Israel

Answer 1: General Timeline

Jewish Settlement: 1920s-1940s, Jews settle in the British Mandate of Palestine. (This is not to say that there were not Jews in the Mandate prior to the 1920s, but the amount of Jews in the Mandate increases substantially.)

Fights between Arab and Jewish Militias: Late 1920s-1940s, Arabs and Jews in the British Mandate of Palestine begin to fight each other. These are usually small attacks or minor pogroms. Throughout this period, Arabs and Jews lived in segregated villages, so the attacking group would enter the village and wantonly kill the civilians there.

UN General Assembly Resolution 181 (II): On November 29, 1947 the United Nations passed a General Assembly Resolution recognizing the right for the Jews of Mandatory Palestine and the Arabs of Mandatory Palestine to declare independence as separate and unique states. Both the United States and Soviet Union supported the Resolution from a pro-Jewish perspective. Arabs across the Arab World were angry and vehemently declared that they would never allow any part of Mandatory Palestine to become a Jewish State.

Israeli War of Independence / Palestinian Catastrophe (Nakba): This war was fought in two main phases. From late 1947 to May of 1948, the British still held nominal control of the territory and the fighting was restricted to groups within Mandatory Palestine. Jewish and Arab Militias more frequently fought away from civilian centers (except Jerusalem which was the sight of heavy bloodshed) for control of the area. After the British withdrew on May 14, 1948, the Jews declared their independence. This allowed the conflict to expand and seven Arab nations contributed armies or regiments to assist the Palestinian Arabs. During this period, both sides, but more commonly Israelis, attacked civilians and caused many of them to flee. After the war, Israel refused to allow them re-admittance. Israel controlled more land after the war than they would have controlled had the Arabs peacefully accepted a Jewish State along the UN-proscribed boundaries.

Suez Crisis: 1956, Egypt nationalizes the Suez Canal and blocks Israeli shipping, leading to an alliance of the United Kingdom, France, and Israel attacking Egypt and conquering the Sinai Peninsula. After the War, the United States and Soviet Union jointly forced the parties to return to the antebellum situation, but while placing UNEF troops in the Sinai and giving Israel freedom of the seas. Of little consequence to the Israeli-Egyptian Conflict, there were small conflicts along the Israeli-Jordanian border (currently the border between Israel and the West Bank) between Palestinian Fedayeen and Israel resulting in several unsuccessful Palestinian militant incursions into Israel.

Six Day War: 1967, By virtue of a preemptive war, Israel gains all lands in the former British Mandate of Palestine and begins the military occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Settlement construction begins at this point. Jerusalem is unified and the Old City is renovated to allow for mutual religious practice.

Yom Kippur War/October War: 1973, Egypt and Syria launch a devastating surprise attack on Israel, making important gains in the first two weeks. When Israel finally reversed the tide, they began conquering territories beyond the Six Day War territories. The lands were returned to the antebellum state and it was then clear that Israel would not be eliminated through strength of arms. The early Arab victories also shattered the myth of Israeli invincibility and lead to Arabs seeing themselves as less humiliated.

Egyptian-Israeli Peace Accords: 1979, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menahem Begin signed the Camp David Accords. Egypt had Sinai returned to it from 1979 to 1982 and the two countries exchanged ambassadors. Sadat was later assassinated for his work to end the conflict.

Lebanese Civil War: 1981-1982, After the Palestine Liberation Organization began attacking Israelis from Lebanon, Israel intervened in the ongoing Lebanese Civil War to remove the PLO from Beirut. Israel was successful in this if only because they eliminated Beirut as a city. Israel also assisted in the atrocities of Sabra and Shatila which were perpetrated against Palestinian Refugees by Lebanese Christians. (Note that the Lebanese Civil War began in 1975, but there was no Israeli Involvement until 1981.)

Intifadas: 1987-1991, 2000-2005, Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza rose up against Israeli Military Occupation and the Settlements. They began to use suicide bombers to attack Israeli Civilians. This resulted in an intense shootout and an Israeli military and intelligence counteroffensive.

Oslo Accords: 1993, The Palestinian Authority was formed and given partial control of Gaza and parts of the West Bank by Israeli Authorities.

Jordanian-Israeli Peace Accords: 1994, Following the Oslo Accords, King Hussein of Jordan was willing to make peace with Israel and ceded his claim to the West Bank territories to the nascent Palestinian State.

