The Israeli–Palestinian Conflict: Historical Roots, Key Issues, and Ongoing Struggle for Resolution
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is an ongoing military and political struggle centered on territorial and self-determination issues in the land once known as Mandatory Palestine. Key aspects of the conflict include the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the status of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements, borders, security concerns, water rights, movement restrictions on Palestinians, and the right of Palestinian refugees to return.
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The conflict's roots trace back to the late 19th century with the rise of Zionism and the arrival of Jewish settlers in Ottoman-controlled Palestine starting in 1882. The local Arab population increasingly opposed Zionism due to fears of losing their land and being displaced. The Zionist movement gained significant momentum with the 1917 Balfour Declaration from Britain, promising support for a "Jewish homeland" in Palestine. After World War I, Britain took control of the area, establishing Mandatory Palestine. Growing Jewish immigration and tensions between Jews and Arabs led to a series of conflicts, including a major Arab revolt in 1936 against British support for Zionism, which was eventually suppressed.
The conflict escalated in 1947 when the United Nations proposed partitioning the land into separate Jewish and Arab states, sparking civil war. The 1948 Arab-Israeli war followed, leading to the displacement or expulsion of more than half of the Palestinian Arab population. By the end of the war, Israel controlled much of the former mandate territory, while Egypt and Jordan controlled Gaza and the West Bank, respectively. In the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel occupied both the West Bank and Gaza Strip, areas collectively known as the Palestinian territories. Since then, Israel has built settlements in these territories, facing accusations of creating an apartheid-like system and violating Palestinian rights, which has drawn international criticism.
The international consensus, excluding the US and Israel, has long supported a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders with provisions for Palestinian refugees. However, the US and Israel have emphasized bilateral negotiations over solutions grounded in international law. In recent years, support for a two-state solution has waned, with Israeli policy appearing to favor continued occupation over conflict resolution. Since 2007, Israel has enforced a blockade on Gaza and separated it from the West Bank, treating its engagement with Gaza through the lens of wartime laws rather than occupation. In July 2024, the International Court of Justice ruled that the Palestinian territories are a single political entity and that Israel's actions violate international law, including the prohibition against racial discrimination. Since 2006, Hamas and Israel have engaged in multiple conflicts, with the latest beginning in 2023 and continuing into 2024.
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