Israel Hamas War (oct part 2)

❖ The Hamas, the militant group ruling the Gaza Strip, have mounted a scathing attack on Israel from the
land, air and water leading to multiple casualties. This has revived the century-old dispute between Israel-
Palestine Conflict once again, necessitating the intervention by global and regional powers.
❖ Hamas called it Operation al-Aqsa Flood. The corresponding Israeli counteroffensive was named
Operation Iron Swords by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
❖ Israel, in the recent times, has cemented many peace agreements with neighboring countries such as UAE,
Saudi Arabia etc which is set to feel a jolt due to the recent attack.
❖ Background of Israel-Palestine Conflict: Balfour Declaration: The seeds of the conflict were laid
in 1917 when the then British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour expressed official support of Britain
for a Jewish "national home" in Palestine under the Balfour Declaration.
❖ Creation Of Palestine: Unable to contain Arab and Jewish violence, Britain withdrew its forces from
Palestine in 1948, leaving responsibility for resolving the competing claims to the newly created United
Nations.
❖ The UN presented a partition plan to create independent Jewish and Arab states in Palestine which was not
accepted by most of Arab nations.
❖ Arab Israel War (1948): In 1948, the Jewish declaration of Israel's independence prompted surrounding
Arab states to attack. At the end of the war, Israel controlled about 50% more territory than originally
envisioned by the UN partition plan.
❖ UN Partition Plan: As per the Plan, Jordan controlled the West Bank and Jerusalem's holy sites, and Egypt
controlled the Gaza Strip. But it fell short of solving the palestinian crisis which led to the formation of
Palestinian Liberation Organisation in 1964.
❖ Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO): PLO was founded, with the aim of freeing Palestine from
clutches of Israel and Jewish domination and setting up the dominance of Muslim Brotherhood in the Arab
world.
❖ The United Nations granted the PLO observer status in 1975 and recognizes Palestinians' right to self-
determination.
❖ Six-Day War: In 1967 war, Israeli forces seized the Golan Heights from Syria, the West Bank & East
Jerusalem from Jordan and Sinai Peninsula & Gaza strip from Egypt.
❖ Camp David Accords (1978): The Camp David Summit between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, mediated by U.S. President Bill Clinton. "Framework for Peace in the
Middle East" brokered by the U.S. set the stage for peace talks between Israel and its neighbors and a
resolution to the "Palestinian problem". This however remained unfulfilled.
❖ Emergence of Hamas: 1987: Founding of Hamas, a violent offshoot of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood seeking
to fulfill its agenda through violent jihad.
▪ Hamas- It is regarded as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. In 2006, Hamas won the
Palestinian Authority's legislative elections. It ejected Fatah from Gaza in 2007, splitting the
Palestinian movement geographically, as well
❖ 1987: Tensions in the occupied territories of West Bank and Gaza reached boiling point resulting in the
First Intifada (Palestinian Uprising). It grew into a small war between Palestinian militants and the Israeli
army.
❖ Oslo Accords: 1993: Under the Oslo Accords Israel and the PLO agree to officially recognize each other
and renounce the use of violence. The Oslo Accords also established the Palestinian Authority, which
received limited autonomy in the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank.
❖ 2005: Israel begins a unilateral withdrawal of Jews from settlements in Gaza. However, Israel kept tight
control over all border crossings (blockade).
❖ 2012- UN upgrades Palestinian representation to that of "non-member observer state".
❖ Territorial Disputes of Israel with Neighboring Countries: West Bank: The West Bank is sandwiched
between Israel and Jordan. One of its major cities is Ramallah, the de facto administrative capital of
Palestine. Israel took control of it in the 1967 war and has over the years established settlements there.
❖ Gaza: The Gaza Strip located between Israel and Egypt. Israel occupied the strip after 1967, but
relinquished control of Gaza City and day-to-day administration in most of the territory during the Oslo
peace process. In 2005, Israel unilaterally removed Jewish settlements from the territory, though it
continues to control international access to it.
❖ Golan Heights: The Golan Heights is a strategic plateau that Israel captured from Syria in the 1967
war. Israel effectively annexed the territory in 1981. Recently, the USA has officially recognized Jerusalem
and Golan Heights as a part of Israel.
Retest Development & UN Resolutions
❖ Palestinian Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian discussed
the means of stopping the Israeli “brutal crimes” in the besieged Gaza enclave.
❖ Bolivia has broken diplomatic ties with Israel because of its attacks on the Gaza Strip, while neighbours
Colombia and Chile recalled their Ambassadors to the Middle Eastern Countries for consultations.
❖ USA assistance to Israel: The Biden administration on October 20 sought emergency assistance from the
U.S. Congress amounting to $14.3 billion in aid to Israel amid the ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza Strip.
❖ The U.S. has historically maintained a supportive view of Israel. It was the first country to recognise Israel
as a sovereign nation in 1948. Since then, it has backed the West Asian country in international forums,
mediated discussions in the geopolitically troubled region, and provided financial assistance.
❖ A report published by the U.S. Congressional Research Service (CRS) in March 2023 says that Israel has
been the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign assistance since World War II. The U.S. has provided
Israel with $158 billion (not adjusted for inflation) in bilateral assistance and missile defence funding till
date.
❖ The two governments signed a 10-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) in 2016, which covers years
2019 through 2028. U.S. pledged to provide Israel with $38 billion in military aid ($33 billion in Foreign
Military Financing (FMF) grants plus $5 billion in missile defence appropriations), subject to congressional
allocation.
❖ For the 2023 financial year, the U.S. Congress authorised $520 million for joint U.S.-Israel defence
programmes, which includes $500 million for missile defence, under the James M. Inhofe National
Defence Authorisation Act for the year. According to the terms of the MoU, the U.S. Congress approved
$3.8 billion for Israel under foreign military financing and missile defence in the FY2023 Consolidated
Appropriations Act, and added another $98.58 million in funding for other cooperative defence and non-
defence programmes.
