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You hear a scream from the living room. A loud thud and then comes the sound of hiccups, spilling over into tears. Your kids are fighting. There is a toy involved. It’s badly broken now but still intact. The toy is still worth having.
You pull them apart. You demand to know what happened.
But both children have a different story.
And it is impossible for you to know what really happened: to know who was to blame, who was at fault. Because really, the fight went on for so long that both are in the wrong. Both have done badly by the other. Both have caused hurt.
And determining who started it requires you to say when ‘it’ began. With a five year old and a seven year old, who have been arguing for 20 minutes, perhaps you can decipher that. With a conflict as old as time, or at least as old as Abraham – it’s not so easy.
Mamamia’s approach
It is possibly our globe’s oldest conflict. For centuries the world has been fighting over a tiny patch of land in the Middle East; a patch of land that is home to many of the most significantly holy sites in Islam, Christianity and Judaism.
Trying to explain it is close to impossible because really – where do you start? Any starting point you choose is somewhat arbitrary and will inevitably favour one side over the other.
We do not pretend that this post is exhaustive. We do not pretend that it is not limited in the information it provides. After all, you can only convey so much in 2000 words.
We have done our best to summarise the events of recent days, while providing you with the context of the last 60 years or so, since the State of Israel was created. Language is not neutral, we know that. But we have sought to be as impartial as we could be, please know that any bias is unintentional.
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What’s happening now?
On 14 November, Israel assassinated Ahmed al-Jabari, the commander of Hamas’ military wing by bombing his car as he drove through Gaza City with his body guard. Jabari was a senior figure within Hamas and was believed to have been behind the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier. Israel’s attack also came after a series of 100+ rocket attacks by Hamas on Southern Israel.
Video footage of the Jabari’s death has appeared on YouTube and has gone viral. Israel maintains that they are not seeking to engage in war but that the attack was necessary to protect civilians in Southern Israel. Hamas has retaliated by launching a series of rocket attacks on Israel (including into the major cities of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv).
It is estimated that around one hundred rockets have been fired into Israel each day in the now six days that have passed since the attack on Jabari. Israel has activated its ‘Iron Dome’ missile defence shield, which (according to the Israeli military) has been successful in intercepting around 90 per cent of missiles it has aimed to stop. The rockets are, however, reaching further into the Israeli mainland than they ever have before.
Thousands of Israeli troops are reportedly congregating along the border of the Gaza strip, preparing to engage if necessary. Israel has already responded to the rocket attacks from Hamas with attacks from air and sea.
On November 18, Israel attacked two Gaza-based media organisations (including a Hamas television station). The Gaza Press Association claims that six journalists were injured and seven civilians killed (including children) as a result of the strikes. The strike has been criticised by Reporters without Borders as an attack on freedom of information.
You can read more about the conflict in recent days here and here.
Jerusalem.
Who are the people, religions and organisations involved?
Israel borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan and the West Bank in the east, Egypt and the Gaza Strip in the southwest. It was founded in 1948 and is the world’s only Jewish state. The Prime Minister is the head of state and leader of the Cabinet, in this case Benjamin Netanyahu. The President, Shimon Peres, is a ceremonial role with little power.
The majority of residents in Israel are Jewish, with Muslims accounting for about 16 per cent and Christians about 2 per cent. Israel enjoys strong support from The United States and Great Britain but little support in the Middle East or North Africa.
Egypt and Jordan have both signed peace treaties with Israel but most Arab nations refuse to acknowledge that Israel exists. Israeli law dictates that states who actively seek its destruction (including Syria, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Iraq) are enemy countries. The Israeli Defence Force is one of the best equipped and most powerful armies in the world. Military service is compulsory for young Israelis.
The State of Palestine, not recognised by all countries, was established in 1988 and shares many territories with Israel. (Neither Australia nor the United States recognise the State of Palestine, although both conduct business with the PLO). It is controlled by the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, the Chairman of which is Mahmoud Abbas. He has unofficially been President of the State of Palestine since 2005, officially since 2008.
Technically, however, his term ended in January 2010, which has resulted in opposition group Hamas not recognising the legitimacy of his presidency. The Palestinian National Authority is the body elected to govern disputed territories between the Palestinian Liberation Organisation and Israel. However in 2006 the Hamas party were successful in the Palestinian legislative elections and have been in control of Gaza within the Palestinian territories since the Battle of Gaza in 2007. Hamas are a powerful influence throughout Palestine but are viewed as a terrorist organisation by much of the Western world.
Palestine has been fighting Israel since 1948, for recognition and access to mutually disputed territories. Palestine enjoys good relations with most Middle Eastern and North African countries. The existence of the State of Palestine is one of the most difficult policy questions in the Middle East. Hundreds of thousands of pages have been written about Israel and Palestine, and many sets of peace talks, with little progress.
You can read more about the history of Israel here, the history of Palestine here and Hamas here.
What is Australia’s position?
Prime Minister Gillard issued a statement on 16 November saying:
Australia is gravely concerned by escalating conflict in the Middle East.
The Government condemns the repeated rocket and mortar attacks on Israel from the Gaza Strip and calls on Hamas to cease these immediately.
Australia supports Israel’s right to defend itself against these indiscriminate attacks. Such attacks on Israel’s civilian population are utterly unacceptable.
Further escalations in rocket attacks from Gaza, such as those seen overnight, will not serve the interests of the Palestinian people or their cause for self-determination and statehood.
We urge both Hamas and Israel to exercise restraint and to protect the lives of civilians.
The Government of Australia will work earnestly with other countries to end further attacks from Gaza and to encourage a de-escalation of this conflict. We encourage regional countries, particularly Egypt, to support efforts to restore peace.
