 intifada when Palestinians have responded simultaneously and on such a massive scale throughout much of the combined territory of Israel-Palestine to the cumulative impact of military occupation, repression, dispossession and systemic discrimination.

What triggered it?

It all began with a number of separate but interrelated incidents in East Jerusalem, which escalated, became militarised and then metastasised, building on points of conflict that had been smouldering for years and now rapidly received oxygen.

One catalyst was at the entrance to Jerusalem’s Old City at the Damascus Gate, at the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, 13 April, when Israeli authorities banned East Jerusalem residents from congregating on the gate’s steps and barricaded the area. Damascus Gate is a social hub for many of the Old City’s Palestinian residents, a platform for civic and cultural gatherings and events. Palestinian youth saw the placement of metal barriers as a provocation and launched what became nightly protests; these were not linked to political factions or any other wider agenda. Within days, ultra-nationalist Jews responded by marching through central Jerusalem toward Damascus Gate, chanting “death to Arabs”. The outrage these marches aroused among Palestinians spilled over into the adjacent West Bank and neighbouring Jordan, while militant groups in Gaza fired dozens of rockets into Israel. Palestinians filmed attacks on Jews and posted them to social media to seek sympathy and support, while ultra-nationalist Israeli Jews roamed Jerusalem’s streets attacking Arabs. Following twelve days of violent confrontation in East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities took down the barricades on 25 April.

Next came a second trigger in the form of growing popular anger over an Israeli Supreme Court ruling – subsequently delayed – concerning the planned expulsion of four Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah, an East Jerusalem neighbourhood that connects the Old City to the West Bank. The case had been wending its way through the Israeli court system for years before landing in its uppermost forum. Local Palestinians organised daily iftar sit-ins to break the Ramadan fast and protest the expulsions, which were part of a sweep of at least 27 other households yet to be carried out. These attracted the attention of ultra-nationalist Jews, who, accompanied by newly elected Knesset member Itamar Ben Gvir, entered Sheikh Jarrah on 10 May to disrupt the protests and at times assault those who had gathered peacefully. Israeli police fired sponge bullets, stun grenades and skunk water, causing hundreds of injuries. Numerous Palestinians were subsequently beaten by police as they were taken into custody. Tensions and arrests are continuing to date.

Further inflaming the situation around this time was the decision by Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas, on 29 April, to “indefinitely postpone” legislative elections in the occupied Palestinian territories scheduled for 22 May. Abbas likely feared that his fractured Fatah movement would fare poorly in the polls, but the reason he cited for the postponement was the absence of Israeli assurances that East Jerusalem residents would be permitted to participate. In fact, Israeli authorities had disrupted election campaigning in East Jerusalem throughout April, arresting Palestinian politicians and their supporters. The detentions infuriated Palestinians across the political spectrum, as these actions threatened to obstruct their attempt at renewing their national institutions through the democratic process, as international actors had been encouraging them to do.

The fourth trigger proved the most serious. On the evening of 7 May, Israeli police clashed with young Palestinians and used force against worshippers at the Al-Aqsa mosque inside the walled Old City, injuring dozens. Police also closed the gates leading to the mosque, which is the third holiest site for Muslims after Mecca and Medina; such categorical access restrictions, even when in response to violent protest, nearly always lead to further escalation. The police worsened matters further when they blocked busloads of Palestinian citizens from entering Jerusalem on 8 May, preventing thousands of Muslims from reaching Al-Aqsa for prayers on laylat al-qadr, the holiest night of Ramadan. Israeli forces then attacked Muslim worshippers at the Holy Esplanade (Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount) that same evening. The following day, Israeli forces breached the compound, firing stun grenades and tear gas canisters at worshippers, pushing their way into the mosque and attacking people inside. Scores of Palestinians were injured and many detained. On 10 May, Israeli soldiers staged another raid and confiscated the keys to the mosque’s main gates.

The events of that day, 10 May, coincided with what Israelis celebrate as Jerusalem Day – what they see as the reunification of East Jerusalem, including the Old City, with West Jerusalem during the 1967 war. The same day, Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem had protested Jewish ultra-nationalist plans to march through the Old City toward Al-Aqsa. Following international, including U.S., pressure, Israeli authorities redirected the march to avert further violence, but tensions had already risen to dangerous levels.

