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Security Council 2020 Topic 1: Addressing the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

1.1 Background Information

Historical Background (1516-2000)

It is impossible to understand the Israeli-Palestinian conflict without first understanding their complex history. For centuries, the area which we now consider and was dominated by the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire allowed certain amounts of religious freedom, but disallowed any form of sovereignty or national agency. During World War One,

Britain and France created the secret Sykes-Picot Agreement in 1916 with the expectation that the Ottoman Empire would fall following the conclusion of the war. This agreement dictated that

Britain and France, with assent from Russia and Italy, would divide the Middle East for themselves and reap the rewards of the fallen empire. Furthermore, in 1917, prior to the conclusion of the War, the British Government issued the which promised a national homeland for the Jewish people in Palestine. During the peace negotiations at

Versailles, the defeated Ottoman Empire was divided among the victorious. Critically, Britain took control over Palestine under a League of Nations mandate, rather than as a new colony, from 1920 until 1948. This mandate required the ruling power to create democracy and independence within the nation. During the time of the mandate, Palestine saw increasing violence between Arabs, who now considered themselves free to form an independent nation, and Jews, who considered Palestine their ancestral homeland according to both the Torah and the

British government.

In 1947, the U.N passed Resolution 181 which partitioned Palestine into a , an Arab state, and a small international zone around Jerusalem. Arabs rejected this idea,

1 HSMUN 2020 however, the resolution moved ahead. Britain officially withdrew from Palestine in May 1948, and the Jewish National Council proclaimed the State of Israel. Arab nations openly rejected the notion of creating a Jewish state in Palestine, therefore, they met the establishment of Jewish statehood with guerilla warfare and terrorism. As such, the War of Independence or First

Arab-Israeli War began. During this time hundreds of thousands of Jewish individuals migrated into Israel and thousands of Palestinians were made refugees due to the destructive nature of the conflict. The War concluded in the spring and summer of 1949 as Israel signed armistices with

Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. Moreover, Jordan became incredibly supportive of the

Palestinian cause following the conflict and advocated for the oppressed people internationally; domestically, they extended citizenship to Palestinians in 1949. Notably, Israel was admitted to the United Nations as a full member on May 11, 1949.

The Suez Canal Crisis in 1956 was a critical moment in Arab-Israeli relations and is often labelled as the Second Arab-Israeli War. Egypt, in response to America’s and Britain's decision not to finance the construction of the Aswan High Dam due to President Nasser’s growing ties to communism, - unfavourable political connections due to the Cold War- seized the Suez Canal and declared martial law, consequently nationalizing the Canal. The Canal is critical to European and Middle Eastern trade and was owned by the Suez Canal Company, a

British and French company. Britain and France feared the Canal’s closure and sought diplomatic efforts to settle the disagreements: these failed. They did, however, find an ally in

Israel who was willing to be militarily involved. Therefore, on October 29, 1956, Israeli brigades invaded Egypt and advanced towards the canal, temporarily gaining control over the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula. Britain and France demanded the withdrawal of both Israeli and

Egyptian troops and intervened in order to enforce a cease-fire; this was unpopular both

2 HSMUN 2020 domestically and internationally. Through a U.N negotiated cease-fire, British and French peacekeepers, alongside Israeli troops, withdrew, relinquishing control over the gained territory, in March 1957.

Another crucial conflict occurred in 1967 and is entitled the Six Day War or the Third

Arab-Israeli War. This war was a result of increasing tension and border skirmishes, particularly at Israel’s northern border with Syria. Syria was attempting to divert the River

Jordan away from Israel’s national water grid and sheltered Palestinian guerilla fighters. On June

5th, Israel launched a pre-emptive air assault against Egypt which destroyed the majority of its air force; similarly, Israel launched an attack on the Syrian air force. Within three days of fighting, Israel had achieved victory and had captured the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula up to the Suez Canal. Jordan had begun to bomb West Jerusalem, but by June 7th, Israel had succeeded in driving the Jordanian forces out, not only of Jerusalem, but also a majority out of the West Bank. The U.N called for a cease-fire on June 7th and Egypt accepted the following day. On June 9th, Israel launched an attack on the Golan Heights and captured it from Syrian forces; Syria accepted the cease fire on June 10th. This war marked Israel’s dominance in the region with particular respect to the command of territory. This conflict also created hundreds of thousands of refugees and brought approximately over a million Palestinians into Israeli occupied territories. Additionally, the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), a terrorist organization which seeks Israel’s destruction through militaristic violence, was formed in 1964.