The only way forward is a two-state solution based on direct negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis.
How did this all begin?
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Conflict in the Middle East dates back thousands of years. The territory currently occupied by Israel and Palestine remains under dispute as to who has rightful control. While several Muslim nations still seek the ultimate destruction of the State of Israel, the Western World is largely in agreement that a two state solution is the only way forward.
While there have been some modern moves towards lasting peace and agreements that would ensure the safety and security of Arabs and Israelis, they have ultimately been futile. This is because the Holy City of Jerusalem is significant within all three of the Abrahamic faiths; Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Below is a brief summary of the most significant events since the creation of the State of Israel in 1948, which is a widely agreed starting point for consideration of the conflict.
1948: The Arab-Israeli War breaks out following the British leaving Palestine and the establishment of the State of Israel, world’s first (and only) Jewish State. Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Iraq and Egypt invade Israel. Hundreds of thousands Arabs left Israel during this period. Arabs who remained in Israel were granted citizenship but there was widespread reluctance to do this, in the fear it would be seen as an endorsement of the Jewish state.
Israel prevailed in the war and an armistice was signed in 1949 with the surrounding states and territory for the Jewish state was annexed beyond the partition borders. The remaining territories were occupied by Egypt and Jodran, areas now known as the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. (Jordan also retained significant control of East Jerusalem). The delineation of land between Israel and the Palestinian West Bank at the end of 1949 is commonly referred to as the ‘Green Line’.
1967: The 6 day war broke out between Israel and its Arab neighbours in June 1967, despite lasting only a short period of time it completely changed to power structures in the Middle East with Israel effectively doubling the land it controlled. Jordan lost control of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, Egypt lost control of Gaza, Syria lost control of the Golan Heights.
Israel’s powerful military offense included bombings of Egypt that crippled the nation’s air force capabilities. The UN Security Council was deeply concerned by the conflict, calling for the need to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East, so that every State could live safely and securely. The UN called for the withdrawal of Israeli armed forced from the newly acquired territories.
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1973: The Yom Kipur War commenced when Egypt and Syria attacked Israel from the north in 1973 on the holiest day on the Jewish calendar. Egypt and Syria were attempting to regain the territories that they had lost during the 1967 war but the ultimate outcome was that Israel only acquired more territories. Thousands of soldiers lost their lives on both sides of the conflict.
1979 – Egypt and Israel sign a historic treaty which sets out a framework for peace in the region, including some (albeit very limited) autonomy for the Palestinians within their occupied territories. The Egyptian President Sadat who shocked the world by extending the hand of peace to Israel was then assassinated in 1981 by rogue members of the Egyptian army.
1987-93 – The first intifada (a mass uprising of citizens) breaks out in Gaza and the West Bank as Arabs dispute the Israeli occupation. More than 1000 Palestinians lose their lives after their protests and demonstrations turn violent and the Israel Defence Forces intervene.
1993 – The historic Oslo Accord is signed where for the first time Palestinians agree to recognise the State of Israel and its right to exist in exchange for Israel’s occupation of the territories being gradually dismantled. This is a huge breakthrough in Middle East negotiations and an unprecedented show of goodwill on both sides. The Declaration of Principles is signed in Washington and millions around the world watch as Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat shake hands for the first time.
2000 – The second intifada occurs, despite the peace making efforts of the new Israeli Government under Ehud Barak. Withdrawals from occupied lands by the Israelis continue but the frustration of the Palestinians over the slow progress under the agreed peace plan eventually boils over.
Two weeks of peace talks in the United States break down and while uncertainty abounds, Ariel Sharon, leader of the right wing Likud Party in Israel decided to tour the Temple Mount in Jerusalem (a Muslim holy site) and this is seen as provocative, leading to a second uprising by the Palestinians. More lives are lost.
Temple on the Mount.
Shortly after Israel begins to erect a security fence that will act as a barrier to protect Israeli civilians from Palestinian terrorism. The security fence is intended to stretch for almost 700km and runs roughly along the 1949 ‘Green Line’. The Israelis claim that the barrier has prevented countless suicide bombers from killing its citizens. Opponents of the barrier say that it deviates from the territory Israel actually controls and as such constitutes an illegal takeover of land.
2005-06 – Israel pulls out of Gaza
Mahmoud Abbas is elected as President of the Palestinian Authority and enters into fresh negotiations with the Israelis. These negotiations are temporarily derailed by Palestinian military groups but Abbas is able to negotiate with groups including Hamas to achieve a short ceasefire.
The Israeli Government, despite emotional protests by Jewish settlers, begins withdrawing from the Gaza Strip. In the following years there is intermittent fighting (including the war with Lebanon) and Hamas increasingly becomes a stronger and more powerful force within the region. Which leads us to the present day.
For a far more comprehensive summary of the history of the conflict, we would recommend the BBC’s World News site which you can visit here.
What happens next?
Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu said on Sunday morning that “The army is prepared to significantly expand the operation.”
World leaders (led by the US, Egypt and the United Nations) are calling for a ceasefire and talks of a truce are underway but the violence shows no immediate signs of stopping.
Press reports differ as to how many people have been killed but it is understood to be upwards of 100 Palestinians, 3 Israelis, with close to 1000 injured on both sides of the conflict.
It is reported that children make up the majority of those killed.
134 Comments so far
Comments will close on this post at 10.00am Thursday 22 November.