Responding to the events in Jerusalem that same day, Hamas’s military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, admonished Israel to halt violence against Palestinians in the city. Palestinian armed factions had already started issuing warnings two weeks earlier, saying they would respond to the escalations in Jerusalem. On 10 May, the Joint Chamber of Palestinian Resistance Factions in the Gaza Strip issued an ultimatum, declaring that Israel had until 6pm local time to withdraw its forces from Al-Aqsa and Sheikh Jarrah, and to release all those it had detained during these events. Shortly after the deadline expired, Hamas fired a series of rockets toward Jerusalem. Israeli forces retaliated by launching airstrikes on Gaza, killing 28 people, including nine children, in the first few hours, and threatening an expanded response lasting days , including a ground invasion.

How is this set of events different from previous ones?

Militarily, Israel was caught off guard by Hamas’s expanded operational capacity to fire so many rockets at once and at such distant targets. On 13 May, Hamas unveiled its longer-range Ayyash rocket, firing one at Ramon International Airport outside Eilat at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba. Politically, this series of events was a wake-up call for those in Israel hoping that the conflict is “containable” or even largely over – that they could ignore the Palestinian issue and pretend it had been largely settled in Israel’s favour. That sense has deepened over the last couple of years with the Abraham Accords normalising relations between Israel and important Gulf Arab states and the continued rise in the Israeli economy and living conditions. Israeli leaders also saw Hamas break from its Gazan confines by using its escalation with Israel to attempt to negotiate concessions on Jerusalem, not solely the lifting of the blockade on Gaza, as it had done in the past. In so doing, Hamas appeared to be usurping leadership of the Palestinian national movement from President Abbas and the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority.

While the 2006, 2008-2009, 2012 and 2014 wars were all focused on Gaza, the new round of fighting, including in Gaza, has reaffirmed the centrality of Jerusalem in the conflict. The evolving situation in East Jerusalem – at the Holy Esplanade and in neighbourhoods such as Sheikh Jarrah – has come to epitomise the fundamental elements underlying the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the experiences of Palestinians living through it. The latest altercations in Jerusalem brought these to a head, and found common resonance throughout Palestine’s geographically scattered communities, including in the diaspora.

With growing frequency, Palestinians in these protests raised calls for Hamas, a self-described Islamic national liberation and resistance movement, to step in and do something, clearly positioning the movement in Palestinian eyes as a bulwark against Israeli aggression in contrast with Fatah in the West Bank. At these same protests, Palestinians hurled insults at Abbas and the PA for their ineffectiveness at defending Jerusalem, particularly after they had used the city as the pretence for cancelling Palestinian legislative elections. Indeed, throughout the events that have transpired over the past month, the PA has been consistently mocked. In turn, the PA and Fatah have been relatively silent about these developments, while also cracking down on protests in the West Bank that have erupted in solidarity with Palestinians in East Jerusalem.

The novelty this time around, which will inevitably carry longer-term ramifications, was the popular agitation of Palestinians throughout Israel-Palestine, as if boundaries – and particularly the Green Line, marking the armistice line after the 1948 war and today separating Israel from the West Bank – had vanished. Protests spread from Ramle and Al-Lid to Jaffa, Haifa, Umm al-Fahm, Nazareth, Rahat, Hebron, Nablus, Tarshiha, Bethlehem, Tulkarem, Jenin and Qalandia refugee camp in a kind of non-organised pan-Palestinian movement, only to be met with police brutality. The mobilisation occurred despite decades of Israeli attempts at territorial cantonisation that had in effect cut off East Jerusalem from its West Bank hinterland, of which it is an intrinsic part, in the two and a half decades since the signing of the 1993 Oslo accords, and separated Palestinian citizens of Israel from Palestinians in the occupied territories since 1948.

The widespread nature of the fighting and unrest means that a single ceasefire is not going to restore calm, even if it may take the edge off the worst of the violence.

What are leaders on all sides saying?

In the wake of the 23 March Israeli elections, from which a new coalition government has yet to emerge, Israeli politicians are taking hawkish stances. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Benny Gantz, as well as their major opponents, Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett, have all said they want to deal a major blow to Hamas. On 11 May, Netanyahu declared, “Hamas and Islamic Jihad have paid and – I tell you here – will pay a very heavy price for their aggression. I say here this evening – their blood is on their heads”.

