What is happening between Israel and the Palestinians?
Conflict has escalated in recent days
Last updated 24th May 2022
Violence has once again broken out between Israel and the Palestinians after a month of rising tension.
The threatened evictions of Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem and Israel’s Jerusalem Day celebrations have both contributed to rising tensions.
Palestinian group Hamas launched rockets into Israel this week after clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians.
The conflict and tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, however, goes back a long way.
Here's some information about what is happening and the history behind it:
When did it all begin?
Tension between Israel and the Palestinians is nothing new.
The problems began around 100-years ago, when, in the aftermath of WW1, Britain took control of the area known as Palestine.
Palestine was home to a Jewish minority and an Arab majority, however there was tension over who had rights to the land.
The number of Jewish people moving to Palestine increased between 1920 and 1950, with many escaping persecutions in Europe and others hoping to start a new life after the Holocaust in a Jewish ‘homeland’.
Eventually, in 1947, the UN voted to divide Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states. The plan however was rejected by Arab leaders and never put into action.
Instead in 1948, Jewish leaders declared the creation of the state Israel, angering many Palestinians and sparking war, which led to many Palestinians being forced out of their homes.
The war ended in Israel controlling much of the territory, while Jordan and Egypt also occupied areas.
Much of today’s problem lies in the fact there was never a peace agreement to end the war, and instead both sides continued to blame each other, resulting in more wars and conflict over the course of the following decades.
How is the land divided today and who owns Jerusalem?
The land division today is complicated and ever changing.
Israel claims the entirety of Jerusalem as its capital, but Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as their capital.
Israel’s claim to Jerusalem is recognised by the USA, however this is somewhat controversial as many countries do not recognise its claim on the land.
Most Palestinian refugees currently live in Gaza and the West Bank, or in surrounding Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
Israel claims to no longer occupy the Gaza Strip, which is currently ruled by Palestinian militant group Hamas. However the UN continue to recognise Israel as the official occupiers due to the fact they control the Gaza Strip airspace and territorial waters.
Meanwhile, both Israel and the Palestinians claim rights to the West Bank.
Is Palestine a state?
Yes, Palestine is recognised as a state by the UN.
However, all of the territory claimed by the State of Palestine has been occupied since 1948 by Egypt, Jordan and Israel.
What’s the situation now?
While the Palestinian group Hamas rules Gaza, Israel and Egypt control the borders, and therefore control what goes in and out of Gaza, including food and weapons.
Palestinians say they are suffering because of the restrictions imposed by Israel, while Israel says it imposes these restrictions to protect itself against violence from the Palestinian side.
What are the main problems today?
The main problems still stem from the fact that the two sides cannot reach a peaceful agreement.
Issues include:
- What should happen to Palestinian refugees
- What should happen with Jerusalem and whether the two sides should share the city
- Whether a territorial state of Palestine should be created alongside Israel
How bad is the conflict at the moment?
Violence from both sides has resulted in the deaths of at least 83 people in Gaza including 17 children and 7 people in Israel since this escalation of the conflict began. An additional 480 people have been injured in Gaza.
Palestinians have been firing rockets into Israel, while Israel has carried out air raids in Gaza, killing senior officials of the Palestinian Hamas Militant group.
What have world leaders said about the conflict?
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: “I am urging Israel and the Palestinians to step back from the brink and for both sides to show restraint. The UK is deeply concerned by the growing violence and civilian casualties and we want to see an urgent de-escalation of tensions.”
Meanwhile the UN Secretary-General said that de-escalation of conflict was essential “to protect the lives of civilians that are now dying in totally unacceptable circumstances”.