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As i understand it, Palestine once covered an area encompassing parts of Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Why are these countries are not expected to return land to the palestinian people or do more to help end their suffering… why only Israel? Perhaps someone with a better knowledge of the history/politics can help me out here…
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Fascinating article in the Huffington post: Al Jazeera’s Sherine Tadros, who along with Ayman Mohyeldin was the only foreign journalist in Gaza during the 2008-9 war, writes about the challenges of covering the latest conflict. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sherine-tadros/gaza-war-coverage_b_2167036.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003&ir=HuffPostBlog
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Why isn’t world attention on Syria??? They have a death toll of 40,000. I’m sick of this blame Israel mentality.Hamas send rockets to Israeli towns -6000 since 2006.Write about that.
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It’s not a “blame Israel mentality”. People are able to see that when one country continuously oppresses another, and continues building illegal settlements on their land, it’s not right. Of course Palestinians are going to fight back, just like any other country would.
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Great article MM team, I know it must be very hard to try to explain this conflict in neutral language. It is so complex & most of us will never understand it, what breaks my heart in seeing the wounded children & weeping mothers.
I am interested to know how the people of Gaza live on a day to day basis, do they go to work, school do grocery shopping. With all of the sactions put on the area how does daily life go on?
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While I am sympathetic to the Jewish state, and believe there should be one, it has always baffled me why, even with the religious aspect and importance of Jerusalem to the Jewish people, they chose this patch of land surrounded by hostile neighbours.
I believe the Jews are hands down the most persecuted and displaced people in history and I want them to have a place where their traditions and culture can strive, I think that’s important. But I don’t think that they needed to come back to this part of the world. While I can acknowledge the importance of Jerusalem to them, after so long away from it and with Jewish people spread so far around the world, I can’t see why they could not have founded a home state elsewhere.
As for Hamas… I feel terribly for the Palestinian civilians who have themselves become a displaced people, but I don’t believe Hamas genuinely cares for its people. I just don’t.
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Jerusalem is the holy city to Jewish people equivalent to Mecca is to Islamic people and Vatican city is to Catholics. Would we ask followers of those religions to pick somewhere else? I don’t think so.
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Thoughtful of you to post this article MM. Facts on the extremist nature of Rabbinical Judaism and its relationship to Israeli politics are necessary before any of this can be understood at all, though.
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Do you have any links or further information about that? I have never heard about that, only extremism on the hammas side. It would be interesting to know the whole picture.
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Sorry I meant to direct you to the Hasidic Jews and the Haredi Jews also. You could start there. The politics of Israel is directed by Jewish sects who often disagree but it is they who really choose who is in power. It’s a theocracy with a democratic front. It was always a theocracy.
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Please provide Literature or links please , otherwise this is just your opinion.
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Anon – this is a blog and the comments section is just that – comments. I think Ali gave plenty enough information for a start if people wanted to then search further for informaiton.
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I can’t understand how anyone can defend Israel. It would be the equivalent of Britain giving Australia back to the Aboriginals, putting the rest of us on Tasmania and making us live us refugees in case we get powerful enough to rise up and take back the mainland.
If you back someone into a corner they will fight their way out.
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Not true – Jewish people and Palestinian people BOTH have a history in the region that stretches back and back and back.
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Hi MM Team – I’ve been meaning to suggest this for awhile: Maybe it’d be worthwhile to put a disclaimer at the end of each article mentioning that all posts are pre-moderated and may not appear for up to xxx length of time, longer if posted in the middle of the night? It seems that at least several times a day people aren’t familiar with your new-ish policy and instead believe their post has been censored or didn’t take so they post more than once. It might save frustration on the part of those readers and save you having to read multiple copies of the same thing as people try to get past the ‘glitch’.
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Well done Mammamia on a great attempt to be fair to both sides, not an easy feat. I believe the vast majority of people, both Jews and Arabs want there to be a peaceful, fair solution. I know it is certainly the case in Israel as I am here now and everyone just wants it to end and is devastated by the growing list of casualties, on both sides. The re-writing of history in some of the anti-Israel comments on this blog doesn’t help, it just infuriates people as its so unfair. Neither group is to blame 100%. It is a long and complex history. Funny how Britain gets off the hook so easily… given they screwed up the whole situation from the beginning not to mention messing up the whole of Africa with arbitary borders through tribal groups. Anyhoo. Back to the point. There is one correction to the summary I would like to make. From my understanding – Jerusalem is significantly more important to Jews than to Arabs. No matter where they are in the world… Arabs pray in the direction of Mecca (not in Jerusalem), Jews pray to Jerusalem and have been for centuries. Arabs have many other holy sites, Jews have only one. Jerusalem.
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??? Here’s a reference to back up my deleted comment.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,999674,00.html
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A comparison of fire power.
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Indeed. Moral – don’t screw with Israel, they have the 3rd largest army in the world and have yet to lose a war they have been involved in.
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Oh no, did my comment totally vanish after all that?
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Hello there,
As mentioned in your own introduction, nothing is going to be all encompassing, entirely unbiased or completely “neutral” because of the very nature of language and it’s formation, however, I just wanted to let you know how very much I appreciated this article/ summary, and respected that your team had obviously tried to do the best you could, on a very difficult, lengthy and complex situation, that has lasted, literally, thousands of years. I have always learnt about Middle Eastern history from my highly knowledgeable Grandfather,( I am 20) but, despite all his intellect, his religious views will always cloud some aspects of the conflict, even in the simplest of ways. So thank you, for providing a concise and factual “go to” on something so important to all of the world- It’s so refreshing.
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I’m exhausted and devastated just reading about all this. Thank you very much for spelling it out – the BBC website was very useful too. Although it needs updating of what’s happened in the past 5-6 years!
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I really hate posting something this but I can’t help but feel that the Israel/Palestine conflict is a lost cause. How can you resolve something like this?
How would we as Australians feel if another group of people decided to come to our country and claimed a part of it theirs on the basis of religious scripts written thousands of years ago?
