Israel-Palestine Conflict

Zionism

Jewish nationalist movement that emerged in the late 19th century with the goal of creating, and later supporting, a Jewish national state in Palestine, the ancient homeland of the Jews.

Balfour Declaration

1917 statement by the British government favoring the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine. Conflicts with Hussein-McMahon Correspondence.

Hussein-McMahon Correspondence

Series of letters between Sharif Hussein and McMahon (British) where the British promised the Arabs an Arab homeland in exchange for support against the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

Jewish National Fund

An organization established in 1901 to purchase land in Palestine for Jewish settlement and promote the development of Jewish agricultural and communal life.

Palestinian Mandate

British mandate

Jewish Agency

Played important role in advocating for Jewish settlers in Palestine

Haganah

Jewish militia in Palestine established in 1920 to protect kibbutzim- Jewish communities established in Palestine

Economic Effects of Jews in Palestine

• Jews bought up a lot of the land from the British, even if the land had actually “belonged” to a Palestinian prior. This lead to a lot of people losing their homes and farms.

• Jews did not hire Palestinians in the jobs they had in the Palestinians’ stolen land, leading to poverty and struggle amongst Palestinians.

Jaffa Riots

• 1921

An attack between two Jewish labor groups that later developed into an attack by Palestinians.

Haycraft Commission

• Blames Palestinians for the violence

• Found that the Palestinians were angry and attacking out of a fear of loss of their livelihoods

Churchill White Paper

• 1922

• Suggested limiting Jewish immigration to Palestine.

• Blames tensions in Palestine to “exaggerated interpretations” of the Balfour Declaration.

• Not followed through

Wailing Wall Riots

• 1929

• Starts over a dispute of religious practices on the Wailing Wall- important to both Jews and Muslims

• Many Jews and Palestinians killed

Shaw Commission

• In response to Wailing Wall Riots

• Found it to be caused by Palestinian animosity towards Jews due to economic fears- immigrations + land purchases impact them negatively

Passfield White Paper

• 1930, in response to riots

• Suggests for land to be set aside for Palestinians

• Not followed through

Social/Economic Developments in 1930’s

• Jewish population rapidly grows in the region from lots of immigration (ignoring White papers). Caused by the rise of antisemitic sentiment due to Hitler’s rise

• Many Jewish immigrants are highly skilled and make a lot more money than Palestinians already living on the land.

• Jews have an immense economic growth due to this + land purchasing, while Palestinians hardly benefit from Jewish presence

• Jews have a lot more schools (and better ones at that)

Arab Revolt

• 1936-39

• Combination of political protests/strikes against Jews and British

• Destruction of crops, pipelines, roads- crops effects both Jews and Palestinians negatively, pipelines effects British negatively (need it for oil)

• Demand: an Arab homeland, restrictions on Jewish immigration to Palestine, end of land sales to Jews, representative government

Peel Commission

• 1937, in response to Arab revolt

• First 2-state solution proposal

• Arabs lose coastal access and most major cities

• Jews gain most major cities

• Both reject it: Arabs obviously don’t want the short end of the stick, Jews want it all to themselves

1939 White Paper

• Policy that restricts Jewish immigration to Palestine

  • Not enforced due to Hitler’s rise

• Upsets Zionists since they’re fighting with Britain in WW2

Political Developments in 1940’s

• Arabs struggle from a lack of representative government

• Jews have David Ben Gurion representing Jewish interests to British government so it’s of little concern

• Zionist militias on the rise

  • Irgun splits from Haganah- more radical and militant. Their goal is to split off from both Brits and Arabs. Lehi is similar

  • Eventually all three join into United Resistance

Post-WW2 Britain

• financial difficulties following war

• growing tensions in Palestine are too complex for British to handle

• growing tensions in Middle East are similarly too complex

King David Hotel Bombing

• 1946

• HQ of Bitish mandate government

• Irgun terrorists attack, killing many British

• Jewish Agency condemns the attack, but the relationship between Jews and Brits sour. British really want to leave Palestine now

UNSCOP

• 1947- British hands Palestine over to UN

• UNSCOP is the committee in charge- decide on 2-state solution in Palestine. Different from Peel.

• Jews get industrial centers, a lot of land, the land is called Israel, and is recognized as a state.

  • They love it!

• Palestinian state is split up b/w Israel, no industrial cities

  • They hate it! Believe Jews should not get more land since they are not the majority

Arab League

• Founded in 1945 in Cairo

• Made up of many Arab states

• All fundamentally against Israel’s existence

• Most Arab states are disorganized due to meddling of British mandates

  • Arab states all have their own individual desires, and cannot work together as a team

Deir Yassin

• 1948

• Massacre of ~100 Palestinians near Jerusalem

1948 War

• State of Israel is declared- Arab League attacks on the same day

• Arabs only commit ~30k, Israel commits ~65k

• Arabs were too disorganized and pursued own political and territorial needs: no single goal, little cooperation, less arms purchases

• Arab League loses and Israel is created

Consequences of 1948 War

• 1948 exodus: 750k Palestinians expelled or fled from Palestine

• Israel becomes an industrial power in the region

  • Law of Return (1950): right of every Jew to settle in Israel

  • Citizenship Law (1952): immediate citizenship granted to all Jewish immigrants

Pan-Arabism

Political and cultural ideology advocating for the unity, solidarity, and potential unification of Arab countries and peoples across the Middle East and North Africa

