The entire world has been divided into two groups: Israel and Palestine Fighting. So, what’s really going on there, and who’s wrong?
On October 7, 2023, an important event occurred for people belonging to the Jewish religion of Israel. On this day, an organization called Hamas launched 5,000 rockets in Israel using various means such as trucks, motorcycles, bulldozers, and even paragliders. Imagine random people landing in paragliders and shooting at people like in a video game. This was a horrific experience for Israel. About 700 Israelis and 370 Palestinians were killed and thousands were injured. The government declared a state of emergency and officially recognized it as a war.
But who is this Hamas and why are they attacking Israel? To understand this we have to know the history of this land. Israel and Palestine Fighting?
The History of Jerusalem
Jerusalem, located in the Middle East, is one of the oldest cities in the world and is considered a holy pilgrimage site by three major religions: Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Jerusalem is where Jesus Christ spent his adulthood and was crucified. According to the Bible, Jerusalem is mentioned 800 times, and it is believed that the Lord has chosen Jerusalem and will dwell there forever. According to the Quran, Jerusalem is the place where the Prophet Muhammad visited before he went to heaven. In Judaism, it is believed that the first temple was established in Jerusalem.
Now, let’s look at where the conflict originally started. We all know how Hitler treated the Jews and the genocide that occurred. However, it was not just Hitler; a sect of Christianity also had issues with the Jews. They believed that the Jews wanted to crucify Jesus Christ. Almost a thousand years ago, a large number of Jews were killed by Christians. For a long time, there have been issues between the two communities, with Christians having the upper hand and Jews suffering.
In the 19th century, Jews realized they needed to form their own country because wherever they went, they were persecuted for their religion. Jewish people from all across Europe started migrating to Palestine, which was then being ruled by the Ottoman Empire. Palestine was chosen because it is where Jerusalem, the holiest city for the Jewish people, is located.
For a few decades, people in the Ottoman Empire lived peacefully. Then, the First World War happened, and the Ottoman Empire was defeated by the British. The British took control over Palestine. In 1933, Hitler came to power and persecuted the Jews. Around 6 million Jews were killed during Hitler’s period. Once again, a large number of the Jewish population migrated to Palestine to save their lives.
Second World War
In the Second World War, the British were defeated and gave up their control over Palestine. By that time, both Palestinians and Jews started fighting with each other, demanding their own country. The United Nations intervened in the issue and partitioned the country into two parts: one for Muslims and one for Jewish people. However, the question of who would control Jerusalem remained. The United Nations decided to keep Jerusalem under international control.
Jews accepted these conditions and formed their own country, Israel, in 1948. However, the other Arab countries were not happy with this. They felt that the entire place should belong to Arab Muslims and not to the people who had recently migrated there. As soon as Israel was formed, the neighboring Arab countries (Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine) waged war on Israel. This is known as the first Arab-Israeli war of 1948. Jews fought with everything they had and won the war. Israel captured a lot of land that was originally allotted to Palestine during the partition. Additionally, Egypt occupied the Gaza Strip, and Jordan occupied the West Bank.
In 1964, the Palestinians came together and formed the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) with the aim of getting their own country and destroying Israel. However, Israel and the United States labeled it as a terrorist organization. In 1967, the Israeli air force attacked the Egyptian air force, which marked the start of the second Arab-Israeli war. Israel captured a significant amount of land, including the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, the Golan Heights, and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt.
In 1973, the Arab coalition launched a surprise attack on Israel, which started the Yom Kippur War. Israel managed to secure all its territories. The following year, in 1974, the UN officially recognized the PLO as the representative of Palestinians. In 1979, Egypt made a peace treaty with Israel and officially recognized it as a country. In return, Israel gave back the land it had captured from Egypt.
Fast forward to 1993, when Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin wanted to make peace with the Palestinians. He recognized the Palestinians’ rightful demand for their own country and officially recognized the PLO. He gave back the West Bank and Gaza Strip to the Palestinians to form their own country. However, by that time, Israelis had settled in those areas, and both Israelis and Palestinians belonged to different ethnicities. The West Bank was divided by settlements, and Palestine only got bits and pieces of it, along with the Gaza Strip, to form their own country.