It is heartbreaking to heart breaking to hear of stories of some elderly Palestinians speak of their houses which they were kicked out of (literally) and forced onto the streets or neighbouring countries, where they’re not that welcome. Yes some might have left before the Jewish state was created but some were living just like you and me, trying to pay off a mortgage, making sure the kids had their dinner and did their homework, worrying about daily things like what to wear to work tomorrow and before they knew it, they were ambushed and pushed out.
Of course the Palestinians are responsible for some of the atrocities that have occurred in the past but they are angry and hurt people who are treated as second class citizens behind the green line where 0 opportunities exist, which nobody seems to care about.
The only reason the Palestinians and so many other people in the world have tension towards Israel is because they’ve committed awful war crimes but get away from any justice and hide behind brilliant PR.
I’m obviously biased but I can’t help but have a pessimistic view on something like this.
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I like your post Mary. It’s also worth noting that Israel is not a democracy. It poses as one, but behind the so-called democracy lie the most powerful clerical (rabbinical) factions in the world, and their agenda is biblical. The pseudo-Prime Ministers are directed by Rabbis.
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I would just like to add something into this discussion.
Many posts below me state that Palenstine, and specifically Hamas, hide behind their civilians. Then it is implied that Palenstine should stop using their citizens as shields.
Perhaps this is the case but I often feel people forget to mention how tiny the region is. More specifically, how tiny Gaza is. Gaza is the most densely populated area in the world. Hamas does not have the ability to fire rockets or missles in ‘open fields’ because, quite simply, there isn’t any in Gaza.
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They also don’t have any fancy equipment to intercept incoming rockets either.
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As does yours.
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I think it is commendable that MM has tried to put together some information surrounding the current Israel-Palestine conflict. I would have liked to see a vital bit of information included in the brief history section and that is that the formation of Israel was in part largely related to the post WW2 refugee crisis in which tens of thousands of Jewish people found themselves displaced. The solution created by Britain and ratified by the UN was to partition Palestine into two states – one for Palestine and one for Israel. The problem was that Palestine was already occupied – it was not an empty piece of land that the West had the right to bequeath. Just as the Germans had no right to inflict the greatest horrors of human history upon innocent Jew people across europe, so too the Palestinian people should not have been treated like pawns in last gesture of imperial control in the Middle East. The people of Israel deserve to live safely and without the threat of constant danger, but so too the Palestinian people deserve their freedom and their own state. Anyway, easy to write and perhaps impossible ever to formulate.
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whoops…that should read ‘innocent Jewish people’.
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Yes! I was going to add this piece of info myself – glad to see someone had already done it.
My grandparents were two of those displaced European Jewish refugees after WW2 – and ended up in Israel in 1948 as soon as it was created.
Did you know: There were many Jewish people who managed to survive concentration camps, only to return home after the war had officially ended (as you would) and be killed by those now living in their homes and communities. Can you imagine it! Israel was the solution to that problem (albeit, a solution fraught with issues).
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Love the BBC link. I knew a fair bit about it, but my the last few decades are like a depressing loop.
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So who occupied Israel before 1948? Did they just take the territory off the Palistinians? I can kind of understand them getting a tad pissed off.
I don’t see how a two state thing will work if Jeruselum is important to both sides.
Why not take the religion out of both governments have create a new secular country? One where everyone’s religion is respected?
I don’t think anything good comes out of dividing people based on faith.
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The original idea Was to divide Israel in two and make Jerusalem an international area. The Palestinians rejected the idea.
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Your suggestion of a ‘new’ secular country has been previously proposed and is often called the one-state solution. However, it is not as popular as the two-state solution.
Some links that you may be interested in regards to the one-state solution.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-state_solution
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/sep/20/one-state-solution-palestinians-israel
http://theconversation.edu.au/a-one-state-solution-is-the-only-way-forward-for-israel-and-palestine-8465
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It was promised to the Palestinians for helping in WWI although UK also opened up it’s borders for Jewish immigration.
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Comparing fire power
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have you been to Israel to see the damage of the Hamas rockets!
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None of them have ever obliterated an entire house killing all the occupants inside, and then some.
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You don’t have to be a Hamas fan to know that Israel consistently behave as violent, arrogant aggressors with little interest in peace or compromise.
People are afraid to strongly condemn them lest they be seen as anti Semitic. In fact opposing Zionism is simply opposing apartheid and war, and Jewish people understand this.
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Hi Rebecca,
I’m sorry to say that is a pretty arrogant and aggressive, sweeping statement to make on your part. In fact, most Israeli’s I knew personally, are non-violent individuals who are very interested in peace and compromise.
They value life highly and would never use their children as human shields or encourage their children and wives to blow themselves up to achieve their goals. Did the Jewish people retaliate against the Germans after WW2 by sacrificing their children? I think not, instead they worked very hard to build a future for their children and contribute to humanity.
People forget that Israel is one of the only democracies in the Middle East. As a woman and mother would you rather live in Israel or Syria? I’ll leave the choice up to you.
Israel has made many concessions towards the Palestinian people and the Palestinian leaders have rejected them. Because previous Palestinian leaders were not interested in making peace with Israel, they believed all Jews belonged dead in the sea.
And yes, people should be afraid to condemn, if they condemn with inaccuracies and sweeping generalizations that are not true. I feel for the innocent Palestinian victims as much as I feel for the Jewish victims. The Jewish/Israeli people as a whole are not violent people. As soon as Hamas puts down their arms and the Arab nations stop threatening the Jewish people, they are happy to live side by side in peace with these neighbours, just like they have done in the past before they were threatened or persecuted.
