Israel- Palestine War: from Past to Present

Israel-Palestine War: from Past to Present 

A recent breakthrough was achieved in Israel-Palestine war on Monday under a ceasefire deal, following the release of hostages from both the sides. U.S. President Donald Trump, who helped broker the truce, proclaimed it a new beginning, marking an end to two years of devastating war in Gaza. The conflict between Israel and Palestine revolves around issues like land ownership, refugee rights, Jerusalem’s status and mutual security concerns. 

History 

The roots of the Israel–Palestine conflict stretch back over a century, to the fall of the Ottoman Empire. The core issue has never been just about land — it’s about the right to self-determination.

Timeline: 

1897: Jews began the ‘Zionist Movement’ to escape persecution and establish their own state in their ancestral homeland, Israel. Large no. of Jews started settling there after buying land in Palestine.

1917: Balfour Declaration- the British government supported for establishment of Jewish Homeland in Palestine. 

1930’s: After the control of Nazi’s in Germany, Jewish inflow into Palestine took a major turn. Arabs saw this as a threat to their homeland thus they fought with them and Britishers remained a mute spectator. 

1947: British govt. took the issue of future of Palestine to the UN and UN voted to split the land into two countries. Jews accepted this agreement and as a result, declared the independence of Israel.

1948-1949: Arabs saw the creation of Israel as a threat to move them out of their land. Consequently, in 1948, the Arab states of Egypt, Jordan, Iraq and Syria declared war on Israel.

*India recognized Israel in 1950.

Israel emerged victoriously at the end of the war and it marked the beginning of the expansionist policy of Israel.

As a consequence of the war, a large no. of Palestinians either fled or was forced to move out of Israel and settle in refugee camps near Israel’s border. It led to the formation of PLO( Palestine’s Liberation Organization) in 1964 representing Palestinian interests.

1967: six-day war- Israel gained control over West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza strip. Gaza and West Bank are together known as occupied territories after this war.

1978: Camp David Accord- Israel- Egypt Treaty.

Hamas and Fatah 

1987: Hamas (Islamic militant group) for the liberation of Palestine came into existence and refused to recognize Israel as a country.

Fatah: a faction of PLO under Yasser Arafat received support from the western nations. 

First Intifada: tensions between Israel and Palestine aggravated due to Israel’s increased settlement in West Bank and Gaza Strip. 

1993: Oslo Peace Accord- Israel and PLO signed Oslo Peace Accord, based on the concept of two state solution. PLO recognized Israel and Israel gave independence to the ‘occupied territories’. 

2000-2005: Second Intifada- Palestinian uprising with significant violence.

*Currently Gaza is controlled by Hamas and West Bank by Fatah.

*Operation Protective Edge: by Israel to punish Hamas for abducting and killing Israeli settlers. 

The Role of USA

The United States has historically positioned itself as a key mediator in the Israel–Palestine conflict, hosting peace talks and proposing frameworks such as the Oslo Accords (1993) and the Camp David Summit (2000). However, over time, Washington’s neutrality has often been questioned, especially by the Palestinian side, who perceive the U.S. as being more sympathetic to Israel’s interests.

The U.S. has a deep strategic, military, and political alliance with Israel. It provides billions of dollars in annual military aid, advanced defense technology like the Iron Dome system, and strong diplomatic support at international platforms such as the UN Security Council, often vetoing resolutions critical of Israel.

Moreover, the sociopolitical influence of the Jewish community in the U.S. is notable — the country has one of the largest Jewish populations in the world, even larger than that of Israel itself. This has contributed to strong domestic support for pro-Israel policies, influencing both public opinion and political stances in Washington.

During the Trump administration, this alignment became more pronounced. President Donald Trump openly recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in 2017, moving the U.S. Embassy there — a move celebrated in Israel but condemned globally and by Palestinians, who view East Jerusalem as their future capital.
As a result, settlement construction surged during that period, deepening mistrust and further destabilizing the peace process.

