223-430: [REDACTED] Palestinians : 1948: 1949–1956: 1964–2005: 2006–present: More than 700,000 Palestinians displaced with a further 413,000 Palestinians displaced in the Six-Day War ; 2,000+ Jews displaced in 1948 6,373 Israeli and 13,000–16,000 Palestinian deaths in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War . 654 Israeli and 19,085 Palestinian and Lebanese deaths in the 1982 Lebanon War in addition to 800–3,500 in
446-584: A large-scale ground invasion with the stated goal of destroying Hamas and controlling security in Gaza afterwards. Israel killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, including civilians and combatants and displaced almost two million people. South Africa accused Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice and called for an immediate ceasefire. The Court issued an order requiring Israel to take all measures to prevent any acts contrary to
669-670: A "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine. Weizmann would take on a maximalist interpretation of the declaration, in which negotiations on the future of the country were to happen directly between Britain and the Jews, excluding Arab representation. At the Paris Peace Conference , he would later famously share his interpretation of the declaration in his announcement of the goal "[t]o make Palestine as Jewish as England
892-603: A 1948 law amended for the purpose, this purported annexation being constitutionally reaffirmed (by implication) in Basic Law: Jerusalem 1980 , but this annexation is not recognised by any other country. In 2010 of the 456,000 people in East Jerusalem, roughly 60% were Palestinians and 40% were Israelis. However, since the late 2000s, Israel's West Bank Security Barrier has effectively re-annexed tens of thousands of Palestinians bearing Israeli ID cards to
1115-652: A Gaza traffic jam. A curfew forbidding Gaza residents from leaving their homes was imposed for three days, during the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha . In two incidents on 1 and 6 October 1987, the IDF ambushed and killed seven Gaza men, reportedly affiliated with Islamic Jihad , who had escaped from prison in May. Some days later, a 17-year-old schoolgirl, Intisar al-'Attar, was shot in the back while in her schoolyard in Deir al-Balah by
1338-661: A Jewish homeland. In response to the White Paper, the Zionist community in Palestine organized a strike in 1939, rallying against the restrictions on Jewish immigration and land acquisition. This anti-White Paper strike involved demonstrations, civil disobedience, and a shutdown of businesses. Supported by various Zionist organizations, including the Jewish Agency and the Histadrut (General Federation of Jewish Labor),
1561-525: A Palestinian state comprising the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem, within the borders set by the 1949 armistice lines prior to 5 June 1967. Following the declaration, Arafat explicitly denounced all forms of terrorism and affirmed the PLO's acceptance of UN Resolutions 242 and 338, as well as the recognition of Israel's right to exist. All the conditions defined by Henry Kissinger for US negotiations with
1784-400: A Palestinian state. Yaniv described Arafat's willingness to compromise as a "peace offensive" which Israel responded to by planning to remove the PLO as a potential negotiating partner in order to evade international diplomatic pressure. Israel would invade Lebanon the following year in an attempt to undermine the PLO as a political organization, weakening Palestinian nationalism and facilitating
2007-449: A campaign of attacks targeting Israelis. Following hundreds of casualties and a wave of anti-government propaganda, Israeli Prime Minister Rabin was assassinated by an Israeli far-right extremist who objected to the peace initiative. This struck a serious blow to the peace process, which in 1996 led to the newly elected government of Israel backing off from the process, to some degree. Following several years of unsuccessful negotiations,
2230-448: A ceasefire was signed with international mediation between the parties, though the occupation and small and sporadic eruptions of violence continued. In 2011, a Palestinian Authority attempt to gain UN membership as a fully sovereign state failed. In Hamas-controlled Gaza, sporadic rocket attacks on Israel and Israeli air raids continued to occur. In November 2012, Palestinian representation in
2453-518: A converted army camp, known popularly as Ansar 11 , outside Gaza City. A policy of deportation was introduced to intimidate activists in January 1987. Violence simmered as a schoolboy from Khan Yunis was shot dead by Israeli soldiers pursuing him in a Jeep. Over the summer the IDF's Lieutenant Ron Tal, who was responsible for guarding detainees at Ansar 11, was shot dead at point-blank range while stuck in
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#17327940180142676-486: A final status agreement with the Palestinians. The Camp David Summit in 2000 aimed to resolve the remaining issues but concluded without a comprehensive agreement, serving as a milestone in the peace process. A peace summit between Yasser Arafat and Ehud Barak was mediated by Bill Clinton in 2000. It was supposed to be the final agreement ending conflict officially forever. However the agreement failed to address
2899-623: A form of "diplomatic terrorism." In December 2015, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution demanding Palestinian sovereignty over natural resources in the occupied territories. It called on Israel to cease exploitation and damage while granting Palestinians the right to seek restitution. In 1988, the State of Palestine's declaration of independence was acknowledged by the General Assembly with Resolution 43/177 . In 2012,
3122-544: A growing militancy in Palestinian society. During the 1980s a number of mainstream Israeli politicians referred to policies of transferring the Palestinian population out of the territories, leading to Palestinian fears that Israel planned to evict them. Public statements calling for transfer of the Palestinian population were made by Deputy Defense Minister Michael Dekel , Cabinet Minister Mordechai Tzipori and government Minister Yosef Shapira among others. Describing
3345-590: A hardline far-right government , which led to greater political strife in Israel and clashes in the Palestinian territories. This culminated in the 2023 Israel–Hamas war , when Hamas -led militant groups launched a surprise attack on southern Israel from the Gaza Strip, killing more than 1,200 Israeli civilians and military personnel and taking hostages . The Israeli military retaliated by conducting an extensive aerial bombardment campaign on Gaza, followed by
3568-444: A number of environmental issues; issues facing the Gaza Strip include desertification ; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment ; water-borne diseases ; soil degradation ; and depletion and contamination of underground water resources. In the West Bank, many of the same issues apply; although fresh water is much more plentiful, access is restricted by the ongoing dispute . Temperatures in Palestine vary widely. The climate in
3791-492: A peace treaty between the two countries. The accords also proposed the creation of a "Self-Governing Authority" for the Arab population in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, excluding Jerusalem. While it promised "full autonomy for the inhabitants," the land was to remain under Israeli control. A peace treaty based on these accords was signed in 1979, leading to Israel's withdrawal from the occupied Egyptian Sinai Peninsula by 1982. However,
4014-571: A plan to partition Palestine into an Arab state, a Jewish state and the City of Jerusalem. Palestinian Arabs were opposed to the partition. Zionists accepted the partition but planned to expand Israel's borders beyond what was allocated to it by the UN. On the next day, Palestine was swept by violence. For four months, under continuous Arab provocation and attack, the Yishuv was usually on the defensive while occasionally retaliating. The Arab League supported
4237-564: A potential negotiating partner. Most Palestinian militants were defeated within several weeks, Beirut was captured, and the PLO headquarters were evacuated to Tunisia in June by Yasser Arafat's decision. The first Palestinian uprising began in 1987 as a response to escalating attacks and the endless occupation. By the early 1990s, the conflict, termed the First Intifada , was the focus of international settlement efforts, in part motivated by
4460-594: A settler in the Gaza Strip, who claimed the girl had been throwing stones. The Arab summit in Amman in November 1987 focused on the Iran–Iraq War , and the Palestinian issue was shunted to the sidelines for the first time in years. Israel's drive into the occupied territories had occasioned spontaneous acts of resistance, but the administration was confident that Palestinian resistance was exhausted. The assessment that
4683-630: A significant effect upon Palestinian nationalism, as Israel gained military control of the West Bank from Jordan and the Gaza Strip from Egypt. Consequently, the PLO was unable to establish any control on the ground and established its headquarters in Jordan, home to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, and supported the Jordanian army during the War of Attrition , which included the Battle of Karameh . However,
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#17327940180144906-549: A significant loss of life and escalating tensions in the occupied territories. 1990 witnessed the imposition of strict measures by the Israeli government, including curfews and closures, in an attempt to suppress the Intifada and maintain control over the occupied territories. The 1990–1991 Gulf War brought increased attention to conflict, leading to heightened diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful resolution. Saddam Hussein
5129-573: A significant step towards self-governance. Israel acknowledged the PLO negotiating team as "representing the Palestinian people", in return for the PLO recognizing Israel's right to exist in peace, acceptance of UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 , and its rejection of "violence and terrorism". As a result, in 1994 the PLO established the Palestinian National Authority (PNA or PA) territorial administration, that exercises some governmental functions in parts of
5352-510: A soldier in October 1988, and the detonation of two roadside bombs, which had no impact. Leaflets publicizing the intifada aims demanded the complete withdrawal of Israel from the territories it had occupied in 1967: the lifting of curfews and checkpoints; it appealed to Palestinians to join in civic resistance, while asking them not to employ arms, since military resistance would only invite devastating retaliation from Israel; it also called for
5575-490: A state of its own and instead, together with Transjordan , Egypt, and the other members of the Arab League of the time, commenced military action resulting in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War . During the war, Israel gained additional territories that were designated to be part of the Arab state under the UN plan. Egypt occupied the Gaza Strip , and Transjordan occupied and then annexed the West Bank . Egypt initially supported
5798-456: A system of institutionalized discrimination against Palestinians under its occupation called Israeli apartheid . Israel has drawn international condemnation for violating the human rights of the Palestinians . The international community, with the exception of the US and Israel, has been in consensus since the 1980s regarding a settlement of the conflict on the basis of a two-state solution along
6021-412: A total of 12 months. Hebron University was closed by the army from January 1988 to June 1991. Round-the-clock curfews were imposed over 1600 times in just the first year. Communities were cut off from supplies of water, electricity and fuel. At any one time, 25,000 Palestinians would be confined to their homes. Trees were uprooted on Palestinians farms, and agricultural produce blocked from being sold. In
6244-504: A vital role in its geography and ecosystems. The Jordan River flows southward, forming part of Palestine's eastern border and passing through the Sea of Galilee before reaching the Dead Sea. According to Christian traditions, it is site of the baptism of Jesus . The Dead Sea , bordering the country's east is the lowest point on the earth. Jericho , located nearby, is the lowest city in
