The Arab-Israeli Conflict And The US Involvement In It

“The Arab-Israeli conflict is over a land of two people is to grasp the essence of a problem that has been one of the most intractable and tragic in contemporary history.” This quote highlights the difficulty in understanding and explaining the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Indeed, this opposition between Palestinians and Israelis is a passionate conflict between these ethnicities, which according to the Arabs belongs to the Palestinians who cultivated their soil for generations. And on the other hand, for the Jews, there is Israel, sacred land according to the Torah for the Jewish people, who for 18 centuries dispersed and persecuted all over the world, hoping to obtain a state Jewish denomination in the land of Israel. Moreover, the fact that Arabs and Jews call the same land by different names clearly shows their totally different vision of the past, present and future of this land. The state of Israel was proclaimed with success in May 1948. Palestine seems to disappear from regional maps, but the Palestinian people do not disappear, that is how land claims begin. The 5 different wars between Arabs and Jews confirm the intensity and the complexity of the conflict between these two ethnic groups for either the survival of Palestine in Israel or the expansion of Israel in Palestine. The nature of this conflict makes us look at the international dimension of this war, which is one the source of its complexity. Indeed, this conflict has been of interest to the international community since the beginning of the 20th century. On the one hand through the involvement of the European colonial powers. Recall that the land desired by the Jews is under British mandate until the official proclamation of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948, and on the other hand the position taken in conflict between different international organizations / states such as than the UN or the US. Indeed, the USA is part of the actors of this conflict as a close supporter of Israel. As a result, the title of this essay 'What is your understanding of the Palestinian conflict? Why the US is so involved in a particular conflict?' encourages us to do two parts. It thus seems wise to present at first the history of the Palestinian conflict, then in a second part, the reasons for the involvement of the US in such a conflict.

Historical of the Palestinian conflict

During this first part, we will study the events marking the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, starting first with the context of the establishment of this war. From a territorial point of view, Palestine is under the control of the Ottoman Empire until 1917. Christian, Muslim and Jewish (Yishuv) populations live there without claiming national feelings. It was from 1917 that the British Empire conquered Palestine, which they administered in 1920 as part of a mandate of the society of nations. However, the identity claims between the two groups begin as early as 1880s with the beginning of the development of Zionist ideas. In Europe, anti-Semitism is growing and the Jewish people living there are beginning to be targeted by the policies of the different European states. Indeed, one can quote the May laws (1882) which consist in making more official the discrimination towards the Jews or the Affair Dreyfus (1894-1906) in France. Faced with this growing hatred, Herzl published Der Judenstaat “ Jews are a people who had not been allowed to assimilate into the European life, they would have to unite in a state of their own” in 1896 and Zionism took its first steps by having the first meeting of the Zionist world organization in 1897 in Basel. In order to develop the Zionist movement, the Zionist World Organization buys land and promotes immigration and national sentiment to strengthen the Jewish presence in the territory. On the other hand, Arab nationalism is created by the Turkish revolution of 1908 and thus founded the first Arab nationalist newspapers Al-Karmel and Falistin. Subsequently, the Balfour Declaration issued November 2, 1917 by Lloyd George and Balfour (British Foreign Secretary). They strongly envisage in this declaration to create a Jewish national home in Palestine. Tensions between Jewish and Arab communities began in the 1920s with increasing Jewish and Arab immigration. Thus, the first anti-Jewish riots broke out from March to April 1920 in Jerusalem. Until the beginning of the Second World War, tensions between the two ethnic groups will increase. Then the holocaust where the people are massacred by the Nazis in the extermination camps. Faced with the seriousness of the situation, the United Kingdom abandons the wish to seek a solution to share Palestine between Jews and Arabs, not wanting to impose a solution to both parties. Thus, the case is entrusted to the United Nations, the partition plan of Palestine is voted on November 30, 1947 with the support of the United States and the USSR. This plan divides the territory into three sectors the first is Jewish, the second is Arab and the third is international, it is about Jerusalem. Subsequently, David Ben Gourrion proclaimed the independence of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948. Hardly the declaration of independence announced that the neighboring Arab States invade the former Mandatory Palestine. From July 1948 (after a treve announced by the UN) to March 1949, Israel launches a series of operation on Arab forces, politically and geographically divided. In total during this period, 720,000 Palestinians flee their land. This first conflict between the two states ends with a ceasefire concluded in July 1949. On the political front, the Arab states have been shaken by defeat. From a territorial point of view, Israel annexes 77% of the former Mandatory Palestine. Following these events, Jews living in Arab countries are victims of anti-Semitic acts and many attacks against them. When the remaining 180,000 Palestinians of the 900,000 at the base, some get Israeli citizenship, without having the same rights as the Jews, others continue to fight against the State of Israel. Thus, on Monday 5 to Saturday 10 June 1967, following a pre-emptive strike against Egypt, Syria and Jordan, Israel launched a pre-emptive attack. On the evening of the first day, half of the Arab aviation was destroyed, on the sixth day the Arab armies were defeated. In less than a week, the Hebrew State tripled its territorial hold. Syria loses the Golan Heights, strategic zone in the region because it is one of the main water reserves, Egypt loses the Gaza Strip, Jordan loses the West Bank and more symbolic than the Arab defeat is the taking of the old city of Jerusalem by Israel. Following this takeover of territory, the UN adopts resolution 242, November 22, 1967. This resolution stipulates the withdrawal of Israeli troops from 'occupied territories', as well as the end of all claims, respect and recognition of sovereignty … The period between 1967 and 1993 is marked by numerous clashes between Israel and the PLO. The PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) was founded in 1964. It is an anti-Zionist movement, portraying itself as a resistance movement representing the Palestinians. However, Israel considers this organization as terrorist, before considering it as a diplomatic interlocutor to the Oslo Accords. 1973 is the year of a new defeat for the Arab States (Egypt, Syria), indeed, by attacking Israel on the day of the Yom Kippur festival, they hoped to reconquer the lost territories. However, between 9 December 1987 and 13 September 1993, the First Intifada, the purpose of this operation is to attract the attention of the international community to the conditions under which the Palestinian people are treated. Thus, the population is organized in non-terrorist militias and throw stones at the Israeli troops. This first Intifada is also marked by Israeli massacres in Sabra and Shatila camps where the population of these camps will be slaughtered for 48 hours by Christian Phalangist militias on the orders of Israel. Following this revolt, the international community decides to air by initiating a process of peace between the two peoples. The goals of this potential peace are the creation of a Palestinian state, the recognition of both states, and the status of Jerusalem. Thus, the peace process begins with the Madrid Conference in 1991. Although some relations between Israel and some Arab countries have warmed (Oman, Qatar, Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan). Relations with Palestine still have not improved. The peace process continues but does not succeed since in 2000, a second intifada is triggered following Ariel Sharon's visit of mosques to show Israel's control over these holy places. The next day, a Palestinian demonstration turned into a clash with the police. Even today relations between the two peoples remain tense between the two peoples. The return march of 2018 (annual celebration to commemorate the Nakba, the first Palestinian exodus during the first Israelo-Arab war). Turned into a series of demonstrations against Israel. There are 235 Palestinian demonstrators killed by Israeli forces. In a second part, we will highlight US motives in the Palestinian conflict.

