One of the largest conflicts at the forefront of international relations is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While this conflict is not new, recently the complexities of this conflict have shaped the news and have brought attention to the history and the motivations of the conflict. During World War One, Britain made two promises to separate groups of people – the Balfour Declaration and Husayn-McMahon Letters. The former promising a Jewish homeland in Palestine and the latter promising an independent Arab state in the same land. Now, this western interference in the affairs of Middle Eastern nations has spun out of control. In 1948, after British Mandate control over the promised territory expired, Israel declared independence and the Six Days War. Israel was victorious, and since then various wars between the Jewish state and its Arab neighbors have continued. Some progress has been made in the past, but none of these substantial measures were ever fully implemented. In addition, any progress has been overshadowed by violent acts that have been committed by Israel and Palestine.
While the history is very intricate, what makes this issue even more intricate is the religious aspect on both sides. Across the world, instead of this being a human rights issue it has become one of sides. The Jewish side and the Arab-Muslim side. Moreover, it has also become a question of political identity. More conservatives consider Israel the rightful inhabitants of this “promised land” while consecutively, liberals empathize with the Palestinian struggle.
Currently, the change in power in Israel has also lent itself to new questions. How will Naftali Bennett handle this situation? International mediators stepped up efforts Wednesday to broker a longer-term truce between Israel and Hamas, the militant group that dominates the Gaza Strip, after the first armed exchange between the two sides since the end of an 11-day air war on May 20. Egyptian and United Nations diplomats were mediating between both sides.
This conflict, which has lasted centuries, is muddled with facts and differing perspectives. One fact, however, is that the conflict cannot be ignored. There are too many people on either side of the Gaza strip whose lives are in danger because of the conflict and who face economic, social, and political threats because of it.
Thank you for your post Sabrina.