Israeli Withdrawal from Gaza: 2005, All Israeli Settlements and troops were removed from Gaza on the orders of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. The Palestinian Authority was ceded full control of the region.

Separation Fence / Israeli Apartheid Wall:2006-Present, The Fence made suicide bombing almost impossible and began the rocket attacks which persisted for a while in the West Bank before abating. Israeli and Palestinian Leaders in the West Bank continue to negotiate a solution for the West Bank. Palestinian Leaders there are improving the Palestinian Economic situation in spite of the Occupation.

Gaza Rocket Fire & the two Gazan Wars: 2006-Present, Following the Hamas Military Takeover of Gaza, Israel has blockaded the area and been the recipient of numerous rocket attacks. In December of 2008, Israeli military forces invaded Gaza in an attempt to quash Hamas' operations. Numerous Palestinian Civilians died in the raid. Hamas continues to launch rockets at Israeli border towns. The Second Gazan War of 2012 was no different.

Answer 2: Short "Story"

The Jews lived in Israel for a very long time, but then they were kicked out and scattered all over the world. The Palestinians moved into Israel, and lived there for about 2000 years. Then, the Holocaust in World War II happened. People felt sorry for the Jews, so they helped bring them back to Israel. The Jews were given over half of Israel, and the Palestinians were given the other part. In May, 1948, the Jews declared their independence. Then the Palestinians rose up against the Israelis, and people from other countries helped them. The Israelis won, even though the odds were against them. Some Palestinians still live in Israel today. They do not have much money, water, or food. They have to walk long distances to get to and from work. The Israelis, however, have cars to take them places. They have much more money and food, and they can pay to have water piped to them.

Answer 3: General Thematic Discussion

The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict has had numerous stages, but they are generally broken up into four major periods (whose names are my choice): British Mandate Period (1920s-1948), 1948-9 War and Armistice (1948-1967), Expansive Israeli Period (1967-1987), Palestinian Intifada and the Palestinian States (1987-Present).

1) British Mandate Period:

This period was characterized by a British Mandatory Government controlling the area called the British Mandate of Palestine. Some of the major events during this period were the increased Jewish immigration to the Mandate of Palestine and their modernization of the territory. This brought in Arab immigration from neighboring territories who wished to live in the more sanitary and developed conditions in Palestine. This combined immigration led to massive population increases. In the late 1920s and early 1930s, the Jewish population was becoming more significant and Arab leaders and militias urged the British to prevent further Jewish immigration. This resulted in the British rescinding Jewish immigration rights to the territory and culminated with the 1939 White Papers permitting only nominal Jewish immigration. During World War II, Palestine remained off-limits to Jews wishing to flee the Holocaust. This, combined with the White Papers, led many Jewish leaders to openly resist the British Occupation. In 1947, the British relented and brought the Palestinian and Jewish question to the United Nations. The slaughter of the Holocaust and American and Soviet pressure galvanized the world to provide for a Jewish State and an Arab State. The Palestinian Jewish population (who could anachronistically be called Israelis) approved of the Partition whereas the Palestinian Arab population refused further territorial concessions. The previously formed Jewish militias began to confront Arab militias in the Jewish-Arab Engagement as early as mid-1947. When Israel Declared Independence in 1948, the War became an international conflict involving Arab Armies from seven additional nations.

2) 1948-9 War and Armistices

This period was characterized by the forced emigrations of large numbers of endemic Arabs from Palestine and endemic Jews from elsewhere in the Middle East to Arab countries and Israel respectively in the wake of mass Arab Anti-Semitism. There was also a semi-viable State of Israel and remaining Palestinian territories were occupied by other Arab Nations. As a result of the 1948-9 Arab-Israeli War, Israel now occupied 78% of the Mandate of Palestine. During this period, Israel was considered weak by both allies and enemies and was treated to belligerent treatment from its neighbors (even during the "peace"). Syrian missiles rained down on the Galilee lowlands periodically, Egyptians cut off Israeli shipping through the Suez Canal (leading to the Suez Crisis of 1956), skirmishes in the water occurred, and the Old City was forcibly cleansed of its Jewish inhabitants by Jordanian forces. Palestinian rights were also suppressed by the Arab States as Jordan militarized the West Bank and Egypt openly annexed Gaza after watching its Palestinian Puppet State fail. The Egyptians openly taunted Israel and amassed troops at the Israeli border in 1967 in order to eradicate the country.