❖ Wartime assistance to Israel: Out of President Biden’s $14.3 billion proposed aid to Israel, over $4 billion
has been allocated to defence-related activities in Israel, including equipment and military education and
training. Another $801 million, if approved, will go towards procuring ammunition, improving ammunition
plants and equipment.
❖ In compliance with its support for Israel’s Iron Dome, President Biden’s proposal includes $4 billion for
procuring enhanced system capabilities for both Iron Dome and David’s Sling, and another $1.2 billion for
research and development of the Iron Beam defence system capabilities.
❖ The proposal also allocates $3.5 billion towards refugee assistance from the war in both Ukraine and
Israel, and another $5.7 billion to meet humanitarian needs stemming from the war in Ukraine, the situation
in Gaza, and the regional and global impacts of those crises.
❖ USA Stand on Jerusalem: In 2017, former U.S. President Donald Trump reversed decades of policy by
recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. He called his decision “long overdue,” despite warnings that
the move could deepen the Israel-Palestine conflict.
❖ The U.S. Congress passed the Jerusalem Embassy Act in 1995, calling on the United States to move its
embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, recognising it as Israel’s capital. But Presidents Bill Clinton, George
W. Bush and Barack Obama, kept postponing the move, six months at a time.
❖ The U.S. now operates an embassy in Jerusalem; it was opened in May 2018 under former President
Trump.
❖ The U.S.’s support to Israel reflects in its stand at international forums, like the United Nations Security
Council (UNSC). U.S. vetoed a UNSC resolution that called for humanitarian access to Gaza Strip and a
pause in the ongoing fighting between Israel and Hamas militants. Twelve members voted in favour of the
draft text framed by Brazil, while Russia and Britain abstained.
❖ US Interest in Israel: Israel’s technical advancements have solidified its position as one of the most
sophisticated weapons manufacturers in the world. According to a report by the Stockholm International
Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Israel was the 10th-largest weapons exporter between 2018 and 2022.
Although the U.S. tops the list, it still depends on Israel for the manufacture of parts of its weapons,
including the F-35— among the most advanced fighter jets in the world. Israeli companies make F-35 wing
sets (Israel Aerospace Industries) and helmets (Elbit Systems).
India’s Stand
❖ India was one of the few countries to oppose the UN’s partition plan in November 1947, echoing its own
experience during independence a few months earlier. In the decades that followed, the Indian political
leadership actively supported the Palestinian cause and withheld full diplomatic relations with Israel.
❖ India recognised Israel in 1950 but it is also the first non-Arab country to recognise Palestine Liberation
Organisation (PLO) as the sole representative of the Palestinian. India is also one of the first countries to
recognise the statehood of Palestine in 1988.
❖ In the 2014, India favored UNHRC’s resolution to probe Israel’s human rights violations in Gaza. Despite
supporting probe, India abstained from voting against Israel in UNHRC IN 2015.
❖ As a part of Link West Policy, India has de-hyphenated its relationship with Israel and Palestine in 2018 to
treat both the countries mutually independent and exclusive.
❖ In June 2019, India voted in favor of a decision introduced by Israel in the UN Economic and Social
Council (ECOSOC) that objected to granting consultative status to a Palestinian non-governmental
organization
❖ So far India has tried to maintain the image of its historical moral supporter for Palestinian self-
determination, and at the same time to engage in the military, economic, and other strategic relations with
Israel.

Operation Ajay
❖ India has initiated "Operation Ajay" to assist its citizens who wish to return from Israel. Special charter
flights and arrangements are being organized for their safe repatriation.
❖ A 24-hour Control Room has been established in the Ministry of External Affairs to monitor the situation in
Israel and Palestine and provide information and assistance.
❖ The announcement was made concurrently with Israel's ongoing military operations targeting Hamas
militants in the Gaza Strip.
❖ These actions were undertaken in response to a severe and violent attack that occurred within the borders
of Israel.
Recent un passed motion in UN
❖ The UN Security Council failed to adopt a Brazil-led draft resolution that would have called for
humanitarian pauses in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict to allow full access for aid to the Gaza strip after
the U.S. vetoed the text.
❖ The U.S., a permanent member of the UNSC and a close ally of Israel, said it is disappointed the resolution
makes no mention of Israel's rights of self-defence.
❖ The 15-nation Council met to vote on the draft resolution that was proposed by Council President Brazil.
❖ While 12 Council members voted in favour of the resolution, Russia and Britain abstained. The resolution
could not be adopted because of a veto cast by the U.S.
❖ This was the second time in two days that the Council failed to adopt a resolution on the situation in the
Middle East.
❖ On 16 October, the Security Council rejected a draft resolution proposed by Russia on the situation in Gaza
that would have called for a humanitarian ceasefire but did not mention the militant group Hamas which
launched an audacious attack against Israel on October 7.
❖ The Brazil-led resolution would have firmly condemned all violence and hostilities against civilians and all
acts of terrorism, and unequivocally rejected and condemned the heinous terrorist attack by Hamas on
October 7.
About Hamas
❖ Foundation: Hamas, which means "zeal" in Arabic, was founded in 1987 during the First Intifada
(Palestinian uprising) against Israeli rule in the Occupied Territories.
❖ Roots: It emerged from the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.
❖ Religious Foundation: Hamas has an Islamist (sunni) foundation and seeks to establish an Islamic state in
historic Palestine.
❖ Resistance to Israel: The group opposes the state of Israel and has historically rejected any permanent
peace agreement with it. However, in recent years, there have been indications of Hamas's willingness to
accept a long-term truce.
❖ Political Wing: Engages in social services, education, and political activities. It has been the de facto
governing authority of the Gaza Strip since 2007.
❖ Military Wing: Known as the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, it conducts military and paramilitary
operations, including rocket attacks, suicide bombings, and other forms of attacks against Israeli military
and civilian targets.
❖ 2006 Election: Hamas won a surprise victory in the Palestinian legislative elections.