Finally, peace was established, and Palestine was officially recognized as a country. However, some extremists from both sides did not like this idea. Some Jewish extremists assassinated their own prime minister for making peace with the Palestinians. On the other hand, Palestinian Muslim extremists formed a group called Hamas in 1987. Hamas stands not only against Israel but also against the PLO for making peace with Israel. Hamas has launched numerous terrorist attacks on Israel, leading to strong bitterness between Israelis and Palestinians.
Hamas is widely recognized as a terrorist organization by many countries, including the UK and USA. The conflict escalated further in 2006 when Hamas defeated the PLO in the Palestinian election. Supporters of both groups started fighting, resulting in a civil war-like situation.
The Israeli and Palestinian Conflict
In 2007, Palestine was divided into two parts. The PLO took control over the West Bank area, while Hamas took control over the Gaza Strip. The PLO is nonviolent and officially recognized as the government of Palestine, while Hamas is known as a terrorist organization and continues to launch attacks on Israel.
On October 7th, 2022, Hamas launched 5,000 rockets on Israel within 30 minutes, resulting in the deaths of thousands of people. To defend against these attacks, Israel has developed one of the strongest defense systems in the world, called the Iron Dome. However, even this system couldn’t handle such a massive number of rockets at once.
Hamas not only used rockets but also sent heavily armed men to enter Israel and attack its people. They broke through boundary walls, attacked from the sea, and even kidnapped people on the streets. This attack, named “Al Aa Flood” by Hamas chief commander Muhammad al-Has, was extremely brutal and savage.
While Hamas members were being killed one by one, thousands of people in Gaza tried to cross the border into Egypt for safety. However, Egypt refused to open its doors. Throughout this conflict, around 3,000 Palestinians have died in Israeli attacks on Gaza.
A significant incident that drew condemnation was the bombing of a hospital in Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of over 500 people. Israel denied responsibility for the attack, claiming that it was the fault of Hamas. The truth behind this incident remains unknown.
Both Israel and Palestine have legitimate arguments in this conflict. Historically, Palestine has a legitimate claim to the land, but politically, Israel followed the UN partition plan and won the war started by Palestine. Hamas’s terrorist activities have made it difficult to trust them as a governing body.
While supporting the right of Palestinians to have their own country and not to be treated as refugees in their own land, it is important to recognize that terrorism is not the way to achieve this goal. Israel has the right to defend itself against terrorist attacks, and there is a clear distinction between war and terrorism.
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It is necessary to find a peaceful solution to this conflict, where both Israel and Palestine can co-exist as independent states.
FAQs
What happened on October 7th, 2023?
On October 7th, 2023, Hamas launched 5,000 rockets on Israel, causing significant damage and casualties.
Who is Hamas and why are they attacking Israel?
Hamas is a Palestinian extremist group that opposes peace with Israel. They have launched numerous terrorist attacks on Israel to further their agenda.
What is the history of Jerusalem?
Jerusalem is one of the oldest cities in the world and is considered a holy site by Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. It has a rich historical and religious significance for these three major religions.
Why did Jews migrate to Palestine?
Jews migrated to Palestine in the 19th century to establish their own country and escape persecution for their religion.
Who is the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)?
The PLO is an organization formed by Palestinians in 1964 with the aim of securing their own country and destroying Israel. However, it was labeled as a terrorist organization by Israel and the United States.
What were the peace efforts and agreements between Israel and Palestinians?
In 1993, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin recognized the Palestinians’ demand for their own country and officially recognized the PLO. The West Bank and Gaza Strip were given to the Palestinians to form their own country, but conflicts and settlements complicated the process.
Who is Hamas and what is their role in the conflict?
Hamas is an extremist Palestinian group that opposes peace with Israel. They have launched terrorist attacks and are recognized as a terrorist organization by many countries.