3) Expansive Israeli Period

This period is characterized by an Israeli State that acquired (through war) numerous additional territories from Arab States. During this period, most Arab States (Egypt excepted) refused to negotiate with Israel and therefore did not successfully reacquire these lands. The Six Day War completely changed the dynamic of Arab-Israeli relations. Israel was now negotiating from a place of strength and ceding territories for peace. Arab States refused to negotiate at first, but after the stalemate from the Arab-Israeli War of 1973, some Arab countries were willing to negotiate. Egypt and Israel signed a Peace Accord in 1979, giving the Sinai back to Egypt in return for mutual recognition and peace. Israel also effectively stopped Syrian peacetime attacks and reunited Jerusalem (against international law). Several of the Palestinian refugee camps were opened and a minority of Palestinians began to commute to work in Israel. In the 1981 and 1982, Israel was pulled into Lebanese Civil War and fought alongside the Christian Falangists against Sunni and Shiite Arabs. Israel withdrew to the Litani River after the Syrian intervention stabilized the conflict and back to Israeli borders in 2000.

4) Palestinian Intifada and the Palestinian States

This period is characterized by the creation of the Palestinian Authority and beginnings of a Palestinian State in the West Bank and Gaza Territories. This period is defined the "Roadmap to Peace". The Palestinian Uprising began to show Palestinian dissatisfaction with the continuing Israeli military occupation of the territory and lasted from 1987-1993. At that point the Oslo Accords were signed, granting recognition to a new body called the Palestinian Authority which would be responsible for governing Palestinian affairs. Israel ceded discrete pieces of land to the PA, but refused to give up large chunks of land until 2005 when it ceded all of Gaza to the PA. In the wake of this new accord, Jordan finalized a Peace Treaty with Israel in 1994. Earlier, in 1991, as a sidenote, Iraq launched skud missiles at Israel in an attempt to shatter the American-Arab Alliance to liberate Kuwait, but following American instructions, Israel stood down and did not enter the fighting. In 2000, the Second Palestinian Intifada began in response to Palestinian anger over perceived Israeli intransigence in devolving more power. This intifada lasted until 2005 and was considered a loss by Palestinians. In 2007, the Palestinian Elections sparked a civil war between Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah, leading to the former controlling Gaza exclusively and the latter controlling the West Bank exclusively. Hamas continued to exhibit bellicose behavior, bothering both Israelis and Egyptian Military leaders (who termed the territory Hamastan). Responding to constant civilian bombardment, Israel invaded Gaza in December of 2008 in what resulted in nearly 1400 Palestinian Civilian casualties.

There is no such thing as the Seven Day War. The Six Day War was from June 5-10, 1967.

Egypt made a number of overt threats to the peace and security of Israel. They closed the Straits of Tiran to Israeli Shipping which cut off Israel from Iran (who at that time was ruled by the Shah and in Alliance with Israel) and other South Asian Nations. This severely diminished Israel's ability to procure petroleum. Also the armies of Egypt, Syria and Jordan mobilized their troops to surround Israel and kicked out the UN observers who had been maintaining the Armistice.

Between the fear of a slow death (because of the lack of petroleum) and the fear of a quick death (because of the mobilized armies on its borders) Israel decided that a surprise attack was the best way to deal with these threats. Israel never expected the attack to be the overwhelming success that it was.

The thoughtfulness of the question and the alternates is worthy of a history lesson.

Throughout the history of the region, the Jews have maintained a presence in the region. There has been no history of a people who have been in the country continuously other than the Jews.

The term Palestinians is a misnomer. Those people who are currently termed Palestinians are not a recognizable ethnic or religious group, but are of the ethnic group "Arab". The term was coined after the Yom Kippur war by Yassir Arafat to promote the idea that there should be a right of return for those people who fled the area in 1948, at the direction of their leaders. In the more than 60 years since the formation of the Jewish state, these people have been refused citizenship in any other Arab country. There are some analysts who contend that this has been done by the other Arab countries to maintain tension within the area. Historically, in any other situation of refugees of one country to another, those who are refugees either return to the country of origin (and is currently an option under Israeli law) or are absorbed into surrounding countries as citizens. Only this particular group of people have been denied this option by their fellow Arabs. They are denied citizenship by Jordan, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, and/or Syria on the grounds that they are not eligible by their "ethnicity". So those people have been in "refugee camps" for more than 60 years with no legal standing.