❖ 2007 Gaza Control: After a conflict with Fatah, Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip.
❖ Designation: Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, Canada, the
European Union, and other countries. However, it also has political support from countries like Turkey,
Qatar, and Iran.
❖ Policy Document: In 2017, Hamas released a new policy document indicating a willingness to accept a
Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, though it did not recognize Israel's right to exist.
Fatah
❖ Fatah — the word means to conquer — was formed in Kuwait in the late 1959 (as a political Movement) and
in 1965 (as a political party) after the displacement and dispossession of more than 70,000 Palestinian
Arabs during the 1948 Israeli-Arab War. The secular nationalist organisation was established by numerous
people, but the key founders were Yasser Arafat (he went on to become the president of the Palestinian
Authority) and his fellow activists, including Mahmoud Abbas (the current president of the Palestinian
Authority), Khaled Yashruti, Salah Khalaf and Khalil al-Wazir.
❖ Fatah’s objective was quite clear from the beginning: an armed struggle against Israel to liberate Palestine.
Its military operations began in 1965 and most of them were carried out from Jordan and Lebanon. Three
years later, the organisation became part of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO).
❖ The armed struggle of Fatah soon came to an end after both Jordan and Lebanon pushed out its military
wing from their territories in the 1970s. The organisation went through a transformation, according to a
report by Al Jazeera, and began to negotiate with Israel. In the 1990s, Fatah-led PLO officially announced
they would renounce their armed resistance and later signed the Oslo Accords that established the
Palestinian National Authority (PNA), or Palestinian Authority (PA), an interim self-governing body meant to
lead to an independent Palestinian State.
❖ Fatah has recognized Israel and supports the two-state solution based on the 1967 borders.
❖ Currently, Fatah heads the PA, which governs about 40% of the occupied West Bank. In 2006, it lost control
of the Gaza Strip after losing to the political wing of the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the democratic
elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC).
Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ)
❖ The PIJ is the second largest militant group in Palestine that aims to destroy Israel and establish a fully
Islamic Palestinian state in its place by using force and military means. It was established in 1981 by
members of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood. International media reports suggest that the group is financially
supported by Iran (the Shiite nation is suspected of funding Hamas also) and has long-standing ties with
that country — PIJ is said to have taken inspiration from the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
❖ While Hamas and PIJ are allies, both groups have separate identities and some differences. PIJ is a
smaller, more elite, often secretive militia devoted to armed struggle, while Hamas is a far larger,
community-based organisation that takes on full governmental responsibilities in Gaza.
❖ Although PIJ has remained away from politics, it has long participated in student politics, fielding
candidates in Palestinian university elections since the 1980s. It also took part in the 1996 legislative
elections.
Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO)
❖ The PLO was founded by the Arab Lague and Ahmed Shukeiri in 1964 Cairo, Egypt to control Palestinian
Nationalism while appearing to champion their cause of Palestine’s self determination.
❖ The PLO was founded after the Palestinian National Council convened in Jerusalem on May 28, 1964. The
PLO’s fist meeting occurred in Jerusalem on may 28, 1964, where Ahmed Shukeiri was elected as their first
chairman.
❖ The PLO’s Military force, the Palestine Liberation Army was formed in 1968.
❖ With the sole aim of liberating Palestine with the help of an armed struggle to achieve its goals. The
organisation is essentially a coalition of smaller Arab groups (except Hamas and Islamic Jihad), but Fatah
remains the dominant one — Fatah’s founder Yasser Arafat became PLO’s chairman in 1969 and remained
in office till his death in 2004. He was succeeded by Arafat’s aid Mahmoud Abbas, who still is the head of
the organisation.
❖ While PLO continued its armed struggle into the 1990s, it was officially recognised by the Arab League and
the United Nations General Assembly as the “sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people”, and
 was invited to participate in all UN activities under observer status. In 1988, it endorsed a two-state solution
to the conflict with Israel, according to the European Council on Foreign Relations, a think tank based in
Berlin, Germany.
Palestinian Authority (PA)
❖ The PA was founded in July 1994 by the Oslo Accords as an interim body to govern parts of Gaza and the
West Bank (except East Jerusalem) till an agreed solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
❖ The PA “functions as an agency of the PLO, which represents Palestinians at international bodies. It is led
by a directly-elected president, who appoints a prime minister and government which must have the
support of the elected Legislative Council,” according to a report by the BBC.
❖ In 2006, the governing body was ousted from the Gaza Strip after Hamas won the PLC elections and since
then the militant group has continued to control the territory.
Muslim Brotherhood
❖ Origins: Foundation: The Muslim Brotherhood (Jam'iyyat al-Ikhwan al-Muslimeen) was founded in 1928 in
Egypt by Hassan al-Banna.
❖ Initial Goals: It began as a social and religious organization aiming to promote Islamic morals and social
justice.
❖ Ideology and Goals: Islamic Governance: The Brotherhood believes in the establishment of a state
governed by Islamic law (Sharia).
❖ Social Reform: It emphasizes social justice, anti-colonialism, and the moral reform of individuals.
❖ Political and Social Activities: Political Role: Over time, the Brotherhood evolved into a significant political
force in Egypt and other countries.
❖ Social Services: The group is known for its extensive social services, including hospitals, schools, and
charities, which have contributed to its grassroots popularity.
❖ Key Events: Repression: Historically, the Brotherhood faced repression in Egypt, especially under
Presidents Gamal Abdel Nasser and Hosni Mubarak.
❖ Arab Spring: During the Arab Spring in 2011, the Brotherhood played a significant role in Egypt's protests.
Following Mubarak's ouster, the Brotherhood's political party, the Freedom and Justice Party, won
parliamentary elections.
❖ Presidency: Mohamed Morsi, a member of the Brotherhood, became Egypt's president in 2012 but was
ousted in a military coup in 2013 led by General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
❖ Post-Coup Repression: After the coup, the Brotherhood faced severe repression, with many of its leaders
arrested or in exile.
