Bangladesh University of Professional

Course Name: Fundamental of Violence and Conflict

Course Code: 1206
Term paper on Israel Palestine Conflict

Submitted By:
Umme Hojaifa
Tahura Batch: PCHR
batch 3 Roll:
24444103018

Submitted To:
Etu Ahmed
Lecturer
Department of PCHR
Bangladesh University of Professionals.

Date: 26.12.2024
 Israel Palestine Conflict

Introduction:
The Israel-Palestine conflict stands as one of the most controversial and intricate geopolitical
issues in modern history but it started many decades ago. The conflict rooted in centuries of
religious aspect , historical and territorial issue etc. So, the struggle between Israel and Palestine
has captured global attention for their dividing nations and ideologies. This multifaceted conflict
occurred for many reasons like over land, sovereignty, identity, and justice also for the Holy
place Jerusalem because it is the symbolic heart for both of them. The establishment of Israel in
1948 and the subsequent displacement of Palestinians marked a turning point between them,
triggering decades of wars, uprisings and diplomatic issues.
In the 21st century, the situation has been complicated by the involvement of international actors,
for militant groups like Hamas and the strategic interests of global powers. Despite numerous
attempts at resolution, the conflict remains unresolved as usual with cycles of violence
continuing to claim lives and deepen divisions. This paper seeks to unravel and analysis with
conflict tools to understand the historical roots, the core issues and the recent developments in
the Israel-Palestine conflict, emphasizing the perspectives of key stakeholders and the broader
implications for global politics.

Historical Background:

The Israel-Palestine Conflict is not todays, but it has many centuries of history behind it. From
1300 to about 1800, the Turks ruled the whole world. They are known as The Ottoman Empire,
which ruled the world for about 700 years. At one time, they had most of Asia, almost all of
Europe and most of the Middle East under control. The area now known as Palestine or Israel
was under the Ottoman Empire in the 1800s. At that time, all Muslim Jews lived well in these
places. While Jews under the Ottoman Empire fared well, Jews in other parts of the world were
being persecuted. Jews were mistreated almost everywhere in Europe. At that time, a Hungry
Journalist gave the idea that if Jews around the world wanted to escape persecution, one way was
to create a Jewish state of their own. At that time, a journalist named Herzl gave an idea.
"The idea I have developed in this pamphlet is an ancient one: It is the restoration of the Jewish
State" (Herzl,1896). This concept is called Zionism. Slowly, many Jews started to believe in this
concept and also started writing.

Jews also believe that the Holy Land promised to the biblical patriarch Abraham and his
descendants is where modern-day Israel was founded. Inspired by the Zionist movement,
European Jews settled in Palestine in droves. However, their migration created discontent among
the local Arabs and Muslims. Arabs and Muslims were the majority there at that time. At that
time, many Jews came to Palestine from different countries. In 1914 Word, World War 1 started.
The World War 1 ended in 1918 with the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Then, the British and
French Empires carved the land in the Middle East. The region under the control of Britain was
what it called the British mandate for Palestine. Tensions between the Jews and the Arabs who
both claimed the land grew, which even led to acts of violence.
After World War II, Britain handed over Palestine to the UN due to its poor economic condition.
In 1947, the United Nations agreed to divide Palestine and establish an Arab Jewish state by
international law in the Conflict between the two nations over Jerusalem. Jewish leaders
accepted the plan because it gave them 56 per cent of the land. However, the Arab League
rejected this plan. The City of Jerusalem is becoming an international zone with a special status.
But there is a problem here: the Jews get a significant share. Even though the Arabs have been
there for many years, they get a small share. Then, a battle takes place between them. Less than
one year after that, Israel declared itself an independent state. Right after the declaration, the
1948 Arab-Israeli War broke out. It ended when a ceasefire agreement was reached in 1949,
giving more than two- thirds of historic Palestine, including West Jerusalem, to Israel. On May
14, 1948, the establishment of the State of Israel was announced. A day later, five Arab countries
attacked Israel. The war ended with 77 per cent of the territory being occupied by Israel.
About 700,000 Palestinians fled their homes in the war, eventually taking refuge in Jordan,
Lebanon and Syria, as well as Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Then, in the 1967 war,
Israel captured East Jerusalem along with the West Bank from Jordan and Gaza from Egypt.
Securing control of all regions from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan Valley. As a result, the
Palestinians became stateless. Most then sought refuge as refugees in Israeli-occupied territories
or neighboring countries. Some remain after the establishment of Israel and obtain Israeli
citizenship. There came more wars and fighting in the following decades, namely, the Six-Day
War ending with the victory of Israel, the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, kicking the
Palestinian Liberation Organization out of Beirut, the First Intifada ending with the Oslo
Accords, the Second Intifada ending with Israel's withdrawal from Gaza.
Then came the establishment of Hamas, a Sunni Islamist militant group founded in 1987, aiming
to destroy the state of Israel and create an Islamic state. After the Battle of Gaza (a conflict
between Hamas and Fatah), Hamas split from the Palestinian Authority. It gained power in Gaza,
while the West Bank was separately controlled by the PLO.

