The genesis of the Israel-Palestine conflict and the formation of modern Israel is a profoundly intricate historical narrative entangled with deep-seated religious, political, and historical contexts. This intricate and multifaceted dispute is rooted in the annals of history, mired in complexities that extend to religious and political spheres. The conflict finds its focal point in the assertion of competing claims to territory and national identity, with Israel and the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip at the epicenter. Over time, this multifarious conflict has played out in a series of wars and recurring cycles of violence, leaving an indelible mark on the region's geopolitical landscape.
Historically, Palestine endured over four centuries of Ottoman rule, commencing from the early 16th century until the conclusion of World War I. After the First World War, the League of Nations bestowed upon Britain a mandate over Palestine in the year 1920.
Emerging in the late 19th century, the Zionist movement sought to establish a sovereign homeland for the Jewish people within Palestine, where a modest Jewish population was already established. This movement was not only a response to the widespread persecution and anti-Semitism that Jews encountered in Europe and Russia but also a manifestation of their profound yearning for a national sanctuary.
A pivotal moment in the creation of Israel came with the issuance of the Balfour Declaration by the British government in 1917, expressing support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" within Palestine. This declaration laid the foundational cornerstone for the eventual birth of the State of Israel in 1948.
On the momentous date of May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion, at the helm of the Jewish Agency, officially heralded the birth of Israel, aligning with the United Nations proposal to partition Palestine into distinct Jewish and Arab states. This proclamation precipitated a war with neighboring Arab states and ultimately culminated in the establishment of Israel.
However, understanding the demographic composition of Israel requires a glimpse into the aftermath of World War II and the Holocaust, which resulted in a mass exodus of Jewish survivors seeking refuge in various parts of the world.
In 1950, Israel enacted the Law of Return, a statute bestowing upon Jews from across the globe the right to immigrate to Israel. To facilitate this, the Israeli government conducted numerous operations to airlift Jews facing persecution to their newly established state.
The formation of Israel, while fulfilling the aspirations of one group, paradoxically led to the displacement of countless others and served as the crucible for the lingering Israel-Palestine conflict.
At the heart of this multifaceted conflict lie the conflicting territorial claims made by Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and Hamas.
Israel wields dominion over a substantial swath of historic Palestine, while the Palestinian Authority governs specific portions of the West Bank, the larger of the two Palestinian territories. The West Bank, spanning an area of 5,655 square kilometers, is a mosaic of diverse populations, encompassing Palestinians, Jewish settlers, and a smattering of other ethnic groups. Originally under the control of Jordan, the West Bank came into Israeli possession after the 1967 Six-Day War, a period marked by the construction of numerous settlements.
In the wake of the Oslo Accords signed in 1993 between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), parts of the West Bank are governed by the Palestinian Authority, serving as an interim self-governing entity.
The other portion of the Palestinian territory, the Gaza Strip, is ensconced between Israel and Egypt. After Israel's inception in 1948, Gaza was governed by Egypt for two decades before coming under Israeli control following the Six-Day War in 1967.
In August 2005, Israel executed a withdrawal of its forces from the Gaza Strip, forsaking settlements and leaving the enclave under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority.
The political landscape in these territories is marked by the ascendancy of Hamas, which emerged victorious in the 2006 elections against Fatah and subsequently seized control of Gaza in 2007 following clashes. The Gaza Strip, encompassing an area of 363 square kilometers, is densely inhabited by over 2 million people, with no elections held since 2006.
Hamas stands as one of the two principal political factions in the Palestinian territories, the other being Fatah. Hamas has garnered the designation of a terrorist organization in several countries, including the United States, and is believed to receive financial backing and military support from Iran.
Hamas, in its ideological stance, refrains from recognizing Israel and proclaims itself as a "movement to free Palestinians from Israeli occupation." The current leadership of Hamas, under Ismail Haniyeh, has been associated with orchestrating attacks against Israel.
Fatah, officially known as the 'Palestinian National Liberation Movement,' was founded in 1959 by Yasser Arafat, Khalil al-Wazir (Abu Jihad), and other Palestinian leaders. It officially acknowledged Israel's existence and embarked on negotiations with the nation in the early 1990s, a path that ultimately led to the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993.
