International Journal of Management and Applied Science, ISSN: 2394-7926 Volume-3, Issue-1, Jan.-2017 http://iraj.in THE ISRELI – PALESTINIAN CONFLICT – A CRITICAL REVIEW

ANAND SAGAR

Department of Management, Shri Jagdishprasad Jhabarmal Tibrewala University, Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, India E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract- The Israeli–Palestinian conflict began with the establishment of the state of in 1948. This conflict came from the inter-communal violence in Mandatory Palestine between Israelis and Arabs from 1920 and erupted into full-scale hostilities in the 1947–48 Civil War. The fresh eruption of this never-ending war between the Jews and Muslims began on July 2, 2014, when Israel unleashed a revenge attack on Palestine in response to the killing of three young Jews boys of around Seventeen years of age. One the one hand the extremist, leader Ismail Haniyeh deliberately fired rockets into civilian areas of Israel to kill as many Jews as possible. On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu dropped bombs on Gaza - which caused the death of over 1,800 civilians, most of whom are women and children. The that have guided peace efforts since 1993 say borders must be determined in direct negotiations between the parties. Security Council Resolution-2334, which passed on 23rd Dec. 2016 by a vote of 14-0 with the U.S. abstaining, describes Israel’s settlements in the and East as illegal and an obstacle to peace with the . Netanyahu warned countries that backed the measure that they would pay a diplomatic and economic price.

Key words- Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Hamas, Likud, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ismail Haniyeh, West Bank, , UNSC Resolution-2334, Israel’s Settlements.

I. INTRODUCTION Benjamin Netanyahu accused him of staging a “shameless ambush” against his country. Netanyahu The history of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict began warned countries that backed the measure they would with the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. pay a diplomatic and economic price. The President- This conflict came from the inter-communal violence elect of the , Donald Trump, in Mandatory Palestine between Israelis and Arabs has publicly signaled his displeasure at the maneuver from 1920 and erupted into full-scale hostilities in the by the outgoing Obama administration, 1947–48 Civil War. The fresh eruption of this never- and prominent Republicans have called on the U.S. to ending war between the Jews and Muslims began on tie funding for the U.N. to support for Israel. "The July 2, 2014, when Israel unleashed a revenge attack United Nations has such great potential but right now on Palestine in response to the killing of three young it is just a club for people to get together, talk and Jews boys of around Seventeen years of age. Israel have a good time. So sad!" Trump tweeted. has destroyed almost all of Gaza - including killing 16 year old Mohammad Khdeir and arresting nearly II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE: every Hamas leader -- and launched a war, dubbed Operation Protective Edge, which has killed over (1) Rashidul Bari (2015) Palestine and Israel, once 2,000 human lives, most of whom are Arabs. The known as cradle of civilization, have become the hub violence began on July 3, after Hamas leader Ismail of cemeteries in modern times. Their conflict has Haniyeh -- who read Adolph Hitler for inspiration -- shed untold blood and produced graves as far as the deliberately fired rockets into civilian areas of Israel eye can see. The countless tombstones are silent, but to kill as many Jews as possible. Netanyahu pretends the sound of their outcry has carried from the Middle- like he has never heard the names Sadat and Arafat. East to here at New York. The fresh eruption of this It seems as if his motivation does not come from never-ending war between the Jews and Muslims Begin, Peres or Rabin. If it had, he would not drop began on July 2, 2014, when Israel unleashed a bombs on Gaza -- which has caused the death of over revenge attack on Palestine in response to the killing 1,800 civilians, most of whom are women and of three young Jews boys of around Seventeen years children. The Oslo Accords that have guided peace of age. They have destroyed almost all of Gaza -- efforts since 1993 say borders must be determined in including killing 16 year old Mohammad Khdeir and direct negotiations between the parties. arresting nearly every Hamas leader -- and launched a war, dubbed Operation Protective Edge, which has United Nations Security Council Resolution-2334, killed over 2,000 human lives, most of whom are which passed on 23rd Dec. 2016 by a vote of 14-0 Arabs. with the U.S. abstaining, describes Israel’s The next generation of Middle-Eastern youth once settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem as hoped to create a modern and secular Middle-East illegal and an obstacle to peace with the Palestinians. region based on the ideologies espoused by the It was the first time U.S. President Barack Obama quintet of Anwar Sadat, , Yasser declined to block a Security Council resolution that Arafat, Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin, all of whom Israel considered hostile, and Prime Minister were awarded the Nobel Prize for abandoning the