Common Reason for Their Conflict:

At first, Jerusalem was one of the reasons for their Conflict. Israel claims sovereignty over
Jerusalem. They captured East Jerusalem in the 1967 war. From then on, they considered
Jerusalem their capital, but it had no international recognition. The Palestinians also want East
Jerusalem as their capital.
Palestinians want a Palestinian state based on the borders that existed before the 1967 Arab-
Israeli war. Israel refuses to accept this. Israel has built many Jewish settlements in the
Palestinian territories it captured in the 1967 war. These settlements are illegal under
international law. More than five million Jews are now settled in the West Bank and East
Jerusalem alone.
 Uncovering the causes of Israel's first war in Palestine with the onion model:
The Onion Model is a conflict analysis tool used to understand the interests, needs, and positions
of each party involved in a conflict. It helps dissect the Conflict into layers, like peeling an
onion, to reveal the deeper motivations behind the parties' actions and statements.

Palestine: Preventing the establishing

of a Jewish state
position Israel: Defend its territorial against
Arab armies after declaring
independence

Int
Interest

Palestine: wants their own land

Israel: establishing a secure state to
Needs establish Zionism

The Onion models

On November 29, 1947, the United Nations accepted the United Nations accepted a proposal to
divide the British-controlled Palestinian territories into two. It proposed to keep Jerusalem as an
international territory under the United Nations. Arab countries oppose this proposal. The Arabs
could not accept this declaration in any way because their territory is being taken away and a
separate state is being established for the Jews. Where the Jews had just arrived and had a state
upon their arrival. It was also a day of disaster for the Palestinians. The first stage was the
Conflict between the Jews and the Palestinians. The Conflict between the Palestinians and the
Jews started immediately after this resolution was adopted at the United Nations. The Conflict
between them first began with the war against Israel.
 Palestine perspective:
At first, Palestine was suffering from the dilemma of identity crisis or national identity and land
after the UN decision, which led to their conflicts. Their need is a sovereign state. But on the
declaration of the United Nations, they got a tiny share while the Jews who came from outside
got a lot more share. Jews attacked them, burning their houses. As a result, the Palestinian
people's need for someone else's intervention comes so that no country can accept it because it
was not possible for them to take that another nation that would ultimately rule over their land,
Palestine.

Interest: The UN plan allocated 55% of the land to a Jewish state, which Palestinians
considered disproportionate and unfair. Palestinians rejected the United Nations Partition Plan
outright. They demanded that all of Palestine remain a single Arab state, opposing the
establishment of a Jewish state.

Position: They also counterattack and prepare for war only for their rights. Many Arab
countries were helping them. Palestinians rejected the United Nations Partition Plan outright.
They demanded that all of Palestine remain a single Arab state, opposing the establishment of a
Jewish state.

Israel perspective:
Needs: They came to the Palestine region after suffering many deputies, so they wanted land for
themselves and wanted to establish Zionism. The foremost need was to ensure the survival of the
Jewish state amidst hostile neighbors committed to its destruction. Establishing sovereignty over
the territory allocated by the UN Partition Plan. Protecting significant Jewish population centres
like Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Jerusalem was a top priority.

