The Israel-Palestine Conflict is a protracted and intricate conflict with its roots dating back to the late 19th century, when the Zionist movement gained momentum, aiming to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine.
Key Events in the Conflict
1917: The Balfour Declaration is issued by the British Foreign Secretary, expressing support for the establishment of a Jewish national home in Palestine.
1947: The United Nations adopts Resolution 181, which calls for the partition of Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states.
1948: Israel declares independence, and Arab armies invade the country. The war ends with Israel controlling more territory than it had been allocated under the UN partition plan.
1967: Israel captures the West Bank, Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem, and Golan Heights from Syria in the Six-Day War.
1987: The First Intifada, a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation, begins.
1993: The Oslo Accords are signed, paving the way for Palestinian self-rule in the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank.
2000: The Second Intifada, also known as the al-Aqsa Intifada, begins.
2005: Israel withdraws its settlements and troops from the Gaza Strip.
2006: Hamas, a militant Palestinian group, wins the Palestinian Authority’s legislative elections and takes control of the Gaza Strip in 2007.
2012: The United Nations upgrades Palestinian representation to that of a “non-member observer state.”
2014: Israel launches Operation Protective Edge, a military campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, resulting in casualties on both sides.
2023: Hamas initiates a multi-pronged invasion of southern Israel, leading to a retaliatory Israeli military operation.