Palestine/Israel Conflict Flashcards
Introduction/history
1800’s emergence of Zionist movement and the need to claim ancient homeland and Balfour Agreement 1917.
1948 – Al Nakba Disaster 700,000 exodus of Palestinians from their homeland and 13,000 killed during the Palestinian War
- Dispossession central to Palestine nationalist ideals and brought together those at the lower economic spectrum and propped up by UN agencies.
Throughout the 50s there is tension between Israel and the Arab world in response to the spread of Pan-Arabism.
1967 – IDF declares war in Old City – gaining more territory but also more Palestinians and military power became more dominant.
The Place of Palestinians - A Jewish State?
Allocation of different legal frameworks according to location. I.e. refugee camps do not have any rights; inhabitants of West Bank and Gaza Strip have no formal membership and under strict military control and subjects to blockades. In East Jerusalem have right to mobility but no formal citizenship despite subjects to local laws.
West Bank – divided into 3 sections, A, B, C. A and B the PA have authority over health, education and economy but section C where 60% live controls all matters. In all sections Israel is responsible for security and have the right to enter at any time, typically to detain individuals. The transfer of power to the PA has never happened.
Israel continues to call for annexation of the West Bank where there is over 2.5 million people. And if Israel continue to deny them a state will inevitably lead to an incorporation of Palestinian into Israeli society and ultimately lead to further human right atrocities.
What has lead to change?
Establishment of the PLO
Before 1954, Palestine had to rely on outside forces to assist them but realised they needed to create their own support mechanisms.
During the Six Day War it was clear that they could not rely on the Arab states for liberation.
There is a shift in PLO to more radical and resistant alignment and this new leadership is initially successful against Israeli troops.
Features of the first Intifada 1987
Widespread protests in West Bank and Gaza mainly by youth. Israeli troops had trouble maintaining order and dealing with irregular hostility. Also struggled to maintain events on international media.
Palestinian Demands:
End to the building of Israeli settlements and land confiscations
Recognition of Palestine state under PLO
Palestinian Tactics:
Campaign for civil disobedience, strikes, demonstrations, refusing to pay taxes, boycotting of Israeli groups. Violence.
Israeli Response:
Violence, collective punishments, demolition of homes, closing down of schools/Unis, power cuts
By end of 1990, 1025 Pals and 56 Israeli’s dead.
Oslo Accords: Intro
Bill Clinton’s time in office developed the Oslo Accords where PM Yitzhak Rabin and PLO negotiator signed Interim self government arrangements at the White House.
General recognition that there had to be some exchange in land for peace.
A vague declaration of principles where Israel is to recognise the PLO as the rep of Palestinian people and PLO are to recognise Israel.
Renunciation of violence of PLO and 5 year interim of self-rule
Set down a framework for peace
BUT
Hard issues put off till later and seen more as a stepping stone in reducing conflict where some of the harder issues could be dealt with later on and facilitate further negotiations.
The reasons for the Oslo Accords:
- Israel
- positive and negative
- Palestine
- positive and negative
General consensus
Many were opposed to the negotiations of the accords.
Israel Negative:
Israel believed they were making deals with a terrorist organisation.
Palestinians Negative:
PLO and Palestinians were anxious that negotiations would lead to further land grabs. Fatah supported Oslo while Hamas and the Islamic Jihad opposed it.
As Oslo continued to fail to materialise, the numbers of supporters decreased.
Reasons for Israel:
Problems controlling Gaza and the Intifada was still ongoing and Gaza was difficult to control.
Neutralise Arafat as a figure and was one was of dealing
Political cost of the Israeli dead in Intifada
Concerns of demographic time bomb, Israel had to deal with Palestinian issue otherwise would be imperilled with Palestinians.
Growing pressure by international community to have peace talks
Reasons for the PLO/Arafat:
Isolation in Arab world after Gulf War
a. Seen to side with Saddam and Kuwait lost them lots of friends and Arab finance from Kuwait and SA.
2. Fears of Hamas gaining support especially in Gaza.
3. Strategically Jericho and Gaza would serve as “a foot in the door”.
4. Something better than nothing or start small and lets see what we can get.
5. For Arafat: Last chance for a personal legacy?
Outcomes of the Oslo Accords .
In beginning some agreement in 1994 to hand over Gaza and Jericho to Palestinians
Some power transferred to oversee administration and security of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Final-status agreements have repeatedly failed.
Palestine has accused Israel of providing them with a state and is devoid of any natural resources necessary for a viable economy.
1998 Palestine accused Israel of not following through on troops withdrawals and the continued building of Israeli settlements.
PA failing to police the Gaza strip with increase in violence against Israeli citizens and failing to identify and prosecute terrorists.
Hard issues continued to be put off.
Madrid Conference 1991
The Madrid Conference was the first time with brought together Arab states and Israel for the first time. Israel require Palestinian reps to be neither from the PLO, outside Occupied territories or from East Jerusalem
Features of the PLO
Umbrella organisation made up of large mix of different ideological factions due to the 1948 exodus. Strongly Marxists not just nationalistic
Although not secular it was dominated by Muslim membership.
Started to threaten King Hussain - resulted in 3000 deaths. PLO thrown out of of Oman then Beirut and then Tunis.
By 1970 – PLO were sole representative of Palestinian people by Arab league
Despite some diffusion of power with the development of Palestinian schools and universities and greater employment opportunities, this peak when there is a deliberate vehicle crash in 1987 – killing number of Palestinians in Gaza, at funeral mass demonstrations were led with men armed with stones.
1988 – Declaration of Algiers: for smaller territory and renunciation of violence. West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem
Features of Hamas and the second intifada 2000
Founded in 1987 - Rival group to PLO, an Islamic resistant movement
- Attracts large following by the youth and those given up with PLO, it carries strong Islamic message.
In beginning, Israel satisfied with group as it broke up strength of PLO but by 1989 they realised this was a mistake as Hamas emerged as a serious political organisation and was a threat to Israeli security.
Become responsible for series of suicide bombings in Israel which wear away the good will of the Oslo Accords.
What is the importance of the Camp David Treaty?
Treaty between Egypt and Israel signed in 1978 to keep the peace between Israel and its neighbours. Peace talks were prompted by Jimmy Carter. Between Begin and Sadat.
Was this just a move for Western interests?
Outcomes:
1) A process for self government for Palestinians in West Bank and Gaza
2) A framework for a conclusion of a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel
3) Framework for peace with Arab neighbours.
The PLO rejected the Accords but can be argued created a path for the Oslo Accords.