Gantz warned on 12 May that, “Israel is not preparing for a ceasefire. There is currently no end date for the operation. Only when we achieve complete quiet can we talk about calm”. Israeli military spokesperson Hidai Zilberman said on 13 May that the army has not ruled out a ground invasion: “We have a foot on the gas”. Others criticise the government for its lack of strategy regarding Gaza since Israel pulled soldiers and Jewish settlers out of the strip in 2005. Giora Eiland, a retired major-general and former head of Israel’s National Security Council, chided the leadership in comments to Crisis Group for having “kept the status quo for fifteen years. The state is evading other options. It is not even discussing other strategies. They are in default mode”.

Israel benefits from being able to conflate the Palestinian struggle for freedom with Hamas’s Islamist ideology and indiscriminate rocket fire at residential areas. It can use the latter in particular to justify responding with even greater force, highlighting the severe power imbalance between the two sides, and dodging responsibility for its own attacks taking civilian lives by claiming that Hamas, a designated “terrorist” organisation, is using Gaza residents as “human shields” for its military facilities.

Israeli commentators and military analysts have started assembling a victory narrative, talking about how heavy a hit Hamas has taken, giving the appearance that the war may wind down within a matter of days. Meanwhile, on the domestic front, Bennett has called off efforts to form an alternative coalition with Lapid, saying he will go back to negotiating with Netanyahu to form a government. Alternatively, Israel would go to yet another election. In either case, Netanyahu would succeed, for now, in his effort to stay in power.

Hamas has issued a list of demands, all of which, unlike in past escalations, have centred on Jerusalem. It has made clear that it will not consider a ceasefire until Israel ceases its expulsions in Sheikh Jarrah, and evacuates its forces from Al-Aqsa mosque, allowing for freedom of access to and worship at the mosque. Beyond these two central demands, Hamas has also called for the release of all prisoners detained in these recent events and Israeli acquiescence to Palestinian legislative elections including in East Jerusalem. Unlike in previous Gaza wars, Hamas has deliberately sidelined the issue of Gaza and centred its demands solely on Jerusalem in a clear demonstration of its intent to represent itself as the defender of all Palestinians across Palestine’s divided terrain.

Hamas is unlikely to see its demands regarding Jerusalem fulfilled – no Israeli government can afford to make concessions in that respect. In Gaza, the Islamist movement will have to consider how much destruction it can allow, given that the task of rebuilding will fall on its shoulders. Its endgame remains unclear.

The PA has been largely silent, offering little more than soundbites condemning Israeli violence against Palestinians in Jerusalem and Gaza. Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh criticised the UN Security Council for failing to produce a joint statement on the situation in a 13 May tweet – but PA officials have said little else of note.

Other Middle Eastern countries have deplored the turn of events but likely to little avail. The Arab League issued a statement on 11 May, condemning Israeli airstrikes on Gaza as “indiscriminate and irresponsible”, and stating that Israel had provoked the escalation with its actions in Jerusalem. Egypt declared its “total rejection and condemnation of these oppressive Israeli practices” in Jerusalem, and Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said Cairo had reached out to Israel in an attempt to calm tensions but was met with indifference. Jordan was slow to react, but issued statements supporting the Palestinians in East Jerusalem and decrying Israel’s heavy-handed retaliation. Turkey has expressed similar sentiments.

Wider international reaction has likewise been muted, at least at the government level, reflecting a deep malaise in diplomacy regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict. The UN Security Council has failed repeatedly to issue a statement calling for calm, due to U.S. opposition. The U.S. also blocked the Council from holding a public session on the crisis on 14 May, though it has agreed that this meeting can take place on 16 May. As on many past occasions when it has blocked UN action on this file, the U.S. said the world body’s intercession would unduly complicate its own behind-the-scenes efforts. This position, which echoes the stances of previous administrations, leaves Washington isolated diplomatically. Moreover, blocking statements and debate on Gaza at the Security Council will benefit China (which has been working on draft Council statements on the crisis with Tunisia and Norway) and Russia, which can use it whenever the U.S. raises matters such as Syria or Xinjiang for discussion and a vote.

The Biden administration entered office hoping not to spend significant time or political capital on the Israel-Palestine conflict and, to date, it has shown no sign of getting more involved. In public, U.S. spokespersons have stuck to the line uniting Democratic and Republican administrations during flare-ups in Israel-Palestine in the post-Oslo era, calling on “both sides” to de-escalate while affirming Israel’s “right to defend itself”. Top officials, including President Joe Biden himself, but also National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Tony Blinken, have placed calls to their Israeli counterparts, reportedly to counsel restraint, but as is often the case, it is not clear what message is received. Biden said Netanyahu had told him that Israel would conclude military operations “sooner rather than later”; the Israeli readout of this conversation said the prime minister told Biden that strikes on Gaza would proceed. Biden has sent a special envoy, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Hady Amr, to the region but without a clear mandate.