Suez Crisis

• 1956

• Nasser nationalizes Suez Canal- pisses Britain + France off

• Israel joins on Britain and France’s side- Egypt was blocking Straits of Tiran

• Nothing really comes out of it: Israel gets access to straits again

Consequences of Suez Crisis

• Strengthens disdain b/w Israel and Arab states

• Pan-Arabism on the rise: direct opposition to Israel’s presence

• Britain and France are no longer superpowers

PLO

• Formed in 1964

• Political and paramilitary organization to represent Palestinian people and fight for Palestinian independence

Causes for 6-day war

• Long-Term

  • Political instability in Jordan: lots of Palestinians in Jordan

  • Border skirmishes with Israel, especially with Syria

  • 1948 war humiliation

  • Saw Israel as a final colonial standpoint- they freaking hate the West

  • Rise of Pan-Arabism

• Short-Term

  • Formation of PLO

  • Arab League feels confident they can take over

  • USSR tells Egypt that Israel is preparing for war

Stakeholders and their wants

• Syria

  • Radically anti-West and anti-Israel

  • Want an end to Israel due to border skirmishes

• Egypt

  • Nasser’s in charge —> Pan-Arabism requires Israel OUT

  • Leader of Arab League

• Jordan

  • Wants Jerusalem

  • 60% of Palestinians live in Jordan —> wants West Bank for them to move to

• Israel

  • Wants other half of Jerusalem and Golan Heights

  • Security concerns due to hostility from Arab neighbors

6-Day War

• 1967

• Israel strikes with air force first, wins the war quickly

• Israel uses US weapons + better communications

  • Better military than Arabs despite having a smaller army

Consequences of 6-Day War

• Israel gets: Gaza, Golan Heights, East Jerusalem, West Bank, and Sinai Peninsula

• Arab League + Pan-Arabism loses credibility

• Jordan faces new influx of Palestinian refugees

Khartoum Resolution

• 1967, following 6-Day War

• Passed by Arab League to affirm unity

• 3 NO’s: No peace with Israel, no recognition with Israel, no negotiation with Israel

• Insists of the rights of Palestinians to their own country

UN Resolution 242

• 1967

• Outlines conditions for peace in the region

• Calls for withdrawal of armed Israeli forces from occupied territories from the recent conflict

• Says to “respect and acknowledge the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every state”

• Packs no actual sauce and isn’t very clear

Early 1970’s

• Nasser starts War of Attrition with Israel but dies pretty soon after

• Sadat knows Egypt can’t win against Israel, but wants the Sinai back

• Golda Meir builds Bar Lev Line against Suez for security

• Israel does not accept UN 242 (does not withdraw)

October/Yom KIppur War

• 1973

• USSR and USA play role in this war, aiding their sides

• Henry Kissinger is US diplomat- gets them to accept armistice

Camp David I

• 1978

• Peace discussions brokered by Jimmy Carter between Sadat and Begin

• Issue of West Bank, Palestinian homeland, settlements, Sinai peninsula

• Egypt wants Sinai back, Israel wants security. Sadat accepts to give them security and gets Sinai back

• Egypt is removed from Arab League for breaking the Khartoum Resolution

• Israel keeps building settlements

• Becomes a “framework” for peace rather than anything actual

First Intifada

• 1987

• Born from long term oppression under Israel and the building of settlements in the West Bank

• Decentralized effort: nonviolent (boycotting), civil disobedience (strikes), violent (throwing stonres)

• International coverage of this Intifada leads to international outcry as IDF responds with “iron fist”

Madrid Conference

• 1991

• Meeting of Israeli and Palestinian leaders

• Israeli PM Shamir is against negotiations and little progress is made

• Us insists on Israel not building any settlements anymore

Oslo Accords I

• 1993

• Secret discussions between Arafat and Rabin: Arafat denounces extremism and Rabin recognizes PLO

• Israeli troops withdraw from Gaza and West Bank, but not military bases

• Elections held for Palestinian authority: PNA formed

Oslo Accords II

• 1995

• Elections for PNA held

• Israeli forces withdraw from major Palestinian towns, Palestinian prisoners released from Israeli prisons

Problems of Peacemaking 1993-9

• Oslo does not address many difficult questions, but helps build relationship b/w Israel and Palestine

  • Future of Jerusalem: important for both religions, but East Jerusalem (Muslim) is surrounded by Israeli settlements

  • Settlements in occupied territories: concerns on how they effect Palestinians + their effect on future state solutions

  • Palestinian refugee’s right to return

  • Israel doesn’t want to remove its troops from WB and Gaza due to settlements

1990’s

• HAMAS: Palestinian offshoot of Muslim Brotherhood, formed in 1987. Militant group

• Attacks Israel with terrorist attacks —> Israeli troops reinstated in Palestine

• Israeli PM assassinated by Israeli extremist —> anti-peace party elected in Israel

• PLO and Fatah wins PNA elections, but HAMAS grows in popularity in Gaza

Camp David II

• 2000: Brokered by Bill Clinton between Arafat and Barak

• Issues discussed: Palestinian territory, Palestinian right to return, settlements

• No peace nor agreement is reached

Second Intifada

• 2000-2005: caused by Ariel Sharon doing a tour in a Muslim Holy Site

• LTC: continued oppression of Palestinians, little progress in Oslo, settlements

• Unlike first Intifada, this one is more militant: use of arms and suicide bombers. Israel responds with further military