How Did We Get Here

Disclaimer: I am aware that this is an oversimplification of the conflict. I am also aware that history is laced with opinions. Especially in this conflict, it is hard to simply state historical facts that give a balanced view of all sides. For example, you can call the Arab-Israeli War of 1948, the War of Independence, or al-Nakba. Just the name of a war has political implications and this is true for almost every historical event. I will do my best to navigate this historical timeline well. I’m not going to put a lot of dates but just historical/Biblical figures and events listed in order.

We’ll start with Jesus and move from there.

Jesus lived and was crucified under Roman rule and occupation. Shortly after his death came the destruction of the second temple and the Jewish Diaspora - Diaspora means scattering. This happens around 70AD when the Romans began to expel the Jews from the land.

(These next few “periods” are “who conquered who” and gained possession of the land).

The Byzantine Period (Christian)

The Early Muslim Period (Muslim)

The Crusader Period (Christian)

The Ayyubid Period (Muslim)

The Mamluk Period (Muslim)

The Ottoman Period (Muslim)

World War 1 - the historic land of Palestine was promised to three different people by the British at the fall of the Ottoman Empire & close of WW1: the ruler of Mecca, the British themselves, and the Jews.

What could go wrong? Am I right?

The British established a colony in historic Palestine. They try to rule and create organization between the people living there (peacefully, I might add) - Arab Christians (10%), Arab Muslims (87%), and Jews (3%). All the while, also trying to “honor” the Balfour Declaration - a declaration written by the British at the end of WW1 to provide a homeland for the Jewish people in Palestine.

From 1920-1939, Jewish population increased by over 32,000 people. Jews were about 30% of the population of Palestine now - they went from 3% to 30% in 20 years.

So, at this point, we’ve got three peoples fighting → the British who are in control, the Jews who want control and an independent state based on the promises made in the Balfour Declaration, and the indigenous Arabs who have been living there and are overwhelmed by Jewish immigration. They also want control and an independent state.

Everyone is mad.

This is when the first division of the land between the Palestinian Arabs and Jews is made, called the Peel Partition Plan (1937). Then, as a cherry on top, World War 2 happens.

Post Holocaust and World War 2, you can imagine the desire for safety and a Jewish homeland. Immigration to the Hold Land exploded and on May 14, 1948, the Jews in Israel declared themselves an independent nation. May 15, 1948 the Arab-Israeli War / War of Independence / al-Nakba began. Over 750,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled by military force (and many were massacred) becoming the largest refugee population in the world.

1949-1960s - Up to a million Jewish refugees and immigrants from Muslim-majority countries, plus 250,000 Holocaust survivors, settle in Israel.

1967 - 6 Day War - After months of tension, Israel launches a pre-emptive attack on Egypt, Jordan and Syria destroying Egypts and Syrias air force. The war lasts six days and leaves Israel in control of all of Jerusalem, all of the West Bank, Gaza (Palestine), Golan Heights (Syria) and Sinai (Egypt). Jewish settlements are set up in these areas in coming years, with Israeli government approval (though they are illegal).

United Nations Security Council writes Resolution 242 after the 1967 war. It states:

-Israel must withdraw from the areas occupied in the recent conflict

-It is inadmissible to acquire territory by war

-Every state has the right to political independence and to live in peace behind recognized borders

It seems as though this should be a good solution but Israel failed to pull out of the land they acquired by war and Palestine failed to recognize Israel as a legitimate nation.

In 1979, Israel withdrew from the Sinai. In 2005, Israel pulled settlements out of Gaza. Israel still, to this day, however, has yet to pull out of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Golan Heights.

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There is so much more to say but I am going to stop here. From 1967 to today, there have been multiple attempts at peace and many, many atrocities committed by both Israel and Palestine.

The continuing conflict is fueled by many things: Palestinian anger that they were forced out of their land in 1948 and 1967 (and are continually being forced out of as more and more settlements are being built in Palestinian territories), that Israel continues to rule over (occupy) them without equal rights or representation, the desire to acquire all of the Holy Land back, and that they have personally seen men, women, and children killed by the IDF. It’s also fueled by Israels political desire to attain the entirety of the land, their fear of Palestinian terrorists organizations, and that they have also personally seen and known men, women, and children who have died at the hands of Palestinian terrorists. They are both afraid of each other, and all have personal stories of racism and fear that easily turns to hate and aggression.

I share all of this to give a small frame of reference for what's going on today and to show that the conflict doesn’t boil down to “Arabs and Jews hate each other”. I also believe it’s an important topic and I know it’s niche, but what we learn about it, believe about it, and how we talk about it matters deeply.