6467-552: Is English." Partially in response to the Zionist movement, a Palestinian national movement would develop more concretely in the interwar period. The years that followed would see Jewish-Palestinian relations deteriorate dramatically. With the commitment to establishing a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine, the creation of the British Mandate in Palestine after the end of the first world war would allow for large-scale Jewish immigration. This would be accompanied by
6690-595: Is a mountainous region. It is divided in three regions, namely the Mount Nablus ( Jabal Nablus ), the Hebron Hills and Jerusalem Mountains ( Jibal al–Quds ). The Samarian Hills and Judean Hills are mountain ranges in the West Bank, with Mount Nabi Yunis at a height of 1,030 metres (3,380 ft) in Hebron Governorate as their highest peak. Until 19th century, Hebron was highest city in
6913-498: Is a wide range of views on the legal status of the State of Palestine, both among international states and legal scholars. The existence of a state of Palestine is recognized by the states that have established bilateral diplomatic relations with it. In January 2015, the International Criminal Court affirmed Palestine's "State" status after its UN observer recognition, a move condemned by Israeli leaders as
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7136-504: Is also part of the axis of resistance. Even before emergence of Iranian-backed group , Iraq was a strong supporter of Palestine when it was under the Ba'athist government of Saddam Hussein . Turkey is a supporter of Hamas and Qatar has been a key-financial supporter and host Hamas leaders. India was the first non-Arab country to reject the UN partition plan and officially recognized
7359-619: Is combination of several political parties. These should be distinguished from the President of the Palestinian National Authority , Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) and PNA Cabinet , all of which are instead associated with the Palestinian National Authority . The State of Palestine's founding document is the Palestinian Declaration of Independence, and it should be distinguished from
7582-639: Is known for its religious significance. The ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict dates back to the rise of the Zionist movement , supported by the United Kingdom during World War I . The war saw Britain occupying Palestine from the Ottoman Empire , where it set up Mandatory Palestine under the auspices of the League of Nations . During this period, large-scale Jewish immigration allowed by
7805-591: Is under Hamas rule). East Jerusalem (comprising the small pre-1967 Jordanian eastern-sector Jerusalem municipality together with a significant area of the pre-1967 West Bank demarcated by Israel in 1967) is administered as part of the Jerusalem District of Israel but is claimed by Palestine as part of the Jerusalem Governorate . It was effectively annexed by Israel in 1967, by application of Israeli law, jurisdiction and administration under
8028-552: The 1939 White Paper by the British government aimed to address escalating tensions between Arabs and Jews in Palestine. This policy document imposed restrictions on Jewish immigration and land purchases, with the intention to limit the establishment of a Jewish state. Met with strong opposition from the Zionist movement, the White Paper was perceived as a betrayal of the Balfour Declaration and Zionist aspirations for
8251-751: The 1948 Genocide Convention , but did not order Israel to suspend its military campaign. The war spilled over , with Israel engaging in clashes with local militias in the West Bank , Hezbollah in Lebanon and northern Israel, and other Iranian-backed militias in Syria. Iranian-backed militias also engaged in clashes with the United States, while the Houthis blockaded the Red Sea in protest, to which
8474-454: The 1967 borders and a just resolution for Palestinian refugees . The US and Israel have instead preferred bilateral negotiations rather than resolving the conflict on the basis of international law . In recent years, public support for a two-state solution has decreased, with Israeli policy reflecting an interest in maintaining the occupation rather than seeking a permanent resolution to the conflict. In 2007, Israel tightened its blockade of
8697-499: The 1990 Temple Mount killings at Al-Aqsa . This led the Palestinians to adopt more lethal tactics, with three Israeli civilians and one IDF soldier stabbed in Jerusalem and Gaza two weeks later. Incidents of stabbing persisted. The Israeli state apparatus carried out contradictory and conflicting policies that were seen to have injured Israel's own interests, such as the closing of educational establishments (putting more youths onto
8920-507: The 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis . The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is an ongoing military and political conflict about land and self-determination within the territory of the former Mandatory Palestine . Key aspects of the conflict include the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip , the status of Jerusalem , Israeli settlements , borders, security, water rights, the permit regime , Palestinian freedom of movement , and
9143-572: The Arab League agreed to support the intifada financially at the 1988 Arab League summit . The Arab League reaffirmed its financial support in the 1989 summit. Israeli defense minister Yitzhak Rabin 's response was: "We will teach them there is a price for refusing the laws of Israel." When time in prison did not stop the activists, Israel crushed the boycott by imposing heavy fines and seizing and disposing of equipment, furnishings, and goods from local stores, factories and homes. On 8 October 1990, 22 Palestinians were killed by Israeli police during
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9366-671: The Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation . It has been a non-member observer state of the United Nations since 2012. The term "Palestine" (in Latin, Palæstina ) comes via ancient Greek from a Semitic toponym for the general area dating back to the late second millennium BCE., a reflex of which is also to be found in the Biblical ethnonym Philistines . The term "Palestine" has been used to refer to
9589-480: The Battle of Gaza (2007) , Hamas took full control of the area. In 2007, Israel imposed a naval blockade on the Gaza Strip , and cooperation with Egypt allowed a ground blockade of the Egyptian border. The tensions between Israel and Hamas escalated until late 2008, when Israel launched operation Cast Lead upon Gaza, resulting in thousands of civilian casualties and billions of dollars in damage. By February 2009,
9812-752: The Coastal Road massacre led to the Israeli full-scale invasion known as Operation Litani . This operation sought to dislodge the PLO from Lebanon while expanding the area under the control of the Israeli allied Christian militias in southern Lebanon. The operation succeeded in leaving a large portion of the south in control of the Israeli proxy which would eventually form the South Lebanon Army . Under United States pressure, Israeli forces would eventually withdraw from Lebanon. In 1982, Israel, having secured its southern border with Egypt, sought to resolve
10035-668: The Declaration of Principles (or Oslo I) was signed and set forward a framework for future Israeli–Palestinian negotiations, in which key issues would be left to "final status" talks. The stipulations of the Oslo agreements ran contrary to the international consensus for resolving the conflict; the agreements did not uphold Palestinian self-determination or statehood and repealed the internationally accepted interpretation of UN Resolution 242 that land cannot be acquired by war. With respect to access to land and resources, Noam Chomsky described
10258-549: The Gaza Strip and the West Bank , an economic boycott consisting of refusal to work in Israeli settlements on Israeli products, refusal to pay taxes, and refusal to drive Palestinian cars with Israeli licenses. Israel deployed some 80,000 soldiers in response. Israeli countermeasures, which initially included the use of live rounds frequently in cases of riots, were criticized by Human Rights Watch as disproportionate, in addition to Israel's excessive use of lethal force. In
10481-487: The Jewish Supernumerary Police , and Special Night Squads . The suppression of the revolt would leave at least 10% of the adult male population killed, wounded, imprisoned or exiled. In the first wave of organized violence, lasting until early 1937, most of the Arab groups were defeated by the British, and forced expulsion of much of the Arab leadership ensued. With much of the leadership in exile and
10704-585: The Madrid Conference of 1991 , though some date its conclusion to 1993, the year the Oslo Accords were signed. The intifada began on 9 December 1987 in the Jabalia refugee camp after an Israeli truck driver collided with parked civilian vehicles, killing four Palestinian workers, three of whom were from the refugee camp. Palestinians charged that the collision was a deliberate response for
10927-515: The Negev held approximately one out of every 50 West Bank and Gazan males older than 16 years. Gerald Kaufman remarked: "[F]riends of Israel as well as foes have been shocked and saddened by that country's response to the disturbances." In an article in the London Review of Books, John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt asserted that IDF soldiers were given truncheons and encouraged to break
11150-544: The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Ben-Ami describes the PLO as uncompromising and reliant on international terrorism, which he says exacerbated Palestinian grievances. The Israeli Labor Party 's Yitzhak Rabin , then Defense Minister , added deportations in August 1985 to Israel's "Iron Fist" policy of cracking down on Palestinian nationalism. This, which led to 50 deportations in
11373-401: The Palestine Liberation Organization led by Yasser Arafat strove to find a peaceful solution through what became known as the Oslo peace process. A crucial milestone in this process was Arafat's letter of recognition of Israel's right to exist. Emblematic of the asymmetry in the Oslo process, Israel was not required to, and did not, recognize the right of a Palestinian state to exist. In 1993,
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#173279401801411596-543: The Palestinian Authority (PA). Israel withdrew from Gaza in its unilateral disengagement in 2005, but the territory is still considered to be under military occupation and has been blockaded by Israel. In 2007, internal divisions between political factions led to a takeover of Gaza by Hamas . Since then, the West Bank has been governed in part by the Fatah -led PA, while the Gaza Strip has remained under
11819-575: The Palestinian right of return . The conflict has its origins in the rise of Zionism in Europe and the consequent first arrival of Jewish settlers to Ottoman Palestine in 1882. The local Arab population increasingly began to oppose Zionism, primarily out of fear of territorial displacement and dispossession. The Zionist movement garnered the support of an imperial power in the 1917 Balfour Declaration issued by Britain, which promised to support
12042-591: The Sabra-Shatila massacre . 1,962 Palestinians and 179–200 Israeli deaths in the First Intifada . 1,010 Israelis and up to 3,354 Palestinian deaths in the Second Intifada . 402 Palestinians were killed in the 2006 Gaza–Israel conflict . 1,116–1,417 Palestinian deaths in the Gaza War (2008–2009) . 2,125–2,310 Palestinian deaths in the 2014 Gaza War . 285 Palestinian and 17 Israeli deaths in
12265-676: The United Nations , Human Rights Watch and many other international bodies and NGOs continue to consider Israel to be the occupying power of the Gaza Strip as Israel controls Gaza Strip's airspace, territorial waters and controls the movement of people or goods in or out of Gaza by air or sea. In 2006, Hamas won a plurality of 44% in the Palestinian parliamentary election . Israel responded it would begin economic sanctions unless Hamas agreed to accept prior Israeli–Palestinian agreements, forswear violence, and recognize Israel's right to exist, all of which Hamas rejected. After internal Palestinian political struggle between Fatah and Hamas erupted into
12488-409: The United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 67/19 , granting Palestine " non-member observer state " status, effectively recognizing it as a sovereign state . First intifada Lists The First Intifada ( Arabic : الانتفاضة الأولى , romanized : al-Intifāḍa al-’Ūlā , lit. 'The First Uprising'), also known as the First Palestinian Intifada ,
