The Holy Land

• ISRAEL

• CANAAN

• AL SHAM

• LEVANT

• PALESTINE

• THE PROMISED LAND

ORIGINS of the CONFLICT

• Late 19th century- OTTOMAN EMPIRE

• NATIONALISM in Europe

• Theodor Herzl – Jewish nation

• Zionism/zionist movement

• Migrations since 1890’s due to Jewish persecution throughout Europe

BRITISH !

• BALFOUR DECLARATION by UK in 1917 ‘’The establishment in palestine of a national home for

jewish people’’

SYKES –PICOT agreement with France and Russia- Palestine for UK

Palestine promised to Arabs The Bristish Mandate of Palestine

After WW1
Migrations in huge number

Divide and rule policies

Jews rose to 30%

Buying of land and evicting of local palestinian arabs

1936- Arab revolt against British

Jewish militias formed – Aided British

Jewish Migrations restricted – militias against British

WW 2 – HOLOCAUST in Europe

CREATION OF ISRAEL

• UN Resolution in 1947

• Equal division of areas between a Jewish State and Palestine Arab state International control
over Jerusalem

ARAB – ISRAEL WAR 1948-49

• Egypt,Syria,Iraq,TransJordan attacked the newly created state.

• Israel extends its boundaries • Refugees -7,00,000

• GAZA- Egypt

• West Bank- Jordan

SIX DAY WAR 1967

• EGYPT ,JORDAN and SYRIA

• ISRAEL captures Golan heights, Gaza,Sinai Peninsula, West Bank

• Crushing defeat of Arab nations

• Israel triples its area

map

1973 YOM KIPPUR WAR

• Egypt and syria try to regain Sinai and Golan

• Israel suffers losses initially but repulses the attack

• Lead to talks with Egypt

CAMP DAVID ACCORDS 1978

• Sinai returned to Egypt

• Egypt recognises state of Israel

• Slowly most Arab states make peace with Israel.

• No more outright wars between nations

• But PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANISATION carries on struggle for independent Palestine using
both political and terror tactics.
1st INTIFIDA 1987-93

• The ‘uprising’

• Protests ,boycotts

• Large scale violence

• 100 jews and 1000 palestinians dead

• Rise of HAMAS – more nationalistic and extremist

OSLO ACCORDS 1993

map

• Between Israel and PLO

• After secret negotiations in OSLO, the agreement was signed in WASHINGTON DC

• Recognition of State of Israel by PLO

• Recognition by Israel of PLO as the representative of the Palestinian people.

• PALESTINE AUTHORITY for self governance of west bank and gaza CAMP DAVID II – 2000- Talks
failed Peace process breaks down 2ND INTIFIDA (2000-05) More violent than the 1st one 1000
jews 3200 palestinians Bombings of buses Terrorist attacks

After the Intifida

• Changes in thinking and policies

• Rightward shift of politics

• Emphasis on ‘managing’ the conflict and not ‘solving’ it.

• Withdrawl of Isreali forces from Gaza strip-2005

• HAMAS became more influential after 2006

• Blockading of Gaza starts

• Hamas launches rockets into Israel THREE WARS 2008 2012 2014 Thousands killed Violence
against civilians by both HAMAS & IDF

MAJOR ISSUES

Status of Jerusalem

• Holy site of Jews ,Muslims and Christians

• East part- Muslim populated

• West part- Jewish population

• Centre- holy shrines

• Israel controls the city and restricts access to holy sites*

• Not internationally accepted as capital

TEMPLE MOUNT/AL AQSA MOSQUE

map

Palestinian refugees

• 1948 ,67 wars

• Syria ,Jordan, Egypt and many other Arab countries house the refugees in camps

• Around 5 million

Other issues

• Israel’s security concern over terrorist activities and civilian attacks

• Israel’s military occupation of West Bank and blockading of Gaza.

• Israeli settlements in west bank.

• Water resources

The West Bank Wall

map

WAY FORWARD

• TWO STATE SOLUTION

• Each party has to understand the legitimacy of each other’s narrative.

• Presence of Hawks and doves among the stakeholders on both sides.

• Reach Common ground by talks