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Israel
Located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, Israel is the only Jewish-majority state in the world. It has a total land area of 22,072 sq km with an estimated population of approximately 7.7 million as of 2010.
6,421 Questions
How far is it from Honolulu Hawaii to Jerusalem Israel?
According to
http://www.sgeier.net/tools/llp.php?lon1=-157.82618&lon2=35.2167&lat1=21.30895&lat2=31.783&submit=Submit+Coordinates
The great circle distance between the points
(157.83E, 21.31N) and
(35.22W, 31.78N) is
13950.3 km.
Why were Jews put in Palestine?
The way the question is written is to assume that it is not theirs, which is not the case in the slightest. According to historical, religious, legal, and political grounds, the territory of the British Mandate of Palestine at least partially, if not entirely, belongs to the Jewish people.
1) Historically: The Jews have an undeniable presence in the land from at least 700 BCE until 70 CE and this is proven not only by the Biblical account, but from Assyrian Ruins, Babylonian documents, Hellenistic inscriptions, and Roman volumes. Jews had a continuous presence in the land from 70 CE until the present day (even though they were nowhere near the majority) even though they were forcibly deported from the territory. The fact that they survived, as opposed to the Arameans or Hittites who were similarly exiled does not illegitimate their claims.
In addition to the population-part of the historical claim, Jews have physical ruins and cities that are very sacred to them in the territory of the British Mandate of Palestine. The city of Jerusalem is mentioned over 700 times in the Jewish Bible. The city of Nablus used to be the Northern Metropolis of Shechem. Hebron was the first capital of Ancient Israel whence Saul ruled and David ruled until he conquered Jerusalem from the Jebusites. Even more recent sites like Masada document the Jewish presence and struggle to persevere.
2) Religiously: The Jewish claim to have a connection to the land of the British Mandate of Palestine is firmly grounded in their religion. Jews as early as the Babylonian exiles wrote about returning to the land because God had promised it to them. According to the Pentateuch, God promised Abraham that piece of land. (This promise is even acknowledged in the Qur'an 5:20-21, 17:104, and 26:59.) Many Jewish Holy Sites are in Israel such as the Kotel Hama'aravi (Western Wall).
3) Legally: By international law, the Ottoman Empire took the territory from the Seljuks and Abbassids by internationally recognized conquest. The territory was ceded to the British as a Mandate by the Ottomans as a term of surrender in World War I. (Even though the British had promised the territory to both the Arabs and Jews during the War, neither promise is legally binding.) According to the terms of the Mandate, even though the British were in control, the League of Nations had official jurisdiction. In 1947, the British gave direct authority to the League of Nations' successor, the United Nations, in accordance with the terms of their Mandate. The UN passed the 1947 Partition Plan that gave both a Jewish State and an Arab State the Right to Declare Statehood. The fact that the Arabs decided not to immediately declare such a state does not make the Israeli declaration any less valid. (It is important to note that Palestine did declare statehood on these grounds in 1988, which further cements the legality of this view.)
4) Politically: Jews invested a lot in building the political and physical infrastructure of the land even before they had control. Jews built farms, trained military brigades, created political parties, studied government, and defended themselves. This created a system that was able to repel the Arab Attacks in the Arab-Israeli War of 1948-9, secure expanded borders in the Six Day War of 1967, and hold those borders in the Arab-Israeli War of 1973. Israelis were actually able to exert control over this territory.
Of course, this list is not exhaustive, but should capture the sentiment of the question.
What is the post office schedule in neTanya Israel?
Sunday: 08:00 - 18:00
Monday: 08:00 - 12:30, 15:30-18:00
Tuesday: 08:00 - 12:30, 15:30-18:00
Wednesday: 08:00 - 13:30
Thursday: 08:00 - 18:00
Friday: 08:00 - 12:00
Saturday: Closed.
How did the people of Israel end up in Egypt?
God sent Moses to lead them out of Egypt and in to the promised land.
Why has Israel refused to give up the occupied territories?
Let me give you an example. In 2006, Israel gave up the "occupied territory" of Gaza. Since that time, thousands of explosive, deadly rockets have been fired at our civilians. So why should we be so hasty to give up any further territory?Texas was once Mexican territory. If Mexico fired rockets at American civilians and demanded its return, do you think America would capitulate?