The PLO, with the support of Israel’s Arab neighbours, has become the governing body for the stateless nation of Palestine. Notably, in 1974, PLO leader Yasir Arafat addressed the U.N

General Assembly, becoming the first stateless government to do so.

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The Yom Kippur War, or the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, had inconclusive results. The war began with Egypt and Syria simultaneously launching an attack on Israel on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur and during Ramadan, a holy month for Islam, in October 1973. Egypt crossed the Suez Canal into the Sinai Peninsula and Syria broke through Israel’s defenses in the

Golan Heights. Israel asked for American assistance which was provided by President Richard

Nixon. Following intense and sporadic fighting, Israel and Egypt agreed on a ceasefire on

January 18th, 1974, which included Israel's withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula and Egypt's reduction in military forces on the east bank of the Suez Canal. A U.N peacekeeping force established a buffer zone between the two armies. On May 31, 1974, Israel and Syria signed their own cease fire agreement which likewise resulted in a U.N buffer zone, as well as an exchange of prisoners of war.

A moment of peace occurred in November 1977 when Egypt's President Anwar Sadat declared his willingness to discuss reconciliation with Israel. Israel’s Prime Minister Menachem

Begin invited the Egyptian leader to address Israel’s parliament (Knesset). Following two years of discussions, on March 14th, 1979, the Knesset approved the final peace treaty and twelve days later Begin and Sadat, alongside President Jimmy Carter, signed the final document in a White

House ceremony. Thus, Israel began to withdraw from the Sinai Peninsula which Egypt subsequently annexed on May 25th, 1979. This peace, however, did not last long. It was officially broken on June 9th, 1982 when Israel launched a massive assault on southern Lebanon, where the PLO were stationed. Israel began to destroy PLO strongholds, however, a U.S mediated peace accord was negotiated between Israel and Lebanon which was signed on May

17th, 1983; this required Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. While Israel did not fully withdraw,

4 HSMUN 2020 they remained near the border in southern Lebanon. Lebanon, under Syrian influence, cancelled the accord in March 1984.

In 1987 the intifada, or rebellion, began, otherwise known as the Gaza Strip Riots.

These began due to the killing of four Palestinian civilians by Israeli’s at a checkpoint in the

Gaza Strip, as well as the murder of a seventeen-year-old Palestinian by an Israeli officer. More than 20 000 individuals were killed in the fighting. Critically, in 1988, PLO leader Yasser Arafat acknowledged Israel's right to exist and his willingness to enter negotiations to create a

Palestinian political entity that would coexist with the Israeli state. Three years later in 1991, the

U.S and Soviet Union organized the Madrid Conference in order to establish a framework for peace negotiations between Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and Palestine. Discussions included

Palestinian self-rule of the Gaza Strip as well as the West Bank, the future of Palestinian refugees and a plan for economic development in the region, which had been forestalled due to decades of violent conflict and rebellion. By 1993, the PLO and the Israeli government agreed on the Oslo Accords. The Accords stipulated the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from six

West Bank cities and approximately 450 towns. As well, the Accord outlined a timetable in order to develop Palestinian self-governance including a timetable for elections for the Palestinian

Legislative Council. As a result, the Palestinian Authority, with Arafat as elected leader, took control of newly non-Israeli occupied territories and assumed government duties.

Unfortunately, the progress to peace was halted and reversed with the election of a new hard-line Israel Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who argued that the Oslo Accords offered too many quick concessions to Israel's enemies and jeopardized the nation's safety. Yet, another attempt at peace was held in 1997 through the Hebron Accord, however, actions from the Israeli government regarding the continued construction of Jewish settlements on the West Bank

5 HSMUN 2020 nullified progress. As a result, Netanyahu authorized right-wing Israeli’s to build even more settlements in primarily Arab East Jerusalem; additionally, Arafat was both unwilling and unable to curb violence of Arab extremists, including Hamas. Hamas suicide bombers and terrorists added even more tension to the already fraught situation.

