Introduction
The Israel-Palestine conflict commenced when Jewish immigrants arrived in Palestine in the late nineteenth century, and their goal was founding a Jewish state. As tensions between Jewish immigration and Arab Palestinians grew, there was bloodshed and rival nationalistic groups. This conflict was further facilitated by Israeli independence in the 1948 declaration, following wars, and by the West Bank and Gaza Strip control by Israel. Three factors caused the Israel-Palestine conflict; many countries, including the United States (US), have failed to resolve the issue.
Israel-Palestine Conflict Background
Nationalism
The Israel-Palestine conflict was caused by three major factors: nationalism, competition and history claims, refugees and displacement, and settlement and occupation. Firstly, the Israel-Palestine conflict was greatly influenced by the rivalry of nationalism. Jewish nationalism was affected by the nationalism eruption and growth in Europe in the 19th century, which united Germany and Italy. The urge to begin a national distinctiveness drove Jewish nationalism, strengthened by the formation of the State of Israel in 1948.
According to Martins et al., a country consists of preserving elements from a particular culture, and nationalism is the notion of belonging to a country. Due to the effect of global concerns like Russian pogroms, German Nazism, and the British Mandate for Palestine, the Arab-Israeli conflict cannot be understood merely in terms of a fight between Jewish and Arab nationalisms. Another perspective of the war was a complicated web of historical influences on the region.
Additionally, several countries, including the US, have tried to resolve this issue to the best of their ability. According to Martinset al., this battle could be equally considered an Arab-Israeli conflict. Martins et al. add, “With the creation of the State of Israel, the Arab-Jewish conflict becomes an Arab-Israeli conflict”. In other words, the establishment of a Jewish state like Israel was rejected by the majority of Arab nations. They were afraid because they saw it as a threat to their national interests, but there is no question that Gulf nations’ perspectives have changed.
However, the fact remains that Israel still needs to offer something resembling an acceptable compromise for the Palestinians; therefore, the Saudis and their allies can’t reconcile geopolitical logic with widespread feeling. Due to this, Jewish and Arab competition in Palestine grew more intense, eventually spreading to Israel and the Arab world, and this persisted far into the twentieth century. Based on the assertion, once Israel gained its independence, the struggle shifted from a local to a regional level, with wider geopolitical repercussions.
Displacement
Secondly, the Israeli-Palestine conflict was a result of displacement. Due to the disruption of social institutions, the development of unjust emotions, and the rivalry for resources and land, displacement led to violence between the two groups. Middle East Eye verified account reported that 13 Palestinian families were informed to vacate occupied East Jerusalem. They were issued a deadline, and it was stated that they would face a fine of a thousand dollars in case of any failure. 1550 Palestinians were at risk of displacement; at the same time, the Israel Authorities issued demolition orders to 135 Palestinians on June 7 in the Silwan neighborhood called al-Bustan. These persons were given a maximum of 21 days to leave for Israel to start building Biblical Tourist Park.
Moreover, the settler’s organization Ateret Cohanim has been working toward displacing Palestine families in Silwan, claiming that over 100 years ago, the land was owned by Jews. Jerusalem municipality also held that those houses were illegally built in al-Bustan. Palestinians testified that they have been facing forceful displacement to create room for Israel settlements. Israel has been moving Jewish settlers into the neighborhood since the 1980s, thus forcefully displacing Palestinians, which is considered illegal by international laws.
In addition, the TRT World channel adds more information on displacement as the source of conflict. TRT World reports that the Palestinians were not even allowed to renovate their homes. The Human Rights Organization outlined that Israelis discriminated against Palestinians in Silwan. The Director of Wadi Hilweh Information Center (Jawad Siyam) showed the green areas already marked for demolition and destruction under the National Park Authority. After the destruction, the land was to be given to Israeli settlers, leaving Palestinians with only 7.2% of the land.
Jawad continued that Israeli settlers, police, and authorities constantly attack and harass Palestinians living in Silwan. He equally confirmed that Israelis used Arab intermediaries to buy lands from Palestinians, who later gave to Israelis. He mentions that Fareed Hajj Yahya was known for such buying activities; they are willing to spend large amounts of money, for example, 300 sq m for $ 100,000 or $ 500,000. The Young Turks displayed how the destruction took place in East Jerusalem without the US media caring. Jawad, a Palestinian, promised in the interview that they would fight, and if they lost, nobody would have freedom in the country.
Several reports have been given to the media stations by the Palestinians. One man reported to CNN that they were told to demolish their homes but refused. The interviewee clarifies that Naftali Bennett has been a pro-settler, and the displacement is due to discrimination and racism. The conflict builds because the Palestinians claim they have deeds for their houses and businesses.
The interviewer supports that the Israeli forces occupied East Jerusalem illegally and thus have no jurisdiction to claim it. She continues that at some point, 44 Palestinians died because the Israeli army dropped heavy bombs without warning the residents. Kitchen elaborates that “…Israel can be blamed for the creation and furthering of the Palestinian refugee crisis due to their military activities in the First Arab-Israeli War and Six-Day War, which displaced hundreds of thousands…”.