12711-415: The West Bank and Gaza Strip. The ICJ also determined that Israeli policies violate the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination . Since 2006, Hamas and Israel have fought five wars , the most recent of which began in 2023 and is ongoing. The Israeli–Palestinian conflict began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with the development of political Zionism and
12934-494: The West Bank and the Gaza Strip. As envisioned in the Oslo Accords, Israel allowed the PLO to establish interim administrative institutions in the Palestinian territories, which came in the form of the PNA. It was given civilian control in Area B and civilian and security control in Area A, and remained without involvement in Area C . The peace process gained opposition from both Palestinians and Israelis. Islamist militant organizations such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad opposed
13157-516: The West Bank were controlled by Egypt and Jordan respectively. Since the 1967 Six Day War , Israel has been occupying the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, known collectively as the Palestinian territories . Two Palestinian uprisings against Israel and its occupation erupted in 1987 and 2000, the first and second intifadas respectively. Israel's occupation, which is now considered to be the longest military occupation in modern history, has seen it constructing illegal settlements there, creating
13380-418: The West Bank , Jerusalem , Sinai Peninsula , and Gaza Strip from Jordan and Egypt in the Six-Day War in 1967, frustration grew among Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied territories . Israel opened its labor market to Palestinians in the newly occupied territories, who were recruited mainly to do unskilled or semi-skilled labor jobs Israelis did not want. By the time of the Intifada, over 40 percent of
13603-431: The Yishuv and Mandate authorities. Increased illegal immigration from Jewish refugees, along with a paramilitary campaign of resistance against British authorities by Zionist militias , would effectively overturn the White Paper and eventually lead to the withdrawal of the British. On 29 November 1947, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted Resolution 181(II) recommending the adoption and implementation of
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#173279401801413826-521: The control of Hamas . Israel has constructed large settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem since 1967, where currently more than 670,000 Israeli settlers , which are illegal under international law . Currently, the biggest challenges to the country include ineffective government, Israeli occupation, Islamist factions, a blockade , restrictions on movement , Israeli settlements and settler violence , as well as an overall poor security situation. The questions of Palestine's borders ,
14049-435: The legal and diplomatic status of Jerusalem , and the right of return of Palestinian refugees remain unsolved. Despite these challenges, the country maintains an emerging economy and sees frequent tourism . Arabic is the official language of the country. While the majority of Palestinians practice Islam , Christianity also has a presence . Palestine is also a member of several international organizations , including
14272-410: The ongoing war , support for the country have increased. Since Israel's invasion of Gaza , many countries in support of Palestinians have officially recognized the country. This includes Armenia , Spain , Norway , The Bahamas , Jamaica , Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago . The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) declared the establishment of the State of Palestine on 15 November 1988. There
14495-442: The 1950s, Jordan and Egypt supported the Palestinian Fedayeen militants' cross-border attacks into Israel, while Israel carried out its own reprisal operations in the host countries. The 1956 Suez Crisis resulted in a short-term Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip and exile of the All-Palestine Government , which was later restored with Israeli withdrawal. The All-Palestine Government was completely abandoned by Egypt in 1959 and
14718-439: The 1988 Declaration of Independence, the UN General Assembly officially acknowledged the proclamation and decided to use the designation "Palestine" instead of "Palestine Liberation Organization" in the UN. In spite of this decision, the PLO did not participate at the UN in its capacity of the State of Palestine's government. Violent clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli forces intensified throughout 1989, resulting in
14941-513: The Arab side and 700 combined on the British and Jewish side total. With the eruption of World War II , the situation in Mandatory Palestine calmed down. It allowed a shift towards a more moderate stance among Palestinian Arabs under the leadership of the Nashashibi clan and even the establishment of the Jewish–Arab Palestine Regiment under British command, fighting Germans in North Africa. The more radical exiled faction of al-Husseini, however, tended to cooperate with Nazi Germany, and participated in
15164-416: The Arab struggle by forming the volunteer-based Arab Liberation Army , supporting the Palestinian Arab Army of the Holy War , under the leadership of Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni and Hasan Salama . On the Jewish side, the civil war was managed by the major underground militias – the Haganah , Irgun and Lehi – strengthened by numerous Jewish veterans of World War II and foreign volunteers. By spring 1948, it
15387-428: The Black Hand militant group and had prepared the grounds for the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine . Following the death of al-Qassam at the hands of the British in late 1935, tensions erupted in 1936 into the Arab general strike and general boycott. The strike soon deteriorated into violence, and the Arab revolt was bloodily repressed by the British assisted by the British armed forces of the Jewish Settlement Police ,
15610-477: The British authorities led to increased tensions and violence with the local Palestinian Arab population. In 1947, Britain handed the issue to the United Nations, which proposed a partition plan , for two independent Arab and Jewish states and an independent entity for Jerusalem , but a civil war broke out, and the plan was not implemented. The 1948 Palestine war saw the forcible displacement of most of its predominantly Arab population, and consequently
15833-466: The Camp David summit, a narrative emerged, supported by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and his foreign minister Shlomo Ben-Ami, as well as US officials including Dennis Ross and Madeleine Albright, that Yasser Arafat had rejected a generous peace offer from Israel and instead incited a violent uprising. This narrative suggested that Arafat was not interested in a two-state solution, but rather aimed to destroy Israel and take over all of Palestine. This view
16056-690: The First Intifada is generally dated to a truck incident involving several Palestinian fatalities at the Erez Crossing in December 1987, Mazin Qumsiyeh argues, against Donald Neff , that it began with multiple youth demonstrations earlier in the preceding month. Some sources consider that the perceived IDF failure in late November 1987 to stop a Palestinian guerrilla operation, the Night of
16279-491: The First World War that the landscape of Ottoman Palestine would start to significantly change. Land purchases, the eviction of tenant Arab peasants and armed confrontation with Jewish para-military units would all contribute to the Palestinian population's growing fear of territorial displacement and dispossession. This fear would gradually be replaced by a broader sense of Palestinian national expression which included
16502-438: The Gaza Strip and made official its policy of isolating it from the West Bank. Since then, Israel has framed its relationship with Gaza in terms of the laws of war rather than in terms of its status as an occupying power . In a July 2024 ruling , the International Court of Justice rebuffed Israel's stance, determining that the Palestinian territories constitute one political unit and that Israel continues to illegally occupy
16725-505: The Gaza Strip (it already had majority in the PLC), and Fatah took control of the West Bank. From 2007, the Gaza Strip was governed by Hamas, and the West Bank by the Fatah party led Palestinian Authority. International efforts to revive the peace process continued. The United States, under the leadership of different administrations, made various attempts to broker negotiations between Israel and
16948-523: The Gaza Strip alone from 1988 to 1993, some 60,706 Palestinians suffered injuries from shootings, beatings or tear gas. In the first five weeks alone, 35 Palestinians were killed and some 1,200 wounded. Some regarded the Israeli response as encouraging more Palestinians into participating. B'Tselem calculated 179 Israelis killed, while official Israeli statistics place the total at 200 over the same period. 3,100 Israelis, 1,700 of them soldiers, and 1,400 civilians suffered injuries. By 1990 Ktzi'ot Prison in
17171-454: The Gaza Strip and the West Bank against Israeli occupation. In November 1988, the PLO legislature, while in exile, declared the establishment of the "State of Palestine" . In the month following, it was quickly recognized by many states, including Egypt and Jordan. In the Palestinian Declaration of Independence, the State of Palestine is described as being established on the "Palestinian territory", without explicitly specifying further. After
17394-407: The Gaza Strip by destroying its settlements over there. By 2005, the situation began de-escalating. In 2006, Hamas won in Palestinian legislative elections. This led a political standoff with Fatah. Armed clashes took place across both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The clashes turned into a civil war, which ended in a bloody clashes on the Gaza Strip. As a result, Hamas gained control over all
17617-468: The Gaza Strip with the exception of its borders, airspace, and territorial waters . The division between the West Bank and Gaza complicated efforts to achieve Palestinian unity and negotiate a comprehensive peace agreement with Israel . Multiple rounds of reconciliation talks were held, but no lasting agreement was reached. The division also hindered the establishment of a unified Palestinian state and led to different governance structures and policies in
17840-665: The Gaza Strip, with a simultaneous spillover of the war occurring in the West Bank . Areas claimed by the country, known as the Palestinian territories , lie in the Southern Levant of the Middle East region. Palestine is part of the Fertile Crescent , along with Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria. The Gaza Strip borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Egypt to the south, and Israel to
18063-581: The Gaza Strip. In July 1988, Jordan ceded its claims to the West Bank —with the exception of guardianship over Haram al-Sharif—to the PLO. After Israel captured and occupied the West Bank from Jordan and Gaza Strip from Egypt, it began to establish Israeli settlements there. Administration of the Arab population of these territories was performed by the Israeli Civil Administration of the Coordinator of Government Activities in
18286-611: The Gliders , in which six Israeli soldiers were killed, helped catalyze local Palestinians to rebel. Mass demonstrations had occurred a year earlier when, after two Gaza students at Birzeit University had been shot by Israeli soldiers on campus on 4 December 1986, the Israelis responded with harsh punitive measures, involving summary arrest, detention, and systematic beatings of handcuffed Palestinian youths, ex-prisoners and activists, some 250 of whom were detained in four cells inside
18509-625: The Holocaust. In 1946, a bombing orchestrated by the Irgun at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem resulted in the deaths of 91 people, including British officials, civilians, and hotel staff. Menachem Begin and Yitzhak Shamir , who later became political leaders in the state of Israel, were behind these terrorist attacks. The Exodus 1947 incident unfolded when a ship carrying Jewish Holocaust survivors, who sought refuge in Palestine,