Reasons of the involvement of the United states in the Palestinian conflict

Relations between the United States and the Jewish people as part of the establishment of the State of Israel begin in 1945 with the election of Truman. Truman during his career seemed rather favorable to the creation of a Jewish state. In addition, at the end of the second world war, the US government is under significant pressure on the vote for the next presidential elections of 1948 by Jewish lobbies, including AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee). Jewish community in the United States is well organized and constitutes a sizeable electorate for politicians. Protestant fundamentalists who believe that the only condition for Jesus' return to earth is the creation of a Hebrew state is also an asset to the Zionist cause in the United States. It is also important to add that Israel and the United States have a strong military relationship. Indeed, the US subsidizes many Israeli projects such as the Merkava tank, plus the 6th US float stationed in Haifa and provides logistics and maintenance for US forces deployed in the region. The military relationship between the two states and also a commercial relationship indeed, many times during the Cold War, the USSR was helping the Egyptian and Syrian armies, while the US sold arms to Israel. In 1968, the US sells 50 phantoms to Israel. It is also important to add that the two countries share their intelligence services. Even today, Israel is publicly supported by the United States, although relations between the two states have been strained during Obama's tenure, they are now revived under Trump. Indeed, the American President recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and even plans to move the US Embassy in the holy city, it is officially inaugurated on 14th but 2018. In addition, Trump recognizes the annexation of the Golan Heights, what no country did because the international community considered this strategic point as a Syrian territory under Israeli occupation. Thus one wonders if this proximity is healthy for the sake of the region or if it does not aggravate a situation already too complex?

Conclusion

The Palestinian conflict is complex, in fact, the latter has lasted for more than 74 years. On the one hand there are the national egos and the memory of the acts committed between these two ethnic groups which does not facilitate the warming of the relations between these two peoples. On the other hand, the international community has always played an important role in this conflict, and sometimes it does not help in the resolution of this conflict. For example, the last statement by Donald Trump is the annexation of the Golan Heights (a very important area in the region because of its water reserves and its over-elevation, which makes it possible to have strategic advantage) by Israel which risks making the situation in the region even more unstable.