Israel–Palestine Bloodshed, and complicated conflict, Explained.

Israel-Palestine bloodshed and inhumane violence, Explained. – Neil Sudhalkar | Bibliography is at the end of the article)

In this article I cover:

• What sparked the conflict

• How none of the sides even want peace

• The complicated history of Israel

• Diplomacy

The What, the when, and the why.

According to Gaza’s ministry of health, approximately 200+ people have been killed in the conflict out of which at least 58 were children. On the other hand, the death toll on the Israeli side stands at 10, out of which 2 are children. Israel largely evaded mass destruction from the rockets fired by Hamas due to their hi-tech Iron Dome missile defence system but Palestinians residing in Gaza were the people largely affected by this conflict – not Hamas.

(The video shows Israel’s Iron Dome system counter striking most rockets fired by Hamas:https://youtu.be/5T-Enb1GfWE)

The main focus of this conflict is in Israel, in the Sheikh Jarrah colony – which is a Palestinian colony in the Israeli occupied Jerusalem. Both Palestine and Israel, consider Jerusalem their capital. The Palestinian people are fighting for the land which is rightful theirs and which they have been evicted from – to create place for Israeli communities – in Israel’s apex court while also – simultaneously holding peaceful protests. On the 8th of May, these Palestinian protestors clashed with Israeli Armed Police at Al-Aska mosque which triggered the protestors to stone pelt against the police, and the police responded with heavy force – they tossed grenades, and forcefully entered the building by using rubber bullets and other tactics. This is what – Hamas – a political party – and an armed militant group used to justify their rocket fire which targeted mostly civilian areas. Israel then responded by conducting airstrikes.. Palestine – largely has two governing authorities – Hamas, and Fatah – and the both of these – have huge disparities in their ideologies. Both want a separate state for Palestine but Fatah is part of the Palestinian Authority and recognises the state of Israel, and wants a demarcated border. (note: Fatah controls the West Bank). On the other hand, Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip doesn't recognise Israel and wants both the West Bank and Israel to fall under Palestine.

Historical Context

A long time ago, Jews used to stay in a state called Judea. During the Jewish-Roman wars, the Romans destroyed the Jewish Religious sites. This compelled the Jews to move North, to Europe – but in Europe, they were treated as 'semi-human' citizens as in that time, there was still church rule. They didn't have equal rights and didn't have citizenship. They had no right to land so they largely relied on trading for their livelihood. In France, a revolution started in the 1800's which eventually brought anti-semitic parts to the mainstream and triggered violence against Jews. This is important because it was happening in France – which was the nation of the People and Secularism, and was the epitome of Freedom. If Jews aren't safe in France – where would they be safe? An idea came to light, there was only one sure shot way to eliminate Anti-Semitic sentiment – build a separate Jewish state. This region was chosen to be Palestine because that's where Judea originally was.

Jews started immigrating to Palestine which was largely under control of the Ottoman Empire. As usual though, the British fought with the Ottoman Empire, and eventually won a war and took control of Palestine. Next, they drafted up a plan to create a separate Jewish State by issuing the Balfour Declaration (November 2, 1917)

Source – SourceLhttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Balfour_declaration_unmarked.jpg#/media/File:Balfour_declaration_unmarked.jpg

This Declaration makes a formal declaration of an independent Jewish State. There was a separate agreement called the ‘Sykes Pikot' Agreement but the League of Nations gave control of Palestine to the British. This triggered a mass influx of immigrants coming into Palestine and which is why there was a big boom in the number of Jewish people in Palestine. Due to this, tensions largely escalated between Jews and Arabs which triggered a conflict, and eventually violence. Due to this, the British yet again poked their nose in the conflict and drafted a proposal that wanted to partition Palestine into two states – an Arab state, and a Jewish State. The Arabs rejected this policy and a few years later, the British drew up a fresh policy which when summed up says, "There will be no partition, but a new Arab state will be formed – Jewish immigration will be stopped eventually", but the British couldn't do that because of the mass genocide happening against Jews in Europe. This Triggered many Jews to leave Europe and immigrate to Palestine and North America. The British after this, left the country to itself saying that they no longer are responsible for it, and then the U.N drafted a proposal which said that a new state will be formed which will create an Israel, a Palestine, and Jerusalem will be under international control. All communities involved rejected the proposal, but Jews sneakily formed a new state of 'Israel' and pushed Palestinians out of their own homes for the same. Israel fought many wars with its neighbouring Arab states but largely won all of them. Now, we come back to the Crux of the matter, what is the conflict sparked by?

