Contents

Palestine Issue / Arab-Israel Conflict ..................................................................................1

1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................1
2. History of Arab-Israel conflict .........................................................................................2
3. Causes of Arab-Israel conflict .........................................................................................4
4. Possible Solutions of the conflict ....................................................................................5
5. Hurdles in the way of reaching a solution .......................................................................5
6. Key Issues that arouse out of the conflict ........................................................................5
1. Nature of Palestinian state ............................................................................................5
2. Jerusalem ......................................................................................................................5
3. Refugees .......................................................................................................................6
4. Water resources ............................................................................................................6
5. Final borders ................................................................................................................6
6. Settlements ...................................................................................................................6
7. Trust deficit due to lack of diplomatic relations ..........................................................6
8. Security needs ..............................................................................................................6
7. Suggestions to resolve the key issues ..............................................................................6
8. Conclusion .......................................................................................................................6

Palestine Issue / Arab-Israel Conflict

1. Introduction
Palestine issue dates back to 1882 when Zionist movement began by which European
Jewish immigrated to Palestine to form their own state. Palestinians (Muslims, Christians,
and Druze) were already residing in Palestine. The conflict began as a struggle over land

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between the Jews and the Palestinians. The major causes of the conflict were the competing
Jewish and Arab claims to land, conflicting promises by the British in the forms of Hussein-
McMahon Correspondence and the Balfour Declaration of 1917, and the several breakouts
of violence, wars and Intifadas between the Jews and the Arabs residents of Palestine.
Various issues arose out of this conflict relating to final borders, Jerusalem, Refugees,
Security needs, settlements and water resources. Although various solutions have been
recommended to resolve the conflict, yet there are several hurdles in the way of reaching
the solution. Effective steps must be taken to over these hurdles and to settle the issue that
arouse out of the conflict. Arabs, Israel, US and the UN should take pragmatic steps to
resolve this conflict.
2. History of Arab-Israel conflict
➢ Palestine issue dates back to 1882 when Zionist movement began by which
European Jewish immigrated to Palestine to form their own state. Palestinians
(Muslims, Christians, and Druze) were already residing in Palestine.
➢ At that time, Palestine was a part of Ottoman Empire.
➢ In 1915, during the First World War, British made three conflicting promises.
British High Commissioner in Egypt, McMahon promised Husain (Hashemite ruler)
to establish an independent Arab state under Hashemite rule if Husain led an Arab
revolt against the Ottoman Empire. Husain agreed and the revolt was successful.
➢ In 1917, British Foreign Minister, Balfour issued Balfour Declaration announcing
the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine.
➢ Also a secret Sykes-Picot Agreement between Britain and France took place to
carve up the Arab provinces of the Ottoman Empire and divided the control of the
region.
➢ After the war, France took mandate (an authorization to govern over conquered
territory) and Lebanon appeared as a separate state. British took mandate over Iraq
and the second area which now includes Jordan, Israel, West Bank and Gaza Strip.
British divided the second area into Jordan and Palestine Mandate. This was the first
time when Palestine became a political entity.
➢ Arabs were angered because independent Arab state was not created and that Jews
started migration to Palestine.
➢ Between 1920 and 1930, clashes broke out between Arabs and Jews over religious
rights at the Western (Wailing) Wall that was a holy place for both the Muslims and
the Jews and contained sacred places including Temple Mount, Al-Aqsa Mosque,
and the Dome of the Rock.