Progress was made in 1998 when Netanyahu and Arafat met for a summit to settle several issues called for by the 1993 Oslo Accord. A peace agreement was made, however, it was incredibly unsuccessful. Israel continued to occupy southern Lebanon and made air raids on guerilla fighters in Lebanon; Hezbollah, an Islamist Lebanese militant group, continued to attack

Israeli bases and soldiers. Israeli troops pulled out of Lebanon following mounting public pressure on May 24th, 2000, following eighteen consecutive years of occupation.

Current Situation (2000-2019)

The beginning of a new century began with significant hope for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The United States held a summit at Camp David in July 2000. Progress was incongruent as the U.S handled relations with great sensitivity, and moreover, the agreement was non- binding, meaning that the proposed agreement was reliant on President Clinton who stepped down a month later. As a result, a second wide-spread and increasingly violent intifada occurred. Relations in the early 2000’s were indecisive at best. In 2005 Israel withdrew troops from the Gaza Strip, only to return in 2008. An estimated 1 300 people, primarily civilians, were killed in this return to Gaza before a ceasefire could be declared. For most of this century, fighting has gone back and forth, on and off, between Israel and Palestinian forces. Israel’s Arab neighbours, whom they have had continued conflict with, have withdrawn from direct conflict.

Egypt and Syria both maintain a peace treaty with Israel, despite supporting the Palestinian cause. Jordan, while housing the largest concentration of Palestinian refugees, also maintains a

6 HSMUN 2020 peace treaty with Israel. Lebanon remains Israel’s greatest antagonist, home to the anti-Jewish militant group Hezbollah, and the largest supporter of Palestine. Additionally, the United States has been a key figure in this conflict. Several U.S administrations have interfered with Israeli-

Palestinian relations and have remained officially neutral. Recently, however, the Trump administration has declared support for Israel. In the U.N Security Council, the U.S has vetoed resolutions which attacked or interfered with the freedom of Israel. The U.S, alongside most of

Europe, draws a distinction between Israel and the occupied territories, refusing to recognize

Israeli sovereignty beyond pre-1967 lines; notably, the U.S no longer considers Israel’s invasion of the West Bank to be illegal.

The question arises: what is the solution? Palestine’s answer is clear. They request a return to pre-1967 lines with minor and equivalent land swaps which would allow Israel to annex some settlements. The Palestinian capital would become East Jerusalem with sovereignty over the holy site known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, as well as overland contiguity with the rest of the Palestinian state. Israel would withdraw their forces from the West Bank, release Palestinian prisoners, compensate Palestinian refugees as they return to the Palestinian State, and acknowledge at least partial responsibility for the refugee problem.

Israel has consistently opted for a stalemate rather than the agreement outlined above.

This is primarily due to the fact that Palestine’s agreement would cost much more than the cost of no deal at all. They would lose control over a large portion of land, including the West Bank where a large portion of military forces are stationed and intelligence is frequently gathered. It would increase security risks along the Gaza Strip, as well as the West Bank, with unknown consequences. Israeli forces would no longer control Palestinian entrance or exit from occupied

7 HSMUN 2020 territories and both states would face major rebellions by both Jews and Muslims. Moreover,

Israel would lose direct access to the West Bank’s natural resources, Palestinian trade, as well as would incur the cost of relocating thousands of settlers out of Palestinian territory back into

Israel. There are some benefits for Israel agreeing to this proposed solution. Israeli businesses could openly trade with Arab States and governmental cooperation with some Arab states, such as Saudi Arabia, could become overt. Israel would also be able to receive financial or security benefits from the U.S and Europe as they moved into a conflict free Israel-Palestine. In Israel's opinion, these benefits do not outweigh the consequences of agreeing to Palestine's solution.

