Dates: 1964 - Ongoing

 

Factions Involved: Israeli Defense Forces, Likud Party, Hamas, Palestinian Authority

 

Overview: The Israeli/Palestinian Conflict is one of the longest ongoing conflicts in the world having its roots planted in the early 20th Century.

 

 

 

The British Controlled an area of Southern Syria which was previously governed by the Ottoman Empire. This area was known as Mandatory Palestine. The British took control after WWI and held power here until 1947. On November 29 1947 the United Nations recommended a plan to divide Palestine into separate parts. The Majority of Palestine would remain under Arab Palestinian Control and another half for Jews to include the city of Jerusalem. The British had been moderately successful in quelling sectarian violence between the Arabs and Jews however fighting broke out.

 

The Jewish Militias would ultimately prevail as they had greater numbers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_exodus_from_Arab_and_Muslim_countries

 

Many Jews living in Europe and Arab countries began to make their way toward Israel to support the new Jewish state. This was accompanied by a new Political Semi Religious movement known as Zionism. Israel was later established as a Jewish State in 1948.

 

The Role of Zionism: The Jewish Militias and large Jewish exodus from neighboring Arab countries were empowered by Zionist philosophy. In short it is a Jewish Nationalist movement aimed at supporting the creation of a Jewish State and reparations for anti-Semitic activities that have taken place throughout history. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zionism

 

 

 

 

 

Zionism on the political spectrum would rank Far Right/Conservative and this has created a strong divide among the Jewish community regarding Israel. According to the Torah, the Jews must wait for the return of the Messiah before they can establish a Jewish State. Zionism ignores this portion of the Jewish Religious Text, arguing that the Jewish People have suffered enough wrongdoing at the hands of their enemies and the only means of protection is the immediate creation of a Jewish State. Jews who do not agree with Zionism and its effects on the region have strong condemnation of Israel and its policies. Zionism at its very core cannot accept a Two-State Solution: One State for Jews another for Arabs. Zionists proclaim all of Israel belongs to the Jews. Conversely, Israel does not give Arab Palestinians equal protection under Israeli law (frequently cited as the One-State Solution to which the Palestinians have agreed too but Israel demands further concessions)

 

In 1948 the remaining Arab Militias were reorganized and armed by neighboring Arab countries and these militias carried out a 9 month war with the newly created Israeli Defense Forces and lost. They were eventually forced to retreat to either Egypt or Jordan.

 

 

 

Six Day War: In 1967 Israel responding to tensions on its border with Egypt launched a simultaneous offensive against Egypt, Syria Jordan and Iraq and won. At the end of this war Israel had expanded to include the Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip (Formerly Part of Egypt), The West Bank (Formerly Part of Jordan) and the Golan Heights (Formerly Part of Syria). The Zionist Government of Israel used this offensive to "reclaim lost Jewish Land" and it was intended to solidify Israels position in the Middle East. Egypt at the time had the largest military in the Middle East and the most capable Air Force in the region. The majority of military equipment during this era was of either American or Soviet origin.

 

The majority of Arab states used Soviet weaponry (although Jordan used American equipment) while Israel used American and British armament. The Israeli Defense Forces overwhelmed all Arab opponents and pushed into Egypt as far as Suez forcing the Egyptians to retreat. IDF forces continued to fire and bombard fleeing Egyptian soldiers after they were defeated.

 

 

 

USS Liberty Incident: On June 8, 1967 the Israeli Air Force attacked an American Research Vessel the USS Liberty which was in International Waters 29 miles north of the Egyptian city, Arish. Israeli Air Force jets had been monitoring the USS Liberty activity and had positively identified the ship as American. This first wave of pilots had neglected to inform the second wave who had identified the ship as Egyptian. The Egyptian Navy used British Destroyers of the Hunt Class during this time which looked nothing like the USS Liberty. IDF torpedo boats made one pass and torpedoed the USS Liberty killing 34 and wounding 171 while severely damaging the ship. Israel claimed it could not identify the ship positively because it was not displaying a flag. The crew has displayed an American Flag after the initial fly-by of IDF Jets over their position. Israel paid $3 Million to the families of those who died and another $3 Million to those who had been wounded as well as $6 Million for the cost of the Liberty. It is believed by some the Israelis knew the ship was American and were ordered to attack anyway.

 

Palestinian Reemergence: In the 1980s Israel began the process of destroying Palestinian Homes for new Israeli Settlements. The Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank began to retaliate against IDF Forces and this began a drive for Palestinian Nationalism. The Palestinians are currently governed by the Palestinian Authority. Two main groups control its Legislative council, Fatah and Hamas. This confederation of loosely associated Palestinian Resistance has created confusion.

 

 

 

 

 

Fatah generally has control over the Palestinian areas of the West Bank and the Palestinian Capital City of Ramallah. Fatah is more secular in its governance and its recognized by the United States and the West to be the legitimate government of the Palestinian people.

 

Hamas secures the Palestinian settlements of the Gaza Strip and is more religious and adherent to Sunni Islam. Hamas is designated a Terrorist group by the United States while other countries have not given them this mark. Hamas like Fatah has two separate wings, one which is political and the other is militant. The political wing of Hamas works to effect change in the Palestinian government while the militant wing works to defend Gaza against Israeli incursion.

 

The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades are the militant wing of Hamas, and they too have been labeled a terrorist group. The Brigades operate independently of the Political wing which often causes confusion. The Brigades do not take orders from the politicians running Hamas and act in both offensive and defensive manners.

 

Israeli Air Strikes into Gaza have killed citizens whom the IDF claim are being used as "human shields". Israel's offensives against Hamas often have severe consequences such as targeting hospitals and schools. During the IDF's most recent incursion into Gaza, IDF forces were instructed to shoot and kill anyone who was not an IDF soldier.

 

Fatah and Hamas have had fighting among themselves but have quelled recent tensions to focus on Palestinian Statehood.

 

 

 

Israeli Leadership: Israel is currently governed by the Likud Party and its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Likud does not want a Two State Solution to the crisis but constantly tells the United States and the United Nations that it is "committed to a Two state solution". Israel received billions of dollars of American Aid Money and no longer sees a reason to negotiate for a two state solution and is intent on imprisoning the Palestinians in Gaza and eventually pushing them out of the West Bank. The Likud leadership in order to keep the United States and the West as well as the UN appeased must continue to fear monger them into thinking that Israel is constantly under attack from Hamas (when most of Hamas activity recently has been retaliatory) and Iran (Netanyahu called the US/Iran Deal detrimental to Israeli Security..... Taking Nukes away from Iran puts Israel in danger?)

 

 

Palestinian Leadership: Fatah was founded by the stalwart Palestinian Statesman Yasser Arafat and is currently lead by the President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas. Fatah unlike the Likud Party is Far Left allying itself with center-left socialist ideology. Fatah along with Hamas and other groups form a Confederation which jointly represent the interests of the Palestinian People. Fatah has been successful in getting Israel to temporarily off and on agree to the Two State Solution however Israeli construction of settlements in the Palestinian Controlled West Bank continues.

 

 

 

Current Status: Israel is continuing to demolish settlements in the West Bank and building a wall against the Palestinian territories as well as laying minefields to keep Palestinians out of Newly constructed Israeli settlements. Israel is currently led by the Likud Party which is continuing Israels long history of Zionist aggression against its Palestinian neighbors. The only two possible solutions to the crisis have been addressed but rebuffed by the current Israeli government.