GROUP 1 PRESENTATION

PALESTINIANS - ISRAELI CONFLICT

GROUP 1 MEMBERS INCLUDES

BOKOSSA OLUCHI MALIERE (GROUP LEADER)

WILLIAMS JUSTICE NDEBUARI

DAVID SOROAYE

LOMA MERCY

ONOWO .O. JUSTICE

EMMANUEL SAMUEL .T.

JOHN BENITA EBUBECHI

Conflict means the contradiction arising from the difference in interests, ideologies, believes, perceptions, and
tendencies. Conflict can happen anywhere and it seems normal in our today’s society. It is an inevitable situation in
the human life. “The only man that can stay without conflict is an Islander”, and no man is an island; even an island
has conflict with himself. Conflict can come in any form; fight for allocation of resources, personal conflict, family
conflict, and so on. In conflicts two or more people are involved; which includes the Major (the two main entities)
and Minor (those supporting either of the two main entities) parties.

Quincy Wright (1990:19) defines conflict as an opposition among social entities directed against one another. This
opposition directed against one another, is a competition between those entities independently striving for
something of which the resources are inadequate to satisfy all. Conflict arises when two or more people disagree,
and the disagreement is not resolved. From Wright’s definition, conflicts don’t just come as a full-scale war; it
generates from non-violent to violent, and from that violent to full-scale war.

With all this definitions and explanations of conflicts above, we see that conflicts starts from something small; a
disagreement, and ends with war when not being settled or taken care of. Prior to our explanation above, the
Palestinian- Israeli conflict started with a disagreement which was not settled, then it led to a full-scale war which is
hard to stop till date.

BACKGROUND OF THE CONFLICT

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict dates back to the end of the nineteenth century in 1947, the United Nations adopted
Resolution 181, known as the Partition Plan, which sought to divide the British Mandate of Palestine into Arab and
Jewish states. On May 14, 1948, the state of Israel was created, sparking the first Arab-Israel war. The war ended in
1949 with Israel’s victory, but 750,000 Palestinians were displaced, and the territory was divided into 3 parts: the
State of Israel, the West Bank (of the River Jordan), and the Gaza Strip.

Over the following years, tensions rose in the region, particularly between Israel and Egypt, Jordan, and Syria.
Following the 1956 Suez Crisis and Israel’s invasion of the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, Jordan and Syria signed mutual
defense pacts in anticipation of a possible mobilization of Israeli troops. In June 1967, following a series of
maneuvers by Egyptian President Abdel Gamal Nasser, Israel preemptively attacked Egyptian and Syrian air forces,
starting the Six-Day War. After the war, Israel gained territorial control over the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip from
Egypt; the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan; and the Golan Heights from Syria.

The conflict between Israel and Palestine is one of the most complex and protracted conflicts in modern history,
rooted in the mix of political, territorial, and religious issues that date back over a century. Below is an overview
from the background/origin of the conflict to its recent happenings:

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND EARLY ROOTS (LATE 1800s - 1948)

Ottoman Rule and Rising Nationalism (late 1800s): Palestine was part of the Ottoman Empire, and its population
was primarily Arab Muslims, along with Christian and Jewish minorities. Jewish nationalism or Zionism, began in
Europe in the late 19th century, with Jews advocating for a homeland in the biblical land of Israel, or Palestine.
British Mandate and Balfour Declaration (1917): After World War 1, Britain took control of Palestine from the
Ottomans. In 1917, the British government issued a Balfour Declaration, supporting a “National home for the
Jewish people” in Palestine. However, it also promised not to prejudice the rights of the existing Arab population,
leading to competing expectations.

Rising Tensions and Conflicts (1920s – 1930s): Jewish immigration to Palestine increased due to persecution in
Europe, particularly during the Holocaust. This led to growing tensions and violent clashes between Jewish and
Arab communities, as both claimed the land.

PARTITION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF ISRAEL (1947 - 1948)

UN Partition Plan (1947): The United Nations proposed a partition plan to divide Palestine into separate Jewish and
Arab states, with Jerusalem as an international zone. While Jewish leaders accepted the plan, Palestinian and Arab
leaders rejected it, opposing the loss of land.

Declaration of Israel and First Arab-Israel War (1948): In 1948, Jewish leaders declared the establishment of the
State of Israel. Neighboring Arab countries invaded in response, leading to the first Arab-Israeli war. Israel emerged
victorious, controlling more territory than originally proposed by the UN. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians
were displaced, leading to a refugee crisis that continues today.

