Genesis Of The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a protracted and multifaceted dispute, has long captured the world’s attention due to its enduring impact on the Middle East. Rooted in a colonial act over a century ago, this conflict has resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of lives and the displacement of millions. Recent events, such as Hamas’s attack on Israel and its subsequent declaration of war on the Gaza Strip, have once again thrust this complex issue into the global spotlight. To understand the current situation, it is imperative to delve into the historical foundations of this conflict.

Balfour Declaration

The conflict’s origins trace back to the Balfour Declaration, penned on November 2, 1917, by Britain’s foreign secretary, Arthur Balfour. Addressed to Lionel Walter Rothschild, a prominent figure in the British Jewish community, this brief yet significant document pledged British support for “the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.”

• This declaration, known as the Balfour Declaration, essentially promised the Zionist movement, representing European Jewish interests, a homeland in Palestine, where Palestinian Arabs constituted over 90 percent of the population.

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• The establishment of a British Mandate in 1923, which lasted until 1948, saw mass Jewish immigration, often driven by the specter of Nazism in Europe. Meanwhile, Palestinians protested the demographic shift and land seizures by British authorities to benefit Jewish settlers.

The Turbulent 1930s: The Arab Revolt

• Tensions escalated in the 1930s, culminating in the Arab Revolt from 1936 to 1939. The Arab National Committee called for a general strike, tax withholding, and a boycott of Jewish products to protest British colonialism and rising Jewish immigration.
• The British quashed the six-month strike with mass arrests and punitive home demolitions. These practices persist today in Israel’s dealings with Palestinians.
• The second phase of the revolt, led by Palestinian peasant resistance, focused on targeting British forces and colonialism, escalating tensions further.

The 1948 Nakba

• Prior to the expiration of the British Mandate on May 14, 1948, Zionist paramilitaries initiated a campaign to expand the borders of the forthcoming Israeli state. The massacre in Deir Yassin in April 1948 set a grim tone, leading to the Nakba, which saw more than 500 Palestinian towns and villages destroyed.
• Approximately 15,000 Palestinians lost their lives, many in massacres, and an estimated 750,000 were forcibly displaced. Today, six million refugees and their descendants reside in camps across Palestine and neighboring countries.
• Israel declared its establishment on May 15, 1948, sparking the first Arab-Israeli war.

Post-Nakba Developments and the Oslo Accords

• The remaining Palestinian territories were divided, with Israel capturing 78 percent of historic Palestine, while the West Bank and Gaza Strip were occupied by Egypt and Jordan, respectively.
• In 1967, Israel occupied the rest of historic Palestine during the Six-Day War, leading to another displacement known as the Naksa.
• The 1993 Oslo Accords established the Palestinian Authority (PA), which was intended to pave the way for Palestinian self-rule. However, this arrangement fell short of the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, and critics argue that the PA collaborates with the Israeli occupation.

Subsequent Conflicts and Blockades

• Subsequent conflicts, including the first and second Intifadas, have shaped the Palestinian struggle for self-determination. The second Intifada in 2000 led to extensive damage to the Palestinian economy and infrastructure.
• Israel has conducted four military assaults on Gaza since 2008, causing immense loss of life and destruction. A blockade imposed in 2007 has severely restricted the movement of goods and people in Gaza.