This is a guest post by TallahasseeScene’s Haley Whetherington
The Federal Aviation Administration lifted its ban on flights to Israel Wednesday amid safety assurances from the Israeli government, only the latest development in the complex Israel-Palestine conflict.
The fraught relations between the state of Israel and Palestine have become inflamed in the past month or so due to various events. It has been difficult for spectators to separate fact from fiction and reality from emotions. The history preceding recent events is extensive and complicated, leaving bystanders and consumers of media confused.
Globalization has made oblivion to world politics unacceptable, so it’s important to be at least somewhat well-versed on the topic of Israel-Palestine conflict and knowledgeable about what is currently happening and why.
Via: thecommentator.com
Try to stay with me as I offer a Cliff’s Notes version.
The people of Israel struggled for many decades for the right to be a sovereign state. Palestine was owned by Great Britain. In the 1920s, hundreds of thousands of Jews began emigrating to Palestine, which caused discontent in the Arab community. Jews wanted to establish the “Land of Israel” as part of the Zionist political movement, which gained traction after World War II. In 1947, Great Britain handed over the responsibility for the Arab-Zionist conflict to the United Nations, which ceded a little over 50 percent of Palestine to the Jewish people. In May 1948, the State of Israel was established, displacing many Palestinians who claimed the land was rightfully theirs because they had been there for centuries.
Controversy, debate and armed conflict over land ownership continued for decades with a lot of back-and-forth. A turning point came in 2005 when Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon orchestrated an Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip, a tiny coastal piece of land that is mostly surrounded by Israel and bordered by Egypt to the West. Gaza became the first territory completely in Palestinian hands, but Israel maintained control of Gaza’s borders.
Via: timesofisrael.com
One year later, Hamas took control of the Palestinian government in elections and after a coup against Fatah forces (former Palestinian government), it seized control of Gaza. Hamas, an anti-Semitic group, was not recognized by the state of Israel, which bolstered its control of Gaza border, restricting flow of goods. This is considered by some a human rights issue because it made transportation difficult, therefore putting civilians at risk.
Hamas and Israel called an ill-defined truce in 2008. Hamas would stop rocket attacks and Israel would loosen its hold on border to allow larger shipments of goods. However, Hamas felt Israel did not hold up its end of the deal, leading to a lapse of the truce in December of that year. Air strikes from both sides followed.
Which pretty much brings us to today.
Via: pbs.org
Israel has been firing rockets at the Gaza strip and fending off attacks from Hamas with its Iron Dome since early July.
This recent rise in casualties has been widely attributed to two events.
In late June, three Israeli teenagers were kidnapped while hiking. Their bodies were later found, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pointed fingers at Hamas, which denied involvement. A 17-year-old Palestinian boy was subsequently burned alive by Israel, what many have deemed an effort to retaliate.
Via: jewishpress.com
The UN attempted to broker a cease-fire in mid-July, which Israel ostensibly accepted. However, it then proceeded to launch a ground invasion.
The death toll has climbed past 500. Palestinian civilians are trapped inside Gaza with no way out.
The propaganda on both sides has been substantial, making it difficult to sift through information and determine what is true and what isn’t. While researching, I also found considerable bias in reporting sources.
The inception of this conflict dates back more than one century. The history is complex. Geopolitics are difficult to understand and popular narratives aren’t always the truthful ones. However, I urge you not give in to the temptation to tune out the world. We are more interconnected than you realize.
With that said, I hope peace is reached in our lifetime.
Featured photo courtesy of: NBC