The ISRELI – Palestinian Conflict – A Critical Review

135 International Journal of Management and Applied Science, ISSN: 2394-7926 Volume-3, Issue-1, Jan.-2017 http://iraj.in path of violence in favour of the path of dialogue. It was the first time U.S. President Barack Obama These leaders' desire for peace led to two successful declined to block a Security Council resolution that peace deals: Camp David and the Oslo Accord, where Israel considered hostile, and Prime Minister Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, respectively, invested Benjamin Netanyahu accused him of staging a unsparing effort, untiring energy, and great devotion “shameless ambush” against his country. Netanyahu in the peace making process. However, instead of warned countries that backed the measure they would embracing the sprint of this quintet and their two pay a diplomatic and economic price. godfathers, the duo of Benjamin Netanyahu and Ismail Haniyeh are busy trying to destroy each other Many UN member states already contend Israeli via a bloody war. Now, the question is simple: who is settlements violate the Fourth Geneva Convention’s responsible for this war? The answer is even simpler: rules for administering occupied territory. After the many people, including the leadership of the trio, 1967 war, the Security Council passed Resolution Netanyahu, Haniyeh and Barack Obama. 242 calling on the Israeli armed forces to withdraw from land occupied in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, The violence began on July 3, after Hamas leader Gaza Strip and Golan Heights. Ismail Haniyeh -- who read Adolph Hitler for inspiration -- deliberately fired rockets into civilian The Jewish people have historical and religious ties to areas of Israel to kill as many Jews as possible. the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and Israel says Hamas' motivation should have come from Anwar ownership of the territories, captured from Jordan, is Sadat's pluralist philosophy, which he delivered in his disputed. It notes that Resolution 242 doesn’t call on Nobel Prize acceptance speech. Hamas' motivation it to retreat from “all” territories occupied outside its should also have come from Arafat, who claimed that earlier boundary, known as the , and there were more than four forces in the universe -- the recognizes the right of every state in the area to live last one is the force of peace --which were born in within “secure” boundaries. Palestinians and their Oslo in 1993. He referred the Oslo Accord as the supporters already are trying to haul Israeli officials infant of peace. That being said, those on the other before the International Criminal Court in The side of the border are no angels, either. Hague; the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement is urging consumers, artists, universities, Netanyahu pretends like he has never heard the corporations and others to cut ties with Israel; and the names Sadat and Arafat. It seems as if his EU already requires member states to label products motivation does not come from Begin, Peres or from beyond the Green Line distinctively. Resolution Rabin. If it had, he would not drop bombs on Gaza -- 2334 is likely to give a tailwind to those efforts. It which has caused the death of over 1,800 civilians, could also “open a venue for the Palestinians in the most of whom are women and children. Who is the future to go on with their case” against Israel at the winner in Israel's violence against Gaza? The answer ICC, said Mkhaimar Abusada, a Palestinian political is simple: evil men like Syrian President Bashar al- scientist at Gaza’s Al-Azhar University. Assad and terrorist organisations like Hamas. In fact, this has given Assad a reprieve, because the The Oslo Accords that have guided peace efforts aggression taking place in is now getting little since 1993 say borders must be determined in direct press due to Israel's aggression against Gaza. negotiations between the parties. Prejudging that the Netanyahu's Zionist approach has also given Hamas West Bank and East Jerusalem are occupied the opportunity to exploit the Arab youth. Once Palestinian territory “is not compatible with the call again, they find it thrilling to dream of rockets falling for a return to negotiations that also appears in this on Israel. resolution,” said Ambassador Alan Baker, a former Unlike Netanyahu and Haniyeh, Obama is a Nobel legal adviser to the Israeli Foreign Ministry and now laureate. He should be able to understand the peace an international lawyer at the Jerusalem Center for message of the quintet better than the duo. In fact, he Public Affairs. In any case, talks have been frozen should not only use this recent violence to put his since 2014 and aren’t set to resume anytime soon. Cairo speech into action but also to prove that the “Palestinians have really lost hope that bilateral Norwegian Nobel Committee did not choose the negotiations will bring an end to the Israeli wrong person in 2009 to spread the philosophies of occupation,” Gaza’s Abusada said the quintet, that we need to leave behind us the era of belligerence and stride together toward peace. (3) Dan Balilty (2016): Israel has summoned the ambassadors of United Nations Security Council (2) Jonathan Ferziger & Michael Arnold (2016) member states that voted in favour of a resolution United Nations Security Council Resolution-2334, condemning settlement activity, a foreign ministry which passed on 23rd Dec. 2016 by a vote of 14-0 spokesman said. By way of rebuke of the vote, with the U.S. abstaining, describes Israel’s Israel's defence minister Avigdor Lieberman also settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem as announced on Sunday that Israel was cutting civilian illegal and an obstacle to peace with the Palestinians. coordination with Palestinians. Foreign ministry

