Israeli-Hamas War in Gaza Aron Sharon became Israeli Prime Minister on February 6, 2001. After Arafat’s death, Mahmoud Abbas was elected his successor on January 9, 2005. Sharon and Abbas met and issued a ceasefire to end the second intifada. It ushered the withdrawal of military forces and settlements from Gaza, but Israel remains in control of the airspace, coastline, and borders. However, Sharon suffered a stroke and became comatose until his death. Ehud Olmert of the Likud Party then took over as prime minister of Israel. In the ensuing parliamentary elections, Hamas won most of the seats in Gaza, defeating the Fatah Party of Yasser Arafat. Skirmishes between Hamas and Fatah later erupted in Gaza in 2007, which led to Hamas taking control of Gaza while Fatah still controls the West Bank and the presidency. Meanwhile, Hamas has continued to fire rockets into Israel, killing civilians. And Israel, often responding disproportionately, killing even more Palestinians in retaliation. Trump Administration Indiscretions In December 2017, US President Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and the Golan Heights as part of Israeli territory without diplomatic negotiations with Palestinians. It was unprecedented by any US administration and widely condemned by the United Nations, European Union, and Arab states. Furthermore, it was viewed as an attempt to undermine the Arab world and support Benjamin Netanyahu’s reelection campaign at the time. Traditionally, while the US government had supported Israel’s sovereignty, it had refrained from recognizing Jerusalem and the Golan Heights as Israeli territories in hopes of resolving the issue through the peace process. However, President Donald Trump’s officially recognizing both territories as Israelis had broken with tradition and may have long-term implications for the region’s future as it made the chances of a two-state solution even more remote and gave Netanyahu the nefarious impression that abandoning the peace process is viable. |
Donald Trump and Bibi Netanyahu Netanyahu’s Self-Serving Strategy backfires Fatah, led by Yasser Arafat, initially governed both Gaza and the West Bank. Fatah has acknowledged Israel’s existence and has the potential to advance peace through negotiations. Conversely, Hamas, which currently controls Gaza, does not recognize Israel’s right to exist. Despite Fatah’s promise for progress, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu motivated and emboldened Hamas over Fatah. Benjamin Netanyahu devised a strategy aimed at driving a wedge between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority — to deny Palestinians a single cohesive authority advocating for them. The plan involved overstating Hamas’ compromise and downplaying its potential danger to Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been accused of secretly soliciting external funding for Hamas and engaging in activities aimed at destabilizing the Palestinian Authority and frustrating any unification efforts between the factions. As a result, hawkish defense minister Avigdor Liberman resigned, stating that it “marked the first time Israel was funding terrorism against itself.” However, Hamas was able to plan and effectuate its heinous guerilla attacks on Israel on October 7, 2003, leading to the current war in Gaza. |
Hamas fires rockets into Israel. Settlements and Land Confiscation The construction and expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have displaced Palestinians, exacerbating the already dire situation. Additionally, the denial of the right of exiled Palestinians to return has been a contentious issue. Palestinians in East Jerusalem faced challenges, including those related to residency rights, home demolitions, and limited access to public services. The Fourth Geneva Convention, adopted in 1949, outlines the protection of civilians during times of armed conflict, including situations of military occupation. It prohibits an occupying power from transferring parts of its civilian population into its territory. The construction and expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories are widely regarded by many in the international community, including various United Nations resolutions, as violations of this convention. |
Settlement activities in the occupied West Bank Human Rights Violations The ongoing human rights violations against Palestinians in the occupied territories have sparked international outrage. The international community has condemned Israel’s human rights violation in the occupied territory. The dehumanization of Palestinians in the occupied territories is enough to create generations of hatred and animosity toward Israelis, perpetuating a cycle of violence that only worsens with time. The longer the occupation has continued, the worse the perception of an Israeli by a Palestinian. The ongoing human rights violations against Palestinians in the occupied territories have sparked international outrage. Israeli authorities have at times demolished Palestinian homes, especially in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, for administrative reasons such as lacing the required building permits. Obtaining these permits can be challenging for Palestinians for various reasons, including restrictions on construction in certain areas and a complex bureaucratic process. These demolitions disproportionately affect Palestinian communities and contribute to the displacement of families, while Israel contends that they are necessary for security and administrative reasons. Israel also uses administrative detention as a policy to detain individuals, including minors and women, without formal charges or trial for security reasons. This practice violates fundamental human rights, as detainees can be held for extended periods without charges against them. Both parties have claimed East Jerusalem as their capital, and its status is contentious. Israel has claimed it solely as its capital, which has escalated tensions in the communities. |
Human Rights Violation in the West Bank The blockade on the Gaza Strip The blockade on the Gaza Strip, which began in 2007, has had a profound impact on the daily lives of Palestinians in the region. The restrictions on the movement of goods and people have led to severe economic challenges, limited access to essential services, and high unemployment, including a lack of healthcare, education, and necessities. The disparities between Israeli settlers and Palestinian communities in the West Bank, including issues related to land, resources, and infrastructures, have contributed to a complex and tense situation, leading to a decline in the overall development of Palestinian communities. The proportionality in international humanitarian law distinguishes between combatants and civilians and requires that military actions not cause excessive harm to civilians. Israel argues that its military actions are taken in response to security threats in the region. In contrast, others have argued that the volatility and security concerns are, in part, a consequence of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. |
Israel’s Intensified Offensive in Gaza Our Unbiased Opinion The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a deeply entrenched and complex issue with multiple perspectives and narratives. A peaceful resolution requires addressing the conflict’s political, historical, and humanitarian aspects. We strongly condemn Hamas for its deplorable and barbaric incursion into Israel, killing civilians and holding hostages. However, Israel’s disproportionate military offensive in Gaza has led to over 20,000 innocent women and children killed — most of whom are not Hamas — and displaced more than 2.3 million Palestinians, according to the Health Authorities in Gaza. We believe Israel, having the most effective intelligence capabilities in the region, could have targeted only Hamas’ leadership and infrastructure in eliminating the terrorist group, thus limiting civilian casualties as much as possible. Netanyahu and his hardliner government adamantly refused to cede land for peace, instead hoping that the Palestinian issue would miraculously disappear. Netanyahu was once quoted as saying, “We will keep developing our eternal capital… we will keep fortifying it so that dividing it will not be possible, and it will always remain united … Therefore, anyone who still believes that Israel will cede to a two-state solution in the conflict should have his or her head examined.” This obstinate approach is dangerous and fallacious. Any third-party ally who claims to love Israel — as most politicians feign — but fails to address this crucial issue of a two-state solution is, in fact, an enemy of Israel’s true welfare. Henceforth, Israel must begin negotiating with Fatah immediately for a two-state solution that guarantees peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians and ensures a homeland for both to live in peace. We firmly support a two-state solution without which neither party will know peace. As such, we encourage our readers to contact their congressional representatives and request that they support a resolution for peace and security in Israel, as well as freedom for Palestinians, through a two-state solution. What do you think … do you support a two-state solution? Please send us your opinion below. The Editorial Board Moderate Voices of America 30 Wall Street, 8th Floor New York, NY 10005 212 406-1958 info@moderatevoices.org www.moderatevoices.org |
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