18732-560: The IDF, also gasoline bombs, at military vehicles. The soldiers started shooting in response, killing 17 year-old Hatem Al-Sesi and wounding 16 others. On 9 December, several popular and professional Palestinian leaders held a press conference in West Jerusalem with the Israeli League for Human and Civil Rights in response to the deterioration of the situation. While they convened, reports came in that demonstrations at
18955-451: The Intifada's UNLU , and more than 1,400 Israeli civilians and 1,700 soldiers were injured. Intra-Palestinian violence was also a prominent feature of the Intifada, with widespread executions of an estimated 822 Palestinians killed as alleged Israeli collaborators (1988–April 1994). At the time Israel reportedly obtained information from some 18,000 Palestinians who had been compromised, although fewer than half had any proven contact with
19178-403: The Israeli authorities. The ensuing Second Intifada took place from September 2000 to 2005. According to Mubarak Awad , a Palestinian American clinical psychologist, the Intifada was a protest against Israeli repression including "beatings, shootings, killings, house demolitions, uprooting of trees, deportations, extended imprisonments, and detentions without trial". After Israel's capture of
19401-527: The Israeli troops from the church. Between 2003 and 2004, people from Qawasameh tribe in Hebron were either killed or blew themselves in suicide bombing. Ariel Sharon ordered construction of barriers across Palestinian-controlled areas and Israeli settlements in the West Bank to prevent future attacks. Saddam Hussein provided financial support to Palestinian militants from Iraq during the intifada period, from 2000 until his overthrow in 2003. A peace proposal
19624-601: The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, have reshaped regional dynamics and raised questions about the future of Palestinian aspirations for statehood. The status quo remains challenging for Palestinians, with ongoing issues of occupation, settlement expansion, restricted movement, and economic hardships. The most recent outbreak of violence in the region is the Israel-Hamas war (2023–present), involving fighting between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian forces in
19847-733: The Jabalya camp were underway and that a 17-year-old Palestinian had been shot to death by Israeli soldiers (after, as the IDF claimed, a group of Palestinians threw gasoline bombs at an IDF vehicle). He would later become known as the first martyr of the intifada. Protests rapidly spread into the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Youths took control of neighbourhoods, closed off camps with barricades of garbage, stone and burning tires , meeting soldiers who endeavoured to break through with petrol bombs. Palestinian shopkeepers closed their businesses, and labourers refused to turn up to their work in Israel. Israel defined these activities as 'riots', and justified
20070-531: The Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur. Egyptian and Syria had crossed over the ceasefire lines that were agreed upon prior to 1973. Egypt had in particular tried to reoccupy much of the area surrounding the Suez Canal, whilst the frontline with Syria was mainly situated around the north in the Golan Heights. The war concluded with an Israeli victory, with both sides suffering tremendous casualties. Following
20293-544: The Jewish paramilitary force Haganah . In 1929, a series of violent riots resulted in the deaths of 133 Jews and 116 Arabs, with significant Jewish casualties in Hebron and Safed , and the evacuation of Jews from Hebron and Gaza. In the early 1930s, the Arab national struggle in Palestine had drawn many Arab nationalist militants from across the Middle East, such as Sheikh Izaddin al-Qassam from Syria, who established
20516-551: The Middle East. While Jerusalem is located on a plateau in the central highlands and is surrounded by valleys. The territory consists of fertile valleys, such as the Jezreel Valley and the Jordan River Valley . Palestine is home to world's largest olive tree, located in Jerusalem. Around 45% of Palestine's land is dedicated to growing olive trees. Palestine features significant lakes and rivers that play
20739-600: The Oslo Accords as legitimizing "the transformation of the West Bank into what has been called a 'cartographic cheeseboard'." Core to the Oslo Accords was the creation of the Palestinian Authority and the security cooperation it would enter into with the Israeli military authorities in what has been described as the "outsourcing" of the occupation to the PA. Just before signing the Oslo accord, Rabin described
20962-470: The Oslo II Accord . Area A forms 18% of the West Bank by area, and is administered by the Palestinian government. Area B forms 22% of the West Bank, and is under Palestinian civil control, and joint Israeli-Palestinian security control. Area C , except East Jerusalem, forms 60% of the West Bank, and is administered by the Israeli Civil Administration , however, the Palestinian government provides
21185-548: The Oslo Years brought a great prosperity to the government-controlled areas, despite some economic issues. The Palestinian Authority built the country's second airport in Gaza, after the Jerusalem International Airport . Inaugural ceremony of the airport was attended by Bill Clinton and Nelson Mandela . In 1999, Ehud Barak assumed the position of Israeli Prime Minister, renewing efforts to reach
21408-519: The Oslo agreements as allowing "Israel to do virtually what it likes." The Oslo process was delicate and progressed in fits and starts. The process took a turning point at the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin in November 1995 and the election of Netanyahu in 1996, finally unraveling when Arafat and Ehud Barak failed to reach an agreement at Camp David in July 2000 and later at Taba in 2001. The interim period specified by Oslo had not built confidence between
21631-685: The Ottomans, they also played a significant role proportionately in the rise of Arab nationalism , and the Pan-Arabic movements that arose in response to both the emergence of the Young Turks movement and the subsequent weakening of Ottoman power in World War 1. The onset of the Zionist movement , which sought to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine, also exercised a strong influence on Palestinian national consciousness. Abdul Hamid ,
21854-404: The PA upholding its obligation to curbing violent attacks from extremist groups, in part by cooperating with Israeli forces. Meron Benvenisti , former deputy mayor of Jerusalem, observed that life became harsher for Palestinians during this period as state violence increased and Palestinian land continued to be expropriated as settlements expanded. Israeli foreign minister Shlomo Ben-Ami described
22077-424: The PLO as a mistake that threatened the existing territorial status quo. He argued that negotiating with the PLO meant accepting the existence of a Palestinian state and hence was unacceptable. The term "peace process" refers to the step-by-step approach to resolving the conflict. Having originally entered into usage to describe the US mediated negotiations between Israel and surrounding Arab countries, notably Egypt,
22300-584: The PLO as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" and reaffirmed "their right to establish an independent state of urgency." In November 1974, the PLO was recognized as competent on all matters concerning the question of Palestine by the UN General Assembly granting them observer status as a "non-state entity" at the UN. Through the Camp David Accords of 1979, Egypt signaled an end to any claim of its own over
22523-591: The PLO as the representative of the Palestinian people. The PLO's executive committee acts as the government, empowered by the PNC. It is full-time member of the Arab League , the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Union for the Mediterranean . Sweden took a significant step in 2013 by upgrading the status of the Palestinian representative office to a full embassy. They became the first EU member state outside
22746-410: The PLO had now been met. Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Shamir stood behind the stance that the PLO was a terrorist organization. He maintained a strict stance against any concessions, including withdrawal from occupied Palestinian territories, recognition of or negotiations with the PLO, and especially the establishment of a Palestinian state. Shamir viewed the U.S. decision to engage in dialogue with
22969-474: The Palestinian Authority. Foreign relations are maintained in the framework of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs . The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) represents the State of Palestine and maintains embassies in countries that recognize it. It also participates in international organizations as a member, associate, or observer. In some cases, due to conflicting sources, it is difficult to determine if
23192-523: The Palestinian base in Jordan collapsed with the Jordanian–Palestinian civil war in 1970. The PLO defeat by the Jordanians caused most of the Palestinian militants to relocate to South Lebanon, where they soon took over large areas, creating the so-called "Fatahland". On 6 October 1973, a coalition of Arab forces consisting of mainly Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack against Israel on
23415-578: The Palestinian government signed the Hebron Protocol , which outlined the redeployment of Israeli forces from parts of Hebron in the West Bank, granting the government greater control over the city. Israel and the Palestinian government signed the Wye River Memorandum in 1998, aiming to advance the implementation of the Oslo Accords. The agreement included provisions for Israeli withdrawals and security cooperation. The period of
23638-458: The Palestinian issue by attempting to dismantle the military and political power of the PLO in Lebanon. The goal was to establish a friendly regime in Lebanon and continue its policy of settlement and annexation in occupied Palestine. The PLO had observed the latest ceasefire with Israel and shown a preference for negotiations over military operations. As a result, Israel sought to remove the PLO as
23861-865: The Palestinian refugee issues, status of Jerusalem and Israeli security concerns. Both sides blamed each other for the summit failures. This became of the main triggers for the uprising that would happen next. In September 2000, then opposition leader from the Likud Party – Ariel Sharon made a proactive visit to the Temple Mount and delivered a controversial speech, which angered Palestinian Jerusalemites . The tensions escalated into riots. Bloody clashes took place around Jerusalem. Escalating violence resulted closure of Jerusalem Airport , which haven't operated till date. More and more riots between Jews and Arabs took place in October 2000 in Israel. In
24084-459: The Palestinian workforce worked in Israel daily. Additionally, Israeli expropriation of Palestinian land, high birthrates in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and the limited allocation of land for new building and agriculture created conditions marked by growing population density and rising unemployment, even for those with university degrees. At the time of the Intifada, only one in eight college-educated Palestinians could find degree-related work. This
24307-514: The Palestinians and other Arab nations, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza and a "just resolution" of the Palestinian refugee question. These principles, known as "land for peace" and Palestinian self-determination through a two-state settlement, were endorsed by the International Court of Justice, the United Nations, and international human rights organizations. The June 1967 war exerted
24530-477: The Palestinians. However, significant obstacles such as settlement expansion, the status of Jerusalem, borders , and the right of return for Palestinian refugees , remained unresolved. In recent years, diplomatic initiatives have emerged, including the normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab states , known as the Abraham Accords . These agreements, while not directly addressing
24753-501: The Temple Mount or any core East Jerusalem neighbourhoods, and continued Israel control over the Jordan Valley. Arafat rejected this offer, which Palestinian negotiators, Israeli analysts and Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami described as "unacceptable". According to the Palestinian negotiators the offer did not remove many of the elements of the Israeli occupation regarding land, security, settlements, and Jerusalem. After