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Hi Rebecca,
The Israel, I know and have visited on numerous occasions, has made and attempted to make, many concessions (such as giving up land for peace), which were outrightly rejected by the Palestinian leaders. The Israeli’s I personally know, are non-violent and very interested in peace. In fact they value life so highly, that they would never dream of sacrificing their children or wives to hurt the enemy. You can justify this behaviour all you like, but the Jewish people have also be in pretty desperate places in their history after being endlessly persecuted and we never once used our children to get revenge on our oppressors, instead we have focused on rebuilding and contributing to the world around us.
The Israeli’s are currently defending themselves and standing up for themselves against their perceived enemy, who from day one, have wanted to see every last Jew drowning in the sea, dead.
Israel is one of the very few democratic countries in the Middle East. As a woman, would you rather live in Israel or Syria?
Israel teaches their children to value life. They send warnings ahead of their attacks to Gaza so people can protect themselves. They are not trying to hurt innocents. It’s a real pity that Hamas value their people’s life so highly that they shield themselves amongst civilians. To the other reader who commented that they have no where else to shield themselves due to land density, that is simply not true and is excusing what should be inexcusable behaviour.
Let’s just get some perspective here. The surrounding Arab nations have had every opportunity to help their Palestinian brothers and sisters, but they are more interested in destroying the brazen Israeli people for attempting to live peacefully in their midst.
Anti-Semitic or not, please check your facts more carefully before making such sweeping generalisations.
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I would suggest you check you own facts first. Israeli people have never attempted to “live peacefully in their midst”. I suggest to atttempt to educate yourself with a history of Israel and Judah.
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Your spin is commendable. Could you explain why the Jews being persecuted over time (by the Germans, Russians, whoever else) justifies the treatment that Palestinians have been receiving since Israel came into being?
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It’s too easy to dismiss something as ‘spin’…
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Thank you Rebecca for your reasoned and informed input. I’m so sick of anger and ignorance surrounding this issue.
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what does it say Deb1611? is that your real name? Why does everyone need a name? Most commenters are anonymous really anyway, just posting with made up names.
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Interesting how all of the anti-Israeli comments are posted anonymously. That really says something, in itself.
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One theory could be, That pro Palestinian supporters don’t want to be immediately labelled anti semitic , which is what usually happens when anyone doesn’t support Israel, and finds the oppressive conditions they force Palestinians to live under repugnent
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It’s not only pro-Palestinian commenters that get called anti-semitic. When the Olympics were on (pre-pre-moderation) there was an article on here about how people were pissed off that there was no mention of Munich in the opening or closing ceremonies at London 2012. Have a search for that and have a look at what apparently counts as anti-semitic.
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Kris, anti-semitism comes in many guises…
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Because deb1611 is so easily identifiable?
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Palestinians live under occupation. They cannot enter or leave Palestine without Israeli permission. The economy is weak, because Israel cripples it. Israel calculates the exact number of calories needed to not starve, and only allows that much into Gaza- many children suffer malnutrition because of it. In the West Bank, Israelis continue to take land. There are nice new roads for the Israelis. Nice shiny air conditioned buses. Palestinians are not allowed on these roads, and not allowed on these buses.
People are arrested without charge, as an intimidation tactic. Many are released years later, after being tortured. They are never ever given a reason or a court case. The age of legal adulthood for Israelis is 18, and Palestinians 16. This is so Palestinian children can be prosecuted as adult.
My partner, a Palestinian, lives in Australia, because his family home was taken by the Israelis. His cousin is in jail on no charge. There has never even been the pretence of access to a legal system.
Just some more facts, for you.
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I find the IDF’s use of social media (both unofficial and official) disgusting at this point it’s like they’re bragging about killing people.
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In fact, there is already a state in the majority of the land from pre-1948 Palestine. it is an Arab state. it has a Palestinian majority. it is called Jordan.
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Jordan is not the Palestinian homeland. Again, the Australia analogy can be used, it is like saying that just because there are Australians living in NZ we can call NZ an Australian homeland, which is simply untrue. Unfortunately this logic (based on the 1922 Churchill White Paper) is the reason that some Israeli’s justify why Jordan can be seen as the homeland for the Palestinians. Not the case.
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Excellent article, I miss a lot of news (with 2 small children) and this article explained not only what has happened in the last week but a historical context as well.
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Thank you so much for the summary. I have been following this conflict and have been trying to read up on the history surrounding it but I glaze over after the first paragraph, so thanks for detailing it so succinctly.
There is no easy solution here. I just hope some sense can enter the minds of these countries. Who wants war? Surely no-one. How many more innocents must die so one country can have a bit more land than the other?
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Mamamia…how about a map of the region to show just how tiny Israel is and just how vast the Arab nations surrounding it are? And how this compares to the size of Australia….or another country people are familiar with….I think this is relevant information here.
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Israel would fit into Tasmania two and a half times. Meaning it is less than half the size of that tiny Island below great big Australia. They are fighting over tiny territory! I have always wondered why none of the huge neighbouring Arab countries have ever offered land to the Palestinians. Fact is that although the neighbouring Arab states are united in terms of their hate for Israel and their desire to kill all Jews generally speaking they have never shown great hospitality towards the Palestinian people.
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Interesting question. I guess though, the point is, not how tiny Israel is, nor the size of the other states that surround it, but instead, how much land do the Palestinians have…and how much did they have prior to the State of Israel being created in 1948. If you take a look at the map in this link, you’ll see what the problem is. http://lawrenceofcyberia.blogs.com/photos/maps/landloss.html
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It’s an interesting map that you link to Wunderfrau99. But i think it doesn’t paint the full picture. Where’s a map showing the amount of land lost to the surrounding countries (like Jordan). Why are they not being asked to return land to the Palestinians?
