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Why in news?

It all started when Hamas, a Palestinian militant group launched a surprise attack on Israel, which has led
to the outbreak of war between Israel and Palestine.

Disputed Territories

• Gaza Strip - Home to 2 million Palestinians, many of them displaced from Israel during the War of
Independence.
• West Bank - It contains 3 million Palestinians, most of them Muslim Arabs and several Jewish holy
sites.
• East Jerusalem - Jerusalem itself is a divided, disputed city.
• It was cut in two after the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.
• Israel controlled the western portion and Jordan controlled the east. Israel captured the entire city in
the 1967 Six-Day War.
City of Jerusalem
• Abrahamic religions- Jerusalem and the areas surrounding it hold importance for 3 major
Abrahamic religions
o Judaism
o Islam and
o Christianity
• Western Wall- The old city of Jerusalem is home to the Western Wall or Wailing Wall, part of the
retaining wall of a hill known as Temple Mount, which is sacred to Judaism and Christianity.

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• Jewish faith- The Wall is the closest that Jews are allowed to get to the Temple Mount platform,
and is the most sacred place in the Jewish faith.
• Al Aqsa- The Western Wall forms a part of the border of the Al Aqsa compound within which is the
mosque that stands at the site from where the Prophet is believed to have ascended to paradise.
• It is considered as the 3rd holiest site in Islam, after the mosques in Mecca and Medina in Saudi
Arabia.

What is the history of Israel Palestine conflict?

• World War I - Palestine was part of the Ottoman Empire home to Arab Muslims, Arab Christians
and Jewish communities.
• In the war, Ottoman Empire fell and the League of Nations mandated Britain to govern Palestine.
• It led to increase in Jewish immigration, which fueled tensions between Jewish settlers and Arab
Palestinian population.
• Balfour declaration - It was issued by the British government in 1917 that endorsed the idea of a
Jewish homeland in Palestine.
• World War II - The support for a
Jewish nation grew significantly in the
aftermath of World War II, as the horrors
of the Nazi Holocaust of Jewish people
came to be fully known.
• UN Partition plan - Due to challenges
in governing colonies, British handed
over the Palestine to UN.
• The partition plan by UN
in 1947, recommended separate Jewish
and Arab states.
• It was accepted by Jewish leaders but
rejected by the Arab leaders.

What is the situation after the independence of Israel?

• Arab Israeli war 1948 - Israel declared statehood in 1948 leading to invasion by neighboring Arab
states, resulting in signing of Armistice Agreements with territorial changes.
• The territory was divided into 3 parts, The Jewish Israel, The Arab West Bank, and Gaza Strip.
• Suez crisis 1956 - Israel, France and UK launched a military campaign against Egypt over
nationalization of Suez Canal.
• During this period, Israel captured Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip but withdrew under international
pressure in 1957.

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• 1967 Six-day war - Israel gained territory including Sinai Peninsula,

Egypt became the
Gaza Strip, West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights (Syria).
1st Arab country to
• 1973 Yom Kippur War - Also known as October War, it began with the conclude a peace
surprise attack by Egypt and Syria on Israel during Yom Kippur, the holiest treaty with Israel
and most solemn day in the Jewish calendar.
• Camp David Accords 1978 - It established the “Framework for Peace in the Middle East” and
brought about the end of simmering conflict between Egypt and Israel.

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What about the Intifadas?

• Intifada (uprising or shaking off in Arabic) refers to sustained period of Palestinian resistance and
protest against Israeli occupation and policies.
• First Intifadas (1987-1993)- It used civil disobedience and non-violent resistance, leading to
international sympathy and recognition.
• Oslo accords- It was the first direct Palestinian- Israeli peace agreement.
o Oslo I (1993)- It established the Palestinian Legislative Council and set the parameters for
the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza over a 5 year period.
o Oslo II (1995)- It included discussion of the future governance of the city of Jerusalem.
• Two state solution is the proposed framework for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by
establishing two states for two peoples.
o Israel for the Jewish people and Palestine for the Palestinian people.
o In 1993, the Israeli government and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) agreed on a
plan to implement this as part of the Oslo Accords, leading to the establishment of the
Palestinian Authority.
• Second Intifadas (2000-2005)- It began after former PM of Israel, Ariel Sharon’s visit to the Al-
Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
• It involved violent acts like suicide bombings and clashes, causing causalities and damages in the West
Bank and Gaza.
What peace initiatives were endorsed in 2000s?

• Arab Peace Initiative (2002) - Arab league endorsed a Saudi Arabia proposal to establish normal
relations with Israel in exchange for an independent Palestinian state.
• It includes withdrawal of Israel from the territories it had occupied in 1967, including the Golan
Heights, Settlement of the Palestinian refugee question, Recognition of East Jerusalem as the capital
of an independent Palestinian state.
• Abraham Accord - It was signed in 2020 by UAE, Bahrain and Israel mediated by USA to normalize
ties between Arab Gulf states and Israel.
• Middle East Peace Plan - Also called as the Peace to Prosperity: A Vision to Improve the Lives of
the Palestinian and Israeli People, it was announced by USA in 2020.
• It did not materialize, as there was difference of opinions.
What was the recent conflict?

Attacks On Gaza

• In the Gaza war or Operation Cast Lead, Israel launched a widespread aerial
Operation Cast
bombing campaign, targeting more than 100 locations in the densely-populated
Lead (2008)
Gaza Strip.

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• In 2012, Israel killed Ahmed Jabari, chief of Hamas' military wing in Gaza, in a
targeted air strike.
Operation Pillar
• Hamas responded by firing a barrage of rockets at nearby Israeli towns.
of Defense (2012)
• Israel then embarked on an 8 day military offensive on Gaza called Operation Pillar
of Defense.
• Israel's Operation Protective Edge was launched with extensive air raids and
Operation
artillery strikes on the Gaza.
Protective Edge
• The Israeli military launched a ground invasion of Gaza, saying it aimed to stop
(2014)
rocket fire and destroy tunnels leading into Israel.