WARS AND OCCUPATION (1950s – 1970s)

1956 Suez Crisis: Israel, Britain, and France attacked Egypt after Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser
nationalized the Suez Canal. The conflict intensified regional tensions but didn’t significantly alter Israel-Palestine
dynamics.

1967 Six-Day War: In a brief but decisive war, Israel fought against Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, seizing the West Bank
(including East Jerusalem), Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula, and Golan Heights. The occupation of these territories
became a central issue in the conflict, as Israel expanded settlements in these areas, which Palestinians claimed for
a future state.

1973 Yom Kippur War: Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel to reclaim lost territories. While Israel
ultimately repelled the attacks, the war led to peace negotiations between Egypt and Israel, resulting in the Camp
David Accords in1978 and Israel’s return of the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt.

THE RISE OF THE PLO AND PALESTINIAN NATIONALISM (1960s – 1980s)

Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO): Founded in 1964, the PLO sought to establish a Palestinian state. Initially,
it advocated armed struggle, and some of its factions engaged in attacks against Israeli targets. Yasser Arafat
became a prominent leader of the PLO.

Intifada (1987 - 1993): in 1987, the First Intifada (uprising) broke out in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It was a
grassroots movement marked by protests, strikes, and confrontations. It highlighted the Palestinians’ plight and
increased international support for their cause.
ATTEMPTS AT PEACE (1990s 2000s)

Oslo Accords (1993-1995): The Oslo Accords, signed by Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, established
the Palestinian Authority (PA), which would govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza. However, issues like borders,
refugees, and the status of Jerusalem remained unresolved.

Camp David Summit (2000): US President Bill Clinton hosted a peace summit between Arafat and Israeli Prime
Minister Ehud Barak. However, talks failed, primarily due to disagreements over Jerusalem and the right of return
for Palestinian refugees.

Second Intifada (2000-2005): Frustrated by failed negotiations, a second, more violent intifada erupted. It included
suicide bombings by Palestinian groups and military responses by Israel, which further deepened animosities and
led to heavy casualties on both sides.

GAZA, BLOCKADES AND ONGOING HOSTILITIES (2005-PRESENT)

Israeli Disengagement from Gaza (2005): Israel unilaterally withdrew its settlers and military from Gaza. However,
after Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist political and militant group, won elections in 2006 and took control of Gaza in
2007, Israel and Egypt imposed blockades, citing security concerns over Hamas’s armed activities.

Cycles of Conflict in Gaza: Since 2007, there have been multiple rounds of conflict between Israel and Hamas, with
rocket attacks from Gaza and Israeli airstrikes. These conflicts have caused significant casualties, infrastructure
damage, and humanitarian crises.

The Expansion of Israeli settlements: The continued expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East
Jerusalem has been a major point of contention. Many countries and the UN consider these settlements illegal
under international law, although Israel disputes this.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS (2020s)

Abraham Accords (2020): Brokered by the United States, the Abraham Accords normalized relations between Israel
and several Arab countries, including the UAE and Bahrain. While this shifted regional alliances, it didn’t directly
address the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

Escalation of Violence (May 2021): Tensions in Jerusalem over evictions in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood and
clashes at the Al-Aqsa Mosque led to an 11-day conflict between Israel and Hamas. This conflict resulted in
hundreds of Palestinian deaths and a number of Casualties on the Israeli side.

Renewed Hostilities (October 2023): A significant escalation occurred when Hamas launched a large-scale attack on
Israeli towns and villages, resulting in the deaths and kidnappings of many Israeli civilians and soldiers. Israel
responded with extensive airstrikes on Gaza, leading to a high Palestinian death toll, including civilians. The conflict
drew international attention, highlighting the urgent humanitarian crisis and the call for a renewed peace progress.
Even with all the war and conflicts, the core issues still remain unresolved, including failed attempts to peace.

The core issues include:

 Borders and Security: Defining borders for a two-state solution and ensuring security for both sides.
 Jerusalem: both Israel and Palestine claim Jerusalem as their capital, with religious significance intensifying
the dispute.
 Palestinian Refugees: Millions of Palestinian refugees and their descendants seek the right to return to
their former homes in what is now Israel.
 Israeli Settlements: Continued settlement expansion in the West Bank threatens the viability of a
contiguous Palestinian state.