Opening Note
It is worth noting at the outset three things:
1) Occupied Territories: First, according to UNSC Resolution 242, Israel has legal occupation of six distinct territories as a result of the Six Day War pending a final peace treaty, the Sinai Peninsula, the Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, and the Golan Heights. The Sinai Peninsula was returned to Egypt in 1979-1982. The Gaza Strip was withdrawn from in 2005. Israel has been in negotiations with Syria on numerous occasions, most famously in 2011 before the Syrian Civil War, concerning the return of the Golan Heights and possibly the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. What this question is likely referring to are the two of these six territories that are claimed for a Palestinian State under Israeli Occupation, namely East Jerusalem and the West Bank, and this question will focus on those.
2) Gaza is NOT Currently Occupied: Second, the Gaza Strip is currently surrounded and blockaded by Israel, but Israeli soldiers do not monitor and control domestic policy in Gaza; Hamas does. Israel has already ceded this territory to the Palestinian Authority in 2005, which lost a civil war in 2007 to Hamas, which currently runs things there. As a result, the question of lifting of the blockade would be separate and should be asked independently.
3) Diversity of Israeli Opinion on the Matter: Third, many Left-Wing Israelis are in favor of a whole or partial cession of the West Bank to the Palestinian Authority. However, as this is not the position of the Israeli government, or many Right-Wing Israelis, the position of the Right should be explained.
Rationales to Avoid Cession of the West Bank and East Jerusalem
1) Appeasement: The primary reason that Right-Wing Israelis are opposed to giving up control of large sections of the West Bank is because they see that doing so would be appeasing the violence. Unilateral activity by Israel in the past, such as the 2005 withdrawal from Gaza, was seen by Islamic Militant Groups as a victory for their violent acts and inspired them to become more violent not less. Therefore, rather than help the Palestinians create a peaceful society, the cession of the territory would lead to increased violence and hostility, especially against Israeli citizens.
2) Security Dangers: There are a number of military and security benefits conferred by the West Bank to Israel as a state. The West Bank is dominated by two hilly regions, the Samarian Highlands in the north and the Judean Highlands in the south. Should Israel be invaded, these are strong tactical positions, above the enemy position. Additionally, as the highest point near Israel's nerve centers (the Jerusalem and Tel Aviv metropolitan areas), the Judean Highlands serve as the perfect place to have Israeli Anti-Aircraft devices and detection systems. Such systems do not function as well at lower altitudes where hills can block their effectiveness. Also from a borders standpoint, the West Bank city of Qalqilyah is around 12 km from the Mediterranean Sea and could serve as an invasion point to divide northern Israel (Haifa, Acre, Tiberias, Safed, and Hadera) from Central and Southern Israel (Tel Aviv metropolitan area, Jerusalem, and Beersheba), putting Israel in a precarious political situation. Finally, the east edge of the West Bank is the Jordan River Valley, which serves as a defensive embankment and makes Israeli invasion from Jordan impossible; ceding this would give away this defense.
3) Jewish Holy Sites: The West Bank and East Jerusalem are home to the vast majority of Jewish Holy Sites, including the Western Wall / Temple Mount site, which is the holiest site in Judaism. Most of the land of the Old Testament Kingdoms is also in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The Cave of the Patriarchs is in Hebron, the Tomb of Joshua in Nablus, the Tomb of Rachel in Bethlehem, and numerous other important Jewish sites are in the West Bank. When the West Bank was under Jordanian control prior to the Six Day War, Jews around the world (not just Israelis) were banned from visiting these sites. The Islamic Waqf, the Jordanian-organized Islamic organization which still runs the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Site (which includes just up to the Western Wall), has repeatedly argued that the Jewish reverence of the Western Wall is a Zionist invention and has no connection to Pre-Zionist Judaism (even though mountains of historical evidence controvert him). The Tomb of Joshua in Nablus is full of Islamic graffiti. Muslims in Hebron push strongly towards preventing Jewish access to the Cave of the Patriarchs. If these holy places were devolved to the Palestinian Authority, it is a serious possibility that Jews may be forbidden from visiting them.
