Israel Palestine War 2023 | Israel Hamas War Update | Israel Palestine war history, religions and Present Scenario

Israel-Palestine Conflict

Recently Hamas, a militant group in Palestine launched a surprise attack on Israel named Operation “Al Aqsa Storm” from the land, air, and water leading to huge devastation and multiple causalities. This has revived the century-old dispute between the Israel-Palestine Conflict once again, necessitating the intervention by global and regional powers.

The Israel-Palestine conflict is a long-standing disagreement between two groups of people who claim the same land in the Middle East. This conflict has many historical, social, political, and cultural roots. Both Israelis and Palestinians want their own independent countries in the same small piece of land. This creates tension and conflict. Over the years, there have been wars and disagreements about who should control which parts of the land. Many people on both sides have suffered and continue to suffer because of this conflict.

One of the biggest issues is Jerusalem, a very important city to Jews and Muslims. Both Israelis and Palestinians want to have control over it.

While in the present scenario, this conflict is seen as a religious issue it has diverse angles and needs to be looked upon comprehensively to get an idea of the present situation.

History of Conflict

Primarily, the Israel-Palestine conflict is seen because of religious war among Abrahamic religions. So before understanding the conflict in detail let us briefly understand the basics of Abrahamic Religion.

What are Abrahamic Religions?

Abrahamic religions are a group of monotheistic faiths that trace their spiritual lineage to Abraham, a central figure in the Bible's Old Testament and the Quran. The three major Abrahamic religions are:

Judaism: It is the oldest of the Abrahamic faiths and is the religious tradition of the Jewish people. Judaism is based on the covenant between God and Abraham, as described in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). It encompasses a rich tradition of laws, customs, and beliefs, including the Torah, which contains the foundational texts of Jewish law.

Christianity: This religion emerged from Judaism in the 1st century CE with the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. Christians believe in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, with the New Testament detailing the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Christianity also emphasizes salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

Islam: Founded in the 7th century CE in the Arabian Peninsula by the Prophet Muhammad, Islam is based on the Quran, believed by Muslims to be the literal word of God as revealed to Muhammad. Islam teaches that there is only one God (Allah) and emphasizes submission to His will (Islam, in Arabic). It has five pillars, which are basic acts of worship and practice for Muslims.

While these religions share common historical and theological roots, they also have significant theological and cultural differences. Each has its own sacred texts, rituals, traditions, and interpretations of the teachings of Abraham. These differences have always led to their conflict among themselves.

As we have seen the basic differences in the religions involved in the issue of the Israel-Palestine conflict now it will be easy to understand the history.

Let us look over historical events chronologically:

• Historical and Territorial Claims: Both Israelis and Palestinians claim historical and religious ties to the land. Jews point to the ancient Israelite kingdoms, particularly under King David and King Solomon, and the historical connection to Jerusalem. Palestinians, who are primarily Arab Muslims and Christians, also have historical ties to the region and consider it an integral part of their cultural and religious identity.
• Religious Significance: Jerusalem holds immense religious importance for Jews, Christians, and Muslims. It contains the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is also a crucial Christian pilgrimage site. This religious significance intensifies the emotional attachment to the land.
• Zionism: Zionism is a political and ideological movement that emerged in the late 19th century. It sought to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Theodor Herzl, one of the early Zionist leaders, argued for the establishment of a Jewish state to provide a safe refuge for Jews, particularly in the wake of anti-Semitic persecution going on in the Ottoman Empire.
• Balfour Declaration (1917): During World War I, the British government issued the Balfour Declaration, which expressed support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine. This laid the groundwork for British involvement in the region.
• British Mandate (1920-1948): After the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I, the League of Nations granted Britain a mandate to govern Palestine. During this period, tensions between Jewish and Arab communities increased while Britain offered promises both for a Jewish state as well as a full-fledged Arab state to get their support in World War 1.
• Palestinian Nationalism: As Jewish immigration to Palestine increased during the British Mandate period (1920s-1940s), Palestinians began to develop a stronger national identity. They saw the influx of Jewish immigrants as a threat to their own self-determination and control of the land.
• World War II and The Holocaust: To Hitler and the Nazis, Jews people were the biggest threat to the Aryan race thus Nazis used all sorts of propaganda to persecute Jews. They committed mass genocide in the form of the Holocaust which till now is the most horrifying part of Human history. This again led to the mass migration of Jews in different parts of the world specifically in Palestine because of the support of France and Britain.
• UN Partition Plan (1947): In 1947, the United Nations proposed a plan to partition Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem as an international city. The Jewish leadership accepted the plan, but Arab leaders rejected it, leading to the first Arab-Israeli war.
• Declaration of the State of Israel (1948): On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion, the head of the Jewish Agency, declared the establishment of the State of Israel. This led to immediate conflict with neighboring Arab states, which rejected the existence of Israel.
• First Arab-Israeli War (1948-1949): The war resulted in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, who became refugees. Israel expanded its territory beyond the UN-proposed borders.
• Palestinian Refugees: The displacement of Palestinians during the war has been a central issue in the conflict. Many Palestinians and their descendants still live in refugee camps in neighboring countries.
• 1956 Suez Crisis: Israel, along with France and Britain, invaded Egypt in response to the Egyptian nationalization of the Suez Canal. The crisis was eventually resolved through international pressure.
• 1967 Six-Day War: In 1967, Israel launched a pre-emptive strike against Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. This resulted in Israel gaining control of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula, and Golan Heights.
• 1973 Yom Kippur War: Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel to regain lost territories. Although the war was costly, it did not significantly alter territorial boundaries.
• Peace Efforts and Accords: Various peace efforts have been made over the years, resulting in agreements like the Camp David Accords (1978) and the Oslo Accords (1993).
• Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO): PLO was founded, with the aim of freeing Palestine from the clutches of Israel and Jewish domination and setting up the dominance of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Arab world. The United Nations granted the PLO observer status in 1975 and recognized Palestinians' right to self-determination.