24976-604: The Temple Mount/Noble sanctuary, while the Israelis would have sovereignty over the Western Wall. On refugees the plan suggested a number of proposals including financial compensation, the right of return to the Palestinian state, and Israeli acknowledgment of suffering caused to the Palestinians in 1948. Security proposals referred to a "non-militarized" Palestinian state, and an international force for border security. Both sides accepted Clinton's plan and it became
25199-812: The Territories and by local municipal councils present since before the Israeli takeover. In 1980, Israel decided to freeze elections for these councils and to establish instead Village Leagues, whose officials were under Israeli influence. Later this model became ineffective for both Israel and the Palestinians, and the Village Leagues began to break up, with the last being the Hebron League, dissolved in February 1988. The first Intifada broke out in 1987, characterized by widespread protests, strikes, and acts of civil disobedience by Palestinians in
25422-571: The UN adopted a partition plan for a two-state solution in the remaining territory of the mandate. The plan was accepted by the Jewish leadership but rejected by the Arab leaders, and Britain refused to implement the plan. On the eve of final British withdrawal, the Jewish Agency for Israel , headed by David Ben-Gurion , declared the establishment of the State of Israel according to the proposed UN plan. The Arab Higher Committee did not declare
25645-412: The UN was upgraded to a non-member observer state, and its mission title was changed from "Palestine (represented by PLO)" to " State of Palestine ". In 2014, another war broke out between Israel and Gaza, resulting in over 70 Israeli and over 2,000 Palestinian casualties. After the 2014 war and 2021 crisis , Hamas began planning an attack on Israel. In 2022, Netanyahu returned to power while headlining
25868-698: The US again put a veto on a resolution. On 7 November, the US vetoed a third draft resolution, condemning alleged Israeli violations of human rights On 14 October 1990, Israel openly declared that it would not abide Security Council Resolution 672 because it did not pay attention to attacks on Jewish worshippers at the Western Wall . Israel refused to receive a delegation of the Secretary-General, which would investigate Israeli violence. The following Resolution 673 made little impression and Israel kept on obstructing UN investigations. The Intifada
26091-605: The United Arab Emirates deteriorated, when it signed normalization agreement with Israel . During the Sri Lankan Civil War , the PLO provided training for Tamil rebels to fight against the Sri Lankan government . The Republic of Ireland , Venezuela and South Africa are political allies of Palestine and have strongly advocated for establishment of independent Palestine. As a result of
26314-466: The United States responded with airstrikes in Yemen , Iraq, and Syria . The PLO's participation in diplomatic negotiations was dependent on its complete disavowal of terrorism and recognition of Israel's "right to exist." This stipulation required the PLO to abandon its objective of reclaiming all of historic Palestine and instead focus on the 22 percent which came under Israeli military control in 1967. By
26537-473: The West Bank after having already given up 78% of historic Palestine. Thus, an Israeli offer of 91 percent of the West Bank (5,538 km of the West Bank translates into only 86 percent from the Palestinian perspective), including Arab parts of East Jerusalem and the entire Gaza Strip, as well as a stipulation that 69 Jewish settlements (which comprise 85% of the West Bank's Jewish settlers) would be ceded to Israel, no right of return to Israel, no sovereignty over
26760-462: The West Bank is mostly Mediterranean , slightly cooler at elevated areas compared with the shoreline, west to the area. In the east, the West Bank includes much of the Judean Desert including the western shoreline of the Dead Sea, characterised by dry and hot climate. Gaza has a hot semi-arid climate ( Köppen : BSh) with mild winters and dry hot summers. Spring arrives around March–April and
26983-505: The West Bank that are considered to have ecological and cultural significance and are being managed with conservation efforts. These areas are often referred to as nature reserves or protected zones. Located near Jericho in the West Bank, Wadi Qelt is a desert valley with unique flora and fauna. The reserve is known for its rugged landscapes, natural springs, and historical sites such as the St. George Monastery . Efforts have been made to protect
27206-429: The West Bank, leaving East Jerusalem within the barrier with a small Israeli majority (60%). Under Oslo Accords, Jerusalem was proposed to be included in future negotiations and according to Israel, Oslo Accords prohibits the Palestinian Authority to operates in Jerusalem. However, certain parts of Jerusalem, those neighborhoods which are located outside the historic Old City but are part of East Jerusalem, were allotted to
27429-683: The Western Wall in Jerusalem. The 1930s witnessed the outbreak of the Arab Revolt , as Arab nationalists demanded an end to Jewish immigration and the establishment of an independent Arab state. In response to the Arab Revolt, the British deployed military forces and implemented stringent security measures in an effort to quell the uprising. Arab nationalist groups, led by the Arab Higher Committee , called for an end to Jewish immigration and land sales to Jews. The issuance of
27652-481: The Wye as having successfully reduced both violent and non-violent protests, both of which he considers to be "inconsistent with the spirit of Wye." Watson claims that the PA frequently violated its obligations to curb incitement and its record on curbing terrorism and other security obligations under the Wye River Memorandum was, at best, mixed. In 1993, Israeli officials led by Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leaders from
27875-481: The annexation of the West Bank into Greater Israel. While the PLO had adopted a program of pursuing a Palestinian state alongside Israel since the mid-1970s, the 1988 Palestinian Declaration of Independence formally consecrated this objective. This declaration, which was based on resolutions from the Palestine National Council sessions in the late 1970s and 1980s, advocated for the creation of
28098-677: The anti-White Paper strike aimed to protest and challenge the limitations imposed by the British government. In the late 1930s and 1940s, several Zionist militant groups, including the Irgun , Hagana , and Lehi , carried out acts of violence against British military and civilian targets in their pursuit of an independent Jewish state. While the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al-Husseini , collaborated with Nazi Germany during World War II, not all Muslims supported his actions, and there were instances where Muslims helped rescue Jews during
28321-503: The area at the southeast corner of the Mediterranean Sea beside Syria . In the 5th century BCE., in his work The Histories Herodotus used the term to describe a "district of Syria, called Palaistine" in which Phoenicians interacted with other maritime peoples. This article uses the terms "Palestine", "State of Palestine", "occupied Palestinian territory (oPt or OPT)" interchangeably depending on context. Specifically,
28544-455: The arrival of Zionist settlers to Palestine. The modern political Zionist movement, with the goal of establishing a Jewish state in Palestine , grew out of the last two decades of the 19th century, largely in response to antisemitism in Europe. While Jewish colonization began during this period , it was not until the arrival of more ideologically Zionist immigrants in the decade preceding
28767-533: The attack and responded by conducting attacks on civilians across Israel. In 1994, Baruch Goldstein , an Israeli extremist shot 29 people to death in Hebron, known as the Cave of the Patriarchs massacre . These events led an increase in Palestinian opposition to the peace process. Tragically, in 1995, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by Yigal Amir – an extremist, causing political instability in
28990-579: The basis for the negotiations at the Taba Peace summit the following January. State of Palestine Palestine , officially the State of Palestine , is a country in the southern Levant region of West Asia recognized by 146 out of 193 UN member states . It encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank , including East Jerusalem , and the Gaza Strip , collectively known as the occupied Palestinian territories , within
29213-410: The beginning of the Intifada, the majority killed during demonstrations and riots. Since initially a high proportion of those killed were civilians and youths, Yitzhak Rabin adopted a fallback policy of 'might, power and beatings'. Israel used mass arrests of Palestinians, engaged in collective punishments like closing down West Bank universities for most years of the intifada, and West Bank schools for
29436-572: The biodiversity and natural beauty of the area. The Judaean Desert is popular for "Judaean Camels". Qalqilya Zoo in Qalqilya Governorate , is the only zoo currently active in the country. Gaza Zoo was closed due to poor conditions. Israeli government have built various national parks in the Area C, which is also considered illegal under international law. Palestine operates a semi-presidential system of government. The country consists of
29659-535: The bones of Palestinian protesters. The Swedish branch of Save the Children estimated that "23,600 to 29,900 children required medical treatment for their beating injuries in the first two years of the Intifada", one third of whom were children under the age of ten years. Israel adopted a policy of arresting key representatives of Palestinian institutions. After lawyers in Gaza went on strike to protest their inability to visit their detained clients, Israel detained
29882-409: The broader geographic and historical Palestine region . Palestine shares most of its borders with Israel , and it borders Jordan to the east and Egypt to the southwest. It has a total land area of 6,020 square kilometres (2,320 sq mi) while its population exceeds five million people. Its proclaimed capital is Jerusalem , while Ramallah serves as its administrative center. Gaza City
30105-407: The causes of the Intifada, Benny Morris refers to the "all-pervading element of humiliation", caused by the protracted occupation which he says was "always a brutal and mortifying experience for the occupied" and was "founded on brute force, repression and fear, collaboration and treachery, beatings and torture chambers, and daily intimidation, humiliation, and manipulation." While the catalyst for
30328-400: The collapse of the summit. In the months following the summit, Clinton appointed former US Senator George J. Mitchell to lead a fact-finding committee aiming to identify strategies for restoring the peace process. The committee's findings were published in 2001 with the dismantlement of existing Israeli settlements and Palestinian crackdown on militant activity being one strategy. Following
30551-733: The conflict re-erupted as the Second Intifada in September 2000. The violence, escalating into an open conflict between the Palestinian National Security Forces and the Israel Defense Forces , lasted until 2004/2005 and led to approximately 130 fatalities . In 2005, Israeli Prime Minister Sharon ordered the removal of Israeli settlers and soldiers from Gaza . Israel and its Supreme Court formally declared an end to occupation, saying it "had no effective control over what occurred" in Gaza. However,
30774-416: The creation of a " Jewish homeland " in Palestine . Following British occupation of the formerly Ottoman region during World War I , Mandatory Palestine was established as a British mandate . Increasing Jewish immigration led to tensions between Jews and Arabs which grew into intercommunal conflict . In 1936, an Arab revolt erupted demanding independence and an end to British support for Zionism, which
30997-488: The creation of an All-Palestine Government but disbanded it in 1959. Transjordan never recognized it and instead decided to incorporate the West Bank with its own territory to form Jordan . The annexation was ratified in 1950 but was rejected by the international community. In 1964, when the West Bank was controlled by Jordan, the Palestine Liberation Organization was established there with
