https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-44124396
The current conflict in Israel is primarily against the terrorist group, Hammas, and their sudden attack on October 7th and capturing over 200 hostages. In response to the attack, the Israeli government has sent air and artillery strikes killing over 14,000 people in the Gaza strip. In order to really understand the war and its context we must look into the history behind the war and where the conflict really started. Before 1948 the land was inhabited by a Jewish minority and an Arab majority, and tensions between the two started when the UK deemed Palestine as the “national home” for Jewish people. As World War 2 started, more Jews headed toward the region to flee persecution in Europe, especially due to Nazi Holocaust at the time. Unable to solve the tensions between the two people, the British withdrew and Jewish leaders created the State of Israel although fighting between the Jewish and Arabs did not stop. Israel continues to have control over most of the region and does not support the idea of a two-state solution like many other global leaders do.
There are a couple of things that the two peoples don’t agree on and are partially the reason why these tensions grew to where they are now, however by far the trickiest disagreement is an autonomous Palestinian state and whether or not a two-state solution would succeed. Peace talks have been discussed throughout the 1990’s and 2000’s however no true solution has come out of these talks, the two political entities recognized each other on the White House lawn and a self-governing Palestinian Authority was set up, but the tensions only grew and things changed back to a hostile environment quite quickly. In the past and even still the Gaza strip has been one of the most densely populated places on planet earth, being the home for over 2 million although it continues to be under the control of the terrorist group Hammas, and soon to be controlled by an even bigger power, Israel.
In relation to class and bringing the audience back to the present, Israel’s leaders as well as powerful militias are acting in national interest; they are defending themselves against the terrorist group who attacked first. We must determine what international laws and norms are being affected due to the war and violence and address the global issues made present to the international community. How does this war affect our global health? And how do we address the clear human rights violations whether they be intentional or unintentional? Another thing to consider is the possibility of other states and political entities getting involved in the war and how their behavior affects the outcome/s. In my opinion, we could try the two-state solution if all sides would cooperate and see the success rate and make room for diplomacy and possible more peace talks between Israelis and Palestinien’s. The very first thing we must address is Hammas and their uninvited stay in the Gaza strip, as well as what we can do to ensure innocent civilians do not keep getting targeted.