❖ International Presence: Regional Spread: The Brotherhood has branches or affiliated groups in several
countries, including Jordan, Syria, and Tunisia.
❖ Hamas: The Palestinian group Hamas originated from the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.
❖ Recent Developments: Designation: Post-2013, the Egyptian government designated the Brotherhood as a
terrorist organization. Some other countries followed suit, while others did not.
❖ Internal Divisions: The group has faced internal divisions, especially post-2013, regarding its future
direction and methods.
Hezbollah
❖ Hezbollah, whose name means ‘Party of God’, is a Shiite Islamic militant organisation from Lebanon.
❖ Hezbollah originated during the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), which was a result of “long-simmering
discontent over the large, armed Palestinian presence in the country”.
❖ Role in conflict: It opposes Israel and Western influence in West Asia.
❖ It has also, along with Russia and Iran, supported the regime of President Bashar al-Assad in neighbouring
Syria during its civil war.
❖ The US estimates that Iran supplies hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to Hezbollah and that it has
thousands of fighters.
Major Events
❖ Re’im Music Festival Massacre: On 7 October 2023, Hamas militants invaded Israel from the Gaza Strip
and massacred 260 civilians, injured a greater number, and took an unknown number of hostages at the
"Supernova Sukkot Gathering", an open-air psychedelic trance music festival celebrating the Jewish holiday
of Sukkot near the Re'im kibbutz.
❖ The attack took place during the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah on Shabbat, and a day after the 50th
anniversary of the start of the Yom Kippur War, which also began with a surprise attack
❖ This was the biggest terror attack in the history of the State of Israel, the worst Israeli civilian massacre
ever.
❖ At 6:30 am around sunrise, rockets were noticed in the sky. Around 7 am, a siren warned of an incoming
rocket attack, prompting festivalgoers to flee. Subsequently, armed militants, dressed in military attire and
using motorcycles, trucks and paragliders, surrounded the festival grounds and indiscriminately fired on
individuals attempting to escape. Attendees seeking refuge in nearby locations, such as bomb shelters,
bushes, and orchards, were killed while in hiding. Those who reached the road and parking were trapped in
a traffic jam as militants fired at vehicles. The militants executed some wounded individuals at point-blank
range as they crouched on the ground.
❖ Ein HaShlosha Massacre: The Ein HaShlosha Massacre is a massacre perpetrated by Hamas militants on 7
October 2023 in the kibbutz Ein HaShlosha in southern Israel, as part of the Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. The
Hamas militants looted and burned many of the kibbutz civilian houses, in addition to taking hostage and
killing four of its residents, according to one account as they were attempting to defend the community.
❖ Statistics about the extent of the massacre are largely unknown, although four civilian kibbutz members
were killed by the Hamas militants while defending the kibbutz. An 80-year-old Argentinian woman perished
after her home was set on fire and she was unable to escape. A standoff between the attackers and the
residents' security team lasted six hours. The leader of the security team, who was in his sixties, was killed
in the firefight. A 63-year-old grandmother was also among those killed in the attack.
❖ Thirty survivors were discovered in the kibbutz three days after the massacre, fourteen of whom were Thai
nationals
❖ Al-Ahli Hospital airstrike: The Gaza Health Ministry said an Israeli airstrike on October 17 hit a Gaza City
hospital (Al-Ahli) packed with wounded and other Palestinians seeking shelter, killing around five hundreds.
If confirmed, the attack would be by far the deadliest Israeli airstrike in five wars fought since 2008.
Yom Kippur War
❖ The Yom Kippur War, also known as the 1973 Arab Israeli War or Ramadan War or October War or Fourth
Arab-Israel War, was fought from 6 to 25 October 1973. It was a coordinated assault launched by Egypt,
Syria and their allies against Israel on the holiest day of the Jewish Calendar.
❖ Following the lightning victory of Israel during the Six-Day War of 1967, the three Arab nations who
attacked it lost a significant portion of their territories to the Jewish nation. Egypt lost most of the Gaza
Strip and the Sinai Peninsula. Jordan lost the West Bank and East Jerusalem, while Syria lost the Golan
Heights.
❖ When Anwar el-Sadat succeeded Gamal Abdel Nasser as the president of Egypt in 1970, he had inherited a
country on the brink of an economic collapse which could barely afford to wage a future, if not, a costly war
against Israel.
❖ For Sadat peace and stability of Egypt was a far more pressing concern than the destruction of Israel. For
this, he sought to recover the Sinai as its economic value was beyond dispute, but he was aware that
Israel’s victory in the 1967 war would make any peace terms offered by them unfavourable to Egypt.
❖ To this end, Sadat decided to initiate action to which he sought to avoid in the first place – another war with
Israel. He knew that even if the war was lost, it would make the Israeli’s realise the benefits of peace with
Egypt.
❖ In 1972, Sadat opened diplomatic relations with the United States. To prove his commitment to the new
relationship he expelled 20,000 Soviet advisors from Egypt. In any case, the Americans were only too
happy to gain an erstwhile ally of the Soviets with unfettered access to the Suez Canal. Sadat knew that the
U.S.A, which was a key ally of the Israelis, would be a crucial mediator for any future peace talks between
Egypt and Israel.
❖ This move did little to deteriorate Soviet-Egypt relations as the Soviet Union would supply arms and
ammunition to Egypt when the war began
❖ Sadat formed a new alliance with Syria and a new attack plan was formulated between the two with the
promise of military support from other Arab nations as well.
❖ The outbreak of the Yom Kippur War: The holiest month of the Jewish Calendar, Yom Kippur, coincided
with the holiest month of the Muslim Calendar – Ramadan, by the time of October 6 1973.
❖ As such, Israeli intelligence had failed to notice the build-up of Arab forces on its border as they were
under the assumption that the Arabs would not launch an offensive against them during the month of
Ramadan. As a result, most of the Israeli servicemen were on leave when the war broke out.