31220-582: The deputy head of its association without trial for six months. Dr. Zakariya al-Agha, the head of the Gaza Medical Association, was likewise arrested and held for a similar period of detention, as were several women active in Women's Work Committees. During Ramadan, many camps in Gaza were placed under curfew for weeks, impeding residents from buying food, and Al-Shati , Jabalya and Burayj were subjected to saturation bombing by tear gas. During
31443-521: The development of a separate Jewish controlled sector of the economy which was supported with large amounts of capital from abroad. The more ardent Zionist ideologues of the Second Aliyah would become the leaders of the Yishuv starting in the 1920s and believed in the separation of Jewish and Arab economies and societies. During this period, the exclusionary nationalist ethos would grow to overpower
31666-536: The economy severely weakened, the Palestinians would struggle to confront the Zionist movement which was growing in strength, with the support of the British. The cost and risks associated with the revolt and the ongoing inter-communal conflict led to a shift in British policies in the region and the appointment of the Peel Commission which recommended the partitioning of Palestine. The two main Zionist leaders, Chaim Weizmann and David Ben-Gurion , accepted
31889-575: The education and medical services to the 150,000 Palestinians in the area, an arrangement agreed upon in the Oslo II accord by Israeli and Palestinian leadership. More than 99% of Area C is off limits to Palestinians, due to security concerns and is a point of ongoing negotiation. There are about 330,000 Israelis living in settlements in Area C. Although Area C is under martial law , Israelis living there are entitled to full civic rights . Palestinian enclaves currently under Palestinian administration in red ( Areas A and B ; not including Gaza Strip, which
32112-587: The end of Ottoman rule in the city. By 1920, tensions escalated between Jewish and Arab communities, resulting in violent clashes and riots across Palestine. The League of Nations approved the British Mandate for Palestine in 1922, entrusting Britain with the administration of the region. Throughout the 1920s, Palestine experienced growing resistance from both Jewish and Arab nationalist movements, which manifested in sporadic violence and protests against British policies. In 1929, violent riots erupted in Palestine due to disputes over Jewish immigration and access to
32335-526: The end of the war, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 338, which confirmed the land-for-peace principle established in Resolution 242, initiating the Middle East peace process. The Arab defeat would play an important role in the PLO's willingness to pursue a negotiated settlement to the conflict. Additionally, many Israelis began to believe that the area under Israeli occupation could not be held indefinitely by force. The Camp David Accords, agreed upon by Israel and Egypt in 1978, primarily aimed to establish
32558-424: The establishment of Israel, in what Palestinians call the Nakba . In the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel occupied the West Bank and the Gaza Strip , which had been held by Jordan and Egypt respectively. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) declared independence in 1988. In 1993, the PLO signed the Oslo peace accords with Israel, creating limited PLO governance in the West Bank and Gaza Strip through
32781-438: The establishment of a pro-Nazi propaganda machine throughout the Arab world. The defeat of Arab nationalists in Iraq and subsequent relocation of al-Husseini to Nazi-occupied Europe tied his hands regarding field operations in Palestine, though he regularly demanded that the Italians and the Germans bomb Tel Aviv . By the end of World War II, a crisis over the fate of Holocaust survivors from Europe led to renewed tensions between
33004-411: The establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip and 94–96 percent of the West Bank plus the equivalent of 1–3 percent of the West Bank in land swaps from pre-1967 Israel. On Jerusalem, the plan stated that "the general principle is that Arab areas are Palestinian and that Jewish areas are Israeli." The holy sites were to be split on the basis that Palestinians would have sovereignty over
33227-426: The establishment of the Palestinian state on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, abandoning the standard rhetorical calls, still current at the time, for the "liberation" of all of Palestine. On 16 April 1988, a leader of the PLO, Khalil al-Wazir, nom de guerre Abu Jihad or 'Father of the Struggle' , was assassinated in Tunis by an Israeli commando squad. Israel claimed he was the 'remote-control "main organizer" of
33450-421: The expectation that the "Palestinians will be better at establishing internal security than we were, because they will allow no appeals to the Sepreme Court and will prevent [human rights groups] from criticizing the conditions there." Along these lines, Ben-Ami, who participated in the Camp David 2000 talks, described this process: "One of the meanings of Oslo was that the PLO was eventually Israel's collaborator in
33673-446: The failed summit Palestinian and Israeli negotiators continued to meet in small groups through August and September 2000 to try to bridge the gaps between their respective positions. The United States prepared its own plan to resolve the outstanding issues. Clinton's presentation of the US proposals was delayed by the advent of the Second Intifada at the end of September. Clinton's plan, eventually presented on 23 December 2000, proposed
33896-413: The first 13 months, 332 Palestinians and 12 Israelis were killed. Images of soldiers beating adolescents with clubs then led to the adoption of firing semi-lethal plastic bullets. During the whole six-year intifada, the Israeli army killed at least 1,087 Palestinians, of which 240 were children. Among Israelis, 100 civilians and 60 Israeli soldiers were killed, often by militants outside the control of
34119-492: The first year of the Intifada, the total number of casualties in the camps from such bombing totalled 16. Between 1988 and 1992, intra-Palestinian violence claimed the lives of nearly 1,000. By June 1990, according to Benny Morris , "[T]he Intifada seemed to have lost direction. A symptom of the PLO's frustration was the great increase in the killing of suspected collaborators." Roughly 18,000 Palestinians, compromised by Israeli intelligence, are said to have given information to
34342-514: The first year over 1,000 Palestinians had their homes either demolished or blocked up. Settlers also engaged in private attacks on Palestinians. Palestinian refusals to pay taxes were met with confiscations of property and licenses, new car taxes, and heavy fines for any family whose members had been identified as stone-throwers. In the first year in the Gaza Strip alone, 142 Palestinians were killed, while no Israelis died. 77 were shot dead, and 37 died from tear-gas inhalation. 17 died from beatings at
34565-420: The following 4 years, was accompanied by economic integration and increasing Israeli settlements , such that the Jewish settler population in the West Bank alone nearly doubled from 35,000 in 1984 to 64,000 in 1988, reaching 130,000 by the mid-nineties. Referring to the developments, Israeli minister of Economics and Finance, Gad Ya'acobi , stated that "a creeping process of de facto annexation" contributed to
34788-570: The former communist bloc to officially recognize the state of Palestine. Members of the Arab League and member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation have strongly supported the country's position in its conflict with Israel . Iran have been strongest ally of Palestine since the Islamic revolution and provide military support to Palestinian fedayeen and militant groups including Hamas through its Axis of Resistance , which includes military coalition of governments and rebels from Iraq , Syria , Lebanon and Yemen . Hamas
35011-497: The goal to confront Israel. The Palestinian National Charter of the PLO defines the boundaries of Palestine as the whole remaining territory of the mandate, including Israel. The Six-Day War in 1967, when Israel fought against Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, ended with Israel occupying the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, besides other territories. Following the Six-Day War, the PLO moved to Jordan, but later relocated to Lebanon in 1971. The October 1974 Arab League summit designated
35234-482: The government. Jerusalem including Haram ash-Sharif , is claimed as capital by Palestine, which has been under occupation by Israel . Currently the temporary administration center is in Ramallah , which is 10 km from Jerusalem. Muqata hosts state ministries and representative office. In 2000, a government building was built in Jerusalem suburb of Abu Dis , to house office of Yasser Arafat and Palestinian parliament. Since second intifada , condition of
35457-475: The hand of Israeli police or soldiers. During the whole six-year intifada, the Israeli army killed from 1,087 to 1,204 (or 1,284) Palestinians, 241/332 being children. Tens of thousands were arrested (some sources said 57,000; others said 120,000), 481 were deported while 2,532 had their houses razed to the ground. Between December 1987 and June 1991, 120,000 were injured, 15,000 arrested and 1,882 homes demolished. One journalistic calculation reports that in
35680-429: The hottest months are July and August, with the average high being 33 °C (91 °F). The coldest month is January with temperatures usually at 7 °C (45 °F). Rain is scarce and generally falls between November and March, with annual precipitation rates approximately at 4.57 inches (116 mm). Palestine does not have officially recognized national parks or protected areas. However, there are areas within
35903-441: The important Israeli tourist industry, was notably negative. The success of the Intifada gave Arafat and his followers the confidence they needed to moderate their political programme: At the meeting of the Palestine National Council in Algiers in mid-November 1988, Arafat won a majority for the historic decision to recognise Israel's legitimacy; to accept all the relevant UN resolutions going back to 29 November 1947; and to adopt
36126-408: The incremental framework put in place by the 1978 Camp David negotiations and the 1991 Madrid and Washington talks. The motivation behind the incremental approach towards a settlement was that it would "build confidence", but the eventual outcome was instead a dramatic decline in mutual confidence. At each incremental stage, Israel further entrenched its occupation of the Palestinian territories, despite
36349-518: The institutions that are associated with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which includes President of the State of Palestine – appointed by the Palestinian Central Council , Palestinian National Council – the legislature that established the State of Palestine and Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization – performs the functions of a government in exile, maintaining an extensive foreign-relations network. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)
36572-408: The intifada was predominantly led by community councils led by Hanan Ashrawi , Faisal Husseini and Haidar Abdel-Shafi , that promoted independent networks for education (underground schools as the regular schools were closed by the military in reprisal), medical care, and food aid. The Unified National Leadership of the Uprising (UNLU) gained credibility where the Palestinian society complied with
36795-496: The issued communiques. There was a collective commitment to abstain from lethal violence, a notable departure from past practice, which, according to Shalev arose from a calculation that recourse to arms would lead to an Israeli bloodbath and undermine the support they had in Israeli liberal quarters. The PLO and its chairman Yassir Arafat had also decided on an unarmed strategy, in the expectation that negotiations at that time would lead to an agreement with Israel. Pearlman attributes
37018-547: The killing of an Israeli in Gaza days earlier. Israel denied that the crash, which came at time of heightened tensions, was intentional or coordinated. The Palestinian response was characterized by protests, civil disobedience, and violence. There was graffiti , barricading , and widespread throwing of stones and Molotov cocktails at the Israeli army and its infrastructure within the West Bank and Gaza Strip. These contrasted with civil efforts including general strikes, boycotts of Israeli Civil Administration institutions in
