The Israeli - Palestinian Crisis is a top global issue that not only affects those in the region, but also has global ramifications. Especially in the United States which has been a key member of negotiations throughout the years, and is heavily involved in a variety of ways, an understanding of this complex issue is essential. This topic is one that even with extensive research, there is always more information that can be learned and more perspectives that should be heard. However, it is still extremely important to understand as much as possible about such an important geopolitical issue. To begin to understand any topic, looking back at the history and the origins of the conflict is essential.
For around two centuries, the region of Palestine was controlled by the Ottoman Empire. However, with the Ottomans aligning with the Central Powers in World War I and their eventual defeat, the region was handed over to the newly formed League of Nations. The decision then was to give the British Empire a mandate for the region, whereas most other Ottoman regions surrounding Palestine were made independent, Arab States. This would not be the case for Palestine, especially after the Balfour Declaration of 1917 which stated that the territory would become a Jewish homeland even though the current population was mostly Arab. (BBC News) As a result, a dramatic wave of Jewish immigration would follow from 1922 to 1947, including significant waves of European Jews fleeing the Holocaust. (BBC News) This period of the conflict, known as the time of the British Mandate, had almost a decade of peace until 1928/1929, excluding the year 1921. (BBC News) However, by 1929, the conflict and the tensions between the Arab, Jewish, and British populations of Palestine would heighten to dangerous levels and conflict would follow.
Citations :
BBC News. “Israel-Gaza violence: The conflict explained.” BBC, 8 August 2022, https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-44124396. Accessed 25 March 2023.