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Wow im sure this is a brilliant summary but im still so confused!!
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Thanks for this post. It gives me further insight into what is currently happening. It’s such a complex issue but I think you have done a good job with this post.
I don’t think there is a right or a wrong party here, both are as bad as each other and the citizens are the ones who are suffering.
I’ve always held the belief that the world would be a much nicer place without religion and this conflict just backs up my theory.
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Bullshit . What this got to do with religion? Where does it say anything about fighting over which god they worship? It is all about land pure and simple. Stop trying to misconstrue the facts to serve your own anti-Semitic or Muslim and/or atheist agenda.
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How can it not be about religions when the joint is being claimed as spiritual homelands and the most important place for x religion?
If one is a Jew are they not an adherent of Judaism? It’s disingenous to say that it’s not about religion when it’s a place where people’s religions are clearly worn on their sleeve and the state of Israel was formed to give believers of a certain faith who had been persecuted because of that faith a homeland.
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Look it might once have been about religion and Jerusalem , but its now all about having claims to that land, to use an analogy… my son might pick up one truck and the other son says that’s my special truck give it to me, and yes it used to be special but now it’s just another way of having one up on his brother because he has something he knows he wants. It has just gone to far now to be about religion only.
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But what are the claims to the land for? They all want to be in their religious homeland or have access to Jerusalem!
I have no religion and I think your original comment of Bullshit to Lauren was harsh – those of us without the ties to any religion perhaps see with more clarity the issues surrounding it, and can see (without prejudice) that it IS about religion.
And I am intrigued as to how you could get anything anti-semitic out of Lauren’s comment. But I suppose if that’s what you want to see, you will, even if it doesn’t exist.
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Seriously crossfitter, how can you possibly say that this has nothing to do with religion? It has everything to do with it.
And I am glad you’re finding it pure and simple, I think you’d probably be the only one, because this is an incredibly complex situation.
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For those who are decrying religion, this conflict has nothing to do with religion; it is a modern political conflict that arose due to the manner in which the state of Israel came into existence and the continued occupation of and settlement expansion on Palestinian land by Zionist Israel. In fact, there are a great deal of orthodox Jews who oppose the very idea of Zionism.
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Nothing to do with religion, surely you can’t be serious? Please do some research as this is something that I have studied at university (of course I am not professing to be an expert on the subject) and it’s very much grounded in religion and religious beliefs.
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I don’t think it’s about religion either. Sure, the two parties are from different religious groups but the core issue is territorial, surely?
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You are right and wrong. A large part of the conflict is based on colonial power gone wrong. The Brittish government made promises to both sides during WWII to get what they wanted and broke both promises to differing degrees. If you are judging the conflict based on a starting date of 1948 this plays a HUGE role and is political and not religious.
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Anonymous is correct. I suggest ‘A History of Israel and Judah’ by Millar and Hayes. The most authoratitive text at this time.
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For those who are decrying religion, this conflict has nothing to do with religion; it is a modern political conflict that arose due to the manner in which the state of Israel came into existence and the continued occupation of and settlement expansion on Palestinian land by Zionist Israel. In fact, there are a great deal of orthodox Jews who oppose the very idea of Zionism.
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the ‘great deal’ of orthodox jews who oppose Zionism amount to a few hundred worldwide. there are many orthodox jews who don’t see religious value in secular state, but they passionately support the Israeli government’s actions. I know, because I am one.
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organised religion is the worst thing that has happened to humanity.
i have to say, that the mamamia team has done a fantastic job here, and reminded me why i am hooked on them.
another thing to add, i had a boyfriend from Bangladesh and i have seen his passport, it felt shocking to see a stamp in it saying “not allowed in israel”.
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A person cannot enter Bangladesh on an Israeli Passport because Bangladesh does not recognize the state of Israel. There are many many countries eg Malaysia that an Israeli cannot visit. I even think if an Aussie has an Israeli stamp in their passport they cannot enter some countries!
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Rima- Did you know that if you have an Israeli stamp you are not allowed into parts of Indonesia, Dubai.. and many other countries?
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Apparently Israel allow you to choose whether to have your passport stamped or not.
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thanx guys, did not realise the extent of this
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censorship because people express their support of Palestine? Why Mamamia , why? Palestinians have the right to be heard too don’t you think? I thought you guys would of been more fair. So disappointed. Women and children and men are dying and will continue to die unless the international community reports the truth and allows those that condemn the actions of the Israelis to be heard. I know this comment won’t get through either, but I just wanted to let you guys know how disappointed I am. Palestinian children will die today and tomorrow because the media refuse to tell the truth. Allow our voices to be heard, please!!
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I will never understand what it is like to live over there. To be so convicted of something that you would strap a bomb to yourself to kill others, what a truly horrible place it must be. My husband is Palestinian, born in Australia, but his parents both come from Jordan. There are several things I have learnt about being an Australian (British parents) and marrying an Arabic man, is that it is mostly always about money and power. More land equals more money and power, and they will not rest until they have what they want. I feel very sad and scared for all my husbands extended family who have had to flee from their homes to find safety, i can only hope that this all ends soon…
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From a young age Paelstinian kids are taught (often by cartoons on TV and in school) that if they commit suicide in the name of the “holy war” they will go straight to heaven and have 72 virgins waiting for them. It is seen as an honour and will make their families proud..Reminds me of a quote by former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir ” We will have peace with the Arabs when they love their children more than they hate us.”
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This has been disproven. In fact, Israeli children have unofficial textbook calling Palestinians animals and revising the historical beginnings if their state.
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Can you actually prove that? It sounds as likely as Been there’s comment.
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Woops typo, my comment must sound very credible if i misspelt ‘Palestinian’!