Interest: Israel wanted to make sure it could build a secure homeland for Jews, especially after
the Holocaust. Israel wanted to control more land than the UN had given it to connect Jewish
areas and ensure safety. Gaining recognition and aid from powerful Maintenance of control over
Jerusalem, certain West Bank, etc. Security from sudden attack.

Position: They were involved in Conflict because the war was framed as a fight for the right of
the Jewish people to live freely and securely in their ancestral homeland. They wanted security
from attack and hostilities.
 Land, Security issues
, Jerusalem, want to
establish Zionism

etc

The Conflict mapping

We can see in this Diagram that The Conflict between the 2 parties. Party A is Israel and party B
is Palestine, but many other countries may help them or work as a mediator like here United
States which indicate by C, there is a good relation between US and Israel. Here part D is United
Nations who stand by both sides. So, in 2023 the Israel Palestine war started on October 7 2023
on that day the war starts after Hamas Attack in Israel. The ongoing Conflict between Israel and
Hamas has divided the world into two poles actually.
On the one hand, some countries have made statements on the side of Israel, and some other
countries are directly supporting the Palestinian independence group Hamas. However, some
countries are seen in a neutral position.
So, in the Conflict mapping, the key actors are basically the Conflict happening between Hamas
and Israel.
Hamas: Though the conflict between Israel and Palestine but Hamas started this war because
It has governed the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip since 2007.Hamas plays a vital role in the
2023 Israel-Palestine war so, primarily as the initiator of the Conflict. On 7October 2023, Hamas
launched a surprise attack on Israel and initiated the Conflict with a coordinated attack, which
caused many deaths. Hamas is advocating for Palestinian rights.
Israel: Responded with extensive military operations, including aerial bombardments and a
ground invasion aimed at dismantling Hamas's military capabilities.

Supporters for Israel: Mainly from the United States and some European countries support a lot.

1. Position of United State:

The United States has always stood by Israel; this country is the most significant support system.
The country has to be subjected to widespread criticism. The U.S. government is trying to give
more and more money. Even the U.S. ruling class also keeps unconditional diplomatic cover for
Israel. The United States dollars come and protect Israel. The U.S. has an empire; it has over a
thousand military bases all around the world. Basically, U.S. goal, like every other empire in
history, is to control the resources and markets of the entire world. So, the Middle East is
important to an empire because there is so much oil. Israel is America's attack dog in the Middle
East. Israel played a vital role in attacking independent Arab Governments determined to defy
U.S. dictates. Not only that, these two are close military allies. Israel receives the most
international aid from the United States. A large part of this aid is spent on the purchase of
military weapons for Israel. The United States has sent at least $1.79 billion in military aid to
Israel in the year since the war in the Gaza Strip began on October 7. It is the most significant
military aid the United States sent to Israel in a year. The U.S. offers Israel $3.8 billion in annual
military aid as part of a 10-year agreement aimed at ensuring Israel maintains a qualitative
military edge over its neighbors (BBC, 2024). In political support, the U.S. has consistently
backed Israel in international forums, including the United Nations, where it has vetoed
resolutions critical of Israeli actions (The Media Line, 2024).

2. Germany:
In the Conflict mapping the party E is Germany has been a strong supporter of Israel.
Historically they providing military equipment and financial assistance. In 2023, Germany
significantly increased its arms exports to Israel, with reports indicating a tenfold increase
compared to previous years (Al Jazeera, 2024). German Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized that
Germany stands firmly
with Israel and supports its right to self-defense, so it proved that they are a big support system
for Israel.

Role of United Nations: We can see that The United Nations stays on both sides. The UN have
strong support for Palestinian rights and humanitarian needs, but at the same time, it also
acknowledges Israel's right to self-defense within the framework of international law. UN have
raised alarms about genocide against Palestinians, particularly in Gaza. They have documented
severe violations by Israel, including indiscriminate attacks that have led to significant civilian
casualties and the destruction of infrastructure. The experts said that such actions could not be
justified as self-defense and called for urgent international intervention to prevent further
atrocities (UN Human Rights Council, 2023).
The UN General Assembly has adopted resolutions demanding immediate humanitarian aid
access to Gaza and the violence against civilians. A recent resolution called for a humanitarian
truce but notably failed to condemn Hamas's attacks on Israel, which reflects a broader trend of
the UN advocating for Palestinian civilians while also addressing the need for peace (UN
General Assembly, 2023). The UN recognizes Israel's right to defend itself against attacks,
particularly in the violence initiated by Hamas on October 7, 2023. While condemning the
methods used, the UN has reiterated that all parties must comply with international humanitarian
law during conflicts (Al Jazeera, 2024).
Balanced Approach: The UN's position aims to balance the rights and security of both Israelis
and Palestinians. It emphasizes that any military response must adhere to humanitarian standards
and calls for both sides to dialogue towards a peaceful resolution.