Without a U.S. lead, European states are unlikely to take dramatic steps of their own. The European Union, along with France, Poland and Sweden, issued statements emphasising both sides’ responsibility to restore quiet. Representatives of other countries, including Germany and the Netherlands, have denounced the rocket attacks by Hamas but refrained from critical comment about Israel’s actions. Russia, for its part, suggested reconvening the Quartet – the U.S., the UN, the EU and itself – to discuss what can be done. The Quartet’s past interventions, however, have been largely ineffectual.

What will happen next, and what should happen for things to calm down?

Hamas issued its demands when it first launched rockets at Israel over the Jerusalem crisis. Yet it is unclear what it could hope to achieve beyond a ceasefire and a return to the political status quo ante, at which point it will face huge physical devastation in Gaza, especially to its own facilities and capabilities, and to some extent also to its military capacity and command structure. The Israeli military claims it has killed at least 100 Hamas fighters, including commanders, so far, as well as its military research and development team. It posits that these losses, along with the fact that Hamas has used most of the rockets in its arsenal, will force the group to pursue a ceasefire – at which point Israel would need to decide what to do next.

Outside powers could help in laying the ground for a ceasefire. Turkey and Qatar enjoy proximity to Hamas, but Egypt, because of its longstanding interest in what happens on its northern border, is particularly well suited for this task. When the last major Israel-Gaza war happened in 2014, Cairo’s rulers were new in their seats, fresh off the 2013 coup deposing President Muhammad Morsi, a Muslim Brotherhood member. They were in no rush to press for a ceasefire, seemingly content to let Morsi’s ideological confreres in Gaza take a beating. Since then, Cairo’s rulers have become more pragmatic, in part because of the Abraham Accords, which threaten their privileged status as Israel’s main partner in the Arab world. They have pressed for a ceasefire since fighting broke out, in an effort to divert attention from their internal challenges and demonstrate their relevance and diplomatic worth, especially to a new administration in Washington. But with Hamas focused on Jerusalem, and Israel bent on crushing Hamas, their effort so far has come to naught. At the moment, Cairo can give neither side what it most wants.

While the UN and Europeans, too, can play useful roles, today only the U.S., Israel’s primary backer, is able to make a real difference in Israel’s calculations. So far, the Biden administration seems content to follow Israel’s lead. Israel will want to be able to claim to its public that it has exacted the right price for Hamas’ rocket barrage – that it has, in the words of its security establishment, “restored deterrence”. With the Security Council meeting on 16 May, however, the White House’s diplomatic considerations might change. So, too, might its domestic considerations. The longer the fighting in Israel-Palestine goes on, the greater the risk of spillover into U.S. domestic politics and disruption of Biden’s agenda. Already, the crisis has started to bleed into Congressional debates.

There is another variable at play in this escalation that has not been there before: the violence between Palestinians and Israelis on the streets of Israel itself. Whether a ceasefire with Gaza would end all this violence is unclear. But continuing the bombardment of the coastal strip likely will keep feeding the country’s internal convulsions. Israel must make a choice: seek a quicker ceasefire than it otherwise might like or see a quicker unravelling of its social fabric.

This new situation gives Hamas new leverage, but it also confronts the movement with a new quandary. Does it continue to press for substantial Israeli concessions in Jerusalem, which are difficult to imagine, or does it consider the sort of deal that in its past wars was unachievable but today might be more plausible and within Cairo’s ability or even Israel’s willingness to deliver, such as a more substantial relaxation of the blockade? Today, Hamas says such a step-back is off the table – that it has its sights set on Jerusalem and has rockets sufficient for a two-month war. But as time drags on, its arsenal is depleted, Gaza’s destruction mounts and, most importantly, the Palestinian death toll climbs, it might wish that it had looked for the deal that it had been unable to achieve in four previous wars.

As for Israel’s choice, if it wishes to prevent a slide into deeper civil strife, Israel should end categorical limitations on Palestinian access to the Holy Esplanade, in all but the direst circumstances, while Muslim religious authorities (the Waqf) should control stone throwing and other violent protest activities there. Israel also should immediately call a halt to evictions of families in East Jerusalem, or at least communicate privately to Egypt and other parties that it will indefinitely postpone any further action.