The ISRELI – Palestinian Conflict – A Critical Review

136 International Journal of Management and Applied Science, ISSN: 2394-7926 Volume-3, Issue-1, Jan.-2017 http://iraj.in spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said that the 14 Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east envoys of UN Security Council members will visit Jerusalem a violation of international law. the ministry in Jerusalem throughout the day. The United States' envoy was not summoned. Kerry, unveiling a six-part outline of what a future Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had peace deal could look like, deviated from the rejected the resolution as a " shameful blow against traditional US message that foreign powers shouldn't Israel ", repeated on Sunday the Israeli claim that US impose a solution. His outline tracked closely with president Barack Obama and secretary of state John principles long assumed to be part of an eventual Kerry were behind the resolution. After the passage deal, and Kerry insisted he was merely describing of the UN Resolution, Israeli Army radio reported what's emerged as points of general agreement. that Lieberman ordered Israeli security establishment to cease to all cooperation on civilian matters with the III. FINDINGS Palestinians, while retaining security coordination. The measures taken on Sunday join Netanyahu's 1. The US, the Palestinians and most of the world order to review engagements at the United Nations, oppose Israeli settlement construction in the including funding for UN agencies and the presence West Bank and east Jerusalem, territories of its representatives in Israel. captured by Israel in 1967 and claimed by the Palestinians for an independent state. But Israel's (4) Curt Mills (2016): The Israeli government has government argues previous construction freezes reacted swiftly and severely to the Friday passage of failed to advance a peace deal and that the future a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning of the settlements — now home to 600,000 settlements. The measure passed 14-0. The Israelis — must be resolved in direct talks government has curtailed "working ties" with the 14 between Israelis and Palestinians. While Israel's countries on the council who voted for the measure, Arab population has citizenship rights, the including China, the United Kingdom, Russia and roughly 2.5 million Palestinians living in the France, all veto members on the council. Prime occupied West Bank do not. Israel has annexed Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not meet with the east Jerusalem, where Palestinians have foreign ministers of those countries and their residency rights but few have citizenship, in a ambassadors will not be received at Israel's foreign move not internationally recognized. ministry, two senior Israeli officials told CNN. The fifth veto member, the United States, which 2. United Nations Security Council Resolution- has traditionally shielded Israel on the Security 2334, which passed on 23rd Dec. 2016 by a vote Council, abstained in the vote, ensuring its passage. of 14-0 with the U.S. abstaining, describes Netanyahu will not treat the U.S. the same as the Israel’s settlements in the West Bank and East other countries but remarked that "friends don't take Jerusalem as illegal and an obstacle to peace with friends to the security council" and summoned the the Palestinians. It was the first time U.S. U.S. ambassador to Israel, Daniel Shapiro, to a President Barack Obama declined to block a Sunday meeting. Security Council resolution that Israel considered hostile, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu The President-elect of the United States, Donald accused him of staging a “shameless ambush” Trump, has publicly signaled his displeasure at the against his country. Netanyahu warned countries maneuver by the outgoing Obama administration, that backed the measure they would pay a and prominent Republicans have called on the U.S. to diplomatic and economic price. tie funding for the U.N. to support for Israel. "The United Nations has such great potential but right now 3. The council passed the measure on Friday after it is just a club for people to get together, talk and the US abstained, enabling the adoption of the have a good time. So sad!" Trump tweeted. first resolution since 1979 to condemn Israel over its settlement policy. The resolution demands (5) John Kerry tears into Israel over settlements "Israel immediately and completely cease all (2016): US secretary of state John Kerry tore into settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian Israel on Wednesday for settlement-building, territory, including east Jerusalem". It says accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuof settlements have "no legal validity" and are dragging Israel away from democracy and forcefully "dangerously imperiling the viability of the two- rejecting the notion that America had abandoned state solution." Israel with a controversial UN vote. Netanyahu accused the Obama administration of a biased bid to 4. For Israel, the new resolution reflects a profound blame Israel for failure to reach a peace deal. The change in international opinion: “Those who diplomatic fracas erupted last week when the US, in a rigidly insist that Israel cannot lay a single brick departure from past policy, decided to abstain rather in the areas beyond the Green Line are implying than veto a UN Security Council resolution calling that there will be no Israeli presence at the end of

