Israel Palestine Issue

Israel - Palestine Conflict

MY second innings,
for YOUR first innings
 Historical Aspect

● The Israel-Palestinian conflict is world longest running

and most controversial conflicts.
● It is claimed by sources to have its roots to King
Solomon built the first temple in the Israelite kingdom
● This land is also known as - Holy land, Al sham, Levant,
the promised land.

SENA MEDAL
• The Jewish connection with Israel goes back
4,000 years.
• According to Jewish and Christian sacred text,
God commands Abraham to leave his land in
Mesopotamia and go to the land that he will be
shown.
• That land is the present-day nation of Israel.
• Seven times God promised Abraham the land and
repeated that promise to Isaac and Jacob, descendants
of Abraham.
• Jews believe if any nation on earth has a right to any
land -- a right based on history, attachment, long
association -- then the Jewish people have a right to
Israel.
The Mandate
This conflict begins
after WWI, when the
Ottoman Empire lost
control of the Middle
East. The land was
divided and European
countries were given
mandate, or control, of
the region.
PROMISE: During WWI, Arabs REALITY: After WWI and the destruction of the Ottoman
supported Allied efforts against the Empire, Britain and France divided up the middle east
Ottomans in return for the promise of the into mandates that they controlled directly. This included
Sykes-Picot agreement giving them their the territory of Palestine where British officials, in the
own countries after the war. Balfour Declaration, had supported growing Jewish
migration from Europe
The British Mandate (1917-48)

The Balfour Declaration of 1917 pledged

Britain’s support for “the establishment in
Palestine of a national home for the Jewish
people” and paid lip service to safeguarding the
civil and political rights of the non-Jewish
communities in Palestine
Successive waves of migrations increased Jewish
population in Palestine from less than 6% in
1903 to 31% in 1945
The Partition
In 1947, the United Nations
announced a plan to divide
Palestine into an Arab and
Jewish state. Jews agreed,
but Arabs vowed to do
anything needed to prevent
the U.N. plan from being
carried out.
 The State of Israel

The Jews were

outnumbered in Palestine,
but their armies were
much more advanced
because of involvement in
WWII. Despite the
bloodshed, the State of
Israel was created on May
David Ben-Gurion: leader of
14, 1948. Zionism movement and first
prime minister of Israel
 Arab-Israeli War of Independence
That night, a combined Arab force of
Egyptians, Iraqis, Jordanians, Syrians,
Lebanese, Saudi, and Yemeni troops
attacked. The Arab-Israeli War or Israeli
War for Independence lasted for 8
months, during which time the Jews not
only defended their land, but expanded
the territory to include most of the lands
the Palestinians had been offered and
rejected.
1948-1949 The First Arab-Israeli War

The Day after Israel and Palestine were

both created, 5 Arab nations invaded
Israel (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt
and Iraq).
Despite being severely out-numbered and
lacking in weapons and military
training, the Israelis won their « war of
liberation »
 Suez War
Although Israel
became a member of
the United Nations,
many Arab countries
refused to recognize
its existence. Skirmishes
resulted, including the
Suez War of 1956
between Israel and
Egypt.
The Conflict
Continues
⚫ In 1969, Yasser Arafat became the leader of the PLO.
⚫ Five years earlier, Fatah, a secret armed group that Arafat
had founded, made its first attacks on Israel.
⚫ Arafat served as the leader of the PLO until his death in
2004.
⚫ During the 35 years of Arafat’s leadership, Israel elected
several different leaders, known as prime ministers.
 Six Day War

The Six Day War of

1967 was a sweeping
victory for the Israelis.
They overran the
enemies, gaining
control of the Sinai
Peninsula and the City
of Jerusalem, which is
sacred to both
Muslims and Jews.
The 1967 Six –Day War occurred in
June, and changed the face of the
Middle East conflict.
⚫ Israel was able to double the
amount of land it controlled.
⚫ This also helped to spread hope and
confidence throughout all of Israel
and to its supports.
⚫ Another 500,000 Palestinians fled
their homes during this conflict,
joining the hundreds of thousands
already displaced by years of
fighting between Jewish and Arab
forces.
⚫ Many of these people ended up in
Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan.
 Munich Olympic Games -
1972
Terrorist attacks were intended to avenge the victory,
including the 1972 murders of 11 Israeli athletes at the
Munich Olympic Games.
 Yom Kippur War - 1973
In 1973, Egypt and Syria carried out
an attack on Israel during Yom
Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish
calendar. This time, the Arabs
were better prepared with
weapons from the Soviet Union.
The Israelis were able to hold off
the Arabs, but the Yom Kippur War
was an important step to the peace
process.
Attempts at Peace
⚫ Menachem Begin became prime minister of Israel in
1977, during the US presidency of Jimmy Carter.