More broadly, Israel should denounce violence and incendiary hate speech, no matter the source, and mete out impartial justice to all. Israeli officials have a particular responsibility to combat ethnic hatred emanating from the Jewish far right and to make sure Palestinian citizens are protected from both police and civilian violence in the same way that Jewish citizens are. Palestinians leaders in Israel have a parallel obligation within their own communities. Many around the globe, and especially in the U.S. and Europe, have been surprised by the images of Jewish mob violence, but the sentiments they embody did not spring up overnight. They have long been cultivated and endorsed at the highest levels of the state. Tamping down ethnic incitement is a matter of self-preservation for the Jewish majority, because the alternative, a steady escalation of civil strife, is already on the horizon.

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80 Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best israeli-palestinian conflict topic ideas & essay examples, 🎓 good research topics about israeli-palestinian conflict, ⭐ simple & easy israeli-palestinian conflict essay titles, ❓ research questions for israeli-palestinian conflict.

• Battle of the Holy Land: The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict This essay documents the chronology of the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict through an overview of the major events that led to the feud. The scope of the essay also examines the justification of the rationales for […]
• Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Policy Recommendation Here the problem is each perceives the existence of the other as a state as a threat to its existence. In such a situation what is the way of providing a solution to the conflict […]
• The Role of the USA in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict So, it is important to investigate the history of these two countries and try to find the root of the conflict.”The Arab-Israeli conflict, the central issue of which is the status of a territory known […]
• The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Origins and Evolution Therefore, the clutch for the Jewish people and the condition of Israel has been due to the concentrations of oil and to guarantee an ally is there in the area.
• Martyrdom Culture in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict The culture of martyrdom is a threat to the peace process within the Middle East. The presence of organizations and institutions that encourage and tutor suicide bombing activities presents one of the obstacles to the […]
• Arab National Identity in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Since this is the issue of the national identity of the Arabian people, it is reasonable that the Arabians defend their piece of homeland and history.
• The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Theory and Analysis In their analysis of applying the negotiation theory to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Kteily, Saguy, Sidanius, and Taylor note that the role of such an arbitrator should be allocated to an international community.
• Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Optimistic Prognosis The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the clashes in the Middle East that has continued to exist despite several attempts to resolve it. The conflict owes its origin to the relocation of the Jews to […]
• The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: History and Concept Therefore, most people view this conflict as the epicentre of the wider and long running conflict between Arabs and the Israel state.
• Asian Studies: The Palestine-Israel Conflict Origin The situation can be viewed either through the lens of the nation, which has been deprived of its land unfairly, or the nation who settled in the land of Palestine long ago and, therefore, has […]
• Conflict Between Palestine and Israel The purpose of this study is to analyze the various reasons that led to the conflicts between the Israelis and the Palestinians and the various consequences that the residents of these two states have had […]
• Israeli-Palestinian Conflict vs. Apartheid in South Africa One of the first points that should be made is that ethnic conflicts were present in the history of many nations, but many countries were able to overcome them at least to some degree, for […]
• The Palestine-Israel War: History, Conflict, Causes, Summary, & Facts The intense desire to re-establish the Jewish nation by the Jewish population was sparked by the underlying beliefs of the Jewish religion with of them being repatriation to Zion.
• History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict The struggle is extensive, and the reference is also used in mentioning of the prior stages of the same dispute, involving Jewish and Zionist yishuv and the Arab populace in Palestine under Ottoman or British […]
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Under cover of gaza war, israel is seizing palestinian land in the west bank.

While global attention remains fixed on the nearly 11-month-long conflict in Gaza, which has claimed the lives of more than 40,000 Palestinians , Israel continues to consolidate its political and territorial gains in the occupied West Bank.

In the wake of the 7 October Hamas-led attack , Israeli politicians have leveraged the situation to greenlight the largest land grab in the occupied West Bank in three decades, spanning almost 1,270 hectares in the Jordan Valley.

Settlement monitors have reported that the land grab links Israeli settlements along a crucial corridor bordering Jordan, a move they warn jeopardises the viability of a future Palestinian state.

How Israel uses settler violence to displace Palestinians

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric described the action as “a step in the wrong direction,” emphasising that “the direction we want to be heading is toward a negotiated two-state solution”.

