Explained Israel-Palestine Conflict
Transcript of Explained Israel-Palestine Conflict
Explained
Israel-Palestine Conflict
Israel – Palestine Conflict Why in News? • Violence in Jerusalem
• Clashes between Israel and Hamas
• Increase in tensions between Jews and Palestinians
Background History of Jerusalem - The Holy City
Background Religious Wars, Conflicts & Crusades • Roman Invasion – Jews exiled
• Persecution of Jews in Europe
• 19th century – Zionism
Background Jewish immigration to Palestine
Background
• The Balfour Declaration (1917) - British government announced support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine.
• First World War – Collapse of the Ottoman Empire • British Mandate – Jewish immigration continued
Background
• Tensions between Jews & Arabs
• Nazi Germany – Holocaust
• World War II ended – Western Support for a Jewish state
• Opposed by the Arab countries
Background UN Partition Plan of 1947 – Two State Solution
Background
• British rulers left
• 1948 – Israel declared Independence
• Palestine was never born as an independent nation
• Arab countries declared war
• Palestinian exodus - Nakba
1948 Arab–Israeli War
Six-Day War
Background
• 1978 - Camp David Accords • 1987 - 1993: First Palestinian Intifada – Hamas formed • 1993 - 1995: The Oslo Accords
Background 2000 - 2005 Second Palestinian Intifada
2021 Clashes
• Sheikh Jarrah dispute - threatened eviction of some Palestinian families in East Jerusalem
• Jerusalem Day processions by Jewish groups through the Old City of East Jerusalem
• Tensions & Clashes at Al-Aqsa Mosque Hamas Rocket Attacks
Israeli Air Strikes
Ceasefire
• Egypt-mediated ceasefire
• Hamas - Political point
• Israel - Establishing deterrence
India’s Stand
• In 1948, India was the only non-Arab-state among 13 countries that voted against the UN partition plan.
• 1948 – India did not recognize Israel’s independence • India’s solidarity with the Palestinian cause • 1950 – India recognised Israel
India – Israel Diplomatic Relations • 1950 – 1992: No diplomatic relations • External & Internal Factors:
i. Ward off Pakistan’s plan to isolate India over Kashmir ii. India’s energy dependence on the Arab countries
iii. Sentiments of India’s electorate • 1968: Covert relations between RAW & Mossad • 1992 – India normalized ties with Israel • Defence, Intelligence co-operation • Science & Technology • Agriculture
India’s Balancing Act
• Pro-Israel Policies: i. 2014 onwards - UNHRC Abstention on War Crimes
ii. Status of East Jerusalem iii. 2018 Modi’s visit to Israel – ‘De-hyphenation’
• Pro-Palestine Policies: i. Opposed Trump administration’s recognition of
Jerusalem as the Israeli capital. ii. India voted against Israel in 3 resolutions – one on the
right of self-determination of the Palestinian people, a second on Israeli settlement policy, and a third on the human rights situation in the Golan Heights.
India’s stand on latest clashes
• Implicitly held Israel responsible for triggering the current cycle of violence by locating its beginnings in East Jerusalem rather than from Gaza.
• Requested both sides to refrain from “attempts to unilaterally change the existing status quo including in East Jerusalem and its neighbourhoods”.
• This seems to be a message to Israel about its settler policy.
• Historic status quo at the holy places of Jerusalem including the ‘Haram al Sharif/Temple Mount’ must be respected.
• Condemned the “indiscriminate rocket firings of Hamas from Gaza” on civilian targets in Israel.
• But did not condemn Israeli strikes inside Gaza. • Customary omission since 2017 of any reference to East
Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state, has been continued by India.
Conclusion