History - Palestine Aid

THE HISTORY OF PALESTINE

1917: Balfour Declaration

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict traces its roots back nearly a century to World War I. During this time, Britain, under the Balfour Declaration, promised to establish a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine. This followed the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, which had ruled the region for over 400 years. British troops took control of the territory from the Ottoman Empire at the end of October 1917.

1947: UN Partition Plan

The United Nations proposes partitioning Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem under international control. Palestinians reject the plan, seeing it as unfair and a denial of their right to self-determination.

1948: Nakba (Catastrophe)

Following the declaration of the State of Israel, war breaks out between the new state and neighbouring Arab countries. Over 750,000 Palestinians are displaced or flee their homes, leading to a large-scale refugee crisis.

1949-1966: Refugee Crisis

Palestinian refugees are scattered settle in camps across the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. The right of return becomes a central issue for Palestinians.

1967: Six-Day War

Israel captures the West Bank, Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem, and other territories. Palestinians living in these areas come under Israeli military occupation, which continues to this day. A further 300,000 Palestinians are forced to flee their homes and become refugees. The aftermath of the Six-Day war is known as the ‘Naksa’, or the setback to Palestinians.

1968: Formation of the PLO

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) is established, aiming to create an independent Palestinian state. It becomes the primary representative body of the Palestinian people.

1987-1993: First Intifada

Intifada in Arabic means to ‘shake off’. At the time, illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip had been spreading, while Palestinians struggled economically which prompted a mass Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation, following more than two decades of harsh occupation. The intifada involves widespread protests, civil disobedience, and clashes with Israeli forces.

On December 8, 1987, an Israeli vehicle crash in Gaza resulted in the deaths of four Palestinians. This incident sparked riots in Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp, marking the beginning of the first Intifada. The uprising quickly spread to the occupied West Bank, met by an Israeli crackdown widely condemned internationally for its excessive violence. The UN Security Council condemned the Israeli government’s actions.

During the first Intifada, over 100 Israelis were killed by Palestinians, while Israeli forces killed at least 1,000 Palestinians. The years-long uprising eventually concluded with an agreement that some viewed as an outright surrender.

1993: Oslo Accords

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin signed the Oslo Accords, establishing a framework for peace and the creation of the Palestinian Authority (PA). The PA is given limited self-governance in parts of the West Bank and Gaza.

A second agreement in 1995 divided the occupied West Bank into three parts – Area A, B and C. The Palestinian Authority was offered only limited rule on 18 percent of the land as Israel effectively continued to control the West Bank.

2000-2005: Second Intifada

Frustration and anger had been steadily rising among Palestinians for years due to the successive Israeli governments’ refusal to honour the Oslo Accords and end the occupation. This simmering tension erupted into the Second Intifada, known by Palestinians as the al-Aqsa Intifada, after Ariel Sharon, then the Israeli opposition leader, visited the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem with over 1,000 heavily armed police and soldiers on September 28, 2000.

This provocative act ignited widespread outrage among Palestinians, who were also commemorating the anniversary of the 1982 Sabra and Shatila massacre, a tragedy for which Sharon had been held responsible for failing to prevent the bloodshed during Israel’s invasion of Lebanon.

2005: Gaza Disengagement

In what Israel called the “disengagement” from Gaza, some 8,000 Israelis living in illegal settlements in Gaza were pulled out of the Strip.

Israel claims that its occupation of Gaza ceased since it pulled its troops and settlers from the territory, but international law views Gaza as occupied territory since Israel has full control over Gaza’s borders, airspace, and maritime access.

2006: Hamas Election Victory

Hamas, an Islamist political and militant group, won general elections and seized power in a violent conflict with its rival, Fatah, after the latter refused to recognise the outcome of the vote. Since Hamas’ rise to power in 2007, Israel has severely intensified its siege.

2007: Gaza Split

Hamas takes control of Gaza following violent clashes with Fatah. The Palestinian territories become politically divided, with Hamas governing Gaza and the Palestinian Authority governing parts of the West Bank.

2008-2009: Gaza War

Israel launches a three-week major military assault in Gaza (Operation Cast Lead). More than 1,400 Palestinians were killed, including over 300 children as well as over 5,000 injuries. It was during this assault that evidence had shown Israel to be unlawfully using white phosphorus in urban populated areas. White phosphorus is a wax-like, toxic substance that burns at more than 800 degrees Celsius (nearly 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit) – high enough to melt metal.

2012: UN Status Upgrade

The UN General Assembly votes to upgrade Palestine’s status to a “non-member observer state.” This is seen as a symbolic victory for Palestinian statehood aspirations.

Operation ‘Pillar of Defense’: Israel launches another major military assault in Gaza. 150 Palestinians were killed, including 30 children. Despite lasting only one week, over 120 homes were destroyed and a further 2,050 damaged. Civilian infrastructure including places of worship, schools and health facilities were also destroyed.

2014: Operation ‘Protective Edge’

Israel launches yet another major military assault in Gaza. 2,100 Palestinians were killed, including 571 children as well as 11,200 injuries – 3,000 of whom were children. Half a million Palestinians in Gaza were displaced.

2017: US Recognition of Jerusalem, as Israel’s capital

The US recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moves its embassy there. Palestinians see this as a severe blow to their claims to East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state.

2018: Great March of Return

Palestinians in Gaza begin weekly protests along the Israeli border, demanding the right of return for refugees and an end to the blockade. The protests are met with lethal force from Israeli troops. Over 250 demonstrators were killed as well as over 30,000 injuries. Medical workers were also killed whilst attempting to carry out their duties tending to the injured.

2020: Normalisation Agreements

Several Arab countries, including Morocco, the UAE and Bahrain, normalise relations with Israel. Palestinians view these agreements as a betrayal of their cause.

2021: Jerusalem Clashes and Gaza Conflict

Clashes in East Jerusalem, particularly around the Al-Aqsa Mosque with the Israeli military beating worshippers, lead to another intense conflict between Israel and Hamas. The conflict results in significant casualties and damage, particularly in Gaza.

2022-2024: Ongoing Struggle

On 7 October 2023, the Israeli military launched an all-out bombardment across Gaza, hitting homes, hospitals, clinics, schools and essential infrastructure. This has resulted in mass casualties and destruction of civilian infrastructure. The death continues to mount in the thousands as well as 2023 being designated as the ‘deadliest year’ for Palestinians in the West Bank. The health sector in Gaza has all but collapsed with a few facilities barely functioning, following the destruction of most hospitals in the strip. Famine has set into the north of Gaza, whereby malnutrition has become a threat.

A total siege remains in place with little aid entering the Gaza Strip as an unprecedented humanitarian crisis continues to spiral out of control. International condemnation and calls for an immediate ceasefire continue to fall on deaf ears, as Israel is called out for carrying out a genocide.