A timeline which represents all the wars fought by Israel: (if this timeline isn't loading, please continue reading)

The Diplomatic Stance

India largely remains neutral on this matter in order to preserve it's interests. Countries like Saudi Arabia – a country which largely supports a muslim country is also staying neutral – why – because, they wish to procure weapons from the U.S. The public though, wants these Arab countries to push Israel into a corner – and largely give Palestine a fighting chance. India too, condemned Hamas attacks, and said that Hamas doesn't reflect in the voice of the Gazan people. India also at the U.N called for peace – therefore – it has taken a neutral approach. We can also see this approach play out when Israel's prime minister – Mr Benjamin Netanyahu completely ignored India when he thanked 25 countries for their support. To conclude, for there to ever be peace, there needs to be an end of extremism. Evidently the answer is international intervention and good governance for Palestine. There also needs to be an appropriate representation for as to who really represents Palestine.

Further Reading (relevant as of publishing date):

https://indianexpress.com/article/research/from-support-to-israel-youth-in-america-are-making-a-generation-shift-to-pro-palestine-thinking-7328219/

U.N partition plan.

• Urlhttps://www.britannica.com/place/Palestine/images-videos#/media/1/439645/3081

What is Judaism – one of the world's oldest monotheistic religion? HIGHLY Recommended: https://youtu.be/0VAylWxDQfk

Bibliography (MLA)

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Works Cited:

1. Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Suez Crisis". Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 May. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/event/Suez-Crisis. Accessed 24 May 2021.

2. Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Balfour Declaration". Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 Oct. 2020, https://www.britannica.com/event/Balfour-Declaration. Accessed 24 May 2021.

Kapur, Manavi. "How India’s Relationship with the Israelis and Palestinians Changed from Nehru to Modi." Quartz, Qz.com, 21 May 2021, qz.com/india/2011400/indias-stance-on-israel-palestine-conflict-from-nehru-to-modi/. Accessed 24 May 2021.

Albright, William Foxwell , Jones, Arnold Hugh Martin , Bugh, Glenn Richard , Kenyon, Kathleen Mary , Brice, William Charles , Bickerton, Ian J. , Khalidi, Walid Ahmed , Khalidi, Rashid Ismail , Faris, Nabih Amin and Fraser, Peter Marshall. "Palestine". Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 May. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/place/Palestine. Accessed 24 May 2021.

Graham, Emma. "A Raid, a March, a Court Case: How Israel Spiralled into a Deadly Conflict." The Guardian, 16 May 2021, www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/16/a-raid-a-march-a-court-case-how-israel-spiralled-into-a-deadly-conflict. Accessed 24 May 2021.

Heller, Nidal A. "Israel Air Strikes Kill 42 Palestinians, Rockets Fired from Gaza." Reuters, 15 May 2021, www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-bombs-hamas-gaza-chiefs-home-fighting-enters-seventh-day-2021-05-15/.

Khan, Sal. "Theodor Herzl and the Birth of Political Zionism | The 20th Century | World History | Khan Academy." YouTube, Khan Academy, 3 Apr. 2013, youtu.be/g8sxNa-E-H0.

Taghreed El-Khodary. "Hamas and Fatah Supporters Clash at Gaza University (Published 2008)." The New York Times - Breaking News, US News, World News and Videos, 1 Apr. 2008, www.nytimes.com/2008/04/01/world/africa/01iht-01mideast.11568357.html?searchResultPosition=28https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/nytarchive.htmlc. Note: Sourced from New York Times archives –

Tahhan, Zena. "Hamas Vs Fatah: Same Goal, Different Approaches." Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera, 12 Oct. 2017, www.aljazeera.com/features/2017/10/12/hamas-and-fatah-how-are-the-two-groups-different. Accessed 24 May 2021. Purpose: Difference

TVOntario, et al. "The Middle East: Homeland -- Israel and Palestine." Internet Archive: Digital Library of Free & Borrowable Books, Movies, Music & Wayback Machine, Publisher Chicago, Ill. : Encyclopaedia Britannica Educational Corp., 1984, archive.org/details/themiddleeasthomelandisraelandpalestine.

"We, Will, Continue to Respond Forcefully to Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister." YouTube, The Telegraph, 16 May 2021, youtu.be/5lKVtT7Bi-Y. Accessed 24 May 2021.

Media:

• Media TitleUN partition plan: Israel and Palestine

• Media TypeImage

• Website NameEncyclopædia Britannica

• PublisherEncyclopædia Britannica

• Urlhttps://www.britannica.com/place/Palestine/images-videos#/media/1/439645/3081

Written By Neil Sudhalkar | Thedailydosage.in Explainer | Israel–Palestine conflict | 24th May 21 |