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It cuts both ways. I’ve heard an Isreali grandmother instilling into her 9-year grandson that Arabs are murderers, terrorists and thieves who can never be trusted and that he is never to have an Arab friend (he went to a mixed school). Hatred and prejudice abounds on both sides.
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Jerusalem needs to be annexed off and made in to a state off of it’s own that belongs to NO ONE. It should be governed by the UN and belong to the world.
It’s says a lot that after Israel started withdrawing from the Gaza Strip, Hamas became increasingly stronger and a more powerful force.
Israel can more than look after themselves. You only have to read back over the conflict since 1948 to realise that every war Israel has entered into, be it started by them or where they were engaged, they have come out better off.
And while yes it’s wrong that innocent civilians are being caught up in their conflict, the finger needs to also be pointed at Hamas, as they continue to hide out in civilian areas.
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I totally agree that unless Jerusalem is annexed this conflict will never find a resolution. But the likelihood of that happening seems next to 0.
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It would be more straight forward if that was the only dispute – a piece of land. Unfortunately both sides have strong theocracies and feel that land is part of their religious heritage. If religion was taken out of it, I honestly think peace and co-existence would have been reached by now.
Just a side-note, imagine how different this picture would look if these countries were lead by women !!
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Explosive vests less likely to make one’s arse look big?
Rhinestone details on the missiles?
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Lol
!! I guess with less violent approaches to problem solving and a different perspective, perhaps we wouldn’t feel the need to resort to physical means to enforce power over others.
In fact, perhaps power wouldn’t be the end value to strive towards in the first place but rather an understanding that leaves children safe? Food for thought
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Thanks for taking that in the spirit in which it was intended.
A couple of things to consider on whether women being in the hot seat forestalling conflict:
Golda Meir won the Yom Kippur war as the 4th Israeli Prime Minister.
Julia Gillard has troops engaged in the Middle East.
Margaret Thatcher sent the UK to war over the Falklands.
Not trying to point score, but it’s not safe to assume that international conflict will be resolved by diplomacy with women in charge.
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I will never understand what it is like to live over there. To be so convicted of something that you would strap a bomb to yourself to kill others, what a truly horrible place it must be. My husband is Palestinian, born in Australia, but his parents both come from Jordan. There are several things I have learnt about being an Australian (british parents) and marrying an Arabic man, is that it is mostly always about money and power. More land equals more money and power, and they will not rest until they have what they want. I feel very sad and scared for all my husbands extended family who have had to flee from their homes to find safety, i can only hope that this all ends soon.
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this is just over the last couple of days, thousands of Palestinians have died over the years as a result of Israel bombing indiscriminately. Not to mention the majority of Palestininans living in poverty due to the sanctions Israel has in place forcing Palestine to point of economic collapse. Israel has openly admitted to doing this.
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There is no answer here.
Both governments have a vested interest in ongoing conflict, so no solution will be found.
The next Israel election was supposed to be in October 2013.
A month ago Netanyahu announced it was being brought forward to Jan 2013.
Then suddenly ‘now’ is the appropriate time to assassinate a Palestinian government official?
What. A. Coincidence. You could blow me over with a feather.
I’m not picking sides here, Hamas is no better. But why we expect some kind of solution if only everyone would be reasonable is odd. If everyone was reasonable, we’d be 20 years into a peaceful solution.
It’s not a parent trying to get two siblings to peacefully share a toy. It’s a nanny trying to get two siblings to share a toy while divorced parents feed one of the children and tells them that the toy is theirs and they must fight for it.
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Great comment
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Yes but that child must fight for that toy, otherwise the stronger child will continue to not only steal that toy but the rest as well. The favourite child takes whatever it wants because no one is game enough to tell them that stealing is wrong.
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Yeah, any metaphor has it’s limits and I’m uncomfortable as describing the conflict as kids playing with toys except as dark, dark satire. But I disagree with that statement.
By saying the weaker child MUST fight for that toy, you are attempting to completely justify the weaker child’s (I assume you mean Palestine) violence and to place all responsibility on Israel’s side. In fact, you suggest there is only one toy: complete domination.
This is not the case. The ‘toy’ can be shared. Both Israel and Palestine can have freedom, political determination and land. Any reasonable person can see that, however no political party benefits politically from solving this conflict.
This is a stalemate that will last longer than anyone reading this website.
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Hi Idle Dad,
I don’t quite get your final comment – please clarify: do you mean divorced parents each feeding one different child (so each child is fed by opposing sides, which makes sense to me), or each feeding the same child and both ignoring the other child (in which case one child starves)? If the latter, which case which child would be Israel and which Palestine?
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the one that is starving is Palestine. You must know that, it’s quite obvious.
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LOL, I should avoid metaphors.
I was saying each child was fed by a separate parent. As in the US feds Israel and Iran/Syria feed Hamas.
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Apparently something similar happened last time there was an election? Israel are in danger of looking like they’ve got some extreme vote buying ‘weapons’.
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The vote buying is done by the most powerful clerical (rabbinical) factions in the world. Israel determines its policy according to pressure from clerics (Rabbis) and always has. Their agenda is biblical. Don’t assume Israel has a democracy. It doesn’t and never did. Its only a charade. The priesthood (Rabbis) dictate policy and also who will be the next Prime Minister. Nice metaphors from Idle Dad, but lacking informed content. Information on Rabbinical Judaism will help Idle Dad here.
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I read this and all I feel, overwhelmingly, is that religion has a lot to answer for.
So much bloodshed, so many lives destroyed – physically and mentally – because of age old wars over whose invisible, never proven, god is the ‘real one’.
Thank god I’m an atheist.
