https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/5/16-year-old-palestinian-killed-israeli-forces-nablus
Sixteen-year-old Amer Abu Zaytoon marks the fourth Palestinian dead at the hands of Israeli special forces this year. The event took place in Nablus, a city on the West Bank. The Israeli police force, in an address to the public, stated that the soldiers had fired upon an armed person who “Fired at the forces from close range.” This all occurred during a raid on the Balata refugee camp. Intensified attacks and killings resulting from the new Israeli military campaign have lasted for nearly a year, with the UN claiming that 2022 was the deadliest year since 2006 for the Palestinians within the West Bank.
The fight between the Palestinians and Israelis spans back decades. Beginning in the early 20th century, Israel claimed territory and Palestinian land ownership. The Palestinians disagreed, resulting in a split between the governments. Palestine is not fully recognized as a nation-state. Problems such as defined borders, uniform education, and government have conflicted with the definition and criteria other states have concluded as determining factors. Efforts in further developing aspects of the defined borders standards have resulted in many areas, such as the West Bank, becoming unsafe and continuously disrupted by conflict. Last year, on behalf of the efforts of Israel trying to reclaim the West Bank, resulted in nearly 170 civilian deaths. 30 of which children.
The Geopolitics surrounding the continuous conflicts between the Palestinians and Israelis is flooded with claims of history, economics, and symbolic and religious value. Citizens’ views within Palestine have changed throughout the years regarding the current two-state system that splits Israel and Palestine. The consensus surrounding the need for change stems from security concerns over terrorism, incitement, violence, and safe borders. The two-state solution spilled from ideological differences is now viewed as no longer practical because of these concerns. The death of civilians, especially children, has helped highlight the need for reform. The hope of not only the Palestinians residing in cities such as Nablus but those situated in the West Bank and Gaza strip is that the violent raids and efforts of territorial dominance and unification soon conclude from outward help or internal reform.