Israel is constantly warned by several international and national bodies that they must decide whether to grant Palestinians citizenship or sovereignty or it will become an apartheid state. Yet, the consequences of these threats never materialize. Israel has not been economically sanctioned or forced to withdraw from the international community, and therefore, goes unpunished for their indecisive stance and violent oppressive actions. There is also an understanding that if Israel waits long enough, that Egypt could absorb the Gaza Strip and Jordan could absorb the West Bank, and therefore, eliminate Israel’s Palestinian problem. Another solution is all territory coming under one nation which is democratic; however, Muslims outnumber Jews, and therefore, this solution is unfavourable to Israel.

Currently, fences separate Israel from Gaza and the majority of the West Bank. Palestine maintains a quasi-state with its own parliament, courts, intelligence services, and foreign ministry, without outright territory. As well, the settlement of Jewish populations across

Palestinian territory create hardships for Palestinians, as well as the Jewish people who settle in occupied territory. President Netanyahu stated in September 2019 that he intended to increase the

8 HSMUN 2020 number of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, as well as their sovereignty over the occupied territories.

Overall, this issue is a complex one with a long and violent history. As such, we turn to the United Nations in order to provide the international community with guidance and a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

1.2 Major Players

State Actors Non-State Actors Israel Palestine

United States Palestinian Liberation Organization

Lebanon Hamas

Jordan United Nations

Egypt Arab League

Syria

1.3 Important Terminology

Holy Land: The term holy land can encompass several places in the Middle East mentioned in either the Old or New Testaments, including: Western Jordan, the Sinai Peninsula, Southern Syria, as well as Israel and Palestine. This is a foundational land for all three Abrahamic religions. For Christians, the Holy Land is where Jesus existed; for Jewish followers, this area is where the Temple in Jerusalem housed the Ark of the Covenant; for Muslims, Muhammad prayed facing Jerusalem prior to Mecca and visited the Temple Mount. Gaza Strip: A coastal region in the South East corner of the Mediterranean. Administered by Egypt from 1949; occupied by Israel from 1967; granted autonomy in 1992 and administered by the Palestine National Authority from 1994. It is a densely settled area and people are primarily impoverished. West Bank: This is a partition of land east of Israel neighboring Jordan. Israel took control in 1967, consequently allowing Jewish settlers to move in. Palestinians consider it illegally

9 HSMUN 2020 occupied Palestinian land, while Israel considers it rightful Jewish land. This is the heartland of the Palestinian nation and continues to be occupied by Israel. The Green Line: The green line is a demarcation line that divides Israel, Jordan, Egypt, and Syria from 1948 (Israel’s Independence War) until 1967 (The Six Day War) when Israel captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan, the Gaza Strip from Egypt, and the Golan Heights from Syria. Zionist Movement: Originating in Central Eastern Europe in the late nineteenth century, individuals advocate for the development and protection of a Jewish nation. This movement has historical implications, as the Jewish people date their national ideology back to the Old Testament in the Temple periods. Following centuries of persecution, the Zionist movement picked up popularity within the modern age. Theodor Herzl argued that Jews were forced by external pressure to form a nation and therefore they should concentrate in one territory. The in Switzerland declared objective to be the creation of a Jewish homeland in Palestine secure by public law. Zionism became more popular in the twentieth century as wide-spread persecution became greater. Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO): An organization founded in 1964, with significant Arab support, for the explicit purpose of the “liberation of Palestine” through militaristic actions against Israelis, including civilians. The PLO attempts to establish a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. This organization is an umbrella political organization which centralizes the leadership of various Palestinian groups. The PLO’s legislature, the Palestine National Council (PNC) is composed of members from the civilian population of various Palestinian communities; their charter set out goals including the complete elimination of Israeli sovereignty in Palestine and the destruction of the State of Israel. Notably, Israel’s desire to destroy the PLO and its bases led the country to invade Lebanon in 1982. Fatah: Formally the Palestinian National Liberation Movement, it is a secular Palestinian nationalist party. They are supported by Syria and stand in opposition to the PLO. They are also a militant group which is involved in direct military combat with Israel. Hamas: A militant Palestinian Islamic fundamentalist group engaged in armed resistance and terrorism against Israel. Hamas’s charter calls for the destruction of Israel and does not recognize the legitimacy of the Israeli state. Hamas began using suicide bombings against Israel in the 1990s and 2000’s, however, in recent years they have moved towards rockets and mortars. Hamas has sections dedicated to religious, military, political and security activities. It runs a social welfare program and operates a number of schools, hospitals and religious institutions. Hezbollah: A islamist political party and militant group based in Lebanon who continually engage in guerilla warfare and terrorist actions against Isreali forces. They emerged following Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in 1982. Israel Defense Forces (IDF): The armed forces of Israel, comprising of the Israeli army, navy, and air force. The doctrine of the IDF is the belief that Israel cannot afford to lose a single war. Nakba: The 1948 Palestinian defeat and exodus; translated as the disaster or catastrophe. 700 000 Palestinian Arabs fled or were expelled from their homes during the Israel Independence War.