The ISRELI – Palestinian Conflict – A Critical Review

137 International Journal of Management and Applied Science, ISSN: 2394-7926 Volume-3, Issue-1, Jan.-2017 http://iraj.in the day in those territories, and that’s a major Israel's security and harm its good name," shift from 242,” said Dore Gold, a former Israeli Lieberman said. "This might also be the time to ambassador to the UN and now president of the tell French Jews – that is not your country, that is Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. not your land. Leave France and come to Israel." 5. Netanyahu has declared that Israel will not abide France swiftly rejected Lieberman's statement by the terms of the resolution. For the Tuesday, with foreign ministry officials saying Palestinians, Resolution 2334 is “a moral victory that the January 15th meeting was being held to and a symbolic victory, but at the end of the day reaffirm the international community's nothing is really going to change on the ground commitment to a two-state solution to the Israeli- and Israel will continue with its settlement Palestinian conflict. construction,” Abusada said. Nearly 600,000 Jews now live in the West Bank and parts of CONCLUSION Jerusalem beyond the 1967 boundary. Netanyahu called the resolution “shameful, reckless and 1. According to the spirit of Camp David and the destructive” and said he looks forward to Oslo Accord, there can be three solutions to end working with the Trump administration and this never-ending war: (i) First solution - a one- allies in Congress to mitigate the damage. state solution, which would erase the borders and 6. While the resolution contains no sanctions, put Israelis and Palestinians together in one Israeli officials are concerned it could widen the equal, pluralistic state as the integration possibility of prosecution at the International dissolved the conflict between blacks and whites Criminal Court. They are also worried it could in America. This is possible in principle but encourage some countries to impose sanctions impossible in practice simply because every Jew against Israeli settlers and goods produced in the knows that Palestinians would very soon settlements. outnumber them. (ii) The second solution is the bloody alternative: complete destruction of one 7. Right-wing public security minister, Gilad Erdan, state. This conflict could end if one side said that Israel should "announce a full completely vanquished the other, a complete annexation of settlement blocs" in response to destruction. However, not all Israelis would the resolution. Education minister Naftali agree with this view because it will Bennett of the far-right Jewish Home told army generate catastrophic abuse of human rights. This radio that his party would "soon propose a bill to option is preferred by extremists like Hamas, but annex Maale Adumim", a settlement city east of they are not strong enough to destroy Israel Jerusalem. anyway. If they could, they would have destroyed Israel a long time ago. So, although 8. reported that Israel is Hamas prefers this option, it is impossible for it already moving to act in further defiance of the to implement it. (iii) The third option, a two- resolution, with Jerusalem's municipal state solution, is a brain child of Camp David and government signaling that it intends to approve Oslo Accord. It would allow for both Israelis and 600 housing units in the predominantly Palestinians to have their own independent states. Palestinian eastern section of the city, "in what a Many people advocate for this solution, top official called a first installment on 5,600 including the quintet and their two godfathers. new homes." 2. Israel needs to stop its expansionist policy in the Palestinian territory. It must agree to give the 9. Palestinian leadership hopes that the Palestinians at least the non-Jewish parts of resolution lays the groundwork to end the Israeli Jerusalem as their future capital. It must also settlements. According to them, the resolution permanently lift the siege of the Gaza Strip, proves that the world rejects the settlements, as which has essentially imprisoned 1.7 million they are illegal, in their occupied land including Palestinians in a narrow tract of land. Of course, east Jerusalem. They further hope that an in return, Palestinians need to recognize Israel's upcoming Middle East conference in Paris . They should also realize the will set a timetable to end settlements. prophecy of Arafat, that the children of Arabs and Jews shall play together and compete to pick 10. The Middle East Conference to be held in Paris flowers, and they should compete to win math (France) on 15th January, 2017 has been and science competitions rather than compete to condemned by senior Israeli leadership, kill each other. In the same fashion, the including Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, motivation for the Jewish people, as one of the who called the conference a "tribunal" against generation of the Holocaust and Redemption, Israel and urged French Jews to emigrate. "This should come from Menachem Begin's Nobel is really just a tribunal against the state of Israel. Prize speech: “Every child of Arab and Jewish This is a summit whose entire goal is to damage descent is born free and equal, in dignity and