4) Confidence in Negotiating Partner: Many Israelis doubt that the Palestinian Authority can actually follow through on its promises and secure peace because of the repetition of the cycle of agreements and breaking the agreements.
5) Uprooting the Settlements: Most Palestinians have argued that all 500,000+ Jewish Settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem (roughly 300k and 200k respectively) must return to Israel proper in order for the land to be properly devolved. Right-Wing Israelis look upon such a request as sanctioning a forced exodus from the land of their ancestors and refuse to make such a concession. Both Palestinians and Israeli Settlers refuse to compromise on this issue, even with midway possibilities, such as Israeli Settlers maintaining Israeli citizenship, but being subject to Palestinian Law or Israeli Settlers adopting Palestinian Nationality and becoming part of a multi-religious Palestinian State.
6) Lack of Refugee Solution: One of the biggest requirements to have long-term peace between Israel and Palestine is a resolution of the refugee situation. When Israel was created, 720,000 Palestinians escaped the land. Given their barbaric reception by their Arab neighbors, most want to return to the places that their family used to live. This is untenable for Israel since this would lead to Israel becoming a Muslim-majority state. Part of the resolution of this issue would be for the refugees to be exclusively repatriated to a Palestinian State, but simply ceding the land without having such an agreement would remove Israel's bargaining power on this issue.
7) Ignoring the Difficulties Faced by Palestinians: There are simply those on the Right who do not realize that or are not interested in that Palestinians in the West Bank are subject to a military legal system which detains them and holds proceedings away from civil law and generally accepted judicial practices. (For example, in a West Bank military tribunal, the accused is not allowed a translator should he not understand Hebrew or a lawyer to defend his interests before the court and the records of the proceedings are private, not public.) Conversely, Israeli Settlers in the West Bank are subject to Israeli Civil Law and do not see this more brutal system. As a result, they do not see why it is so bad for Palestinians who live there.
Where does Israel get water from?
Israel gets its fresh water from Lake Tiberias (Kinneret, Sea of Galilee) and the
Jordan River, also from desalination plants purifying water from the Red Sea and
the Mediterranean. The Dead Sea is a source of industrial minerals, but is not
a practical source of water. The Black Sea has also been suggested, but that
would require a minimum-560-mile pipeline, across Turkey, bringing in salt water
no different from that available along Israel's own Mediterranean coast ... not a
very helpful idea.
Is the current PM of Israel from the lineage of King David?
No. It is not a requirement or even considered whether or not the Prime Minister of Israel is of Davidic Lineage. Israel is not considered the Messianic country foretold in the Old Testament where the rulers would have Davidic Lineage. Benyamin Netanyahu, the current Prime Minister, has never claimed to be of the Davidic Lineage nor is he believed to be.
Why do people go to a synagogue?
The synagogue has 3 functions: A house of prayer, study, and assembly.
We can pray privately when necessary, but communal prayer in the synagogue has a much stronger effect (Talmud, Berakhot 7b-8a). Praying also strengthens the spiritual level and the bonds within the community.
The importance of prayer:
Prayer services are part of halakha (Jewish law) and tradition (Talmud, Berakhot 26a); and the Torah records several prayers of our forefathers.
Prayer is an important form of communicating with God, and maintaining a relationship with Him; and it is also good for the health of the soul, to which Torah, prayer and religious observances are a form of nourishment. Judaism sees it as centrally important to thank God, to recognize that He is the source of prosperity, and to be close to Him.
How do Jews pray?
The Jewish prayer-book has a structured order. Prayers are ancient, and often are sung or chanted. Some prayers are said in unison (such as Shir Hakavod), and some are not. Some prayers are said more than once per day (such as the Shema), some once a day (such as Yotzer Ohr), and others are said only on Sabbath, festivals or certain occasions. Some prayers are said aloud (such as Kaddish), some are sung (such as Lekha Dodi) and some are to be whispered (the Amidah). Most of the services are in Hebrew, but a couple of prayers are in Aramaic (such as Brikh Shemei).
While praying, Jews either sit, or stand, depending on the prayer. There is also some bowing forward (in the Amidah and Aleinu), but Jews today do not kneel except once a year on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement).
In between the prayers, Kaddish is said; and the Torah is read on many occasions (over two hundred times a year).
