A Brief Backstory 

Palestine has existed since the 12th century BCE. From 1516 - 1918, Palestine was part of the Ottoman Empire, who The British wanted to overthrow, so they promised to support the Arabs' wish for a ‘unified kingdom’ in return for their help. June of 1916 was the Arab Revolt. 

Palestine is holy to Jews, Muslims and Christians. In 1896, the Lumiere brothers captured video footage of Palestine, showing all the different religions together in peace. 

The Balfour Declaration 

To bribe the Jewish into supporting the WW1 war effort, in November 1917 the British created the Balfour Declaration, stating that Palestine would be  a, ‘national home for Jewish people’. Between December 1917 and October 1918, the British colonised Palestine. 

The Declaration had not addressed the wants of the Palestinians - the British had given land that wasn’t theirs and gone back on their promise of a unified Arab state. 

Jewish population of Palestine:

1918 - 50,000

1922  - 88,000 

1939 - 445,000. 

Operation Agatha 

The Arab Revolt of 1936-39 was mainly fought against the British for independence, but the British had help from the Jewish. 

However, during WW2, the British restricted European Jews from entering Palestine, to please the Egyptians and the Saudis. This spiked Jewish rebellions against the British. 

In response, on the 28th of June 1946, 17,000 British troops raided Jewish Agency offices and a large number of Jews were arrested on suspicion of terrorism. This was known as Operation Agatha. 

The Creation of Israel

In 1947, the British announced that they were handing the issue of Palestine to the UN, and later that year the UN recommended the partition of Palestine. On the 15th of May, 1948, The British retreated.  

Many Orthodox Jews were against the creation of Israel, however the idea appealed to a relatively new Jewish-based movement known as Zionism (Jews who want a purely Jewish state in what is now Israel). Rabbi Dushinsky told the UN he was against Israel’s creation. 

On the 14th of May, 1948, the State of Israel was officially created. Jerusalem was put under international control and the Zionists were given more land than the Arabs.

The Arab-Israeli war of 1948

The Arabs were angry at Israel’s independence; they believed the Partition was made in favour of the Jews, and that it was unfair on the Arabs who were now under Jewish territory. So, on the 15th of May 1948, the Arabs of Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine attacked Israel. Israel destroyed more than 500 Palestinian villages. 

The war ended on the 10th of March, 1949. Israel had taken control of 78% of Palestine. Egypt had control of the Gaza Strip, and Jordan had the West Bank. More than half of the Arab Palestinian population were kicked out or fled, creating more than 800,000 refugees. 

This war is known as the ‘Nakba’, meaning disaster or catastrophe. 

1956 and the 6-day War of 1967 

In October 1956, Israel invaded Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. They captured the Peninsula and Sharm-el-Sheikh, gaining sea communications, and took thousands of prisoners. 

On the 5th of June, 1967, the 6 day war began. Israel attacked Egypt’s military, causing a response from Egypt, Syria and Jordan. 6 days later, Israel had defeated all three armies, taken Gaza, the West Bank, the Old City and East Jerusalem (doubling Israel’s land). More than ½ a million Palestinians were forced to flee. 

The Massacre 

In June 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon after declaring the intention of eliminating the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO). On the 16th-18th September that year, 2 Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon (called Sabra and Shatila) were massacred by the Lebanese Christian Militia, who were under Israel’s influence. 

The First Intifada (Uprising)

In 1974, the UN recognised the PLO as Palestine’s main representative. 

In 1987, an Israeli military truck collided with 2 vans carrying Palestinian workers. Many thought this was an act of revenge, as an Israeli was stabbed a few days earlier. Palestinians in Israeli-occupied Palestinian land protested. This was the First Infitada.

In 1988, a Palestinian National Council Meeting established the State of Palestine. 

The 1990s

During the 1990s, the UN began peace processes. Palestine recognised Israel, and got authority over parts of the West Bank and Gaza. However, Israel continued to transfer its population to illegal settlements in Palestine, taking Palestinian land. 

The West Bank Separation Wall 

After many armed clashes, bomb attacks and the 2nd Intifada, in 2000 Israel built the West Bank Separation Wall, reducing Palestinian territory and restricting their freedom. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared this illegal. 

In 2003, the UN, US, EU and Russia released a map for a ‘2 state solution’. In 2005, Israeli troops and settlers left Gaza, however retained control over the borders, seas and airspace. 

Hamas

In 2007 and 2008, Hamas (a Palestinian terrorist group, aimed at creating an Islamic State in Palestine),  invaded Gaza (armed takeover). Israel then put a blockade on Gaza (prevented goods (e.g. food) and people from entering and leaving). 

In 2011, Palestine was granted UN membership. However, in November there was another round of violence between Israel and Gaza, which ended when Egypt arranged a ceasefire. 

On the 29th November, 2012, Palestine was upgraded to a UN non-member observer state (recognised as a sovereign state, however not a full member). 

2014 

During April 2014, Israel suspended peace negotiations from 2013, after the announcement of a Palestinian National Consensus Government (majority in politics make decisions together). Between July and August that year, Israel bombed the Gaza strip. 

2017 - Today 

In 2017, the UN announced Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. In 2022, the issue was addressed again, and the UN asked the ICJ if the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land was legal. It’s considered that Israel has had illegal occupation of the West Bank and Gaza since 1967. 

On the 7th October 2023, Hamas attacked Israel, killing around 1,400 people and taking hostages. In response, Israel launched its own air strikes, killing 2,700 people. Israel put a blockade on Gaza, causing a humanitarian crisis. Palestine now has 5.9 million registered refugees, and Israel has 68,032. 

The Differences 

Being anti - semitic is a racist crime, being against the Jewish government is not. Not every Jewish person supports the Israeli government - in fact, several Orthodox Jewish Rabbis have said they support Palestine. 

Hamas has been named a terrorist organisation by several governments around the world. Islam disagrees with terrorism. Supporting Hamas is supporting a terrorist group, whereas saying ‘Free Palestine’ means free the people, or give back their land. 

Make sure you know the differences before you give your opinions.