This case study examines the background information, major events, and current difficulties that Israel and Palestine are facing in their efforts to reach a permanent agreement. The article explores possible paths to regional peace as well as the role played by the international community.
- The 1800s marked Ottoman Rule: Under Ottoman authority, Palestine was a multicultural territory established by the peaceful coexistence of Jews, Christians, and Muslims during the 19th century. The region’s diverse religious and ethnic groups were able to live together during this time of rather stable and tolerant religious practices.
- Zionism 1897: Theodor Herzl founded Zionsim, a political group, since he thought that Jews would not survive without their own state. Taking over Palestine and turning it into a Jewish nation was its fundamental purpose.
- The 1900s saw British rule: After World War I ended in 1918, the situation in Palestine experienced a significant change. After the Ottoman Empire was overthrown, Britain became a significant force in the Middle East. An important turning point that resulted in the British occupation of Palestine was the Battle of Megiddo in 1918. Significant demographic shifts took place during this time of British control as a result of the British Mandate authorities’ facilitation of the immigration of Jewish people into the area.
- The Balfour Declaration 1917: 1917 saw the release of the Balfour Declaration, which said that Britain was in favor of the creation of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine. Tensions between the Jewish and Arab communities arose during the British Mandate (1920–1948), a period of significant Jewish immigration.
- 1947 partition: Following World War II, the UN put up a partition proposal for Palestine when the horrors of the Holocaust were still very much on everyone’s minds. The UN General Assembly passed Resolution 181, also referred to as the Partition Resolution, on November 29, 1947. With Jerusalem serving as an international city, this resolution aimed to split Palestine into two states: an Arab state and a Jewish one.
- 1948 War in Palestine: The British left Palestine in 1948 and gave it to the Israelite Jewish people. The UN study titled “THE PALESTINE PARTITION RESOLUTION 181” contends that native Palestinians’ rights, especially those of Palestinian Jews who opposed Zionism, were neglected in this division. According to the report, Zionist policies were carried out without taking into account the terms in the League of Nations Mandate for Palestine that were meant to defend Palestinian rights. UN study also stated that: “The Zionists also claimed that “the Jewish problem” and the situation of Jewish refugees in Europe should be integrally linked to a resolution of the Palestine issue.”
- Hamas 1987: Originally the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas is a Sunni Islamist group based in Palestine that seeks to uphold Palestinian rights and recapture their ancestral lands.
- Violence between 2000 and 2023: According to the wire: “Since 2000, there has been bloodshed in the conflict; by 2023, B’Tselem reports 10,712 Palestinian and 1,330 Israeli casualties. Significant violence from the 1987 first Intifada contributed to the Oslo peace accords.”
- October 7: After years of misery and warfare, Hamas launched rockets onto Israel on October 7 in the hope of freeing Palestinian inmates by capturing Israeli hostages.
- Genocide: There have been more casualties as a result of recent events, especially the incident on October 7. Since then, 26,637 deaths have been registered in Gaza, according to the Health Ministry.
Reference: UN, The wire and Al Jazeera