While the Biden administration has attempted to restore some balance by supporting humanitarian aid to Gaza and advocating a two-state solution, Palestinians remain skeptical. They continue to view the U.S. as a partial mediator, more concerned with maintaining its geopolitical influence in the Middle East than ensuring an equitable resolution.

Image Credit: Kobi Gideon/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0

Palestinians Demands

• Israel’s withdrawal from pre- 1967 borders and establishment of an independent Palestine state in West Bank and Gaza: Palestinians demand that Israel withdraw to the boundaries that existed before the 1967 Six-Day War — when Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem. These territories are seen as the rightful lands of a future Palestinian state.
  The demand is rooted in the UN Resolution 242 (1967), which called for Israel’s withdrawal from occupied territories in exchange for peace and recognition. Palestinians believe that only by returning to the pre-1967 borders can they achieve true sovereignty, territorial integrity, and a viable state of their own — free from Israeli control.

• Halt to Israeli settlements before peace talks resume: Palestinians insist that peace talks cannot be meaningful while Israel keeps expanding these settlements. They view a complete freeze on settlement construction as a minimum condition for restarting negotiations, ensuring that future borders are not decided unilaterally on the ground.

• The right of return for refugees displaced in 1948: During the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, an estimated 700,000 Palestinians were expelled or fled from their homes in what became Israel. These refugees and their descendants — now numbering over 5 million — live in refugee camps across Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and the occupied territories.
  The “Right of Return” is one of the most emotional and symbolic Palestinian demands, as it represents justice and restoration for those who lost their homes and land. Palestinians base this claim on UN Resolution 194, which recognizes refugees’ right to return or receive compensation.
  However, Israel fears that granting this right would undermine its demographic majority, and thus firmly opposes it.

• East Jerusalem as capital of independent Palestine state: For Palestinians, East Jerusalem is not just a city — it’s a symbol of their national identity and spiritual heritage. Home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, East Jerusalem holds immense religious and cultural importance.
  Palestinians envision East Jerusalem as the capital of their future independent state, while Israel claims the entire city as its “undivided capital."

Israel’s Demands 

• Sovereignty over Jerusalem : Jerusalem holds immense religious and historical importance for Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike. For Israel, claiming full sovereignty over Jerusalem—especially East Jerusalem—is seen as essential to its national identity.
  Israel considers the entire city its “eternal  and indivisible capital,” after capturing East Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War. However, Palestinians view East Jerusalem as the capital of their future independent state.
  This dispute remains one of the most contentious issues in peace negotiations, as both sides attach deep spiritual and cultural significance to the city. Any compromise here is seen domestically by both parties as a test of political strength and national pride.

• Recognition of Israel as a Jewish state: Israel demands that Palestine and the broader international community formally recognize it as a Jewish state. This recognition, according to Israel, is crucial to ensure the legitimacy and security of its identity as a homeland for the Jewish people.
  However, Palestinians fear that such recognition could marginalize the Arab population living inside Israel and weaken the demand for the right of return for Palestinian refugees.
  This issue has become symbolic of the wider struggle — Israel sees recognition as a guarantee of its existence, while Palestinians see it as a potential erasure of their historical and cultural presence.

• Right of return of Palestine refugees only to Palestine, not Israel:  Palestinians demand the right of return — the ability for these refugees and their descendants to return to their ancestral homes. Israel, however, firmly opposes this demand. It argues that allowing millions of Palestinian refugees to settle inside Israel would drastically alter its demographic balance, effectively ending its Jewish character. Instead, Israel proposes that refugees should return to the future Palestinian state (once established) or receive financial compensation. This stance remains one of the biggest roadblocks in achieving a two-state solution, as the refugee question is deeply emotional and tied to generations of displacement and loss.