In the 2023 Israel-Palestine conflict, several countries and organizations expressed

support for the Palestinian cause:

Turkey: The Turkish government condemned Israeli actions and called for international
intervention to protect Palestinian rights (Al Jazeera, 2024).
Iran: Iran provided vocal support for Hamas and other Palestinian factions. They also framing
their struggle as a resistance against oppression (Reuters, 2023).
Qatar: Qatar was mediating and providing humanitarian aid to Gaza, emphasizing the need for a
ceasefire and support for Palestinian rights (The Guardian, 2023).
Arab League: The Arab League collectively condemned Israeli actions and called for solidarity
with the Palestinian people (UN News, 2023).

Outsider Party or Force:

So basically, Qatar is an outside party that plays a mediator role or is an outsider force. Qatar
played a significant role in the Israel-Hamas Conflict. They are involved in negotiating ceasefires
and humanitarian agreements. In December 2023, Qatar successfully brokered a seven-day truce.
That allowed for humanitarian aid to reach affected areas in Gaza. Historically, Qatar’s
experience in mediation, like previous negotiations between Hamas and Israel, has established a
crucial intermediary despite scrutiny from Western nations regarding its ties to Hamas12.
China is also a positioned potential mediator in the Middle East, advocating for a balanced
approach that keeps in mind both Israeli security concerns and the necessity of a Palestinian
state. In October 2023, China engaged in diplomatic relations, including hosting talks with Fatah
and
Hamas. This marks a strategic shift for China, aiming to enhance its influence in regional peace
processes and potentially challenge the traditional dominance of the United States in Israeli-
Palestinian negotiations34.

Argument from my own perspective:

The Israel-Palestine Conflict is a deeply complex and sensitive issue with each other historically
as well as religious aspect, political and also social dimensions. This issue is probably the most
controversial and complex geopolitical issue of last some decades. There is no simple answer to
the question of which side is "right" because the perspectives of both Israelis and Palestinians are
grounded in centuries of history and their own experiences of suffering and loss. Israel claims to
be the 'world's most moral army', but that killed around 45,000 Palestinians, including children.
This is the ultimate degradation of humanity. Israel is indiscriminately killing hundreds of
innocent Palestinians in the name of attacking Hamas forces. Common people who have not
committed any crime even children have to die. Even they to stop this war in Israel and Palestine,
there must be a compromise between the two states at first. Only then can peace be established
between them. But this process needs proper organization. This will do the United Nations very
well if there are no biases working and if the veto power is turned off. Because many countries
have recognized Palestine as an independent country, but some powerful countries have not yet
done so. One hundred forty-three of the organization's 193 countries voted for Palestine to
become a full member of the United Nations; among the countries that do not recognize Palestine
as a member of the organization are Israel, the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy,
Japan and the United Kingdom. The blockade on Gaza must be lifted. Restrictions on Palestinian
movement in the West Bank and East Jerusalem should be lifted.

Conclusion

The Israel-Palestine conflict remains one of the most important geopolitical crises in present
time. Both sides have suffered, loss of many lives, displacement and destruction. Actually,
International efforts including the United Nations and various mediators have often failed due to
entrenched positions, external influences and a lack of consensus among the global powers. So,
to achieve peace, there must be an equitable compromise that respects the sovereignty and rights
of both Israelis and Palestinians people, that will understand both perspectives. A viable two-
state solution, cessation of violence, lifting of blockades and adherence to international law are
maybe essential steps toward resolving the conflict. Furthermore, unbiased mediation is
necessary to address the humanitarian crisis. Only through mutual recognition, understanding
and global support can a sustainable resolution be achieved.
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