Despite the International Court of Justice's July ruling deeming Israel's presence in the occupied Palestinian territories unlawful, Israel continues to advance its expansionist agenda.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, himself a settler, recently unveiled plans to expand settlements in the West Bank further, vowing to solidify Israel’s hold on the territory and “prevent the creation of a Palestinian state”.

Since Wednesday, at least 18 Palestinians have been killed in the northern West Bank as Israel launched its largest military incursion in the occupied territory since the Second Intifada.

Israeli security forces described the action as a "counterterrorism operation to thwart terror" in Jenin and Tulkarm.

The operation is extensive, with Israeli forces targeting multiple Palestinian cities simultaneously, including Jenin, Tulkarm, Nablus, and Tubas.

Analysts told The New Arab that this new operation, in addition to Israel’s expansive settlements project, is being conducted under the “perfect cover” of Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza.

Israel is seizing the opportunity to advance its longstanding settlement agenda, aiming to control as much land as possible, displace Palestinian residents, and undermine the Palestinian Authority's (PA) ability to achieve any political gains.

The fragmentation of the West Bank

“Over these past few decades, the Israeli occupation has been steadily advancing its geographic consolidation in the West Bank,” Ahmad Abu Al-Hijaa, an expert on Palestinian affairs, stated in an interview with The New Arab .

He noted that while these expansionist efforts began long before the Gaza war, “the conflict has provided Israel with a strategic inlet to accelerate these plans,” effectively “annexing the West Bank under the Israeli yolk”.

In March, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates reported that at least 40 Bedouin communities across the occupied West Bank had been forcibly expelled due to escalating attacks and crimes by Israeli settlers. Abu Al-Hijaa argues that Israel is using settlers as a tool to implement its plans for the West Bank.

“Settlers are the instruments through which the Israeli government's decisions are enforced. The Civil Administration Coordinator, effectively the Prime Minister of the West Bank, is the actual ruler here,” he told The New Arab.

He also adds that Israeli settlers have used the war as a pretext to displace indigenous Bedouin communities in the Ma’arijat area east of Ramallah and the Jordan Valley, seizing control of hundreds of thousands of dunams in the process.

“The occupation has transformed the West Bank into an increasingly uninhabitable, hostile area for Palestinians,” he said.

This was Israel’s first significant gain on the ground. The second, he argues, is the erosion of the Palestinian political presence in the West Bank.

“The Israeli government has systematically stripped the Palestinian Authority of all powers previously granted under various agreements, reducing it to a mere administrative entity with no real authority,” Abu Al-Hijaa added.

With the exception of parts of Jenin in the northern West Bank, “90 percent of the West Bank's territory is no longer geographically connected,” he continued.

“There is no longer any continuity between cities and their surrounding villages, and this has become a stark reality that Palestinians have to deal with,” he stated. “Israel maintains complete control through settlements, bypass roads, outposts, buffer zones, and military bases.”

Will the Palestinian Authority survive Israel's war on Gaza?

Why the west bank matters.

Suleiman Basharat, Director of the Yabous Center for Studies, told The New Arab that Israel's interest in the West Bank is driven by its “geographical significance to the future Jewish state”.

“The West Bank serves as a strategic territorial expanse for the settlement project.” This, he argues, is the essence of Smotrich’s plan to displace Palestinians beyond the Jordan River.

He also points out that Israel views the West Bank, particularly the Jordan Valley, as a security buffer for the Jewish state. To this end, Israel has “intensified its military presence by designating large swaths of land as military zones where Palestinians are barred from entering”.

Israel has long employed various expansive strategies, which have only been reinforced since 7 October, according to Basharat, which include the rapid and intensive construction of settlements and pressuring Palestinians by confiscating land, demolishing homes, and denying building permits in Areas B and C, effectively forcing Palestinians into overcrowded cities or “pushing them to migrate”.

A third aspect of Israeli policy includes a systematic approach to arrests and harassment under the guise of preemptive strikes to prevent the formation of any resistance movements, Basharat added.

"The aim is to seize as much land as possible, build and expand settlements, legalise outposts, and achieve the Israeli government's political objective of preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state"

“Finally, Israel uses a policy of targeted killings, justified as self-defence or suspicion of attacks, to impose deterrence through force and create a psychological barrier that perpetuates fear in the West Bank,” he said.

These strategies, along with the destruction of infrastructure such as water networks, sewage systems, roads, and communication lines, force Palestinians to focus on surviving and quietly rebuilding rather than pursuing political objectives, effectively “weakening the foundations of any potential future Palestinian state,” according to the analyst.