The ISRELI – Palestinian Conflict – A Critical Review

138 International Journal of Management and Applied Science, ISSN: 2394-7926 Volume-3, Issue-1, Jan.-2017 http://iraj.in rights. They are endowed with reason and countries must fully recognize each other, ensure conscience and should act towards one another in access to religious sites and relinquish all other a spirit of brotherhood.” existing claims. 3. Without the values of the prophecies of the 5. But two-state solution is the best available option quintet, the two-state solutions that we dream of for both the side, especially for Jews, as growing are jeopardized. Solving the never-ending Israeli- Arab population in Israel and the Palestinian Palestine conflict by creating two nation-states territories will eventually make Jews a minority and integrating Jews and Muslims through the in Israel, creating a demographic crisis for Israel spirit of the quintet and their two godfathers unless there's a separate Palestinian state. would not only remove much of the motivation for terrorism around the world, but also cut the REFERENCES violence in half. 4. It is a difficult task to give details about how to [1] Rashidul Bari (2015) “A solution to Israel and Palestine get to such a deal of two-states. Keeping in mind conflict”, The Daily Star, 8th March, 2015 the failure of so many previous attempts, one can [2] Jonathan Ferziger & Michael Arnold(2016) “What UN Vote on Israeli Settlements Means -and What’s Next”, only urge Israelis and Palestinians to take Bloomberg, 26th December 2016. "realistic steps on the ground now" to begin [3] Dan Balilty (2016) “Israel summons 14 ambassadors after separating themselves into two states. A future UN settlement vote”, Aljazeera, 25th December, 2016 deal would have to ensure secure borders for [4] Curt Mills (2016) “ Israel Curtails working ties with 12 th Israel and a Palestinian state formed in territories Nations”, US News & World Report, 27 Dec, 2016 Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war, with [5] “In parting shot, John Kerry tears into Israel over settlements” Times of India World, 29th Dec, 2016 "mutually agreed, equivalent swaps." Both

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