- i.
Bacground Information:
The
Israel Palestine Conflict began in the late 1800's when a group of Jews, the
Zionists, began looking for their Jewish homeland. The Zionists, representing
only 30% of the Jewish population, eventually settled on Palestine, ignoring the
Arab population. In 1917 the League of Nations granted Palestine to Britain as a
mandate to build the Jews a national home. The Arabs living in Palestine were
upset by this and began revolting. This resulted in a series of wars.
The
first war was in 1947 to 1949. The Zionists eventually had five armies, always
out numbering the Arab and Palestinian forces combined. Most of the war was
fought on land that was to be Palestinian State. The Arab armies did not
intercede until the Zionists had committed about sixteen massacres. By the end
of the war the Zionists had conquered 78% of the Palestinian land and three
quarter million Palestinians had been made refugees. The refugees fled to
Lebanon, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank of the Jordan River, Iraq, and
Syria.
The next war was in 1967. Unlike the first war this war was short.
Israel conquered the last 22% of Palestine, along with parts of Egypt (since
returned) and Syria. Because it was against international law to acquire land
during war these became territories. Israel now occupies the Gaza Strip and the
West Bank.
In
1988 the Palestinian Liberation Organization signaled that they would accept a
two state solution. But in 2000, continued Israeli settlement and violence from
Palestinians resulted in open conflict. The Palestinians wanted a state in Gaza
and the West Bank, but the Israelis claimed that it would become a terrorist
base.
The PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization) signed the Oslo
Declaration of Principles in 1993, which renounced violence and agreed to UN SC
Resolution 242. UN SC Resolution 242 recognized the right for Israel to exist.
Israel, in return, let the PLO return to the Gaza Strip and West Bank. The
Palestinians gained control of most of the population in the areas. There were
groups of extreme Palestinians that did not agree with this agreement. They
began ambushes and suicide bombings. The Palestine National Authority claimed
that they could not control these extremist Palestinian groups. Palestinians
have killed over a thousand Israelis in suicide and terrorist attacks since
September 28, 2000. And Israelis have killed over three thousand Palestinians in
defense operations.
ii.
UN
Involvement:
Under the UN General Assembly Resolution 194 (1948), the Palestinian
refugees who wish to "return to their homes and live at peace with their
neighbors" should be allowed to at the earliest date. And there should be a
compensation for the property, and or if there is damage to the property, of
those not wishing to return home.
iii.
Possible
Solutions:
·
Two-State Plan: An
individual Palestinian State and an individual Israeli
State
·
Binational Solution:
Two governments or an unitary state
·
Allon Plan: No state
solution
·
Split Jerusalem
·
Share
Jerusalem
·
One State Solution:
Israel is recognized, and Palestinians are allowed to return
iv.
Questions to
Consider:
1.
What should happen to
the Palestinian refugees if they did not get their home
back?
2.
If the refugees are
not able to return to Palestine/Israel what will happen to
them?
3.
If the refugees are
returned home what will happen to the Israelis?
v.
Bloc
Positions:
Western
European: Pro-Israel
African:
Pro-Palestine
Asia-Pacific:
Pro-Palestine
U.S. and
Allies: Pro-Israel.
vi.
Bibliography:
http://www.ifamericansknew.org/history/
http://www.historyguy.com/israeli-palestinian_conflict.html
http://www.mideastweb.org/nutshell.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-state_solution