As a question of "deserving", the House Israel has maintained a presence in this area since approximately 1800 BCE. Even during the various conquests of the country by Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, or Romans, House Israel has always returned to this country as their homeland. The conquests of all but the Romans always left the 'name' Israel on the land. The Romans, in their last conquest of the country in 70CE deported all Jews into slavery and changed the name to Palestine as a sign of might. Of course, we all know that Rome was the superpower of the day, so by custom the name stuck. But there still was no ethnic group known as Palestinians, it was a military decision.

This particular region became part of the Ottoman Empire and was not considered a country in the 1800's, merely a geographical region within the empire, much as the Transjordan region. As a interesting note, Mark Twain wrote of the region as being very bleak and arid, with no redeeming features in the late 19th century novel "Innocents Abroad". He noted that this region was not attractive to any people and it was very poorly populated because it could not support a population. At the time, this was an accurate assessment of the country and his remarks on it are worth reading. Yet the Jews yearn for this land.

Jews have always held an affinity to this particular bit of land, remembering it in their writings, lore, prayers, and rituals. They have always been identified with it by the rest of the world. There is no other place in the world where Jews are assigned a 'place', such as the English in Great Britain, the Germans of Germany, or the Chinese of China. Only in Israel. So a question of "deserving" Israel isn't necessarily a correct question, it's a matter of world perception...and the Jewish people are not welcome in any other country for very long. Their history shows that expulsion throughout all of Europe and the Mediterranean happened on a depressingly frequent basis.

Only when the Jews are in The Land (a Jewish term for Israel) does it support a thriving community. They can and do prosper in Israel, literally making the desert bloom. Their technical achievements concerning agriculture in Israel are particularly impressive, making drip irrigation the main means of watering crops. Their produce is highly prized in Europe for it's quality, making Israeli produce a world treat, highly prized among gourmet chefs.

As a side commentary, Israel voluntarily gave up Gush Katif in 2003, leaving behind intact about a billion dollars worth of agricultural greenhouses ready to use. The Palestinians destroyed an excellent source of income to themselves. They knew how to use it because they were paid employees of those same greenhouses. Yet today, they are 'poor Palestinians' because they have no income...which they destroyed.

Geographically, Israel is the size of New Jersey in the United States...or less than the size of the Solomon Islands. Its neighbors are, with the exception of Jordan, more than six times the size of it. There is no mention of carving the neighboring countries into smaller units, only Israel. It is interesting to note that these neighboring countries were also defined in the Balfour Declaration, making Iran, Iraq, and other neighboring countries' boundary lines suspiciously straight. There are not many places in the world where such long straight lines mark a border between countries.

Throughout the less than 70 year history of current Israel, the country has been attacked by her neighbors on a continuing basis. She is situated in a relatively minor section of the world, surrounded by enemies who would love to see her disappear. Yet she survives, in large part because of the Jew's love for their homeland.

She does not seek to expand her territory; won land yet gave it back, and is beset by demands that she give up land on the basis that she "doesn't deserve" it. She ceded land that she won in the 1967 war, land that she developed over a 40 year period. There is no other country in the world which is expected to return land to a conquered enemy! Yet the demands of world councils have forced this one little country to do just that. The surprise attacks by her neighbors make her a prime target and should have wiped Israel off the map...yet it hasn't happened. Given her military might, she should have been able to conquer the surrounding countries..yet she hasn't done this. From the recent history of the country, all Israel seeks to do is to develop the land she has. No conquest, no imperialism, just live in a very small country in security.

So! Do the Jews deserve Israel? Perhaps, perhaps not. But I know of no other place in the world where Jews are actually welcomed. Even in the United States where any ethnic or religious groups are welcomed with open arms, the Jew is only marginally accepted for what they are. In the European nations, they have been (and are being) attacked for peacefully practicing being who they are. In France, Sweden, Germany and other places, their way of life, indeed their very lives, are being attacked by government and other ethnicities simply because they exist.

Deserve is a slippery term. Do the French "deserve" France? Do the Indians "deserve" India? Or do the Americans "deserve" the United States? In each case, the indigenous peoples were absorbed and a country was born. In the case of Israel, their indigenous people returned to their country. Simply put, without the Jews, there would be no Israel. They literally have no place to go but to their own land.

Assyria.

See also:

The Destruction