What is Hamas?

Hamas, an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawamah al-Islamiyya is a Palestinian militant and political organization. It was founded in the late 1980s, and its origins are rooted in the Palestinian territories, particularly in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. Hamas has its roots in the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist political and social movement.

Hamas is known for its armed resistance against Israel and has been involved in numerous conflicts with the Israeli military. It's considered a terrorist organization by several countries, including the United States, Canada, and the European Union. Hamas's military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, carries out paramilitary operations against Israel.

In addition to its armed activities, Hamas also operates as a political party and a social service organization, providing various services to Palestinians in the areas it controls. It won the Palestinian legislative elections in 2006, gaining control of the Gaza Strip. This led to a political split between Hamas, which controls Gaza, and Fatah, another Palestinian political party (Political wing of PLO) that controls the West Bank.

Hamas's stance towards Israel has evolved over time, with some factions advocating for the destruction of Israel, while others have shown a willingness to engage in negotiations under certain conditions. The organization's complex nature and the differing perspectives within its leadership make it a subject of considerable debate and analysis in regional and international politics.

Present Scenario

ABRAHAM ACCORDS: The Abraham Accords are a series of historic agreements signed in 2020 between Israel and several Arab states. These accords represent a significant diplomatic breakthrough in the Middle East and mark a departure from the traditional approach to Israeli-Arab relations.

The key points of the Abraham Accords include:

• Normalization of Relations: The participating countries agree to normalize diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties with Israel. This includes establishing embassies, allowing direct flights, and encouraging business and tourism.
• Recognition of Israel: The signatory countries formally recognize the state of Israel as a legitimate and sovereign nation.
• Suspension of Annexation Plans: As part of the agreement, Israel agreed to temporarily suspend its plans to annex parts of the West Bank. This was a contentious issue at the time.
• Economic Cooperation: The accords promote economic cooperation and joint ventures between the signatory nations.

The countries that initially signed the Abraham Accords in 2020 were:

• United Arab Emirates (UAE): The UAE was the first country to normalize relations with Israel, with the announcement made in August 2020.
• Bahrain: Bahrain followed suit in September 2020, normalizing relations with Israel shortly after the UAE.
• Sudan: Sudan announced its intention to normalize relations with Israel in October 2020. This decision followed the ousting of former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and represented a significant shift in Sudan's foreign policy.
• Morocco: In December 2020, Morocco announced its intention to normalize relations with Israel. As part of the agreement, the United States also recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara.

RECENT EVICTIONS: In October 2020, an Israeli court ruled that several Palestinian families living in Sheikh Jarrah—a neighborhood in East Jerusalem—were to be evicted by May 2021 with their land handed over to Jewish families. In February 2021, several Palestinian families from Sheikh Jarrah filed an appeal to the court ruling, prompting protests around the appeal hearings, the ongoing legal battle around property ownership, and the forcible displacement of Palestinians from their homes in Jerusalem.

• In late April 2021, Palestinians began demonstrating in the streets of Jerusalem to protest the pending evictions, and residents of Sheikh Jarrah—along with other activists—began to host nightly sit-ins. In early May, after a court ruled in favor of the evictions, the protests expanded, with Israeli police deploying force against demonstrators. On May 7, following weeks of daily demonstrations and rising tensions between protesters, Israeli settlers, and police during the month of Ramadan, violence broke out at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, with Israeli police using stun grenades, rubber bullets, and water cannons in a clash with protestors that left hundreds of Palestinians wounded.
• After the clashes in Jerusalem’s Old City, tensions increased throughout East Jerusalem, compounded by the celebration of Jerusalem Day. On May 10, after several consecutive days of violence throughout Jerusalem and the use of lethal and nonlethal force by Israeli police, Hamas, the militant group that governs Gaza, and other Palestinian militant groups launched hundreds of rockets into Israeli territory.

Experts believe that the recent attack of Hamas in such a brutal manner is actually the revenge of Israeli Aggression and also because Hamas wants to get international recognition.

It's crucial to approach discussions on this topic with sensitivity and empathy, recognizing the deep emotional and historical ties that both Israelis and Palestinians have to the land. Additionally, understanding that perspectives on the conflict can vary widely is essential for constructive dialogue.

It's important to remember that there are many different opinions within both the Israeli and Palestinian communities. Some people want peace and cooperation, while others hold more extreme views.

Finding a fair and lasting solution to this conflict is a major challenge for the international community and continues to be an important issue in world affairs.