• 2023 war - The Hamas group launched surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 and breached
their renowned Iron Dome defense system.
• Reasons - No movement on the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks for several years.
• Israeli government has talked of allowing the expansion of Jewish settlements on Palestinian land,
and of the possibility of annexing part of the West Bank
• Growing perception in Palestinian society that Israel’s diplomatic recognition and political acceptance
is on the rise.

Hamas

• It is the largest Palestinian militant Sunni Islamist group formed during first Intifada in 1987.
• Hamas is one of the two main political parties of Palestine. It came up as a more militant alternative
amidst failure of the Palestinian Liberation Movement to make real gains.
• It has controlled Gaza since winning elections in 2006, then wresting militarily control from
another leadership group in 2007.
• It is committed to the destruction of Israel and is considered a terrorist group by the U.S., the U.K.
and other nations.
• Currently, it governs the Gaza strip and was responsible for sparking the most recent escalation.

Hezbollah

• It is a Shiite Islamic militant organisation from Lebanon.

• Origin - During the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990)
• Cause of origin - Discontent with presence of armed Palestinian in Lebanon and inspiration from
theocratic Islamic government of Iran in 1979.
• Funding and Training - Iran and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
• Conflict with Israel - Israeli forces invaded southern Lebanon in 1978 and again in 1982 to expel
Palestinian guerrilla fighters. It fought a war with Israel in 2006.

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Iron Dome

• Developed by - The state-owned

Rafael Advanced Defence Systems
with the backing of the United
States during 2006 Israeli-Lebanon
war.
• Operational – It became
operational in 2011.
• On reaching within 10 metres of
target, laser-controlled
fuse, activates and blasts the
missile with shrapnel.

Features 3 Main Systems

• Short range • Detection and tracking radar - To spot any incoming threats
• Ground-to-air defence • Battle management and weapon control system (BMC) - It
• Laser Controlled Fuse basically coordinates between the radar and the interceptor missile.
• Tamir interceptor missiles • Missile Firing Unit - Neutralise any rockets or missiles.
Iron dome is capable of being used in all weather conditions, including during the day and night.
Targets
• Rockets, artillery & mortars (C-RAM).
• Aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Other systems of Israel
• David’s Sling and Arrow - To identify and eliminate medium-and long-range threats like drones
and planes.
• Arrow-3 - It was designed to intercept and counter ballistic missiles outside the atmosphere of the
earth.

What is India’s stand on Israel Palestine conflict?

• Post-independence - Both Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi vowed to support the
Palestinian cause as they rejected the idea of two nations based on religion.
• Regarding Israel - India announced its recognition of Israel on 1950 and established diplomatic
relations in 1992.
India was one of the last non-
• India voted against UN Res.181 (II) in 1947, which partitioned
Muslim states to recognize
Mandatory Palestine between Jews and Palestinian Arabs. India
Israel, and the first non-Arab
also voted against Israel’s admission for UN.
state to recognize the PLO

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• Regarding PLO - In 1975, India recognised Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) as the sole and
legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
• Cold war dynamics - The end of the Cold War weakened the Non-Aligned Movement and reduced
the ideological hostility towards Israel.
• Kargil war - Israel supported India with arms during the Operation Ajay was launched by
Kargil conflict in 1999. the Indian government to repatriate

• 2023 war - India believes in its long-standing support for Indians from Israel and Palestine
through special chartered flights
the establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable
state of Palestine.
• India has expressed its support for Israel condemning the terrorist attack by Hamas.

• UN Resolution - The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) voted in October 2023 on a
resolution calling for an immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce in the hostilities.
• India was amongst 45 countries that abstained from the voting.
• India has traditionally been a supporter of Palestinian rights and the recent abstain was considered
a break from the past.

What are the recent developments?

• Use of white phosphorus - Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have accused the
Israel Defense Forces of using white phosphorus munitions in Gaza and Lebanon.
• Hospital bombing - Israeli forces raided Gaza’s Al-Shifa Hospital after laying siege of the enclave’s
largest medical facility for days.
• Agreement - The two sides have agreed to a four-day pause in fighting, but Israel has made it clear
that it is not ending the war.
What lies ahead?

• The normalization of Israel and Palestine cannot take hold truly, unless past annexations and other
points of concern are not resolved.
• For a lasting peace and stability in the region, their focus must turn to finding a solution to the
question of Palestine.
• India needs to engage with all sides in the complex West Asian region as 90-lakh strong Indian
community in the region and connectivity to West Asia and Europe.

Mahatma Gandhi’s stand on Jewish nation state in Palestine

• Gandhi wrote an article ‘Jews’ in Harijan newspaper where he deeply sympathized for the Jewish people
who had historically been unjustly persecuted for their religion.
• Untouchables- They have been the untouchables of Christianity. The parallel between their treatment
by Christians and the treatment of untouchables by Hindus is very close.

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• Mahatma declared that for the cause of humanity and to prevent the persecution of the Jewish people,
even a war with Germany would be “completely justified”.
• But he did not support the creation of Jewish state in Palestine as
• Palestine was already home to Arab Palestinians and the settlement of Jews, which Britain actively
enabled was fundamentally violent.
• The idea of a Jewish homeland was fundamentally antithetical towards their fight for greater rights
elsewhere in the world.
• Influence on India’s foreign policy- Gandhi’s opinions, and his own anti-imperialism had a
profound impact on Jawaharlal Nehru, and was responsible for shaping the nascent country’s foreign
policy for decades.

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