Conclusion

Hey readers,

   Thanks so much for taking the time to read my blog. I hope it has given you insight on the conflict between Israel and Palestine. I have found the study of the conflict to be very interesting, and the “solutions” to the conflict to be even more fascinating. I hope that one day soon, the conflict will end. Terrorism is never the way to solve a problem, and the use of state terrorism will only lead to war.
    I also hope that from my blog you can make an educated decision on who to support. The most important obligation a citizen has to his/her own country is political involvement. So be an activist and help make not only your country but other countries a safe and prosperous place to live.

Thanks for reading,
Olivia

The Gaza Strip

     The Gaza Strip is a piece of land between Israel and Egypt. It houses 1.5 million Palestinians and is in a volatile situation. The Gaza Strip was taken over by HAMAS in June 2007 through terrorism and bombs. Since then, Israel has been mending the Gaza Strip and has enforced a blockade to gain political authority in the area. The large population is now relying on less than a quarter of the supplies once available to them before the blockade. The United Nations does not support this blockade, but it still continues today.
     I urge you to get involved! Send letters to your government asking for political intervention. The people in the Gaza Strip need aid, and our country must give it to them! Also, we must help the Israeli refugees trapped in the strip. It is not acceptable to stand by and let acts of terrorism and political violence hurt innocent people.

The Gaza Strip. (2009, January 6). BBC News . Retrieved June 10, 2011, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5122404.stm

America: Whose Side are you on?

    Traditionally, the United States have supported Israel’s establishment in Palestine. But as the years pass, America’s role in the conflict is becoming skewed. The United States officially supports Israel, but since the establishment of the nation-state, America has had to stay on the defensive to protect the liberty of the people. This is becoming a problem because once again America has to exert influence in a conflict that is not its own. As American ideals are slowly shifting from traditional to modern, the United States and Israel are becoming distant.

  Publically America still supports Israel. The United States, one of the 5 members of the Security Council in the United Nations, have promised to use their Veto power if Palestine asks to be recognized in the General Assembly. This is a major contribution the United States under Obama’s rule is making. This means that although 112 nations in the General Assembly already recognize Palestine as a state, Palestine is not considered influential enough on an international level- supported by America.

 Obama still recognizes the wrongdoings of the Israel people. The United States are presently campaigning for Israel to stop their rising settlements in Palestine land and adhere to the territorial agreements of 1967. Israeli leaders are utterly opposed to this suggestion, and they believe that the strict territorial laws are out dated and need to be re-examined.

   Although President Obama does not completely accept Israel’s actions, he still publically supports the Jewish population. But why are Israel and the United States so tightly allied? Well, America has been allied with Israel for 60 years and Obama knows that he can exert American influence in the country. This means that the United States can spread democracy in the Middle East, which is imperative for expanding the strength of America. Israel is reliable and dedicated to America, which is important because of many anti-American governments and organizations in the Middle East. Similarly, Israel proves to be of strategic importance. The American public is very willing to protect Israel too, which may be because of the large Jewish representation in the United States.

Heres Obama's speech:

Do you think that his plan will help the crisis? Please send your feedback!

Edith, L. (2011, May 27). No UN membership for Palestine without Security Council support. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved June 10, 2011, from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/africa-mideast/no-un-membership-for-palestine-without-security-council-support/article2037682/

Fried, S. D. (2007, October 24). Why the U.S. and Israel Are Strong Allies. The Tech. Retrieved June 10, 2011, from http://tech.mit.edu/V127/N48/fried.html

Koring, P., & Martin, P. (2011, May 19). Obama urges Israeli adherence to 1967 borders as basis for Palestinian state. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved June 10, 2011, from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/americas/obama-urges-israeli-adherence-to-1967-borders-as-basis-for-palestinian-state/article2028328/ 

Talk to HAMAS?

  As I stated early, HAMAS is an military organization of the Islamic resistance movement in the Gaza strip. They can be considered a terrorist organization and Harper and Obama both refuse to recognize their legitimacy.   I was reading the Globe and Mail online, and I found a really interesting article. The article states that any viewer can email HAMAS about the Israel-Palestine conflict and ask questions regarding the subject. I would reccomend anyone to read this article and maybe send in a question!


Heres the link:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/africa-mideast/hamas/the-globe-and-mail-talked-to-hamas-now-its-your-turn/article2053714/
"Send questions for Hamas to foreign@globeandmail.com with "Ask Hamas" as the subject. A selection will be answered by senior Hamas official Ahmed Yousef, an adviser to Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas's prime minister for the Gaza Strip. Check back for the answers, starting Monday." 


  I hope this clears up any questions you have about HAMAS and the conflict!

