Unveiling the Israel-Palestine Conflict: A long struggle of decades

Here’s a complete look at the Israel-Palestine conflict that has been escalating geo-political tensions.

The Israel-Palestine conflict has once again ignited their past fire and it all comes down to the new deep rooted history. If we delve into its complex history, it is seen that all religious, political, and territorial grievances intertwined and result is this strife. The Israel-Palestine conflict traces its origins to the late 19th and early 20th centuries when the Zionist movement sought to establish a homeland for Jews. The Balfour Declaration of 1917 marked official British support for a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine. The influx of Jewish immigrants heightened tensions with Arab communities. In 1947, the UN proposed a partition plan advocating separate Jewish and Arab states with Jerusalem as an international city. While Jews accepted the plan, Arab nations rejected it, sparking the Arab-Israeli War in 1948.

The war resulted in the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, a moment of triumph for Jews but a catastrophe for Palestinians, as many were displaced from their homes. This displacement has been a persistent source of tension and a key point of contention. This was followed by other conflicts, including the Six-Day War in 1967 and the Yom Kippur War in 1973, which further deepened grudges. The issue of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, considered illegal under international law, became a major flashpoint.

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The latest round of violence ignited over disputes in East Jerusalem, Al-Aqsa Mosque, a site sacred to both Muslims and Jews. Evictions of Palestinian families in East Jerusalem fuelled by protests, leading to clashes and a swift escalation. Palestinian militant groups in Gaza launched rockets into Israeli territory, prompting Israeli airstrikes in response. The toll on civilians, on both sides, has been heart-wrenching, with casualties mounting and infrastructure devastated.

Global leaders and international organizations are actively calling for an immediate halt to hostilities and a resumption of diplomatic talks. The situation remains volatile, highlighting the urgent need for renewed international efforts to address the core issues and forge a path toward a lasting peace in the troubled region.