37241-402: The last sultan of the Ottoman Empire, opposed the Zionist movement's efforts in Palestine. The end of the Ottoman Empire's rule in Palestine coincided with the conclusion of World War I . The failure of Emir Faisal to establish a Greater Syria in the face of French and British colonial claims to the area, also shaped Palestinian elites' efforts to secure local autonomy. In the aftermath of
37464-406: The late 1970s, Palestinian leadership in the occupied territories and most Arab states supported a two-state settlement. In 1981, Saudi Arabia put forward a plan based on a two-state settlement to the conflict with support from the Arab League. Israeli analyst Avner Yaniv describes Arafat as ready to make a historic compromise at this time, while the Israeli cabinet continued to oppose the existence of
37687-411: The main phase of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War . The overall fighting, leading to around 15,000 casualties, resulted in cease-fire and armistice agreements of 1949, with Israel holding much of the former Mandate territory, Jordan occupying and later annexing the West Bank and Egypt taking over the Gaza Strip, where the All-Palestine Government was declared by the Arab League on 22 September 1948. Through
37910-412: The non-violent character of the uprising to the movement's internal organization and its capillary outreach to neighborhood committees that ensured that lethal revenge would not be the response even in the face of Israeli state repression. Hamas and Islamic Jihad cooperated with the leadership at the outset, and throughout the first year of the uprising conducted no armed attacks, except for the stabbing of
38133-441: The north and east. The West Bank is bordered by Jordan to the east, and Israel to the north, south, and west. Palestine shares its maritime borders with Israel , Egypt and Cyprus . Thus, the two enclaves constituting the area claimed by the State of Palestine have no geographical border with one another, being separated by Israel. These areas would constitute the world's 163rd largest country by land area . The West Bank
38356-421: The other side. Collaborators were threatened with death or ostracism unless they desisted, and if their collaboration with the Occupying Power continued, were executed by special troops such as the "Black Panthers" and "Red Eagles". An estimated 771 (according to Associated Press ) to 942 (according to the IDF) Palestinians were executed on suspicion of collaboration during the span of the Intifada. The Intifada
38579-414: The outbreak. Equally unprecedented was the extent of mass participation in these disturbances: tens of thousands of civilians, including women and children. The Israeli security forces used the full panoply of crowd control measures to try and quell the disturbances: cudgels, nightsticks, tear gas , water cannons, rubber bullets, and live ammunition. But the disturbances only gathered momentum. Soon there
38802-419: The participation is on behalf of the State of Palestine, the PLO as a non-state entity, or the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). The Vatican shifted recognition to the State of Palestine in May 2015, following the 2012 UN vote. This change aligned with the Holy See's evolving position. Currently, 146 UN member states (75%) recognize the State of Palestine. Though some do not recognize it, they acknowledge
39025-441: The principle of a two-state solution . Jordan severed its residual administrative and financial ties to the West Bank in the face of sweeping popular support for the PLO . The failure of the "Iron Fist" policy, Israel's deteriorating international image, Jordan cutting legal and administrative ties to the West Bank, and the U.S.'s recognition of the PLO as the representative of the Palestinian people forced Rabin to seek an end to
39248-468: The proposal on the table: "The Clinton parameters... are the best proof that Arafat was right to turn down the summit's offers". In July 2000, US President Bill Clinton convened a peace summit between Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. Barak reportedly put forward the following as "bases for negotiation", via the US to the Palestinian President: a non-militarized Palestinian state split into 3–4 parts containing 87–92% of
39471-461: The recommendations on the basis that it would allow for further expansion, but some secondary Zionist leaders disapproved of it. The subsequent publication of the White Paper of 1939 , which sought to limit Jewish immigration to the region, was the breaking point in relations between British authorities and the Zionist movement. The renewed violence, which continued sporadically until the beginning of World War II, ended with around 5,000 causualties on
39694-402: The region in the 8th century BCE, then the Babylonians in c. 601 BCE, followed by the Persians who conquered the Babylonian Empire in 539 BCE. Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire in the late 330s BCE, beginning Hellenization . Though Palestinian elites, in particular urban notable families who worked within the Ottoman bureaucracy, generally retained their loyalty to
39917-559: The region. The first-ever Palestinian general elections took place in 1996, resulting in Arafat's re-election as president and the formation of a Palestinian Legislative Council . Initiating the implementation of the Oslo Accords, Israel began redeploying its forces from select Palestinian cities in the West Bank in 1997. Negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority continued, albeit with slow progress and contentious debates on Jerusalem, settlements, and refugees in 1998. In 1997, Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu and
40140-403: The rejection of the Zionist goal of turning the mostly Arab populated land into a Jewish homeland. From early on, the leadership of the Zionist movement had the idea of "transferring" (a euphemism for ethnic cleansing ) the Arab Palestinian population out of the land for the purpose of establishing a Jewish demographic majority. According to the Israeli historian Benny Morris the idea of transfer
40363-440: The repression as necessary to restore 'law and order'. Within days the occupied territories were engulfed in a wave of demonstrations and commercial strikes on an unprecedented scale. Specific elements of the occupation were targeted for attack: military vehicles, Israeli buses and Israeli banks. None of the dozen Israeli settlements were attacked and there were no Israeli fatalities from stone-throwing at cars at this early period of
40586-419: The revolt', and perhaps believed that his death would break the back of the intifada. During the mass demonstrations and mourning in Gaza that followed, two of the main mosques of Gaza were raided by the IDF and worshippers were beaten and tear-gassed. In total between 11 and 15 Palestinians were killed during the demonstrations and riots in Gaza and West Bank that followed al-Wazir's death. In June of that year,
40809-422: The same month, two Israeli soldiers were lynched and killed in Ramallah . Between November and December clashes between Palestinians and Israelis increased further. In 2001 Taba summit was held between Israel and Palestine. But the summit failed to implement and Ariel Sharon became prime minister in the 2001 elections. By 2001, attacks from Palestinian militant groups towards Israel increased. Gaza Airport
41032-412: The socialist ideals that the Second Aliyah had arrived with. Amin al-Husseini, the leader of the Palestinian Arab national movement, immediately marked Jewish national movement and Jewish immigration to Palestine as the sole enemy to his cause, initiating large-scale riots against the Jews as early as 1920 in Jerusalem and in 1921 in Jaffa . Among the results of the violence was the establishment of
41255-503: The specifics of the Palestinian-autonomy accords were disputed among the signatories and other Arab groups, and were never implemented. Palestinian insurgency in South Lebanon peaked in the early 1970s, as Lebanon was used as a base to launch attacks on northern Israel and airplane hijacking campaigns worldwide, which drew Israeli retaliation. During the Lebanese Civil War , Palestinian militants continued to launch attacks against Israel while also battling opponents within Lebanon. In 1978,
41478-408: The statehood declaration. Once a strong ally of Palestine , India have strengthen its ties with Israel since 1991. However India still supports the legitimacy of Palestine's issue. Muammar Gaddafi of Libya was a supporter of Palestinian independence and was sought as a mediator in the Arab–Israeli conflict, when he presented a one-state peace offer titled Isratin in 2000. Relations with
41701-439: The streets) and issuing the Shin Bet list of collaborators. Suicide bombings by Palestinian militants started on 16 April 1993 with the Mehola Junction bombing , carried at the end of the Intifada. The large number of Palestinian casualties provoked international condemnation. In subsequent resolutions, including 607 and 608 , the Security Council demanded Israel cease deportations of Palestinians. In November 1988, Israel
41924-449: The success of the Egyptian–Israeli peace treaty of 1982. Eventually the Israeli–Palestinian peace process led to the Oslo Accords of 1993, allowing the PLO to relocate from Tunisia and take ground in the West Bank and Gaza Strip , establishing the Palestinian National Authority . The peace process also had significant opposition among elements of Palestinian society, such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, who immediately initiated
42147-399: The task of stifling the Intifada and cutting short what was clearly an authentically democratic struggle for Palestinian independence." The Wye River Memorandum agreed on by the PA and Israel introduced a "zero tolerance" policy for "terror and violence." This policy was uniformly criticised by human rights organizations for its "encouragement" of human rights abuses. Dennis Ross describes
42370-468: The term "occupied Palestinian territory" refers as a whole to the geographical area of the Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967. Palestine can, depending on contexts, be referred to as a country or a state, and its authorities can generally be identified as the Government of Palestine . Situated between three continents, the region of Palestine has a tumultuous history as a crossroads for religion, culture, commerce, and politics. The region
42593-504: The term "peace-process" has grown to be associated with an emphasis on the negotiation process rather than on presenting a comprehensive solution to the conflict. As part of this process, fundamental issues of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict such as borders, access to resources, and the Palestinian right of return, have been left to "final status" talks. Such "final status" negotiations along the lines discussed in Madrid in 1991 have never taken place. The Oslo Accords of 1993 and 1995 built on
42816-447: The territory of Gaza. Hundreds of people were killed in the civil war, including militants and civilians. Since then Hamas has gained more independence in its military practices. Since 2007, Israel has been leading a partial blockade on Gaza. Another peace summit was organized by the Arab League in 2007, with the same offer which was presented in 2002 summit. However the peace process could not progress. The PNA gained full control of
43039-440: The town made this site unsuitable to operate as a capital, either temporarily or permanently. Nevertheless, the Palestinian entity have maintained their presence in the city. As few parts of the city is also under Palestinian control and many some countries have their consulates in Jerusalem. The State of Palestine is divided into sixteen administrative divisions . The governorates in the West Bank are grouped into three areas per
43262-427: The two parties; Barak had failed to implement additional stages of the interim agreements and settlements expanded by 10% during his short term. The disagreement between the two parties at Camp David was primarily on the acceptance (or rejection) of international consensus. For Palestinian negotiators, the international consensus, as represented by the yearly vote in the UN General Assembly which passes almost unanimously,