❖ The war began with a massive Egyptian push from the Suez Canal which saw them advance into the Sinai
Peninsula without any opposition from the Israeli Defence Force (IDF).
❖ The Syrians, on the other hand, launched a coordinated offensive that coincided with the Egyptian push in
the Sinai, threatening to overwhelm the Israeli positions in the Golan Heights.
❖ It took three days for Israel to fully mobilise its army by which time both the Egyptians and Syrians had
consolidated their gains. But the mobilised Israeli army stopped both from making any further inroads into
their territory, even managing to push the Syrian army back to pre-war ceasefire lines.
❖ The Israeli Defence Force launched a massive counteroffensive which bought them within the artillery
range of the Syrian capital of Damascus. To relieve pressure off his ally, Sadat ordered the Egyptian army
to launch a fresh offensive, which would mean leaving the safety of their anti-air umbrella. Nevertheless, the
offensive failed spectacularly and the IDF retaliated with a push of their own which saw them advance
towards the Suez Canal itself.
❖ The United Nations-brokered a ceasefire on 22 October but neither side was willing to end the conflict.
❖ Israel had surrounded Egypt’s Third Army and the city of Suez. As far as the war was concerned, Israel was
winning.
❖ Egypt and Syria, on the other hand, were avoiding another defeat at the hands of Israel. This led to the
escalation of tensions between the two Cold War rivals – the United States and USSR – and a second
ceasefire was imposed on 25th October, ending the Yom Kippur War.
❖ The aftermath of the Yom Kippur War: Although Israel had emerged victorious, it came at the cost of heavy
casualties and the realisation that the Arab nations could not be militarily dominated by them all the time.
This led to the peace processes between Egypt and Israel subsequently.
❖ Despite Egypt’s defeat at Israel’s hands, Anwar Sadat had become a new hero to the Arab world in the wake
of the initial gains made by Egypt during the opening phase of the war. It gave him the political mileage
needed to seek peace with Israel. In 1974, the first of two Egyptian-Israeli disengagement agreements that
saw the return of the Sinai to Egypt was signed. In 1979, President Anwar Sadat and Prime Minister
Menachem Begin signed the first peace treaty between Israel and an Arab nation.
❖ Syria had gained nothing and lost even more of the Golan Heights to Israel. It was outraged at the
unexpected peace agreement between Egypt and Israel. They had joined the war with Egypt believing that it
was a perfect opportunity to teach a lesson to Israel. What they got instead, as the Syrians believed, was a
stab in the back from their ally. In 1979, Syria voted with other Arab states to expel Egypt from the Arab
League. Needless to say, the rest of the Arab world was not happy with the peace treaty between Egypt and
Israel.
❖ Anwar Sadat was assassinated in Cairo on October 6, 1981, during a military parade commemorating the
crossing of the Suez during the Yom Kippur War. It is widely believed that the perpetrators were extremists
who were outraged by the recognition of Israel by Sadat.
Third Intifada
❖ Some observers have referred to the latest escalation as the beginning of the “Third Intifada”. Intifada is an
Arabic word that means to ‘shake off’. It came into popular usage in December 1987, with Palestinians
using it to describe their uprising against the Israeli presence in the West Bank and Gaza. Palestinian-
American scholar Edward Said, in a 1989 essay titled ‘Intifada and Independence’, described the intifada as
the response of a people pushed to the wall by the “bare-knuckled” Israeli attempt to rob them of their
history, land and nationhood.
❖ The First Intifada lasted from 1987 to 1993, and the Second Intifada from 2000-2005. These were
extremely popular uprisings spearheaded by Palestinian youth sick of the treatment they faced from the
much more powerful Israeli settlers in their own homeland.
❖ The trigger for the first Intifada uprising was a car crash in which 4 Palestinians were killed by an Israeli
driver at a checkpoint, an incident the Palestinians believed was no accident. Protests spread fast, taking
even the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) leadership by surprise, and continued until Oslo Accords
in 1993.
❖ The Second Intifada was triggered by the visit of Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon to the Temple
Mount/Al-Haram al-Sharif, a site sacred to both Jews and Muslims. This visit was seen by Palestinians as
a provocative act.
❖ The Intifada ended with the death of Yasser Arafat and a unilateral Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in
2005
Yasser Arafat
❖ A Palestinian political leader. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from 1969 to
2004 and President of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) from 1994 to 2004. Ideologically an Arab
nationalist and a socialist, he was a founding member of the Fatah political party, which he led from 1959
until 2004. Though he founded fatah with a aim to remove Israel and replace it with Palestinian State. His
 Ideology shifted in the later period from open conflict to a engaging in negotiation with Israel. In 1988, he
acknowledged the Israel right to exist and sought a two-state solution. The negotiations include the Madrid
Conference of 1991, the 1993 Oslo Accords and the Camp David Summit in 2000. The success of the
negotiations in Oslo led to Arafat being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, alongside Israeli Prime Ministers
Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres, in 1994.
Gaza Strip
❖ Amidst this turmoil, Israel's defense minister, declared a "complete siege" of the Gaza Strip, cutting off
essential resources. This move has highlighted the long-standing and contentious issue of the Gaza
blockade, which has been in place since 2007.
❖ About: The Gaza Strip is situated in the eastern Mediterranean basin, sharing borders with Egypt in the
southwest and Israel to the north and east. To the west, it is bounded by the Mediterranean Sea.
❖ It is one of the most densely populated areas globally, with over 2 million residents living in a tiny area.
❖ The term "open air prison" has been widely used by academics, activists, and journalists to characterize the
conditions in Gaza.
❖ The Six-Day War of 1967 resulted in Israel capturing Gaza from Egypt and initiating its military occupation
of the region.
❖ Israel withdrew its settlements from Gaza in 2005, but this period also saw intermittent blockades on the
movement of people and goods.
❖ In 2007, after Hamas assumed power in Gaza, Israel and Egypt enforced a permanent blockade, justifying it
as necessary for security.