Furthermore, Israel’s brutal expulsion of Arab Palestinians from their villages occurred in 1948. At this time, the Arab-Israeli war led to many of them losing their homes against their will and joining the legions of Palestinian refugees in the already congested refugee camps. This illustrates how the Palestinian refugee issue was started and sustained by the Palestinian refugees’ displacement by Israel’s military actions.
Settlement and Occupation
Thirdly, the settlement and occupation were another cause of the Israeli-Palestine conflict. Palestinians continue to live under Israeli occupation as non-citizens in East Jerusalem, Gaza Strip, and West Bank without an independent state, being denied fundamental movement freedom. They are stateless people governed by the Israeli military who are caught between the ongoing expansion of Israeli settlements and their limited autonomy inside self-governing areas.
Anziska elaborates that the Israeli settlement in the West Bank resulted in local Palestinians’ fundamental rights deprivation. The author illustrates that the Israeli cabinet’s refusal to decide the status of the newly captured lands in 1967 resulted in permanent military occupation. This occupation permitted settlement construction under the Labor-led government’s rule in the decade that followed the war.
The author notes that the growth of the messianic Gush Emunim movement, which demanded reclaiming land to construct Jewish colonies, increased legal and historical arguments for the state’s claim to the seized regions. McCarthy and Richter explain why it has been challenging to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, and they publish statistics and graphs on the constant deaths that occurred between 2008 and 2020.
The total number of deaths in Israel was 251 and 5590 in Palestine, while 115000 and 5600 people were injured in Palestine and Israel, respectively. Tahhan confirms that in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem last year, more than 170 Palestinians were slain. The author proceeds to mention that at least 30 of the 170 individuals were children, while at least 29 Palestinians were killed in January 2023. This means that the Israel-Palestine conflict was started, got complicated, and marked by consistent killings in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. These constant and revengeful killings have proven it challenging to establish a permanent solution to the conflict.
Israel-Palestine Conflict Solution
The Oslo Accords
International organizations have done their best to hold discussions to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict, which has led to the loss of lives and uncountable injuries. Countries have participated in peace creation in this journey, but one of the critical parties includes the US. In the 1990s, former US President Bill Clinton participated in the debates and discussions that led to the Oslo Accords, which is considered the Israeli-Palestinian peace foundation. McDuff held that “… President Bill Clinton emphasized the importance of trust between Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman…” (57). President Bill Clinton stressed the significance of trust between Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Chairman Arafat and Rabin (Israeli Prime Minister) in building an environment of peace while reflecting on the Oslo Accords.
The Oslo Accords was a document signed by the two parties, Israel and the PLO. Based on the assigned treaty, PLO complied to recognize Israel as a state legitimately, and Israel granted Palestine a degree of restricted self-governance in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. The West Bank was divided into Areas A, B, and C. Area A fell under Palestinian authority, Area B under joint Palestinian-Israeli control, and Area C, which comprises about 60% of the West Bank, fell entirely under Israeli control. The Accords also included rules for the telecommunications industry in the Palestinian regions under occupation.
Nonetheless, the Oslo Accords failed to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict due to several crucial mistakes. Martin and Boatman assert that the jurisdictional structure of the Accords left Israel in complete control of the majority of the West Bank during the transitional period without an enforceable deadline or assurances. They similarly lacked a cost or monitoring tool in case of non-compliance.
American Peacemaking Efforts
Through his peace proposal, President Trump tried to dissolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Wissal confirmed that through his peace proposal, “A Vision of Peace, Prosperity and a Brighter Future,” President Trump tried to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Unfortunately, Trump’s suggestion was condemned because it was pro-Israel and did not address the basic demands of the Palestinian people. The proposal recommended recognizing Israeli sovereignty over a portion of the West Bank and establishing a Palestinian state with limited authority. In the end, Trump’s plan did not successfully solve the disagreement between Israelis and Palestine.
Generally, the US has concentrated on settling the conflict through several fundamental concerns, including borders, security, Jerusalem, and refugees. Marcella (2022) exposed the reasons for the US’s failure to end the conflict. Israel and the PLO have not held direct negotiations since 2014, which has caused international diplomacy aimed at resolving Israeli-Palestinian problems and advancing Palestinian national aspirations to stagnate. Marcella proves that “… the US has provided Israel with $146 billion in bilateral assistance and missile defense money…”. According to a 2016 memorandum of understanding, Marcella explains that the US will grant Israel $4 annually, including $500 million for missile defense systems. Claims that the US is biased in favor of Israel have harmed its reputation as a mediator, leading to this failure.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Israel-Palestine conflict remains a challenge with many underlying causes, though the US has tried its best to end it. Both the two parties have experienced death and injuries due to this conflict. The international community may be required to promote peaceful coexistence and facilitate dialogue. Long-term peace and prosperity for Palestinians and Israelis will need a comprehensive peace treaty that resolves fundamental issues such as borders and settlements, and the mediator must remain neutral.
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