The ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is a deeply entrenched and violent dispute with roots stretching back over a century. To understand why Israel is attacking Palestinian territories, it’s crucial to delve into the historical context, the key issues driving the conflict, and the events that have shaped the current situation. This article provides an overview of this complex issue, exploring the reasons behind the continued violence and the struggle for land, rights, and recognition.
The conflict has manifested in numerous wars between Israel and neighboring Arab nations, Palestinian uprisings known as intifadas, and consistent Israeli military actions and crackdowns within the occupied territories. The repercussions of this long-standing dispute, centered on land ownership, border disputes, and fundamental rights, continue to resonate today, most notably in the ongoing confrontations, including the recent war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
The Genesis of Israel: Palestine Before 1948
Following the decline of the Ottoman Empire in World War I, Great Britain assumed control over Palestine, a region in the Middle East with a diverse population including an Arab majority, a Jewish minority, and other ethnic groups. Tensions began to escalate following the Balfour Declaration, a 1917 statement where the UK expressed support for “the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.”
This declaration was a pivotal moment. While Jews held historical and religious connections to the land, Palestinian Arabs also possessed long-standing claims and vehemently opposed the establishment of a Jewish national home in Palestine. The British government attempted to balance these competing claims by stating that the rights of existing Palestinian Arab residents must be protected.
Between the 1920s and 1940s, Jewish immigration to Palestine increased significantly, driven by rising antisemitism and persecution in Europe. The horrors of the Holocaust, in which six million Jews were systematically murdered, amplified the urgency for a safe haven for Jewish people. By 1947, the Jewish population in Palestine had grown to approximately 630,000, constituting over 30% of the total population.
In 1947, amid escalating violence between Jewish and Arab communities and growing unrest against British rule, the United Nations (UN) proposed a partition plan to divide Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem designated as an international city. Arab nations rejected this plan, arguing that it disproportionately favored the Jewish population by allocating them more land despite their smaller population size. Britain abstained from the vote and announced its withdrawal, handing over the complex issue to the UN by May 14, 1948.
On May 14, 1948, Jewish leaders in Palestine declared the establishment of the independent State of Israel, just hours before the British Mandate officially ended. Israel gained UN recognition the following year.
The 1948 Arab-Israeli War: The War of Independence and the Nakba
The immediate aftermath of Israel’s declaration of independence was war. The day after its establishment, Israel was attacked by the combined armies of five Arab nations. This conflict, known to Israelis as the War of Independence, was a defining moment in the early history of the state.
By the time armistice agreements were signed in 1949, Israel had expanded its control over a significant portion of the territory. The agreements left the Gaza Strip under Egyptian control, the West Bank and East Jerusalem under Jordanian control, and West Jerusalem under Israeli control.
The 1948 war resulted in a massive displacement of Palestinians. Approximately 750,000 Palestinians were forced to flee or were expelled from their homes in the territory that became Israel, becoming refugees. This event is known as the Nakba, or “Catastrophe,” in Arabic, and remains a central point of Palestinian identity and grievance.
In the years following the 1948 war, a reverse migration occurred. Hundreds of thousands of Jews were displaced or expelled from Muslim-majority countries across the Middle East and North Africa, with many finding refuge in Israel.
The 1967 Six-Day War: Occupation and its Consequences
The 1967 Six-Day War dramatically reshaped the map of the Middle East and had profound consequences for Palestinians. In this war, Israel fought against Egypt, Syria, and Jordan.
The war began with a preemptive Israeli air strike against Egypt’s air force, launched in response to rising tensions and fears of an impending attack by Egypt and Syria. In a swift and decisive victory, Israel captured the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip from Egypt, the Golan Heights from Syria, and East Jerusalem and the West Bank from Jordan.
This war brought approximately one million Palestinians living in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem under Israeli control, marking the beginning of the ongoing Israeli occupation of these territories.
Israel’s occupation of these territories continues to this day, fueling much of the ongoing conflict. While Israel signed a peace treaty with Egypt in 1979 and returned the Sinai Peninsula, it annexed East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, incorporating them into Israel. These annexations remain unrecognized by most of the international community.
The West Bank: Settlements and the Palestinian Authority
The West Bank, located between Israel and the Jordan River, is currently home to an estimated three million Palestinians. Together with East Jerusalem and Gaza, it forms what are widely referred to as the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Palestinians seek these territories as part of a future independent state, a position supported by the vast majority of the international community.
While Israel maintains overall control of the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority (PA), established in the 1990s, governs most Palestinian towns and cities. However, Israeli military presence and control remain significant.
Adding to the complexity, there are approximately 150 Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, housing around 700,000 Jewish settlers. Palestinians demand the removal of all settlements, viewing them as illegal under international law. While the international community generally considers these settlements illegal, the Israeli government disputes this, asserting historical rights to the land and viewing at least the major settlement blocs as permanent.
The Israeli government does not recognize the Palestinian right to an independent state and considers the West Bank part of their historical homeland. Recent Israeli government announcements have indicated plans to further expand settlements, citing security concerns and rejecting the viability of a Palestinian state as a threat to Israeli security. However, in July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN’s highest court, declared Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories illegal and called for the withdrawal of settlers, stating it violated international agreements regarding racism and apartheid.