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➢ In 1939, Arab revolt was crushed by the British with the help of Zionists. British
also issued White Paper limiting future Jewish immigration and promising
independence of Palestine in 10 years. This antagonized the Zionists.
➢ Following WWII, hostilities escalated between Arabs, Jews and British army.
➢ In 1947, UNGA voted partition of Palestine into two states, one for Jews (56%) and
other for Arabs (43%), on the request of the Britain. Jews accepted and Arabs
rejected the partition.
➢ Fighting began between Arabs and Jews and neighboring Arabs (Egypt, Syria,
Jordan, Iraq) invaded to save the Palestine from Zionists.
➢ In 1949, Armistice Lines (Green Line) were drawn and Palestine was divided into
three parts: Israel (over 77% occupied by Jews), Gaza strip (taken by Egypt) and
West Bank (taken by Jordan). Over 7,00,000 Palestinians became refugees who
migrated to Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia and other parts of the
world. Those who remained in Israel became second-class citizens.
➢ In 1967, a war against took place between Israel, Egypt, Syria and Jordan. Israel
captured Gaza and Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, Golan Heights from Syria and West
Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan. Israel declared Jerusalem its ‘eternal capital’
and annexed it to Israel. Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), Al-Fatah and
Hamas also emerged as political and armed groups. PLO and Israel refused to
recognize each other. UNSC passed Resolution 242 calling for Israeli withdrawal
from lands seized in the war. Israel claimed that it did not occupy but administered
these lands.
➢ In 1967, Arab states passed Khartoum Resolution calling for no peace, no
recognition and no negotiations with Israel.
➢ In 1973, Egypt and Syria attacked Israel in Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights to
recover their lost land. In 1978, Camp David Accords were signed with US as
mediator. These include peace treaty and proposal for grant of autonomy to
Palestinian in West Bank and Gaza Strip.
➢ In 1987, first Intifada took place in the form of civil disobedience including
demonstrations, strikes, stone throwing, boycotts of Israeli products etc. Israel tried
to crush the Intifada with force, power and beatings.
➢ In 1993, Oslo Accord was signed which gave Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles.
PLO and Israel recognized each other. Israel agreed to withdraw from Gaza Strip
and Jericho. PLO formed Palestinian Authority (PA) in the evacuated areas. Fatah
won for Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) and Yasser Arafat became president.
However, Islamic radicals rejected the Israel-PLO negotiations.

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 ➢ Second Intifada took place in 2000. Israel declared it as war and used tanks, gunship
helicopters, and even F-16 fighter planes. Oslo peace process came to an end.
➢ In 2002, Arab states presented Arab Peace Plan, calling for peace, recognition and
negotiations with Israel provided Israel withdrew from all territories it occupied in
since 1967 and establishment of an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank
and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital.
➢ In 2002, PM Sharon authorized construction of barrier separating Israel and West
Bank.
➢ In 2002, US president, Bush called for an independent Palestinian state living side
by side with Israel in peace. He gave a road map that included end to violence,
political reforms in Palestinian Authority, withdrawal from Palestine and settlement
freeze by Israel. This road map was to be supervised by Quartet (US, UN, British,
and Russia).
➢ In 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew its forces from Gaza Strip but kept its effective
control.
➢ In 2007, a move was taken by Fatah against Hamas in Gaza. Hamas preempted the
move and controlled Gaza while Fatah controlled West Bank.
➢ Between 2006 and 2008, secret negotiations between Olmert and Abbas took place
which were published as Palestine Papers. Both agreed on Demilitarization of
Palestinian state, Stationing of international forces on border between Palestine and
Israel, Sharing Jerusalem and international committee to oversee its holy sites,
Return of 10,000 refugees to Israel and compensation for the settlement of the rest,
but territorial disputes continued. Netanyahu succeeded Olmert and refused to
continue the negotiations from where they had left off.