The Globe and Mail Talked to Hamas, Now it's Your Turn.(2011, June
  9).The Globe and Mail. Retrieved June 10, 2011, from
  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/africa-mideast/hamas/th
  -globe-and-mail-talked-to-hamas-now-its-your-turn/article2053714/

Whose Responsible?

   I have examined the conflict that has been prevalent in Israel through its cause, objective, and effect. But the question remains: can the Arab community place blame on one single individual for the disruption of peace in Palestine, and who really initiated the conflict? There are 3 possible people:

1)      Theodore Herzl

-Herzl founded Zionism in 1869 which was a political solution in finding a Jewish state.
-His ideas encouraged the migration of Jews to Palestine and influenced the creation of the Balfour Declaration.

2)      Arthur Balfour

-Balfour wrote a letter in 1917 (later to be known as the Balfour Declaration) urging the British government to establish a Jewish state in Israel.
-After the fall of the Ottoman Empire after WWI, Britain had control of Palestine, and the government became committed to the founding of Israel through Balfour’s letter.

3)      Adolf Hitler

-Hitler’s mass execution of the Jewish community left millions of people homeless.
-After his defeat, many Jewish people remained homeless and returned to the holy land for refuge.
-This mass immigration initiated the response of the UN to declare Israel as a state.

   As you can see, there are many different causes which created the conflict. The Jewish community has been persecuted throughout history, and their nomadic lifestyle led the ethnic group to be nation less. Through the commitment of devout Jewish figures, The Jewish community was able to successfully establish a Jewish state. However, this ultimately created the conflict with Palestine. In my opinion, all the events (from Jewish persecution to the United Nations Patrician Plan) preceding the conflicts are responsible for the crisis between Israel and Palestine.
  
TimeLine of Israeli-Palestinian History and the Arab-Israeli
   Conflict(2008). Middle East Web. Retrieved June 8,2011,from
   www.mideastweb.org/timeline.html

Confused?

    Hey readers! I hope you've been enjoying my posts so far. I urge you to watch this short video that sums up the Israeli-Palestine conflict including everything I've written about from the West Bank Wall to Israeli Settlements! I must warn you, this video is a little bit biased as it does speak about the conflict from a Palestinians point of view, so be aware!

    I personally find this video very eye opening. The video simplifies the conflict while also bringing attention many unknown facts about the Palestinian state. I think that in Canada we are hidden from many truths about the conflict. The United States supports Israel, and thus, the media often does not do indepth reports about the Arab community from a positive perspective. I wanted to put a video about the Palestinians not because I favour the Arab struggle, but rather because I am aware that many of you already know the Israel side of the conflict, but not the opposing opinion. I hope this video helps you understand the conflict better.

Israeli Settlements

   What are Israeli settlements? Well they’re illegal communities of Israeli Jewish community placed on Palestinian land. In Palestine, there are 121 Israeli settlements built illegally and are guarded by military since 1967. These settlements can be found in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Golan. (Golan is the Israeli occupied land that has caused tension with Syria while the West Bank and East Jerusalem have invaded Palestine territory). 462,000 Israeli’s live on the settlement growing at a 5% increase annually. Since peace talks in 2008, settlement construction has increase by 30% which has enraged the Palestine community. Settlements are built on 3% of the West Bank, but due to the West Bank wall, Israel controls approximately 40% of the land.

Heres a picture of the diminishing Two-State solution of Palestine. As you can see, throughout the years Palestines land mass has severly limited:

       Why are settlements such an obstruction? Well they go against international law. Article 49, paragraph 6 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states that it is illegal to export civilian population of the territory it occupies. The UN Security Council states that the settlements are an obstruction of peace and that they must be dismantled and returned to Palestine.  
       Settlements are obstacles of peace; the expansion of settlements means the destruction of Palestinian controlled land. The settlers who take control of the land are often willing to use violence to maintain their lifestyle. In 2008, 112 people were injured due to settlement disputes. Settlements are often created in areas with vital resources and accessible transportation. Speaking of resources, did you know that Israeli settlers consume 240 liters of water per day, compared to the 86 liters available to Palestinians? The recommended minimum is 100 liters and the settlements are disrupting the availability of such an important resource to the Arab community.
      These settlements prove to be the breaking point in Palestinian patience. I personally think that the Israeli community is overstepping their boundaries. Settlements, in my opinion, are just an invasion of land through illegal methods. What is your opinion on Israeli settlements? Are they just justified land grabs or an infliction on human rights? Please comment!  

Israeli Settlements. (2010, March 15). Palestine Monitor, Exposing
     Life Under Occupation. Retrieved June 9, 2011, from
     http://www.palestinemonitor.org/spip/spip.php?article7