⚫ President Carter helped Prime Minister Begin and

Egyptian President Anwar Sadat work out an
agreement.
⚫ This agreement was called the Camp David
Accord.
⚫ The three leaders met at Camp
David in the US
⚫ Begin agreed to remove all Israeli
troops from the Sinai Peninsula
and return the land to Egypt.
⚫ Other Arab countries were not
happy about this agreement.
⚫ In 1981, Sadat was assassinated by
troops in the Egyptian army.
⚫ Hezbollah and Hamas are two important Arab groups that were founded
in the mid-1980’s.
⚫ Hezbollah is from Lebanon.
⚫ Hamas is based in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
⚫ Both groups are supported by Syria and Iran and are made up of
Muslims.
⚫ Over the last 25 years, both groups have each led attacks on Israel.
⚫ These attacks have often been very violent and have killed many
civilians.
⚫ The late 1980’s and the 1990’s saw continued fighting between Israelis
and Arabs.
⚫ Often civilians were involved, and thousands have been killed.
⚫ There have been treaties and agreements that unfortunately, have not led
to peace in the region.
 Intifada – “Uprising”

In the 1980’s Palestinians began the Intifada, or

war of sticks and stones. Israeli soldiers did not
know how to react to the Palestinian civilians without
looking like bullies.
SENA MEDAL
 What is Gaza Strip?

● The Gaza Strip is a 41km (25-mile) long and 10km-wide territory

between Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea.
● It is home to about 2.3 million people and has one of the highest
SENA MEDAL
population densities in the world.
 What is life like in Gaza?

● Israel controls the airspace over Gaza and its shoreline

and restricts who and what goods are allowed in and out
through its border crossings.

● Similarly, Egypt controls who passes in and out through

its border with Gaza.

● About 80% of the population of Gaza depends on

international aid, according to the UN, and about one
million people rely on daily food aid.
SENA MEDAL
 What Palestine wants?

● They want Israel to withdraw from pre-1967

borders and establish an independent Palestine
state in West Bank and Gaza.
● Israel should stop all expansion of settlements
before coming to peace talks.
● Palestine wants Palestine refugees who lost their
homes in 1948 to be able to come back.
● Palestine wants East Jerusalem as the capital of
the Independent Palestine state.
SENA MEDAL
 India’s take on Israel-Palestine conflict
IN VIEW OF PALESTINE

● India’s support for the Palestinian cause is an integral part of the nation’s foreign

policy. In 1974, India became the first Non-Arab State to recognize Palestine Liberation
Organization (PLO) as the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
In 1988, India became one of the first countries to recognize the Palestinian State. In
1996, India opened its Representative Office in Gaza, which was later shifted to
Ramallah in 2003.

● Bilateral Visits There have been regular high level bilateral visits between India and
Palestine. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi paid a historic first-ever visit to Palestine
on February 10, 2018. Former President Shri Pranab Mukherjee paid a historic first-ever

SENA MEDAL
visit to Palestine in October 2015.Former President of Palestine Yasser Arafat visited
India several times.
 India’s take on Israel-Palestine conflict
IN VIEW OF ISRAEL

India and Israel are strategic partners.

India announced its recognition of Israel on September 17, 1950.

Regular Embassies were opened in 1992 when full diplomatic relations were established between
the two countries. India and Israel will celebrate 30 years of upgradation of diplomatic relations in
2022.

India and Israel have established bilateral consultation mechanisms in all sectors of collaboration,
including water, agriculture, counter-terrorism, and defence.

The political ties between India and Israel are very warm and forward looking.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook a historic first-ever visit to Israel by an Indian Prime
SENA MEDAL
Minister on July 4-6, 2017 during which the relationship was upgraded to strategic partnership.
 How can the Israel-Palestine conflict be resolved?
“One-state” solution
1. It involves the integration of Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip into one big
nation that consists of both the Jews and the Palestinians under a single
government.
2. There are two versions of this solution.
3. One is the creation of a single democratic nation. This would mean that the
Muslims would become the majority community and the Jews a minority.
4. The other version is that annexation of the West Bank and pushing out the
Palestinians or not allowing them the right to vote.
● The One-State solution is unlikely to happen because it would require either one
of the adversaries to give up their raison d’etre.
SENA MEDAL
● This makes the two-state solution the only way forward.
 How can the Israel-Palestine conflict be resolved?