❖ The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that the blockade
has severely impacted Gaza's economy, resulting in high unemployment, food insecurity, and aid
dependency.
❖ Related Border Areas: Gaza is encircled by walls on three sides, and its western border is controlled by
Israel, restricting access by sea.
❖ Three functional border crossings exist - Karem Abu Salem Crossing and Erez Crossing controlled by
Israel, and Rafah Crossing controlled by Egypt.
❖ These crossings have been sealed in response to recent hostilities.

USS Gerald R Ford

❖ In light of recent conflict escalation in Israel, the US has deployed the USS Gerald R Ford carrier strike
group (CSG) to the Eastern Mediterranean, demonstrating its support for Israel and the carrier's role in
military operations.
❖ The USS Gerald R Ford (CVN 78), commissioned in 2017, bears the name of former U.S. President Gerald
R Ford, who served from 1974 to 1977.
❖ It is considered as one of the largest warships ever constructed. It displaces 100,000 tonnes at full load. It
can achieve a top speed of over 30 knots, equivalent to 56 kilometers per hour.
❖ Aircraft carriers, including the Gerald R Ford, are both offensive weapons and symbols of a nation's
military might. Consequently, they always operate as part of a carrier strike group.
Iron Dome
❖ The Iron Dome, Israel’s most advanced defense system has come into the limelight due to the recent
Palestine and Israel battles.
❖ Background: The genesis of the Iron Dome goes back to the 2006 Israeli-Lebanon war when Hezbollah
fired thousands of rockets into Israel.
❖ The Iron Dome was deployed in 2011.
❖ Development: It was developed by Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
❖ Features: It is a short-range, ground-to-air, air defense system that includes radar and Tamir interceptor
missiles that track and neutralize any rockets or missiles.
❖ It is used for countering rockets, artillery & mortars (C-RAM) as well as aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned
aerial vehicles.
❖ It is capable of being used in all weather conditions, including during the day and night.
❖ The defense system has a range of 70 kilometers.
❖ Other Air Defence Systems: Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) (US), S-400 Air Defence System
(Russia)
S-400 & THAAD Missile
❖ S-400 missile system:
❖ Missile defence system developed by Russia.
❖ Capable of intercepting all missiles (long, medium & short range)
❖ Can intercept 5th generation fighter aircrafts, drones, cruise & ballistic missiles.
❖ Range: 300-400 kms.
❖ India has S-400 which also caters to the three threats (rockets, missiles and cruise missiles).
❖ Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD):
❖ American anti-ballistic missile defense system.
❖ Designed to shoot down short, medium & intermediate-range ballistic missiles.
❖ Range: Greater than 200 km.
About Israel
❖ Israel, is a country in Western Asia. Situated in the Southern Levant, it is bordered by Lebanon to the north,
by Syria to the northeast, by Jordan to the east, by the Red Sea to the south, by Egypt to the southwest, by
the Mediterranean Sea to the west, and by the Palestinian territories — the West Bank along the east and
the Gaza Strip along the southwest.
❖ Israel doesn’t have a constitution, but a set of regulations passed as the basic law.
❖ Basic Laws: The Knesset (1958), Israel Lands (1960), The President of the State (1964), The Government
(2001), The State Economy (1975), The Military (1976), Jerusalem the capital of Israel (1980), The Judiciary
(1984), The State Comptroller (1988), Freedom of Occupation (1994), Human Dignity and Liberty (1992),
Referendum (2014), Israel – the nation state of the Jewish People (2014)
❖ Zionism is a worldwide Jewish movement that resulted in the establishment and development of the state
of Israel and that now supports the state of Israel as a Jewish homeland.
❖ Mossad: The Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations, popularly known as Mossad, is the national
intelligence agency of Israel. It is one of the main entities in the Israeli Intelligence Community, along with
Aman and Shin Bet.
❖ Capital and Largest city: Jerusalem (other Tel aviv) Official Language: Hebrew
❖ Currency: New Shekel Chief Justice: Esther Hayut
❖ President: Issac Herzog Prime Minister: Benjamin Netanyahu (longest serving) (Likud party)
Judicial Protest in Israel
❖ Around 100,000 Israelis from across the country took to the streets outside their Parliament in Jerusalem,
to protest against the sweeping judicial reform plans introduced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s
coalition government.
❖ Protest started after Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a close confidant of Netanyahu, unveiled the ruling
coalition’s proposal to overhaul the country’s legal system in the first week of January.
❖ The plan includes four major changes. First, the government wants to enable the 120-member parliament,
or Knesset, to override any Supreme Court judgement by a simple majority of 61 votes unless those rulings
are unanimous.
❖ Second, it also seeks to scrap the test of “reasonability” the apex court has previously used to strike out
executive practices.
❖ Apart from this, Levin proposed a law that would give a greater role to lawmakers in the appointment of
Supreme Court judges. As of now, a committee comprising 9 individuals (professionals, justices and
 lawmakers) elevate judges to the top court. The new change would provide “lawmakers a majority in the
committee, with most coming from the right-wing and religiously conservative ruling coalition”.
❖ Levin wants to allow ministers to choose their own legal advisors instead of using independent
professionals.
❖ Experts also suggest that the proposed reforms in the judiciary might be used to influence Netanyahu’s
corruption trial, which is currently being overseen by Israel’s Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.
❖ Netanyahu fired his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for criticizing the judicial overhauls and agreed to delay
the judicial overhaul proposal until the next parliamentary session
Israel and Syria Conflict
❖ Israel has fired retaliatory rockets after three rockets had been launched towards Israel from Syria.
❖ Israel fears that arch-rival Iran is using the long-running war in Syria to station its fighters and
weapons close to Israel's borders.
❖ Israel has been conducting strikes in Syria in recent weeks, targeting both Iranian-linked figures and
infrastructure, including the airports of Damascus and Aleppo.
