🐪Contemporary Middle East Politics Unit 6 – Israeli-Palestinian Conflict & Peace Process

Historical Background

• The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has deep historical roots tracing back to the late 19th century when Zionism emerged as a movement for establishing a Jewish homeland in Palestine
• After World War I, the British took control of Palestine under the Mandate system, promising to facilitate the establishment of a Jewish national home (Balfour Declaration, 1917)
• Jewish immigration to Palestine increased during the British Mandate period (1920-1948), leading to rising tensions with the Arab population
• The United Nations proposed a partition plan in 1947 to divide Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, which was accepted by the Jews but rejected by the Arabs
• Israel declared independence in May 1948 following the end of the British Mandate, leading to the first Arab-Israeli War (1948-1949)
  • The war resulted in Israel's expansion beyond the UN partition plan borders and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians (Nakba)
• The Six-Day War in 1967 led to Israel's occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula, and Golan Heights
  • This occupation has been a major point of contention and has shaped the conflict's dynamics since then

Key Players and Stakeholders

• The primary parties directly involved in the conflict are the Israelis and the Palestinians
  • Israel is a Jewish-majority state with a parliamentary democracy
  • The Palestinians are an Arab people who seek self-determination and an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip
• The Palestinian Authority (PA) is the semi-autonomous governing body in parts of the West Bank, established following the Oslo Accords in the 1990s
• Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist group, has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007 and is considered a terrorist organization by several countries
• Arab states in the region, particularly Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon, have been involved in the conflict through wars, diplomacy, and support for Palestinian groups
• The United States has been a key international player, providing significant military, economic, and diplomatic support to Israel while also engaging in peace efforts
• The European Union, Russia, and the United Nations have also been involved in peace initiatives and provide aid to the Palestinians
• Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank are a significant stakeholder, with their presence and expansion being a contentious issue

Major Conflicts and Wars

• The 1948 Arab-Israeli War (Israeli War of Independence) broke out following Israel's declaration of independence, resulting in Israel's establishment and the displacement of Palestinians (Nakba)
• The Suez Crisis (1956) involved Israel, the UK, and France against Egypt, leading to Israeli withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula
• The Six-Day War (1967) was a decisive Israeli victory against Egypt, Syria, and Jordan, resulting in Israel's occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula, and Golan Heights
• The Yom Kippur War (1973) was an attempt by Egypt and Syria to regain territories lost in 1967, leading to a stalemate and eventual disengagement agreements
• The Lebanon War (1982) was an Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon aimed at expelling the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)
• The First Intifada (1987-1993) was a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip
• The Second Intifada (2000-2005) was a more violent Palestinian uprising triggered by the breakdown of the Oslo peace process
• The Gaza Wars (2008-2009, 2012, 2014) were Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip in response to Hamas rocket attacks

Peace Initiatives and Agreements

• The Camp David Accords (1978) were signed between Israel and Egypt, leading to a peace treaty in 1979 and Israel's withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula
• The Madrid Conference (1991) brought together Israel, Palestinian representatives, and Arab states for multilateral peace talks
• The Oslo Accords (1993-1995) were a series of agreements between Israel and the PLO that established the Palestinian Authority and set a framework for negotiations
  • Oslo I (1993) included mutual recognition and the creation of the PA
  • Oslo II (1995) divided the West Bank into Areas A, B, and C with varying levels of Palestinian control
• The Camp David Summit (2000) between Israel and the PA aimed to reach a final status agreement but ultimately failed
• The Arab Peace Initiative (2002) offered Israel full normalization with Arab states in exchange for a complete withdrawal from occupied territories and a just solution for Palestinian refugees
• The Roadmap for Peace (2003) was a plan by the Quartet (US, EU, UN, Russia) for a two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state
• The Annapolis Conference (2007) relaunched Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations but did not result in a final agreement

Current Political Landscape

• The Israeli-Palestinian peace process has been stalled since the collapse of the last round of negotiations in 2014
• Israel continues to occupy the West Bank and maintain a blockade on the Gaza Strip, leading to ongoing tensions and sporadic violence
• The Palestinian Authority governs parts of the West Bank but faces challenges in asserting full control and providing services
• Hamas remains in control of the Gaza Strip and continues to engage in armed resistance against Israel
• Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank has continued, making a two-state solution increasingly difficult to achieve
• The United States recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital in 2017 and moved its embassy there, a move that was widely criticized by the international community
• The Trump administration proposed a peace plan in 2020 that was rejected by the Palestinians for heavily favoring Israeli interests
• Recent normalization agreements (Abraham Accords) between Israel and several Arab states (UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan) have shifted regional dynamics but have not directly addressed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

International Involvement

• The United Nations has been involved in the conflict since its early stages, with the UN Partition Plan (1947) and various Security Council resolutions addressing the issue
  • UN Security Council Resolution 242 (1967) called for Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories and the right of all states in the region to secure borders
• The United States has been the primary international mediator in the conflict, often seen as favoring Israel but also pushing for peace negotiations
  • U.S. military, economic, and diplomatic support has been crucial for Israel
• The European Union is a significant donor to the Palestinian Authority and supports a two-state solution based on the pre-1967 borders
• Russia has historically supported Arab states and the Palestinians but has also maintained relations with Israel
• International organizations and NGOs provide humanitarian aid and development assistance to the Palestinians, particularly in the Gaza Strip
• The international community widely considers Israeli settlements in the occupied territories to be illegal under international law
• The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement seeks to pressure Israel to end the occupation and grant equal rights to Palestinians through economic and cultural boycotts

Humanitarian Issues

• The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has led to significant humanitarian challenges, particularly for Palestinians in the occupied territories
• Palestinians in the West Bank face movement restrictions, land confiscation, and limited access to resources due to the Israeli occupation
  • The separation barrier (West Bank wall) has further restricted Palestinian movement and access to land
• The Gaza Strip has been under a strict Israeli-Egyptian blockade since 2007, leading to a severe economic and humanitarian crisis
  • The blockade has limited the flow of goods, including essential supplies like food, fuel, and medical equipment
  • High unemployment, poverty, and food insecurity are widespread in Gaza
• Palestinian refugees, displaced during the 1948 and 1967 wars, remain a significant humanitarian issue
  • Many refugees live in camps in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria
  • The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) provides education, healthcare, and social services to registered Palestinian refugees
• Israeli military operations and Palestinian armed groups' actions have resulted in civilian casualties, property destruction, and psychological trauma on both sides
• The conflict has strained the Palestinian healthcare system, with limited access to medical supplies and treatment
• Water scarcity and unequal distribution of water resources between Israelis and Palestinians in the occupied territories are ongoing concerns

Future Prospects and Challenges

• The two-state solution, which envisions an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, faces significant obstacles
  • Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank makes it increasingly difficult to establish a contiguous and viable Palestinian state
  • Divisions between the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Hamas in the Gaza Strip hinder a unified Palestinian approach to negotiations
• Alternative proposals, such as a one-state solution with equal rights for all citizens, have gained some traction but face opposition from both sides
• The status of Jerusalem remains a major point of contention, with both Israelis and Palestinians claiming the city as their capital
• The right of return for Palestinian refugees and their descendants is a key Palestinian demand that Israel has rejected
• Addressing security concerns, such as Hamas rocket attacks and Israeli military actions, is crucial for any lasting peace agreement
• Building trust and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians, after decades of conflict and violence, is a long-term challenge
• Regional and international support for a comprehensive peace agreement is essential, but shifting priorities and alliances in the Middle East complicate the process
• Climate change and environmental degradation pose additional challenges to the region's stability and resources, which may exacerbate the conflict if not addressed