There are two approaches to solve the Israel-Palestine

issue.

“Two-state” solution

1. This is supported by the majority of the international

community.
2. It involves the establishment of independent states of
SENA MEDAL Israel and Palestine.
SENA MEDAL
SENA MEDAL
SENA MEDAL
 The Israel - Gaza Conflict 2023

SENA MEDAL
 What is happening : The Hamas Attack

● On 7 October 2023, Palestinian militant groups led by

Hamas launched a large-scale invasion and offensive
against Israel from the Gaza Strip, breaking through the
Gaza–Israel barrier and forcing entry via the Gaza border
crossings, into nearby settlements in Israel and military
installations.

● Hamas called it Operation al-Aqsa Storm.

● It is the first direct conflict within Israel's boundaries since

the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
SENA MEDAL
 What is happening : The Hamas Attack

● At least 3,000 rockets were fired from the Gaza

Strip as Hamas militants broke through the border
and entered Israel, killing at least 900 Israelis and
prompting Israel's government to declare a state of
emergency.

● Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated

that Israel "is at war" in a national address
SENA MEDAL following the beginning of the attacks
 What is happening : The Hamas Attack
● Palestinian militants who infiltrated Israel made their way into
several kibbutzim near the Gaza Strip as well as the city of
Sderot.

● Both Palestinian and Israeli media sources reported that Israeli

soldiers and civilians, including children, had been taken hostage
by Palestinian militants; several of these hostages have
reportedly since been taken to the Gaza Strip.

● Numerous cases of violence against Israeli civilians have also

been reported since the beginning of the Hamas offensive,
including a massacre at a music festival in Re'im that killed at
SENA MEDAL
least 260.
 What is happening : The Hamas Attack

SENA MEDAL
 What is happening : The Hamas Attack

SENA MEDAL
 What is happening : The Hamas Attack

SENA MEDAL
 What is happening : The Hamas Attack

SENA MEDAL
 What is happening : The Hamas Attack

SENA MEDAL
 What is happening : Israel’s Response

● In a televised address Saturday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin

Netanyahu, who earlier declared Israel to be at war, said the military
would use all of its strength to destroy Hamas' capabilities. But he
warned that "this war will take time. It will be difficult."

● "The enemy will pay an unprecedented price," he said, promising that

Israel would "return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not
SENA MEDAL
known."
 What is happening : Israel’s Response

SENA MEDAL
 What is happening : Israel’s Response
● At least 560 Palestinians had been killed in retaliatory Israeli
airstrikes on Gaza by Monday morning, Palestinian health
officials said, with another 2,900 said to have been wounded.

● Israel's military said it was targeting command centers used by

Hamas in the blockaded Gaza Strip, along with another
Iran-backed militant group, Islamic Jihad.

● The Israeli airstrikes in Gaza intensified overnight, flattening

residential buildings in giant explosions, including a 14-story
tower that held dozens of apartments as well as Hamas offices
in central Gaza City.
SENA MEDAL
 What is happening : Israel’s Response
● Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Monday that he'd
ordered a tightening of the Gaza blockade: "Nothing is
allowed in or out. There will be no fuel, electricity or food
supplies," he said in a statement. "We fight animals in
human form and proceed accordingly."

● Loudspeakers atop mosques in Gaza City blared stark

warnings to residents to evacuate, and by Monday morning
the United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA said more
than 123,530 people in the Palestinian territory had been
internally displaced, "mostly due to fear, protection
SENA MEDAL concerns and the destruction of their homes."
 Why did Hamas Attack Now?
● Although the attack by the militants on 7 October came
without warning, it happened at a time of soaring
Israeli-Palestinian tensions.

● This year has been the deadliest year on record for

Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which could
have motivated Hamas to strike Israel with a spectacular
attack.

● Hamas might also have been seeking to score a major

propaganda victory against Israel to boost its popularity
SENA MEDAL among ordinary Palestinians.
 Why did Hamas Attack Now?
● The fact that it has taken so many Israelis captive is likely to be
aimed at pressuring Israel to free some of the about 4,500
Palestinians held in Israeli prisons - a highly emotive issue for all
Palestinians.

● There is also speculation that the attack was orchestrated by Iran -

Israel's arch-foe - though Iran's ambassador the UN has denied his
country's involvement.

● Iran and Hamas also staunchly oppose the growing prospect of a

historic peace deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia - something
which might be thwarted if Israel's military response to the attacks
SENA MEDAL
provokes widespread anger in the Arab world.
 How Unprecedented was this Attack?
● This is the most ambitious operation Hamas has ever
launched from Gaza and the most serious cross-border
attack Israel has faced in more than a generation.

