Issue:​ ​Israel-Palestinian Conflict

Related Theme:​ Conflict and Consensus (JC2)

Definition of Key Terms

Conflict: ​an ​active disagreement​ between people with ​opposing ​opinions or principles​ (Cambridge
Dictionary)
OR ​fighting​ between two or more groups of people or countries
Consensus: ​a ​generally accepted​ opinion or decision among a group of people
Related A Level Questions:
“Countries experiencing conflict should be left to sort out their own problems.” How far do you agree?
(2016)
“How far is it possible for one country to forgive another for its past actions?” (2015)

What is the connection between issue and theme?

Although the conflict may be perceived to be a dispute between nations, the reality is that the driving force is
religious conflict. Although studies have also highlighted that historic differences are responsible for the
longstanding conflict, the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in recent years has made religious conflict a more
relevant reason as the pressure on Israel has increased from the Muslim community. Moreover, this conflict
presents an ​“us” versus “them” ​mindset as to ​who should exist in the disputed region. ​The failure to accept
that both Israelis and Palestinians can lead peaceful and separate lives through peace talks in the fear of being
“forced out” ​of their lands lead to the failure to resolve this conflict.
Brief Overview of Issue
Jews fleeing persecution in Europe wanted to establish a national homeland in what was then an Arab- and
Muslim-majority territory in the Ottoman and later British Empire. The Arabs resisted, seeing the land as rightfully
theirs. An early United Nations plan to give each group part of the land failed, and Israel and the surrounding
Arab nations fought several wars over the territory. The current borders and armistice lines are the outcome of
the wars fought in 1948 and 1967.
Religious Background of Jerusalem
For Christians, who number about 14,000 — or 2% — of Jerusalem’s population, the city is the site of the
crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Garden Tomb, both purported
sites of Jesus’s resurrection, attract worshippers from around the world. For ​Jews​, who comprise 62% of the
population, Jerusalem is the holiest city in the world. It is the capital of the ancient Israelite kingdom and the
former location of the Jewish temples. For ​Muslims​, who make up more than a third of Jerusalem’s population,
the city is one of Islam’s holiest sites, after Mecca and Medina. Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad was
transported from Mecca to Jerusalem during his Night Journey to heaven. (TIMES, 2015). As seen from the
above, Jerusalem is a sacred place for the three main religions that can be a ​potential flashpoint for conflict​ if
there is sole ownership by a religion that could violate the belief of the other religion.
Historical Background of Israel
After World War 2, the United Nations declared that a part of Palestine would be given to the Jews as their new
homeland.The Palestinians had been living on their land for 1500 years. The U.N. proposal for the partition of the
British Mandate of Palestine gave 57 percent of the land to the Jewish community even though they only made
up one-third of the population and owned seven per cent of the land. (Ibid,7) The Palestinians have gradually had
more and more of their land taken away from them and by 2005, had only controlled 12 percent of the pre-1948
Palestine. Hence, the Palestinians are deemed to be fighting to ​reclaim their land​ that was taken away from
them and ​restore their right to self-determination.
Recent developments in Jerusalem
Israel calls Jerusalem its undivided capital today, but almost no countries recognizes it as such. UN Security
Council Resolution 478 ​condemns​ Israel's decision to annex East Jerusalem as a violation of international law
and calls for a compromise solution. The United States consistently refused to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's
capital, believing that a formal announcement could spark violence and would fatally undermine the US' position
as an honest broker between Israelis and Palestinians. President Trump decided to change that longstanding
position in December. The new American policy recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital and begin the process
of moving the embassy, but still allows for negotiations over what parts of the city would be permanently Israeli
and what parts would be given to Palestine in the event of a peace agreement.

Efforts to resolve the conflict

After the 1993 ​Oslo Accords​ that kicked it off, the peace process is an ongoing American-mediated effort to
broker a peace treaty between Israelis and Palestinians. The goal is a "final status agreement," which would
establish a Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank in exchange for Palestinians agreeing to permanently
end attacks on Israeli targets — a formula often called "land for peace."