Introduction
It’s been over 7 months since Hamas launched its attack on Israel, on October 7, 2023. Israel was quick to retaliate, with its defense forces entering Gaza and engaging in military combat. However, this conflict is a long and ongoing struggle with deep historical roots. It traces back to centuries of complex interactions involving religious, cultural, and geopolitical factors.
Both Israelis and Palestinians claim historical ties to the region, dating back thousands of years. For Jews, the land of Israel holds profound religious significance as the biblical homeland promised to Abraham and his descendants. Palestinians, mostly Arabs, have inhabited the region for centuries, with deep cultural and historical ties to the land.
The War in the late 19th Century
In the late 19th century, the Zionist movement, led by figures like Theodor Herzl, sought to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Meanwhile, Arab nationalism was also on the rise, opposing Jewish immigration and land purchases.
The Balfour Declaration of 1917 expressed British support for a Jewish homeland in Palestine. However, conflicting promises made by the British to both Jews and Arabs exacerbated tensions.
The United Nations proposed a partition plan in 1947, dividing Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states. Jewish leaders accepted it, but Arab leaders rejected it, leading to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Israel declared independence, and neighboring Arab states invaded. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled or were expelled from their homes.
Due to the lack of resolution, a six-day war erupted in 1967, where Israel defeated Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, gaining control of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula, and Golan Heights, intensifying the conflict.
The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), formed in 1964, sought to represent Palestinian interests and regain lost territory through armed struggle.
In an attempt to attain peace, Egypt and Israel signed a peace treaty, leading to Israel’s withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula. However, peace with Palestinians remained elusive.
The Current Conflicts
The current conflict erupted between Israel and Hamas, the militant Islamist group in control of Gaza since 2006, marking the most significant escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in decades. Hamas militants launched rockets into Israel and infiltrated southern Israeli cities and towns along the Gaza border, resulting in over 1,300 Israeli deaths, 3,300 injuries, and hundreds of hostages. The attack caught Israel off guard, prompting a swift and deadly retaliatory response.
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