Current situation
➢ Abbas petitioned for the full membership of the UN for Palestine but could not get
nine required votes.
➢ West Bank and Gaza Strip are still disputed territories. Al-Fatah controls West Bank
and Hamas controls Gaza.
➢ International opinion is unanimous for a two-state solution.
➢ Various incidences of violence and human rights violation take place in West Bank
and Gaza. Rockets are launched from Gaza on Israel and air attacks are made by
Israel.
3. Causes of Arab-Israel conflict
The major causes of the conflict were:
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 ➢ The competing Jewish (right to land and security) and Arab (continued residents
and demographic majority) claims to land,
➢ Conflicting promises by the British in the forms of Hussein-McMahon
Correspondence (to form Arab state) and the Balfour Declaration (to form Jewish
state) of 1917, and
➢ The several breakouts of violence, wars and Intifadas between the Jews and the
Arabs residents of Palestine.
4. Possible Solutions of the conflict
Two-state solution, creation of independent Israel and Palestine, is widely accepted by the
international community.
However, alternate solutions are also presented.
➢ Status Quo: Let the things remain as they are. No deal is better than a poor deal.
➢ One-state solution: with equal or differential political rights for its inhabitants.
➢ Three-state solution: formation of Independent Israel, West Bank and Gaza
➢ Jordan Option: West Bank be controlled by Jordan
➢ Egypt Option: Gaza be controlled by Egypt
➢ UN Trusteeship: interim international administration over the future Palestinian state.
5. Hurdles in the way of reaching a solution
➢ Israel is following the policy of ‘conflict management’ rather than ‘conflict
resolution’.
➢ Settlements grow apace.
➢ There is a split between Fatah and Hamas. Al-Fatah follows negotiations strategy
while Hamas follows resistance strategy.
➢ Palestinian refugees in neighboring Arabs and Palestinian citizens of Israel are
adamant that peace must include them.
➢ There is lack of political will in Washington.
6. Key Issues that arouse out of the conflict
1. Nature of Palestinian state
Whether Palestine will be one, two or three independent states or under UN trusteeship or
be attached to Jordan or Egypt
2. Jerusalem
Arabs demand that Palestine be recognized as independent state with East Jerusalem as its
capital because Jerusalem is important cultural center for Palestinians. Israel regards
Jerusalem as its eternal capital arguing that Judaism’s most holy sites are in East Jerusalem.

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3. Refugees
Palestinian refugees residing in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, West Bank, Gaza and elsewhere
claim a ‘right to return’ which Israel rejects claiming that refugees should be absorbed by
the Arab states.
4. Water resources
Arabs want to get control over Sea of Galilee, one of the major Israel’s water resources,
which Israel refuses.
5. Final borders
Arab states want Gaza, Sinai Peninsula, West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Golan Heights
back. According to them, Israel cannot keep any land gained by war, no matter the
circumstances. Israel refuses to give back land stating that it had won these in a war of self-
defense and that it has the right to secure its borders.
6. Settlements
Israelis claim to have a right to live anywhere in the historical Jewish homeland. Arabs
regards settlements as illegal because Israelis cannot live on land gained in war.
7. Trust deficit due to lack of diplomatic relations
Arab states passed Khartoum Resolution in 1967 calling for no peace, recognition and
negotiations with Israel which led to trust deficit. Trust deficit is one of the hurdles in the
way of implementing Arab Peace Plan.
8. Security needs
Israel agrees for peace but demands that the West Bank must be demilitarized with no
heavy weapons. Arabs claim that there should not be any restrictions or bans on heavy
weapons in independent Palestinian state.
7. Suggestions to resolve the key issues
1. Two-state option is more viable than other options.
2. Jerusalem may be made joint capital of Palestine and Israel.
3. Refugees may come back to newly created independent Palestine. Israel may make
compensations for the re-settlement of the refugees.
4. Water resources may be shared.
5. Option of land swaps may be used to solve border and settlement issue.
6. Guarantees (international, UN, US) may be given to overcome trust deficit issue and
to ensure peace and security.
8. Conclusion
Palestine issue is a century-old issue. Its urgent solution is vital for the regional and global
peace. Two-state solution is more viable and is endorsed by the UN and the US. Arab states

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and Israel should be realistic and must resolve issues that arouse out of conflict at the
earliest. UN and the US may play the role of mediators and guarantors in this regard.

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