Jerusalem: A City Divided and Claimed
Jerusalem holds immense significance for both Israelis and Palestinians, with both claiming it as their capital. Israel, having controlled West Jerusalem since 1948, occupied East Jerusalem in the 1967 war and subsequently declared the entire city its “eternal, undivided capital.” They maintain that Jerusalem should remain unified under Israeli sovereignty.
Palestinians, on the other hand, envision East Jerusalem as the capital of their future Palestinian state. East Jerusalem’s population is predominantly Palestinian, although a minority have acquired Israeli citizenship.
The city is home to highly sensitive holy sites central to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The most contested site, known as the Al Aqsa Mosque compound or Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) to Muslims and Temple Mount to Jews, is located in East Jerusalem. The UN and the majority of the international community consider East Jerusalem to be Palestinian land occupied by Israel.
Gaza Strip: Blockade and Repeated Conflicts
The Gaza Strip, a narrow coastal territory bordering Israel, Egypt, and the Mediterranean Sea, is one of the most densely populated areas in the world, home to approximately 2.3 million Palestinians. Even before the latest conflict, Gaza faced dire socioeconomic conditions, including high unemployment and widespread poverty, with many residents reliant on humanitarian aid.
Gaza’s boundaries were established following the 1948 Arab-Israeli war when Egypt occupied the territory. Israel occupied Gaza during the 1967 war, establishing settlements and imposing military rule over the Palestinian population. In 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew its troops and settlers from Gaza but maintained control over Gaza’s borders, airspace, and coastline, effectively controlling the movement of people and goods in and out of the Strip. The UN still considers Gaza to be occupied territory due to Israel’s continued control.
Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist militant group, won Palestinian elections in 2006 and subsequently seized control of Gaza in 2007 after violent clashes with rival factions. In response, Israel and Egypt imposed a blockade on Gaza, with Israel heavily restricting the entry of goods into the territory, citing security concerns related to Hamas.
Since Hamas’s takeover, Gaza has been the site of repeated major conflicts between Hamas and Israel, including wars in 2008-09, 2012, 2014, and 2021. Each conflict has resulted in significant casualties, overwhelmingly among Palestinians in Gaza.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale attack from Gaza into Israel, killing approximately 1,200 Israelis and taking over 250 hostages. This attack triggered a massive Israeli military offensive in Gaza, leading to a devastating humanitarian crisis. As of recent reports, over 46,700 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, the majority of whom are women and children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
UN humanitarian agencies have described the situation in Gaza as an “appalling human suffering and humanitarian catastrophe” and have called for an end to the violence. While there have been attempts at ceasefire negotiations, the situation remains volatile and deeply concerning.
The Question of Palestinian Statehood and Refugees
The international community remains divided on the issue of Palestinian statehood. As of May 2024, 143 out of 193 UN General Assembly members voted in favor of Palestinian full UN membership. The “State of Palestine” currently holds “Permanent Observer State” status at the UN, granting it a seat but not voting rights.
However, several countries, including the US and some European nations, do not recognize a Palestinian state, stating that recognition should only come as part of a negotiated long-term political solution. While some countries like the UK have seen parliamentary votes in favor of recognition, their governments have not yet formally recognized a Palestinian state. Israel vehemently opposes the creation of an independent Palestinian state, arguing it would pose a security threat.
The issue of Palestinian refugees is another core element of the conflict. Approximately 5.9 million Palestinians are registered as refugees with the UN, descendants of those displaced during the 1948-49 war. Most reside in Jordan, Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, and Lebanon. Palestinians insist on the right of return for these refugees, a demand Israel rejects, criticizing the UN’s refugee agency (UNRWA) for allowing refugee status to be inherited across generations.
The Elusive Two-State Solution
The “two-state solution” is the most widely supported framework for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict internationally. It proposes the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, with East Jerusalem as its capital, coexisting peacefully alongside Israel.
Despite international consensus, the two-state solution faces significant obstacles. Israel rejects the concept of a two-state solution, insisting that any final agreement must arise from direct negotiations with the Palestinians, without preconditions of statehood. The Palestinian Authority supports the two-state solution, but Hamas, controlling Gaza, rejects the existence of Israel and, consequently, the two-state solution in its current form. While Hamas has indicated potential acceptance of an interim Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, without formally recognizing Israel, and contingent on the right of return for refugees, these positions remain complex and contested.
Past efforts to achieve peace, such as the Oslo Peace Accords in the 1990s, aimed to establish a framework for negotiations. However, these talks ultimately collapsed, with both sides blaming each other for the failure.
Understanding why Israel is attacking Palestinian territories requires acknowledging the deeply rooted historical, political, and territorial disputes that fuel this protracted conflict. From the creation of Israel and the displacement of Palestinians in 1948, through the wars and occupations, to the ongoing struggle for statehood and security, the conflict is a complex web of competing claims and grievances that continue to drive violence and instability in the region.