While formal prayer services are held in the synagogue three times each day throughout the year, many other blessings (such as those over meals) are said in the home.
Who is the current leader of the Israeli government?
A parliamentary democracy.
Israel's Current government is a parliamentary democracy, headed by a coalition in the Israeli Parliament (The Knesset), the head of the Government is the Prime Minster while the head of State is the President. Israel's Prime Minster is Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu of the Likud Party while the President is Shimon Peres of the Kadima party. The Governing coalition in the Knesset is made up of six political parties:
Likud (27 seats in the Knesset): Liberal conservatism, Revisionist Zionism
Yisrael Beiteinu(15 seats): Nationalism, Secularism, Economic liberalism, Russian-speakers' interests, Revisionist Zionism
Shas(11 seats): Yalkut Yosef, Sephardic and Mizrahi Haredi Judaism,Populism, Religious conservatism
Independence(5 seats): Centrism, Zionism
United Torah Judaism(5 seats): Torah, Halacha
The Jewish Home(3 seats): Religious Zionism, Modern Orthodox Judaism
there are 8 Opposition parties:
Kadima(28 seats): Centrism, Liberalism, Zionism
Labor Party(8 seats): Social democracy, Third Way, Labor Zionism
Hadash(4 seats): Communism, Socialism, Israeli Arab interest, Arab-Jewish partnership
National Union(4 seats): Hardalism, Halakha, Land of Israel, Nationalism, Fiscal conservatism, Mixed economy, Conflict management
United Arab List(3 seats): Israeli Arab interest, Islamism
Ta'al(1 seat): Israeli Arab interest
New Movement - Meretz(3 seats): Social democracy, Secularism, Peace activism, Green politics, Labor Zionism
Balad(3 seats): Arab nationalism, democratic socialism
The Cabinet of Israel has 30 members
Prime Minister: Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud)
Vice Prime Minister: Silvan Shalom (Likud)
Vice Prime Minister: Moshe Ya'alon (Likud)
Deputy Prime Minister: Ehud Barak (Independence)
Deputy Prime Minister: Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beitenu)
Deputy Prime Minister: Dan Meridor (Likud)
Deputy Prime Minister: Eli Yishai (Shas)
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development: Orit Noked (Independence)
Minister of Communications: Moshe Kahlon (Likud)
Minister of Culture and Sport: Limor Livnat (Likud)
Minister of Defense: Ehud Barak (Independence)
Minister of the Development of the Negev and Galilee: Silvan Shalom (Likud)
Minister of Economic Strategy: Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud)
Minister of Education: Gideon Sa'ar (Likud)
Minister of Environmental Protection: Gilad Erdan (Likud)
Minister of Finance: Yuval Steinitz (Likud)
Minister of Foreign Affairs: Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beitenu)
Minister of Health: Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud)
Minister for Home Front Defense: Matan Vilnai (Independence)
Minister of Housing and Construction: Ariel Atias (Shas)
Minister of Immigrant Absorption: Sofa Landver (Yisrael Beitenu)
Minister of Improvement of Government Services: Michael Eitan (Likud)
Minister of Industry, Trade, and Labour: Shalom Simhon (Independence)
Minister of Information and Diaspora: Yuli-Yoel Edelstein (Likud)
Minister of Intelligence and Atomic Energy: Dan Meridor (Likud)
Minister of Internal Affairs: Eli Yishai (Shas)
Minister of Internal Security: Yitzhak Aharonovich (Yisrael Beitenu)
Minister of Justice: Ya'akov Ne'eman (Not a member of the Knesset)
Minister of Minorities: Shalom Simhon (Independence)
Minister of National Infrastructure: Uzi Landau (Yisrael Beitenu)
Minister of Pensioner Affairs: Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud)
Minister of Regional Development: Silvan Shalom (Likud)
Minister of Religious Services: Ya'akov Margi (Shas)
Minister of Science and Technology: Daniel Hershkowitz (The Jewish Home)
Minister of Strategic Affairs: Moshe Ya'alon (Likud)
Minister of Tourism: Stas Misezhnikov (Yisrael Beitenu)
Minister of Transportation and Road Safety: Yisrael Katz (Likud)
Minister of Welfare and Social Services: Moshe Kahlon (Likud)
Minister without Portfolio: Benny Begin (Lukid)
Minister without Portfolio: Meshulam Nahari (Shas)
Minister without Portfolio: Yossi Peled (Likud)
Deputy Ministers:
Deputy Minister of the Development of the Negev and Galilee: Ayoob Kara (Likud)
Deputy Minister of Education: Meir Porush (United Torah Judaism)
Deputy Minister of Finance: Yitzhak Cohen (Shas)
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs: Daniel Ayalon (Yisrael Beitenu)
Deputy Minister of Health: Yaakov Litzman (United Torah Judaism)
Deputy Minister of Pensioner Affairs: Lea Nass (Likud)
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office: Gila Gamliel (Likud)
When did Samuel become the judge and prophet of Israel?