43485-399: The two territories. Throughout this period, there were sporadic outbreaks of violence and tensions between Palestinians and Israelis. Since 2001, Incidents of rocket attacks from Gaza into Israeli territory and Israeli military operations in response often resulted in casualties and further strained the situation. Following the inter-Palestinian conflict in 2006, Hamas took over control of
43708-425: The unrelated PLO Palestinian National Covenant and PNA Palestine Basic Law . The Palestinian government is divided into two geographic entities – the Palestinian Authority governed by Fatah, which has partial control over the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, which is under control of the militant group Hamas. Fatah is a secular party , which was founded by Yasser Arafat and enjoys relatively good relations with
43931-400: The unrest would collapse proved to be mistaken. On 8 December 1987, an Israeli truck crashed into a row of cars containing Palestinians returning from working in Israel, at the Erez checkpoint . Four Palestinians, three of them residents of the Jabalya refugee camp, the largest of the eight refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, were killed and seven others seriously injured. The traffic incident
44154-449: The war Palestine came under British control with the implementation of the British Mandate for Palestine in 1920. The defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I resulted in the dismantling of their rule. In 1920, the League of Nations granted Britain the mandate to govern Palestine, leading to the subsequent period of British administration. In 1917, Jerusalem was captured by British forces led by General Allenby , marking
44377-442: The western powers. On other hand, Hamas is a militant group , based on Palestinian nationalist and Islamic ideology , inspired by the Muslim Brotherhood . Hamas has tense relations with the United States, but receives support from Iran. Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine is another popular secular party, which was founded by George Habash . Mahmoud Abbas is the president of the country since 2005. Mohammad Shtayyeh
44600-454: The world. Villages and suburban areas around Jerusalem are home to ancient water bodies. There are several river valleys ( wadi ) across the country. These waterways provide essential resources for agriculture and recreation while supporting various ecosystems. Three terrestrial ecoregions are found in the area: Eastern Mediterranean conifer–sclerophyllous–broadleaf forests , Arabian Desert , and Mesopotamian shrub desert . Palestine has
44823-400: Was "inevitable and inbuilt into Zionism". The Arab population felt this threat as early as the 1880s with the arrival of the first aliyah. Chaim Weizmann 's efforts to build British support for the Zionist movement would eventually secure the Balfour Declaration , a public statement issued by the British government in 1917 during the First World War announcing support for the establishment of
45046-462: Was a supporter of Palestinian cause and won support from Arafat during the war. Following the invasion of Kuwait , Saddam surprised the international community by presenting a peace offer to Israel and withdrawing Iraqi forces from Kuwait, in exchange of withdrawal from the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem and Golan Heights. Though the peace offer was rejected, Saddam then ordered firing of scud missiles into Israeli territory. This movement
45269-438: Was a sustained series of protests, acts of civil disobedience and riots carried out by Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories and Israel. It was motivated by collective Palestinian frustration over Israel's military occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip as it approached a twenty-year mark, having begun in the wake of the 1967 Arab–Israeli War . The uprising lasted from December 1987 until
45492-406: Was already clear that the Arab forces were nearing a total collapse, while Yishuv forces gained more and more territory, creating a large scale refugee problem of Palestinian Arabs. Following the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel on 14 May 1948, the Arab League decided to intervene on behalf of Palestinian Arabs, marching their forces into former British Palestine, beginning
45715-446: Was among the earliest to see human habitation, agricultural communities and civilization . In the Bronze Age , the Canaanites established city-states influenced by surrounding civilizations, among them Egypt, which ruled the area in the Late Bronze Age. During the Iron Age , two related Israelite kingdoms, Israel and Judah , controlled much of Palestine, while the Philistines occupied its southern coast. The Assyrians conquered
45938-456: Was condemned by a large majority of the UN General Assembly for its actions against the intifada. The resolution was repeated in the following years. On 17 February 1989, the UN Security Council drafted a resolution condemning Israel for disregarding Security Council resolutions, as well as for not complying with the fourth Geneva Convention . The United States, put a veto on a draft resolution which would have strongly deplored it. On 9 June,
46161-403: Was coupled with an expansion of a Palestinian university system catering to people from refugee camps, villages, and small towns, generating a new Palestinian elite from a lower social strata that was more activistic and confrontational with Israel. According to Israeli historian and diplomat Shlomo Ben-Ami in his book Scars of War, Wounds of Peace , the Intifada was also a rebellion against
46384-470: Was destroyed in an airstrike by the Israeli army in 2001, claiming itself in retaliation to previous attacks by Hamas. In January 2002, the IDF Shayetet 13 naval commandos captured the Karine A , a freighter carrying weapons from Iran towards Israel. UNSC Resolution 1397 was passed, which reaffirmed a two-state solution and laid the groundwork for a road map for peace . Another attack by Hamas left 30 people killed in Netanya . A peace summit
46607-422: Was granted a seat in the Arab League . In the 1967 Arab-Israel War , Israel occupied the Palestinian West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza Strip, Egyptian Sinai, Syrian Golan Heights, and two islands in the Gulf of Aqaba . By the mid-1970s, the international community had converged on a framework to resolve the conflict. This included Israel's full withdrawal from the occupied territories in exchange for recognition by
46830-464: Was intercepted by the British navy, leading to clashes and the eventual deportation of the refugees back to Europe. During World War II , Palestine served as a strategically significant location for British military operations against Axis forces in North Africa . In 1947, the United Nations proposed a partition plan for Palestine, suggesting separate Jewish and Arab states, but it was rejected by Arab nations while accepted by Jewish leaders. In 1947,
47053-403: Was its largest city prior to evacuations in 2023 . Situated at a continental crossroad , the region of Palestine was ruled by various empires and experienced various demographic changes from antiquity to the modern era. Being a bridge between Asia and Africa , it was treading ground for the Nile and Mesopotamian armies and merchants from North Africa , China and India . The region
47276-421: Was made in 2003, which was supported by Arafat and rejected by Sharon. In 2004 Hamas's leader and co-founder Ahmed Yassin was assassinated by the Israeli army in Gaza. Yasser Arafat was confined to his headquarters in Ramallah. On 11 November, Yasser Arafat died in Paris. In the first week of 2005, Mahmoud Abbas was elected as the president of the State of Palestine. In 2005, Israel completely withdrew from
47499-453: Was not initiated by any single individual or organization. Local leadership came from groups and organizations affiliated with the PLO that operated within the Occupied Territories; Fatah , the Popular Front , the Democratic Front and the Palestine Communist Party . The PLO's rivals in this activity were the Islamic organizations, Hamas and Islamic Jihad as well as local leadership in cities such as Beit Sahour and Bethlehem . However,
47722-421: Was officially merged into the United Arab Republic , to the detriment of the Palestinian national movement. Gaza Strip then was put under the authority of the Egyptian military administrator, making it a de facto military occupation. In 1964, however, a new organization, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), was established by Yasser Arafat. It immediately won the support of most Arab League governments and
47945-416: Was organized by the Arab League in Beirut , which was endorsed by Arafat and nearly ignored by Israel. In 2002, Israel launched Operation Defensive Shield after the Passover massacre . Heavy fighting between IDF and Palestinian fighters took place in Jenin . The Church of the Nativity was besieged by the IDF for one week until successful negotiations took place, which resulted withdrawal of
48168-408: Was recognized as an occasion where the Palestinians acted cohesively and independently of their leadership or assistance of neighbouring Arab states. The Intifada broke the image of Jerusalem as a united Israeli city. There was unprecedented international coverage, and the Israeli response was criticized in media outlets and international fora. The impact on the Israeli services sector, including
48391-445: Was supported by Palestinians. The war also led expulsion of Palestinians from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia , as their government supported Iraq . In 1993, the Oslo Accords were signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), leading to the establishment of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and a potential path to peace. Yasser Arafat was elected as president of the newly formed Palestinian Authority in 1994, marking
48614-407: Was suppressed by the British. Eventually tensions led to the UN adopting a partition plan in 1947, triggering a civil war . During the ensuing 1948 Palestine war , more than half of the mandate's predominantly Palestinian Arab population fled or were expelled by Israeli forces. By the end of the war, Israel was established on most of the former mandate's territory, and the Gaza Strip and
48837-428: Was the prime minister of Palestine, who resigned in 2024. In 2024, Mohammad Mustafa was appointed as the new prime minister of the country, after resigning of Shtayyeh. Yahya Sinwar was leader of the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip before his death on 16 October, 2024. According to Freedom House , the PNA governs Palestine in an authoritarian manner, including by repressing activists and journalists critical of
49060-465: Was the starting point for negotiations. The Israeli negotiators, supported by the American participants, did not accept the international consensus as the basis for a settlement. Both sides eventually accepted the Clinton parameters "with reservations" but the talks at Taba were "called to a halt" by Barak, and the peace process itself came to a stand-still. Ben-Ami, who participated in the talks at Camp David as Israel's foreign minister, would later describe
49283-501: Was widely accepted in US and Israeli public opinion. Nearly all scholars and most Israeli and US officials involved in the negotiations have rejected this narrative. These individuals include prominent Israeli negotiators, the IDF chief of staff, the head of the IDF's intelligence bureau, the head of the Shin Bet as well as their advisors. No tenable solution was crafted which would satisfy both Israeli and Palestinian demands, even under intense US pressure. Clinton has long blamed Arafat for
49506-406: Was widespread rock-throwing , road-blocking and tire burning throughout the territories. By 12 December, six Palestinians had died and 30 had been injured in the violence. The next day, rioters threw a gasoline bomb at the U.S. consulate in East Jerusalem though no one was hurt. The Israeli police and military response also led to a number of injuries and deaths. The IDF killed many Palestinians at
49729-444: Was witnessed by hundreds of Palestinian labourers returning home from work. The funerals, attended by 10,000 people from the camp that evening, quickly led to a large demonstration. Rumours swept the camp that the incident was an act of intentional retaliation for the stabbing to death of an Israeli businessman, killed while shopping in Gaza two days earlier. The next day, December 9, Palestinian teenagers threw stones and, according to
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