Israel-Palestine War – History and Reasons

Quick Glance: 

• Hamas started an operation called Al-Aqsa Storm against Israel, in which 5000 rockets were fired on Israel.

• In retaliation, Israel also started an operation using iron swords against Hamas.

• More than 200 people have died in this war; 70 were killed in Israel, while 198 were killed in Palestine.

Israel-Palestine War:

Israel-Palestine war has started. Israel has started operations ‘iron swords’ against Hamas, an Islamist militant organization in the Gaza Strip. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister, said Israel is at war. This decision was taken after the attack by Hamas, in which it fired 5000 rockets on Israel under Operation Al-Aqsa Storm. In this surprise attack on Palestine, more than 200 people have been killed. On the other hand, the Israeli attack on Gaza has killed 684 Palestinians.

America sent military equipment to Israel as the death toll among Americans rose to 11. On the other hand, Hezbollah, a Lebanon-based militant group, also joined the hands of Hamas in this war and attacked Israel from the northern end.

How a new nation Israel came into existence?

The Balfour Declaration was made by Arthur Balfour Foreign Secretary of Britain in 1917. In this declaration Britain promised Jews that after winning the First World War they would establish a country for them in Palestine, where their community could live in peace.

After defeating the Ottoman Empire, Britain took the whole of Palestine under its control. In Germany, Hitler came into power and killed thousands of Jews. In order to save themselves from the Nazi genocide, the Jews started to migrate to different countries. Some fled to America, while others fled to Palestine.

During the 1940s, Palestine started a movement against the Jews in order to stop their movement in the country. The violent clashes started between the two communities. So, the Britishers restricted the immigration of Jews into Palestine. The Britishers left Palestine and the matter went to the United Nations. 

What is Resolution of UN General Assembly?

In 1947 the UN released a partition plan. According to this plan, 55% of Palestine area went to Israel, a country for the Jewish people, and 43% of the Palestine area went to local Muslims. Jerusalem was under international control because of its importance for three religions.

The Jews were happy with this partition plan and named their own country Israel. But the neighboring Arab countries were not happy with the UN’s Partition Plan as they believed it was unfair for Palestinians. So the war started between newly formed Israel and the Arab countries.

I. First Israeli-Arab War 1948:

In this war Arab countries namely Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Iraq fought against Israel. But Israel shocked the world and won their maiden war. Israel captured a lot of areas of Palestine and Egypt captured the Gaza strip and Jordan captured the Western Bank. The Jews were happy with this partition plan and named their own country Israel.

II. Second Israeli-Arab War 1967:

Israel again won a 6-day-long war and seized the-

• Gaza Strip from Egypt
• Western Bank from Jordan
• Golan Heights from Syria 
• Sinai Peninsula of Egypt
• A lot of area of Jerusalem

III. Lebanon War 2006:

Hezbollah, a militant group from Lebanon, attacked Israel to release Lebanon prisoners and captured 2 Israeli soldiers. This war ended after 34 days. Israeli forces killed more than 1000 Lebanese, but they failed to save their 2 soldiers from Hezbollah. 

What is Peace Agreement between leaders of Israel and Palestine?

• In 1979, peace talks took place between Israel and Egypt. Egypt became the first country to recognize Israel as a country, and Israel in return gave back the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt. Because of this peace talk Israeli PM Menachem Begin and Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat got the Nobel Peace Prize.

• In 1992, Israeli politician Yitzhaek Rabin and Palestine leader Yasser Arafat from the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) talked about how to solve the conflict and the Oslo Accords took place.
  
• In 1994, for the first time, a Palestinian government was established, called the Palestinian National Authority.
  
• They divided the West Bank into three areas A, B, and C.

          – The Palestinian government will control Area A.

          – Israel and Palestine government will control Area B.

          – Area C will be under the control of Israel.

For this decision, both won the Nobel Peace Prize. But the Palestinians were very angry, as they did not want even a small area of their country with Israel. A Palestinian assassinated Israeli Prime Minister  Yitzhaek Rabin.

Also, fanatic Muslims founded a group called HAMAS (Ḥarakat al-Muqāwamah al-ʾIslāmiyyah). This group chose violent activities to show their anger. In the 2006 Palestine election HAMAS won and formed the government and controlled the Gaza Strip. PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) controlled the Western Bank.

A civil war started between Hamas and the PLO in Palestine. This war was called the Battle of Gaza in 2007. As a consequence, Palestine was further divided into two parts. Hamas controlled the Gaza Strip, while the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) controlled the Western Bank.

In 1996 Benjamin Netanyahu gave greater control to the PLO over Western Bank and Gaza Strip.

With the passage of time Israeli-Palestine conflict is worsening, in spite of peace talks.

Jerusalem – Another Reason for Conflict:

In Jerusalem there is a 35 acres of compound called Temple Mount. Here the holiest sites of both Muslims and Jews are presented. Muslims called this compound the Haram-al-Sharif. Therefore, Israeli-Palestine conflict took place between people of these religions from day to day.

Importance of Temple Mount for Muslims:

Muslims believe that from here Prophet Muhammed ascended to Heaven. The Temple Mount compound in Jerusalem is the third holiest place for them after Mecca and Medina.

Importance of Temple Mount for Jews:

Jews believe that Adam (the first human) took birth here. So, in the Temple Mount compound the First Temple was built by King Solomon. Jews said that Dome of the Rock was built after destroying their First Temple by Babylonian Empire. After this destruction, a Second Temple was made, but again the Roman Empire destroyed it. The Western Wall, or Wailing Wall is the remnant wall of the second Jewish Temple.