Israel+Palestine+Conflict

Israel-Palestine Conflict Kayla 2009

__**Brief History**__: -This is an ongoing dispute that forms part of the wider Arab-Israel conflict. Though the State of Israel was established in 1948, the term is usually used in reference to the earlier phases, between Zionist pioneers and the Arab population living in Palestine under Ottoman or British rule. -Most Palestinians view the West Bank and Gaza Strip as constituting the area of their future state, which is also the same view of most Israelis. -Between the Six-Day War and the Oslo Accords, in which the conflicted parties reside in the area of the western Palestine, which was under the control of the State of Israel. - Between the Oslo Accords and the Second Intifada, in which Israel exists alongside the semi-sovereign political entity - the Palestinian Authority. - Between the beginning of the Second Intifada up until today, in which Israel returned to perform arresting operations in Area A zones in the West Bank and Gaza and later on retreated from the Gaza Strip in 2005. Israel's unilateral disengagement from the Gaza Strip inadvertently led to the strengthening of Hamas. __**Influential People/Groups**__: -The direct negotiating parties are the Israeli government led by **Benjamin Netanyahu**, and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) led by **Mahmoud Abbas**. -The official negotiations are mediated by the Quartet on the Middle East which consists of the U.S., Russia, the European Union, and the United Nations. -Since 2003, the Palestinian Side has been split into two major factions: **Fatah**, the traditionally dominant party and it recent challenger **Hamas**. Following Hamas’ seizure of power in the Gaza Strip in June 2007, the territory controlled by the Palestinian National Authority is split between Fatah in the West Bank and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. -**Hezbollah** __**Peace Process**__: -Oslo Accords (1993) -Roadmap for Peace (9/17/02) -Camp David summit (2000) -Arab Peace Initiative -Taba Summit (2001) __**Core Issues**__: -The border of **Jerusalem** is a particularly delicate issue, with each side asserting claims over this city. The three largest Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—include Jerusalem as an important setting for their religious and historical narratives. Israel asserts that the city should not be divided and should remain unified within Israel's political control. Palestinians claim at least the parts of the city which were not part of Israel prior to June 1967. As of 2005, there were more than 719,000 people living in Jerusalem; 465,000 were Jews and 232,000 were Muslims. -A **Palestinian refugee** is a person whose normal place of residence was Palestine between June 1946 and May 1948, and who lost both their homes and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict. The number of Palestinians who fled or were expelled from Israel following its creation was estimated at 711,000 in 1949. Descendants of these original Palestinian Refugees are also eligible for registration and UNRWA services, and as of 2009 number 4.6 million people. Palestinian negotiators, most notably **Yasser Arafat**, have so far insisted that refugees have a right to return to the places where they lived before 1948 and 1967, including those within the 1949 Armistice lines. -Israel re-established communities destroyed in 1929 and 1948 as well as established numerous new settlements in the West Bank. These settlements are now home to about 350,000 people. These settlements have been the site of much conflict. The issue of **Israeli settlements in the West Bank** and the Gaza Strip has been described as an obstacle to a peaceful resolution of the conflict, by the international media; as well as the international political community including U.S., E.U., and U.K. These actors have also called the settlements illegal under international law; furthermore, the International Court of Justice as well as international and Israeli human rights organizations considers the settlements illegal. -**Occupied Palestinian Territory**-the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip—territories which were conquered by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War, having formerly been controlled by Egypt and Jordan. East Jerusalem. Israel says it is justified in not ceding all this land, because of security concerns, and also because the lack of any valid diplomatic agreement at the time means that ownership and boundaries of this land is open for discussion. Palestinians claim any reduction of this claim is a severe deprivation of their rights. In negotiations, they claim that any moves to reduce the boundaries of this land is a hostile move against their key interests. Israel considers this land to be in dispute, and feels the purpose of negotiations is to define what the final borders will be. -**Gaza Blockade**-Because of an import-export ban imposed on Gaza in 2007, __95% of Gaza’s industrial operations were suspended__. Out of __35,000 people employed by 3,900 factories in June 2005__, only 1,750 people remained employed by 195 factories in June 2007. Closures have severely hindered health services in Gaza. During the period October to December 2007, the World Health Organization has confirmed the deaths of 20 patients, including 5 children. __Between 2007-2008, 120 people in Gaza died because they were not allowed to access medical treatment__. The Israeli Government's cut in the flow of fuel and electricity to the Gaza Strip has also been called collective punishment of the civilian population, which would be a violation of Israel’s obligations under the laws of war. Starting February 7, 2008, the Israeli Government reduced the electricity it sells directly to Gaza.