Palestine Israel Conflict Obstacles to Solution Settler Communities

Palestine Israel Conflict

Obstacles to Solution • • Settler Communities Right of Return Territory Temporal nature of Israeli governance Fractured Palestinian government Ineffectiveness of international actors Self Interest of regional actors Religion

Jerusalem

Jerusalem • Netanyahu "Jerusalem belongs to the Jewish people and will remain under Israeli sovereignty for eternity. “

Temple Mount or Haram al Sharif • Site of the Second Jewish Temple/ Western Wall • Al Aqsa Mosque • Dome of the Rock

Judaism • The Dome of the Rock Represents the site where God told Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. • The Western Wall is the remains of the second Temple built by Herod the Great and is the holiest place that Jews can pray

Islam • Isra and Miraj • Al Aqsa known as the farthest Mosque is the 3 rd most holy site in Islam where Muhammad was taken from Mecca on the ‘Night Journey’ • Prayers were directed towards this site during the Hijra • The Dome of the Rock is where Muhammad ascended to heaven • It is the site where Abraham was told to sacrifice Ishmael not Isaac.

Promised Land • On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates…(Genesis 15: 18 -21) • There above it stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Genesis 28: 13 • “I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the desert to the Euphrates River. I will give into your hands the people who live in the land, and you will drive them out before you. Exodus 23: 31

Numbers 34 • “‘Your southern side will include some of the Desert of Zin along the border of Edom. Your southern boundary will start in the east from the southern end of the Dead Sea, cross south of Scorpion Pass, continue on to Zin and go south of Kadesh Barnea. Then it will go to Hazar Addar and over to Azmon, where it will turn, join the Wadi of Egypt and end at the Mediterranean Sea. • “‘Your western boundary will be the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. • your northern boundary, run a line from the Mediterranean Sea to Mount Hor and from Mount Hor to Lebo Hamath. Then the boundary will go to Zedad, continue to Ziphron and end at Hazar Enan. • “‘your eastern boundary, run a line from Hazar Enan to Shepham. The boundary will go down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain and continue along the slopes east of the Sea of Galilee. Then the boundary will go down along the Jordan and end at the Dead Sea.

Exodus • The Prophet Moses leads the Israelites out of Slavery in Egypt after God sends 10 plagues • They enter into a covenant with God based on the 10 Commandments • After wandering the desert for 40 years they enter the promised land of Canaan.

Jewish Kingdoms • Israel means Jacob in reference to the Patriarch "struggle with God"[ • Twelve Tribes of Israel Jacob • From Canaan were forced by famine to go into Egypt for four generations until Moses led the Exodus to the Promised land

Jewish Diaspora • 1 st Century Great Jewish Revolt against Rome and the Destruction of the Temple 70 CE resulted in mass migration from the Roman Province of Judea

Zionism • Nationalist movement emerging in the 19 C that supports the creation of a Jewish state in the Middle East • Aliyah, Immigration waves, (1884), (1904– 14), (1919– 1923), (1924– 1929) • 1903, declined a British offer to establish a homeland in Uganda. • After WWII 33% increase of Jews in Palestine

Mandatory Palestine • • • 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreement 1917 Balfour Declaration 1919 Paris Peace Conference 1920 League of Nations Mandate 1948 Israel Declares Sovereignty

UN Partition Plan 1947 • Following WWII large scale Jewish immigration from Germany and Eastern Europe • Victorious powers keen to establish a Jewish State • UN plan rejected by Arab States • Israel declared uni-lateral independence culminating in the First Arab Israeli War.

Is Palestine a state? Recognition of Palestinian Statehood

Occupied Territories • Six Day War 1967; Sinai, West Bank, East Jerusalem, Golan Heights, Gaza Strip • Sinai returned to Egypt 1979 • Gaza considered independent by Israel • West Bank under military/ Fatah PA Government. Contains settler communities

Palestinian Liberation Organisation • Objectives: Liberate Palestine through armed struggle • Labeled a terrorist organization until Madrid Conference 1991 • 1993 recognized right of Israel to exist

Black September • Fedayeen: Loose collection of Palestinian resistance • 1967 United under the PLO • actions in Jordan including the destruction of three hijacked international airliners and attempted assassination of the king prompted military response • Jordanian victory in July 1971, Fedayeen expelled • Syrian intervention threatens to start regional war • Center of Palestinian militancy relocates to Lebanon

Oslo Peace Accords 1993 • Predicated on the Two State Solution’ model and recognition Israel by Arafat. • Palestine gains control of civil affairs. Israel would then cede territory to Palestine

Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin • Rabin proceeded with the Oslo process despite protest and resistance within and outside of Israel

2000 Camp David Summit • Palestinian state split into 3– 4 parts containing 92% of the West Bank including parts of East Jerusalem, and the entire Gaza Strip. 69 Jewish settlements would be ceded to Israel, no right of return to Israel, no sovereignty over the Temple Mount or any core East Jerusalem. • PLO fails to make a counter proposal • Arafat and Barak fail to secure and agreement

2001 Taba Summit • Israel proposes the removal of all settlements • Agreement reached between Arafat and Barak • Barak defeated in next election • Talks do not resume • “We have never been closer to reaching an agreement and it is thus our shared belief that the remaining gaps could be bridged with the resumption of negotiations following the Israeli elections. "