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 

Breaking News: Peace? I Don't Think So...

            As I read more and more articles about Israeli relations with Palestine, I have come to notice that riots and protests have not become less violent, but have remained the same increasingly disruptive acts of terrorism for decades. Tensions continue to rise in Israel and Palestine and can be seen through a recent event in Jerusalem.
       As I have stated in earlier posts, neither Israel nor Palestine is willing to give up their right for Jerusalem. On Sunday, June 5, 2011 the Arab community marched over Israel’s border with Syrian backups. This is the second time that the Palestinians have attempted to march across the border of Israel in the past month, which leads me to believe that tensions are only getting worse.
      Why did Syria help? Syria wants Golan, an area currently controlled by Israel, and until the Syrian government has Golan, they will continue anti-Israeli protests. Another possible reason for their involvement is that the government wanted to take media attention off the internal protests within the country.
      Approximately 400 protestors stormed the border and Israeli soldiers shot at the crowd killing 20 people and wounding 325. Israeli officials also used tear gas to break the mob. But what does Israel have to say for this atrocity? The Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the soldiers were using “maximum restraint” to protect the city from the breach that was threatening Israeli safety. And this, in my opinion, could very well be true. But does this justify the murder of 20 people?  
      I believe that this event just proves that the Palestinian community is ready to declare a Palestine state without the influence or cooperation of Israel. Who knows, this conflict could just be the first of many the public will see within the next few years.
Gradstein, L. (2011, June 5). Israeli Troops Battle Protesters in
     Syria, 20 Dead. The Star.com. Retrieved June 9, 2011, from
     http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1003108--israeli-
     troops-battle-protesters-in-syria-20-dead 

Who Wants What?

         Peace talks have been happening for years, but little to no progress has been made to fix the issues at hand. So the question arises: who wants what?
         BBC's Paul Reynolds outlines the desires of Israel, Palestine, and the United States in regards to territories, population, and safety:

Middle East talks: Core issues
Jerusalem
Israel	The Israeli government is unwilling to divide Jerusalem, held to be the political and religious centre of the Jewish people. It stands by the 1980 basic Israeli law that "Jerusalem, complete and united, is the capital of Israel". In the past there has been room for manoeuvre on the margins. In talks in 2000 and 2007, the then Israeli governments proposed exchanging some outlying annexed districts.
Palestinians	The Palestinians want East Jerusalem, which was controlled by Jordan before being captured by the Israelis in 1967, as the capital of a Palestinian state. The Old City contains the third holiest place in Islam, the al-Aqsa mosque, and the Dome of the Rock, from where Mohammed is said to have visited heaven on his winged steed Burak.
United States	The US does not recognise the Israeli annexation of East Jerusalem and maintains its embassy in Tel Aviv. President Barack Obama has opposed the building of housing for Israelis in East Jerusalem though he said before becoming president that dividing the city would be "very difficult to execute".
Borders
Israel	Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepts that there should be a Palestinian state and that there will have to be an Israeli withdrawal from parts at least of the West Bank (captured by Israel in 1967) to accommodate this. Israel has already withdrawn from Gaza. Israel would like the borders to include Jerusalem and the major Israeli settlements that have grown up on the West Bank.
Palestinians	They want the talks to start from the basic position that all the land occupied by Israel in 1967 belongs to a future Palestine. Any land given to the Israelis would have to be compensated for by a balanced land swap.
United States	The US agrees that the starting point but not the end point should be the 1967 lines and that a land swap will have to be the basis of any agreement. It will encourage this.
Settlements
Israel	The Israeli government insists on keeping the major Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Any departure from this would break up the coalition which forms the government. An immediate problem is that an Israeli moratorium on West Bank settlements ran out on 26 September.
Palestinians	Ideally, the Palestinians would like all settlements to be abandoned as they were in Gaza. However, they appear to accept that some will have to stay but they will argue for a minimum number and a land swap for any that are left. They threatened to leave the talks if the Israeli moratorium was ended on 26 September.
United States	As with the annexation of East Jerusalem, the US has not recognised the international legitimacy of the Israeli West Bank settlements. But it accepts their reality and will press for compromise. It is also trying to reach a compromise on the moratorium problem.
Refugees
Israel	Israel rejects the idea that Palestinian refugees from previous wars should be allowed any "right of return" to their former homes. They say that this is a device to destroy the state of Israel by demography in order to re-establish a unitary state of Palestine. For that reason Mr Netanyahu has called for Israel to be recognised as a Jewish state.
Palestinians	Formally, they maintain the "right of return", arguing that without it a great injustice would not be put right. However, there has been regular talk among Palestinians that this "right" could be met by compensation. They refuse to recognise the concept of Israel as a "Jewish state", saying that this is unnecessary and that it ignores the Israeli-Arab citizens of Israel.
United States	The US understands the Israeli refusal to take back refugees and hopes that this can be resolved by compensation and development aid for this whose cannot go back to their previous family homes.
Security
Israel	The Israeli government is afraid that a Palestinian state might one day fall into the hands of Hamas and will be used as a stepping-stone to turning Israel into Palestine. Therefore it is insisting that it keeps a large measure of security control, including in the Jordan Valley, and that a state of Palestine be largely demilitarised.
Palestinians	They argue that security will come from a stable two-state solution not the other way round. They want as many attributes of a normal state as possible. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas fears that client-status would be untenable and open to a Hamas takeover.
United States	The US accepts the Israeli need for security but also the need for Palestinian statehood and reconciling these is the aim of its diplomacy. It is unlikely, however, to recognise a state of Palestine which has not emerged from negotiation.

          Why do I find this to be a very interesting case? Simple: the chart outlines the drastic differences between desires of different states. Each state has their best interest in mind in combination with prejudice. I personally do not think after reading these arguments that a peace treaty could be formed that would make each state appeased. I believe that for a proper peace treaty to be implemented, a war must take place. The victor would be responsible for guaranteeing their states desires be met first. But the idea of war creating peace is very paradoxical. In my opinion, I see the daily struggles between the Arab community and the Jewish community to be a war without an official title. With saying that, I also think that the Israeli-Palestine conflict is a ticking time bomb that will result in a full-blown war. This supposed war will determine the end of the conflict and ultimately be the means, to one of the three countries outlined above, end
Reynolds, P. (n.d.). Middle East peace talks: Where they stand. BBC.
          Retrieved June 8, 2011, from
          http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11138790