Dr Ahsan Ali

The recent conflict between Hamas and Israel has once again ignited the fire in the region. This conflict has been a fundamental issue between Israel and Palestine in particular, and between Muslims and others in general. Therefore, only a comprehensive analysis can put up the real context of the issues and raise the fundamental question: is the dispute resolvable?

The Israel-Palestine conflict is a long-standing and complex dispute involving land, religion, nationalism, security, human rights, and international law. Explaining the conflict in detail in a few paragraphs is impossible, but I will give you a brief overview of its main aspects.

The conflict traces its roots to the late 19th and early 20th centuries when the Zionist movement emerged as a political and cultural movement that sought to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire and later under British mandate. The movement was motivated by the persecution and discrimination that Jews faced in Europe and elsewhere, as well as by their religious and historical connection to the land of Israel. The Zionist movement attracted many Jewish immigrants to Palestine, who bought land and established settlements, farms, industries, and institutions. However, this also created tension and resentment among the Arab population of Palestine, who saw the Jewish immigration as a threat to their rights and interests. The Arab population also had their own national aspirations and identity, and they opposed the idea of a Jewish state in Palestine.

The conflict escalated after World War II when the United Nations proposed a partition plan that would divide Palestine into two states: one for the Jews and one for the Arabs. The plan was accepted by the Jewish leadership but rejected by the Arab leadership and neighbouring Arab countries. In 1948, following the end of the British mandate, the Jewish leadership declared the establishment of the State of Israel, which was immediately recognized by many countries, including the United States and the Soviet Union. However, this also triggered a war between Israel and its Arab neighbours, who invaded the newly formed state to prevent its existence. The war resulted in Israel’s victory and expansion of its territory beyond the partition plan borders. It also created a large number of Palestinian refugees who fled or were expelled from their homes and lands.

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The conflict continued in the following decades, with several wars and violent confrontations between Israel and its Arab adversaries, as well as between Israel and various Palestinian groups that emerged as resistance movements against Israeli occupation and oppression. Some of these groups resorted to armed struggle and war strategies, while others pursued diplomatic and peaceful means to achieve their goals. The leading Palestinian group representing the Palestinian people was the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), founded in 1964 and led by Yasser Arafat. The PLO initially sought to liberate all of Palestine from Israeli control and establish a secular democratic state for all its inhabitants. However, in 1988, it recognized Israel’s right to exist and accepted the two-state solution based on the 1967 borders.

The conflict also witnessed several attempts to reach a peaceful settlement through negotiations and agreements between Israel and the Palestinians, as well as between Israel and some of its Arab neighbours. The most notable of these were:

• The Camp David Accords (1978), which led to a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt in 1979.
• The Oslo Accords (1993-1995) established a framework for mutual recognition and cooperation between Israel and the PLO, as well as a process for gradual Israeli withdrawal from parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the establishment of a Palestinian Authority (PA) with limited self-rule.
• The Jordan-Israel Peace Treaty (1994), which normalized relations between Israel and Jordan.
• The Wye River Memorandum (1998) implemented further Israeli redeployment from parts of the West Bank.
• The Camp David Summit (2000) aimed to reach a final status agreement on all outstanding issues, including Jerusalem, refugees, borders, settlements, security, and water. However, the summit failed to produce an agreement due to deep disagreements on some of these issues.
• The Roadmap for Peace (2003) was proposed by the United States, Russia, the European Union, and the United Nations (the Quartet) as a plan to end the violence and resume negotiations based on a two-state solution.
• All Arab countries endorsed the Arab Peace Initiative (2002) as an offer to normalize relations with Israel in exchange for its withdrawal from all occupied territories and a just solution for the Palestinian refugees.

However, none of these efforts resolved the conflict or ended the violence. The main obstacles that prevented a lasting peace were:

• The expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem violated international law and undermined the viability of a Palestinian state.
• The division and weakness of the Palestinian leadership, which split into two rival factions: Fatah, which controlled the PA in parts of the West Bank; and Hamas, which controlled Gaza after winning elections in 2006 and ousting Fatah in 2007. Hamas rejected Israel’s right to exist and refused to renounce violence or abide by previous agreements.
• The lack of trust and goodwill between both sides, which was eroded by years of violence, incitement, human rights violations, extremism, corruption, and mutual accusations.
• The interference and influence of external actors, such as the United States, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and others, who had their own interests and agendas in the region and often supported or opposed one side or the other.

The conflict remains unresolved and volatile, with frequent outbreaks of violence and tensions. The recent bigger escalation occurred in May 2021, when a series of events triggered a major confrontation between Israel and Hamas, as well as clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian protesters in Jerusalem and the West Bank. The violence resulted in hundreds of casualties, mostly civilians, and widespread destruction and displacement. A ceasefire was reached after 11 days of fighting, but the underlying causes of the conflict remained unresolved.

The conflict has had devastating consequences for both sides, as well as for the region and the world. It has caused millions of people immense suffering, loss of life, injury, displacement, poverty, trauma, and despair. It has also fueled both peoples’ hatred, fear, resentment, and radicalization. It has threatened regional stability, security, and global peace and order. It has also undermined the prospects for democracy, human rights, development, and cooperation in the Middle East.

The conflict is not inevitable or unsolvable. Many possible solutions could satisfy both sides’ legitimate rights and aspirations, such as the two-state solution, the one-state solution, the confederation solution, or the regional solution. However, any solution requires political will, courage, compromise, dialogue from both sides and support and pressure from the international community. The conflict can only end when both sides recognize each other’s humanity and dignity, respect each other’s rights and interests, and live together in peace and harmony.

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