❖ The conflict between Israel and Syria goes back to the Six-Day War in 1967, in which Israel seized the
Golan Heights from Syria, which it has occupied since then.
❖ The fertile plateau of the Golan Heights overlooks both Israel and Syria, offering a commanding military
vantage.
❖ In 1973, Syrian forces made an unsuccessful bid to recapture the area during the Yom Kippur
War. Although a ceasefire agreement was reached in 1974, most of the Golan Heights remains under
Israeli control.
❖ Yom Kippur War, also called the October War was fourth of the Arab-Israeli wars, which was initiated by
Egypt and Syria on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur.
❖ Israel's Golan Heights Law: In 1981, Israel passed the Golan Heights Law, extending its "laws, jurisdiction
and administration" to the area and effectively annexing it.
❖ A United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution was passed declaring Israel's imposition of law in the
occupied Syrian Golan Heights "null and void and without international legal effect".
❖ However, it has not changed the situation on the ground, but the frontier has not seen major hostilities for
more than 40 years.
❖ Syrian Civil War: Israel and Syria's long-standing conflict escalated after the start of the Syrian civil war in
2011. Iran, which denies Israel's right to exist, emerged as a key player in the conflict and has been
providing weapons, money, and fighters to support the Syrian President's regime.
❖ India maintains a balanced position in the Syrian Israeli conflict and has urged all parties to exercise
restraint and resolve their differences peacefully through negotiations.
❖ India has consistently supported the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and called for an end to
external interference in its internal affairs.
Al-Aqsa Mosque
❖ Over the decades, this site in Jerusalem’s Old City has frequently been a flashpoint for violence between
Palestinians and Israeli forces and hardline groups and is at the heart of competing for historical claims.
❖ The al-Aqsa Mosque is one of Jerusalem’s most recognized monuments.
❖ The site is part of the Old City of Jerusalem, sacred to Christians, Jews and Muslims.
❖ The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), has classified the Old City
of Jerusalem and its walls as a World Heritage Site.
❖ The mosque’s complex is the reason for the conflict between Israel & Palestine (Islam & Judaism). Al-
Aqsa Mosque is one of Islam’s most revered locations, and the Temple Mount is the holiest site in
Judaism.
❖ The Temple Mount is a walled compound inside the Old City in Jerusalem, and is the site of two structures:
The Dome of the Rock to the north and the Al-Aqsa Mosque to the south.
❖ To the southwest of the Temple Mount, is the Western Wall, a remnant of the Second Temple and
the holiest site in Judaism.
❖ In Islam, the Dome of the Rock is a seventh-century structure, an important Islamic shrine, believed to be
where the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven.
❖ Before modern borders were drawn up in the region, pilgrims to the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and
Medina would stop over in Jerusalem to pray at this mosque.
❖ In Judaism, it is believed to be the site where God gathered dust to create Adam. According to the Bible,
in 1000 BC King Solomon built the First Temple of the Jews on this mountain, which Babylonian
troops tore down some 400 years on the orders of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar.
❖ In the first century BC, Jews returned from their banishment and built the Second Temple.
Conflict over Jerusalem
❖ Jerusalem has been at the center of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
❖ According to the original 1947 United Nations (UN) partition plan, Jerusalem was proposed to be
an international city.
❖ However, in the first Arab Israel war of 1948, the Israelis captured the western half of the city, and Jordan
took the eastern part, including the Old City that houses Haram al-Sharif.
❖ Following the Six-Day War in 1967, an armed conflict between Israel and a coalition of Arab states
primarily comprising Jordan, Syria and Egypt, the Waqf Ministry of Jordan that had till then held control of
the al-Aqsa Mosque, ceased to oversee the mosque.
❖ Israel captured East Jerusalem from Jordan in the Six-Day War 1967 and annexed it later.
❖ Since its annexation, Israel has expanded settlements in East Jerusalem. Israel sees the whole city as
its “unified, eternal capital”, whereas the Palestinian leadership across the political spectrum have
maintained that they would not accept any compromise formula for the future Palestinian state unless East
Jerusalem is its capital.
Sheikh Jarrah Issue
❖ Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced out of their homes when the State of Israel was created
in historical Palestine in 1948.
❖ Twenty-eight of those Palestinian families moved to Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem to settle there.
❖ In 1956, when East Jerusalem was ruled by Jordan, the Jordanian Ministry of Construction and
Development and the UN Relief and Works Agency facilitated the construction of houses for these families
in Sheikh Jarrah. But Israel would capture East Jerusalem from Jordan in 1967.
❖ By the early 1970s, Jewish agencies started demanding the families leave the land.
❖ Earlier this year (2021), the Central Court in East Jerusalem upheld a decision to evict four Palestinian
families from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah in favor of Jewish settlers.
❖ Related Developments: In March 2021, International Criminal Court (ICC) launched investigatations into
the war crimes in Palestinian territories occupied by Israel (West Bank and the Gaza Strip).
❖ In April 2021, the US restored at least USD 235 million in financial assistance to the Palestinians.
Israel-Palestine Issue
❖ The conflict has been ongoing for more than 100 years between Jews and Arabs over a piece of land
between Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.
❖ It was between 1882 to 1948, when the Jews from around the world gathered in Palestine. This movement
came to be known as Aliyahs.
❖ Then in 1917, Ottoman Empire fell after World War 1 and the UK got control over Palestine. The land was
inhabited by a Jewish minority and Arab majority.
❖ The Balfour Declarationwas issued after Britain gained control with the aim of establishing a home for the
Jews in Palestine. However during that period the Arabs were in majority in Palestine. Jews favored the
idea while the Palestinians rejected it. Almost 6 million Jews lost their lives in the Holocaustwhich also
ignited further demand of a separate Jewish state. Jews claimed Palestine to be their natural home while
the Arabs too did not leave the land and claimed it. The international community supported the Jews. In
1947, the UN voted for Palestine to be split into separate Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem becoming
an international city. That plan was accepted by Jewish leaders but rejected by the Arab side and never
implemented.
