The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a long-standing dispute between the Jewish state of Israel and the Palestinian people. The conflict has its roots in the early 20th century, when Zionists began to advocate for the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine. This led to conflict with the Palestinian Arabs, who already lived in the region.
In 1947, the United Nations proposed a partition plan that would have created two states, one Jewish and one Arab, in Palestine. The plan was rejected by the Arab states, and in 1948, Israel declared its independence. This led to the first Arab-Israeli war, in which Israel defeated the Arab armies and captured much of the land that had been allocated to the Arab state.
In the years since, there have been several attempts to resolve the conflict, but none have been successful. The two sides remain divided on a number of key issues, including the status of Jerusalem, the right of return for Palestinian refugees, and the borders of a future Palestinian state.
Key events in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
- 1897: The First Zionist Congress is held in Basel, Switzerland.
- 1917: The Balfour Declaration is issued by the British government, supporting the establishment of a Jewish national home in Palestine.
- 1947: The United Nations proposes a partition plan for Palestine.
- 1948: Israel declares its independence, leading to the first Arab-Israeli war.
- 1967: The Six-Day War results in Israel capturing the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, and the Golan Heights.
- 1973: The Yom Kippur War is fought between Israel and a coalition of Arab states.
- 1978: The Camp David Accords are signed by Israel and Egypt.
- 1993: The Oslo Accords are signed by Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization.
- 2000: The second intifada begins.
- 2005: Israel withdraws from the Gaza Strip.
- 2007: Hamas takes control of the Gaza Strip.
- 2011: The Arab Spring begins, leading to increased tensions between Israel and the Palestinians.
- 2014: The Gaza War is fought between Israel and Hamas.
- 2015: The United Nations Security Council adopts Resolution 2234, calling for a two-state solution to the conflict.
- 2016: The Trump administration announces its "deal of the century" proposal for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The proposal is rejected by the Palestinians.
- 2022: The Biden administration announces a new approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, focusing on economic and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians.
The current status of the conflict
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains unresolved. The two sides remain divided on a number of key issues, including the status of Jerusalem, the right of return for Palestinian refugees, and the borders of a future Palestinian state.
Israel has continued to expand its settlements in the West Bank, which are illegal under international law. The Palestinian Authority has limited control over the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip is controlled by Hamas, a militant group that is opposed to a two-state solution.
There have been some recent efforts to revive the peace process, but they have so far been unsuccessful. The two sides remain far apart, and it is unclear when or if a resolution to the conflict will be reached.