“These policies also weaken all Palestinian support bases in the West Bank, significantly weakening any nationalist movements that call for change,” he adds.

Israel's largest land grab since Oslo sparks annexation fears

A harsh reality.

Mohammad Abu Alaan, an expert in Israeli-Palestinian affairs, believes that what is happening in the West Bank is fundamentally an Israeli policy of “ethnic cleansing and territorial control”.

“The aim is to seize as much land as possible, build and expand settlements, legalize outposts, and achieve the Israeli government’s political objective of imposing hurdles on the ground that would prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state in any future political solution,” he told The New Arab in an interview.

Since the formation of the far-right Israeli government before the war on Gaza, Israel has been committed to these policies, he added.

He pointed to Smotrich’s announcement of a new settlement in the Bethlehem area, which would act as a bridge between the settlements of Bethlehem and Jerusalem. This would “impose new hurdles on the ground” and “prevent any Palestinian geographic continuity”.

“In the past, announcements were made about expanding existing settlements or legalising outposts. Today, new settlements are being established - this represents an escalation in the annexation process,” Abu Alaan noted.

He also highlighted that Israel is exploiting the war on Gaza today to conduct a series of military operations in the West Bank aimed at crushing any pockets of resistance, facilitating the execution of its political plans, especially in areas classified as 'C' under the Oslo Accords.

Since 7 October, Israel has found itself with unprecedented support and a Western-backed mandate that has encouraged its settlement projects and tightened its security grip on the West Bank.

“From this perspective, it can be said that the future of the conflict in the West Bank is not directly tied to the war in Gaza. Instead, the war serves as a cover for accelerating measures and solidifying a reality that could shape the next phase of confrontation,” Abu Alaan said.

This article is published in collaboration with Egab .

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Israel-Gaza updates: Protest erupts in Tel Aviv over cease-fire, hostage deal

As the Israel-Hamas war continues, the latest round of cease-fire discussions continues in the Middle East, even with Hamas rejecting the latest iteration over the weekend.

The United States and its allies continue to plead for a cease-fire deal.

Latest headlines:

Protest erupts in tel aviv as demonstrators demand cease-fire deal, 6 killed in idf strike on gaza school, says gaza civil defense, blinken speaks with parents of goldberg-polin.

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Harris calls parents of slain Oct. 7 hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin

Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff spoke with the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an American-Israeli hostage who was found dead in Gaza on Saturday along with five other Oct. 7 hostages, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

The vice president and her husband called parents Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin on Sunday to "express our condolences following the brutal murder of their son by Hamas terrorists," Harris said in a statement on X.

"My heart breaks for their pain and anguish," Harris continued.

"I told them: As they mourn this terrible loss, they are not alone. Our nation mourns with them," Harris said.

Protesters took to the streets of Tel Aviv Sunday night, demanding a cease-fire agreement and the release of the remaining hostages being held by Hamas terrorists.

The demonstration came a day after Israel Defense Forces recovered the bodies of six hostages in tunnels under the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip.

Protesters were seen waving Israeli flags as they demanded a cease-fire agreement, chanting "Deal. Now."

-ABC News' Victoria Beaule

At least six people were killed on Sunday when Israel Defense Forces conducted an airstrike on a school in Gaza City, according to Gaza Civil Defense.

The IDF said in a statement that the strike was aimed at Hamas terrorists they allege were operating a command-and-control center inside the Safad school to plan and carry out terrorist attacks against the IDF and Israel.

"Prior to the strike, numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence," the IDF said in a statement.

The Gaza Civil Defense confirmed the Safad school was hit in the IDF strike, but said the school houses displaced people from the Al-Zeitoun area east of Gaza City.

-ABC News' Victoria Beaulé

Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke Sunday with the parents of U.S.-Israeli citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who Isreal Defense Forces found fatally shot Saturday along with five other hostages who were being held in Gaza tunnels by Hamas terrorists, according to a State Department spokesperson.

In his phone conversation Sunday with Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, Blinken offered "deep condolences for the death of their son," said State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said.

-ABC News' Shannon Kingston

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Israel war on Gaza updates: No deal means captives in ‘coffins’, says Hamas

These were the updates on Israel’s war on Gaza for Monday, September 2.

This live page is now closed. You can continue to follow our coverage of the war in Gaza here.