❖ It was in the year 1948 that Britain lifted its control over the area and Jews declared the creation of Israel.
Although Palestinians objected, Jews did not back out which led to an armed conflict.
❖ The neighboring Arabs also invaded and were thrashed by the Israeli troops. This made thousands of
Palestinians flee their homes. This was called Al-Nakba, or the “Catastrophe”.
❖ Israel had gained maximum control over the territory after this came to an end.
❖ Jordan then went on a war with Israel and seized control over a part of the land which was called the West
Bank (Ramallah), and Egypt occupied Gaza.
❖ West Bank is a landlocked territory near the Mediterranean coast of Western Asia, bordered by Jordan to
the east and by the Green Line separating it and Israel on the south, west and north. The West Bank also
contains a significant section of the western Dead Sea shore.
❖ Jerusalem was divided between Israel in the West and Jordan in the East. However, no formal peace
agreement was signed, each side continued to blame each other for the tension and the region saw more
 wars. Israeli forces captured East Jerusalem and the West Bank, various areas of Syrian Golan Heights,
Gaza and the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula in the year 1967.
❖ Palestine Capital: Jerusalem (Claimed) Administrative Center: Ramallah Largest City: Gaza City
❖ President: Mahmoud Abbas Prime Minister: Mohammad Shtayyeh
Israel-Lebanon Maritime Border Deal
❖ Israel and Lebanon signed a U.S.-brokered Maritime Border Deal which paves the way for
lucrative offshore gas extraction by the neighbours that remain technically at war.
❖ The draft agreement, floated by US envoy Amos J Hochstein, who is the special envoy and coordinator for
international energy affairs and leads the bureau of energy resources (ENR) at the US Department of State.
❖ Israel National Security Advisor and Lead negotiator- Eyal Hulata
❖ Lebanon Representative- Elias Bou Saab
❖ Lebanon and Israel have been officially at war since Israel’s creation in 1948 and both countries claim
some 860 sqkm (330 square miles) of the Mediterranean Sea.
❖ There have been decade old tensions between Israel and Lebanon’s competing claims over offshore gas
fields in the region, which contains part of the Karish gas field and Qana, a prospective gas field.
❖ The Karish gas field, being developed by Israel, came under threat from Hezbollah, Lebanon’s powerful
political and militant group backed by Iran.
❖ Sayyed Abbas AL-Musawi founded Hezbollah.
❖ The two countries declared overlapping boundaries in 2011 in the Mediterranean Sea
❖ The issue gained significance after Israel discovered two gas fields off its coast a decade ago, which can
help turn it into an energy exporter.
❖ The gas field is located on the maritime boundary between the two countries and this agreement would
allow both countries to get royalties from the gas.
❖ Under the deal, Israel receives full rights to explore the Karish field.
❖ Lebanon receives full rights in the nearby Qana field, but it agreed to allow Israel a share of the royalties.
❖ It sets a border between Lebanese and Israeli waters for the first time, largely along a demarcation referred
to as Line 23.
❖ The agreement does not touch on the shared land border between Israel and Lebanon, which is still
disputed.
❖ This border is also called the Blue Line, a boundary that was drawn up by the UN after Israel withdrew from
southern Lebanon in 2000.
❖ Lebanon Capital- Beirut Currency- Lebanese Pound
❖ Prime Minister-Najib Mikati President- Vacant

Rafah Crossing
❖ The Rafah border crossing in southern Gaza has gained global attention as Palestinians are attempting to
leave Gaza in anticipation of a possible Israeli attack as part of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
❖ The Rafah crossing is the southernmost exit point from the Gaza Strip, and it shares a border with Egypt's
Sinai Peninsula.
❖ The crossing is controlled by Egypt.
❖ It is the only exit that does not lead to Israeli territory.
❖ There are only two other border crossings in and out of Gaza:
❖ Erez is located in the north and is used by people in Israel.
❖ Kerem Shalom, in the south, which is exclusively for commercial goods.
❖ Both Erez and Kerem Shalom controlled by Israel are currently closed.
❖ Importance: The Rafah crossing gained heightened importance after Hamas's assault on the Erez
crossing, resulting in over 1,300 casualties in southern Israel.
❖ In response, Israel closed both Erez and Kerem Shalom indefinitely, leaving the Rafah border as the sole
means of entry and exit for Gaza's people and the only crossing for humanitarian aid.
❖ Egypt's Sinai Peninsula: The Sinai Peninsula is a triangle-shaped peninsula in Egypt. It's located in the
northeastern part of the country.
❖ The peninsula is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Red Sea to the south, and the Gulf of
Aqaba to the east.
❖ The peninsula includes the Suez Canal, which is a man-made waterway that connects the Mediterranean
Sea to the Red Sea.
 Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (April part 2)
❖ Jallianwala Bagh Massacre Day 2023 marks 104 years since the tragic incident that is seen as a turning
point in Indian history. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre was a tragic incident that occurred on 13th April
1919 in Amritsar, India, where British Gurkha soldiers, on the orders of Brigadier-General Dyer, fired upon a
large crowd of unarmed protestors who had gathered at Jallianwala Bagh to demonstrate against the
Rowlatt Act 1919 peacefully. The event resulted in the death of over 1000 innocent men, women, and
children and sparked widespread protests and unrest throughout the country.
❖ The incident was a significant turning point in India's struggle for independence from British rule and
galvanized the Indian people to unite and fight for their rights and freedom. The massacre led to
widespread condemnation of British colonial policies, and it played a pivotal role in shaping the Indian
independence movement. The incident also marked a significant turning point in Mahatma Gandhi's life as
it led him to launch his first major nonviolent civil disobedience campaign, the Non-Cooperation
Movement, which ultimately paved the way for India's independence in 1947. Today, Jallianwala Bagh
serves as a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by countless Indians in the fight for independence,
and it continues to inspire people around the world to fight against oppression and injustice.