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Usually my knowledge of politics, world events etc is pretty good but I have to confess that this is one area where I feel woefully under-educated. And it feels like there’s so much history to understand and that I’ll never get my head around it.
Having said that, this article is extremely helpful.
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“Most Arab nations refuse to acknowledge that Israel exists.” Some expansion on the reasons behind this would be fair and help with understanding why there is regional conflict.
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This should read, ‘Most Arab nations refuse to acknowledge that Israel has a right to exist’. This has been a vexed moot point for decades now. Israel demands acknowledgment of the right of the Jewish people to their own state for their own security (after all, Jews have been persecuted for thousands of years). The problem is that no other state is recognised as having a ‘right to exist’ by another, save for colonial ties. Further, acknowledging the right to exist transfers greater power in bargaining sovereign boundaries to Israel, thus placing the Muslim Arab world on the back foot – and this is just where the problems begin…
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As usual the number of Palestinians dying will far outnumber the Israelis, as they have no army. The Israelis need to show a little restraint instead of bombing indiscriminately, killing innocent women and children. I hope the international community stands up and condemns their actions, including their continual building of illegal settlements on Palestinian land.
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Just to make it clear: Israeli civilians are on the receiving end of missiles shot from Gaza. There are very little Israeli casualties due to the Iron Dome defense mechanism; Hamas is firing from populated areas so that when Israel is attempting to hit where the rockets are fired from, it is almost impossible not to hit civilians.
Comparing number of casualties does not show who is the aggressor and who is the victim; it only shows Israel is working on keeping their citizens safe, while Hamas is pursuing an unrealistic, inhumane goal.
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As mentioned above, Hamas don’t really have much choice as to where they can fire from as they cannot leave Gaza which is one of the most densely populated parts of the planet. Where do you suggest would be a more ethical place for them to fire from and how would they get there?
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Hi Anon2,
It is my understanding that Israel is not bombing indiscriminately. They are targeting military sites and rocket launchers. Unfortunately these military sites are embedded in civilian areas (e.g. in schools, next to mosques, under children’s soccer fields etc), so unfortunately civilians are being killed. It is Palestine who is firing rockets indiscriminately at civilian cities in Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
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F**king religion.
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Ditto
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Oh my.. still so much information to digest, even though Mamamia condensed it as best they could!
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Amy- I agree with your comment but what you don’t understand is that when the land was divided up by the international community Israel accepted the terms they took their half and were happy and the Palestinians didn’t. Palestinians got Jordan but that wasn’t enough. They want everything. Israel wants to live in peace but they need to defend themselves against the barrage of rockets being fired into civilian areas every day.
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Yep I prob wont ever understand the fight between them, or religions. It never makes any sense.
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Anne, Israel have not been happy with “their half”. They have been occupying Palestinian territories for many years, drawing criticism from the UN. They have also been engaging in apartheid practices, preventing Palestinian civilians from harvesting crops, accessing hospitals and roads, and harrassing and killing them at will in the name of “defence”.
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Yes occupying territories that they have won in war. That they have fought for. It’s not right but it’s the spoils of war, you never go to war for no reason.
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Just a second – zionist settlers with the help of soldiers are still to this day taking Palestinian land – this is no secret. It’s not just territory won in a long ago war.
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Dana, i disagree with a comment you made regarding Israel’s “apartheid practices”, not only does Israel supply Gaza with food, electricity, water etc, Israel has also allowed countless palestinian civilian casualties access to hospitals, even during this difficult time.
I agree that this is a very difficult situation to be in, with neither party being in the right, and i do feel for the palestinian civilians caught up in the conflict with Hamas, but Hamas needs to be stopped in order for peace to be considered in this region.
but given the statements Hamas has made to the press and through their twitter account, “we desire death almost as much as the jews desire life” i am concerned that this conflict will only escalate further.
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Israel has admitted though, publicly, that the sanctions and restrictions are in place to push Palestine to the brink economically, so it barely functions. Palestine is forced to rely on the meager supply of food and medicines Israel allows through. It is apartheid practices Ella, There is no other word to describe it.
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Why doesn’t any of the Islamic countries help out with aid, food etc etc. they are allowed into Palestine via road are they not?
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I thought it was bullshit that it was about religion?
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Many of them do but they often aren’t allowed to access Palestine by road so they transfer money to the ‘government’ PLO or Hamas. Recently Israel denied access to Palestine by Red Cross
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I’ll try again. Israel has admitted that it keeps Palestine teetering on the edge of economic collapse, as a way to control them. Israel has to supply food and water etc as it has so many sanctions and restrictions in place that Palastinians are unable to provide for themselves, the world knows about the countless restrictions, so having Palestinians starve would look bad for them. But forcing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to live in exteme poverty is acceptable apparently. So I agree with Dana about the apartheid practices because that is exactly what is going on.
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Unfortunately it is not true that Israel has accepted the terms of the division of land. The International Court of Justice has recognised the ongoing problem of Israel building illegal settlements on land that belongs to Palestinians.
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If Australia was divided in half and you were thrown out of your home to go live in the outback, would you just accept that?
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The idea that Isreal is guiltless and just want to live in peace is an idea that western media presents and governments support. Isreal is just as bad as Palestine, there are no innocent victims here!
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No innocent victims except for the civilians
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I just dont get it…why cant they both have their piece of land and be done with it…
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It would be more straight forward if a piece of land was the only dispute. Unfortunately both sides have strong theocracies and feel that land is part of their religious heritage. If religion was taken out of it, I honestly think peace and co-existence would have been reached by now.
Just a side-note, imagine how different this picture would look if these countries were lead by women !!
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Indeed. When the basic argument is that ‘God gave this land to us’, there’s no talking sense.
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