● Militants breached the wire that separates Gaza from Israel

in multiple places.

● The unprecedented attack came a day after the 50th

anniversary of the surprise attack by Egypt and Syria in
1973 that started a major Middle East war. The significance
of the date will not have been lost on the Hamas leadership.
SENA MEDAL
 Is this a major Israeli Intelligence Failure?
● With the combined efforts of Shin Bet, Israeli domestic
intelligence, Mossad, its external spy agency and all the
assets of the Israel Defense Forces, it is frankly
astounding that nobody saw this coming or failed to act
on it if they did have a warning.

● Israel has arguably the most extensive and well-funded

intelligence services in the Middle East, with informants
and agents inside Palestinian militant groups, as well as
in Lebanon, Syria and elsewhere.
SENA MEDAL
Effect on India’s Trade and Diplomatic Stance

● India’s trade with Israel, at about $10.7 billion in FY23,

may be seriously impacted if operations at the three
largest ports of Israel-Haifa, Ashdod; and Eilat are
disrupted.

● These ports handle shipments in agricultural products,

chemicals, electronics, machinery, and vehicles.

SENA MEDAL
Effect on India’s Trade and Diplomatic Stance

● India’s merchandise trade with Israel happens mostly

through the Eilat port, located on the Red Sea.

● Fortunately, so far there is no report of port disruption.

The real impact would depend on the duration and
intensity of the war

SENA MEDAL
Effect on India’s Trade and Diplomatic Stance
● India is striving to bring back its stranded students from
Israel, and the PMO is strictly monitoring the situation
there, Union Minister of State for External Affairs
Meenakshi Lekhi told on Sunday.

● All Indian nationals have been asked the Indian

Embassy in Israel to remain vigilant and observe safety
protocols. Almost 1 Crore Indian Nationals live in the
SENA MEDAL region.
Effect on India’s Trade and Diplomatic Stance
● An escalation in the Israel-Hamas confrontation may not just
hit India’s trade with Israel, especially in critical items such as
defence equipment, but also pose a serious challenge to
India’s diplomatic efforts in case other Arab countries get
involved.

● Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed deep shock at

the attack, and said that India stood in solidarity with Israel,
but some say that if the war continues for long, India’s
SENA MEDAL
diplomatic stance could get complicated.
Effect on India’s Trade and Diplomatic Stance
● If the Arab world gets pulled into this dispute, which has happened in
the past, then India will have to measure its steps. India’s economic
and strategic ties with the Middle East have become even more
important in the light of the India-Middle East-Europe economic
corridor.

● In case the war intensifies, India has to tread carefully. A direct conflict
between Hamas and Israel may not impact India, but if other actors like
Hezbollah and Iran get involved security and stability of the West Asian
region will be terribly impacted which will have direct consequences for

SENA MEDAL
India’s energy supply, economy and investment and welfare of Expats
A pushback to Palestinian Statehood: The end of Two State solution?

● The lesson Palestinians have learnt from their

decades-long occupation and daily humiliations has been
that Israeli civilians need to share their pain to force them
to reduce it.

● But from the Israeli perspective, every wave of violence

against their civilian community has made them less
likely to risk ending the occupation of Palestinians.

● The recent terror attacks will further Israeli suspicions

that if this is what Hamas can do with a tiny bit of power,
SENA MEDAL
what would they do to Israel with sovereign state power?
A pushback to Palestinian Statehood: The end of Two State solution?

Hamas’ unprecedented attack will reinforce among

Israelis the only two options they feel they have:

● they can either endure the continuing moral shame

of ruling over another people

● or they can risk their very existence by creating a

sovereign Palestinian state that might then wipe out
Israel as a Jewish state.
SENA MEDAL
A pushback to Palestinian Statehood: The end of Two State solution?

● Given the power imbalance between Israel and the rest of the Arab
world, there is only one way for Palestinians to get their sovereign
state.

● That will be to convince Israeli voters that an eventual Palestine will

live peaceably next to Israel. But for this generation of Israelis who
are scarred by images of a kidnapped 84-year-old grandmother being
paraded in a golf cart by Hamas, the immorality of occupying another
people will be preferable to risking the annihilation of one’s own
people.

● The only way forward is for a Palestinian leadership that can credibly
signal to the Israeli people that it will not use the freedoms it gains
SENA MEDAL
from any peace deal to hurt Israel. The prospects for that seem dim.
 THANK
YOU CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA !

Maj Gen Yash Mor

@gen.yashmor