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Intifadas: The intifadas were two Palestinian uprisings against Israel (1987-1993 and 2000- 2005). The first intifada was a largely spontaneous series of Palestinian demonstrations, nonviolent actions, such as mass boycotts, Palestinians refusing to work jobs in Israel, and militant attacks. The second intifada grew out of the collapse of peace in 2000 and was far bloodier than the first. It began with Israeli soldiers firing on Palestinian demonstrators and it continued to progress towards increasing violence. The conflict ended in 2005 concluding with 1 000 Israelis and 3 200 Palestinian causalities. Permanent Observer: Non-member states of the United Nations which have applied for this status. This status is based purely on practice and is not provisioned by the United Nations Charter. These organizations do not have the ability to vote or propose resolutions. Non-member permanent observer states includes the Holy See and the State of Palestine. For this MUN, Israel is also considered an observer. Refugees: A person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war persecution, or natural disaster. Many Palestinians were and continue to be refugees due to Israeli actions in 1948, 1967 and continued violence on both sides of the conflict. Apartheid: A policy or system of segregation or discrimination on the grounds of race. Many define Israel’s actions as leading towards an apartheid between Jewish and Muslim citizens. Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People: This is UN organization which seeks to enable the Palestinian people to exercise their inalienable rights to self-determination, national independence and sovereignty, as well as the protection and return of Palestinian refugees. U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East: An organization created in 1949 in order to support the thousands of Palestinian refugees as a result of Israel’s declaration of independence.

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1.4 References for Further Research

General Background: https://www.infoplease.com/history/world/early-history-of-the-israeli- palestinian-conflict General Background (video): https://jewishvoiceforpeace.org/israeli-palestinian-conflict-101/ July 2019 UN Report on Israel-Palestine Conflict: https://www.un.org/press/en/2019/sc13895.doc.htm Israel-Palestine Conflict Explained (2019): https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-44124396 Global Conflict Tracker: Israel-Palestine: https://www.cfr.org/interactive/global-conflict- tracker/conflict/israeli-palestinian-conflict Major players in the Middle East: https://www.vox.com/2018/11/20/18080074/israeli- palestinian-conflict-saudi-arabia-iran-turkey-egypt-jordan-syria-lebanon What is Hamas: https://www.cnn.com/2012/11/16/world/meast/hamas-explainer/index.html What is the PLO: https://israelipalestinian.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=000386 Why peace has not been achieved:

12 HSMUN 2020 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/16/the-real-reason-the-israel-palestine-peace- process-always-fails CIA 1947 Report on Israeli-Palestinian Relations: https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/DOC_0000256628.pdf 1956 Suez Canal Crisis: https://www.aljazeera.com/focus/arabunity/2008/02/200852517304630655.html 1967 Six Day War: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-39960461 1973 Yom Kippur War: https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2017/10/arab-israeli-war-of- 1973-what-happened-171005105247349.html Oslo Accords Timeline: https://www.cnn.com/2013/09/03/world/meast/oslo-accords-fast-facts/index.html The First Intifada: https://www.ampalestine.org/palestine-101/history/intifadas/first-intifada- historical-overview One State versus Two State Solution: https://www.vox.com/2018/11/20/18080094/what-are-the- two-state-solution-and-the-one-state-solution U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East: https://www.unrwa.org/ Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People: https://www.un.org/unispal/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/InfoNote_Cttee-DPR- March2012_E.pdf Occupied West Bank News: https://www.aljazeera.com/topics/subjects/occupied-west-bank.html

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