Current Scenario: the Hamas Attack of 2023 

The present conflict reignited after Hamas militants launched a large-scale attack on Israel in 2023, capturing numerous civilians. Hamas claimed the attack was retaliation for Israeli military operations in the West Bank and clashes at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Israel responded with Operation Iron Swords, targeting Hamas in Gaza. In the ongoing Israel–Palestine conflict, Israel has expanded its military operations beyond Gaza, targeting militant networks across the Middle East. Strikes in Yemen have focused on the Houthi rebels, who have launched drone and missile attacks toward Israel across the Red Sea. In Lebanon and Syria, Israel has targeted Hezbollah and Iran-backed militias to disrupt weapon supply routes and prevent cross-border rocket fire. These actions reflect Israel’s effort to weaken Iran’s regional influence and neutralize threats from allied groups supporting Hamas, though they also risk widening the war and worsening regional instability. 

India’s approach remains balanced. Since 2018, India has de-hyphenated its ties — engaging with Israel and Palestine separately. While strengthening its partnership with Israel, India continues to support the Palestinian cause and advocates peaceful coexistence through dialogue. 

 Image credit: Jaber Jehad Badwan/ Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0

Genocide in Gaza, End of Humanity 

The UN Commission of Enquiry found that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza during the period since October 07,2023 by killing more than 67,000 people. Israel has also stopped any kind of humanitarian aid in Gaza for the civilians leading to hunger crisis creating famine like situation. The schools, hospitals, homes etc. everything is ruined in Gaza, forcing people to come out on streets , making their condition vulnerable. Journalists who tried to expose the truth have been silenced — yet the world is watching the suffering unfold in real time. 

The international community has expressed deep concern over the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Several nations and global institutions have begun calling out Israel’s actions as violations of international law. The United Nations has repeatedly condemned the use of disproportionate force and urged for an immediate ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid to reach civilians trapped in conflict zones.

If the cries of Gaza go unheard today, the question remains - is humanity still alive?

Way Forward 

Conflicts with deep historical roots require consistent collaboration for peace efforts. The Israel–Palestine conflict is not just a political dispute — it’s a deeply historical and emotional one that spans decades. To achieve lasting peace, both sides must engage in consistent dialogue, trust-building, and international mediation.

• Two-State Solution: The most widely supported proposal globally is the Two-State Solution, which envisions an independent State of Palestine coexisting peacefully alongside the State of Israel.
  This would mean establishing Palestine in Gaza and most of the West Bank, while Israel retains the remaining territories.

• Joint- Capital in Jerusalem: Since both the parties want Jerusalem in their territory, the city can act as a mutual capital. This could involve dividing administrative control — allowing West Jerusalem to serve as Israel’s capital and East Jerusalem as Palestine’s, or establishing a special international governance system for the city.
  Such an arrangement would not only protect the religious sanctity of the city but also respect the cultural and spiritual attachments of both communities.

• Financial Inclusion: Global funding and humanitarian assistance to Palestine to strengthen its economy and improve the standard of living. The international community must focus on financial inclusion and global funding for Palestine.
  By investing in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and job creation, Palestine’s standard of living can significantly improve. Economic empowerment will reduce dependency on foreign aid and foster self-sufficiency and resilience among Palestinians.
  Organizations like the World Bank, IMF, and UN agencies can play key roles in ensuring transparent and targeted assistance to rebuild war-torn areas such as Gaza.

• Border Realignments: modifying boundaries based on the current scenario . Both sides could agree on land swaps — where Israel retains some major settlement blocs near its border, while Palestine receives equivalent land elsewhere.

• Refugee Repatriation: tackling the issue of Palestinian refugees return with potential compensation. 

Conclusion: Humanity above all 

As I conclude this topic, the images coming out of Gaza speak louder than any words ever could — children searching for their parents under rubble, hospitals collapsing under bombings, and an entire generation growing up amidst fear. This is not just a war anymore; it’s a human tragedy that questions the very essence of our shared humanity. But there is still hope — a hope that lies in the voice of the world. When countries like France, Portugal, Spain, U.K., and Canada recently recognized Palestine as a state, they didn’t just acknowledge a nation — they acknowledged the right of a people to exist, to live, and to dream. If the world truly comes together — not just through statements, but through real actions, compassion, and accountability — we can still stop this cycle of destruction. The world must raise its voice against the genocide, against the silence, and for peace. Because in the end, it isn’t about religion, land, or politics — it’s about humanity.