Fatah had previously been engaged in armed struggle and guerrilla warfare against Israeli forces during the 1960s and 1970s, including the high-profile 1972 Munich Olympics attack. However, over time, Fatah pivoted its focus toward diplomacy and negotiations with Israel, aiming to secure Palestinian statehood.
Turning to the broader regional dynamics, Hezbollah, a Shia Islamist militant and political entity headquartered in Lebanon, plays a substantial role. Hezbollah lends support to Palestinian terrorist groups and has been entangled in various conflicts with Israel. Similar to Hamas, Hezbollah enjoys the backing of Iran.
Hezbollah stands as a heavily armed militant organization and seeks to counter Western influence in the Middle East. In tandem with Russia, it provided support to the Bashar al-Assad regime in neighboring Syria, further amplifying its regional influence.
Amidst this intricate web of conflict, the Al-Aqsa Mosque emerges as a pivotal focal point. Regarded as the third holiest site in Islam, the mosque is situated within the Old City of Jerusalem, nested in the larger compound known as the Al-Haram Al-Sharif or the Noble Sanctuary. This site is also identified as the Temple Mount in Judaism, drawing Jewish worshipers from all corners of the globe to the Western Wall of the compound. Notably, the Temple Mount bears significance for Christians due to its association with key events in the life of Jesus Christ.
Following the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel acquired control over East Jerusalem, including the Old City and the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. The Al-Aqsa Mosque, by virtue of its historical and religious significance, has evolved into a symbol of resistance and national identity for Palestinians. Numerous political movements have harnessed this symbol as a rallying point against perceived "Israeli occupation."
Of paramount concern in peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians is the contentious issue of Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Both parties lay claim to Jerusalem as their capital, making this a particularly thorny and intractable aspect of the conflict.
In 1980, Israel passed a law declaring “Jerusalem, complete and united, is the capital of Israel.” In 2017, then-U.S. President Donald Trump elected to relocate the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move that remains at odds with the diplomatic missions of most countries, which are still stationed in Tel Aviv.
The recent attack by Hamas on Israel, which transpired on October 7, had a direct link to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. It was viewed as a retaliatory strike for an Israeli raid on the mosque in May 2021, as reported by Reuters. This connection was explicitly articulated by Hamas leader Mohammed Deif, who referred to the attack on Israel as 'Al Aqsa Flood.'
Over the years, Israel has been embroiled in four significant wars with its Arab neighbors. The declaration of Israel's independence set the stage for the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, involving Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon, all of which opposed Israel's establishment. This war resulted in the birth of Israel and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.
In 1965, Israel launched an attack on Egypt following its nationalization of the Suez Canal.
The Six-Day War of 1967 witnessed Israel securing a decisive and rapid victory against Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. This victory led to Israel's acquisition of the Sinai Peninsula, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and the Golan Heights.
In 1973, on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, Egypt and Syria mounted a surprise attack on Israel. Although Israel managed to repel these offensives, the war inflicted significant casualties and prompted territorial adjustments.
Under the terms of a peace treaty signed in 1979 with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, the Sinai Peninsula was restored to Egypt in 1982.
In addition to these confrontations, Israel was embroiled in two wars with Lebanon, the first of which occurred in 1982 and revolved around the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), and the second took place in 2006 and centered on Hezbollah.
In the broader regional context, Iran has been embroiled in a proxy war with Israel, providing financial support to both Hamas and Hezbollah.
Israel, despite the adversarial relationships with its immediate neighbors, has managed to establish a form of "cold peace" following treaties signed with Egypt and Jordan.
The Abraham Accords, brokered by the United States in 2020, ushered in a new era of normalized relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. These groundbreaking agreements signified a monumental shift in regional dynamics, fostering collaboration between Israel and these Arab nations.
Moreover, the United States was actively engaged in brokering an agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, a potential accord that would have marked Saudi Arabia's first recognition of Israel. This agreement would have entailed a U.S. defense pact and a civilian nuclear deal. However, the Hamas attack on October 7 potentially disrupted the prospects of this landmark agreement.
Numerous international actors, such as the United States, the United Nations, and the European Union, have endeavored to mediate and facilitate peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Notably, the Oslo Accords of the 1990s aimed to create a framework for a two-state solution, which envisions the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, complete with negotiated borders and a shared capital in Jerusalem. However, the viability of this solution has become increasingly questionable, as it contends with the expansion of Israeli settlements and the deep-seated mistrust prevailing between the involved parties.