Samuel was given to the High Priest Eli by his mother. Samuel took Eli's position after Eli died from a heart attack from hearing that both of his sons died in battle.
In what country was Benjamin Netanyahu a leader?
israel a.k.a. home of the Jews
he currently is the Prime Minister of Israel
To what caste did Jesus Christ belong?
First century Judea did not have a strict caste system per se, but Jesus grew up in the home of a carpenter. He was poor but not destitute. He worked hard all his life, but he did not starve. He enjoyed the blessings of family and community, but he did not have a household of servants (like Moses or Abraham or David).
How many cities were in Canaan at the time of the Israelite invasion?
At the time attribute to the Israelite invasion, the Philistines occupied the rich coastal plains and foothills south of present-day Tel Aviv, while the Canaanites largely occupied the coastal plains and foothills to the north. The mountainous hinterland, that Israel and Judah actually occupied, was sparsely occupied, with a few small villages at most. The one significant town in that area was Jerusalem, which seems to have been unwalled. There was no need for defensive walls or other defence mechanisms because the occupying power, Egypt, assured the security of all towns in its colonial territory.
At previous times, the hinterland seems to have been occupied, perhaps when the coastal towns were under some form of threat, but significant occupation had never been permanent. The city of Jericho was last abandoned around 1800 BCE, centuries before the time of the supposed invasion, and was not rebuilt until later in the first millennium BCE. The city of Ai, supposedly the second city to be captured, similarly did not exist at the time.
Scholars say that there simply was no invasion. The Israelites arose out of the West Semitic, or Canaanite, milieu and for some reason began to peacefully occupy the hinterland, in small numbers at first. They built all the cities in the region, during the period of the divided monarchy. By the time that the scriptures were being written, the Hebrew people had built up legends of a glorious past. Behind these legends, there were not really any cities and they were not captured one by one.
Why is Obama letting Israel destroy the American economy?
Israel is not destroying the American economy. Concerning the financial crisis that started in 2008, this was primarily derived from mortgage-backed securities and other financial derivatives failing and panicking the markets. Israel has a lot of trade with the United States, which contributes to American jobs in many sectors. Also, much of the American financial aid to Israel must, by law, be spent on American goods, thus (again) contributing to American jobs.
What is the meaning of Baal of Peor?
What desert in Israel produces crops through extensive irrigation?
The Negev Desert
Improved answer: Israel has had limited success (Have a look at google earth and try to find any green desert!) in the Negev at a high cost. Most of the irrigation water has been diverted from the River Jordan before it enters the Sea of Galilee, reducing the flow of the Jordan to about 20% of the original and has increased salinity. This places enormous stress on the environment (the Dead Sea is estimated to not exist by 2050) and on neighbouring Syria and Jordan.
Other desert nations have been as successful with irrigation but it always comes at a high price.
Answer 1
This is mainly due to the technology. Some countries who are in possession of technology and raw material , because of political reasons maintaining their supremacy moral policing type towards those which do not have. Also they wanted to create a sense of fear among them for themselves.
Answer 2
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty sets out that only the US, UK, France, Russia, and China are allowed to have nuclear weapons, since the treaty was written at a point when all five were nuclear powers already. Most countries signed the treaty and so the requirement to not have nuclear weapons was binding on them. India, Pakistan, and Israel did not sign the treaty, so the restriction was never binding on them. North Korea has nuclear weapons illegally and has been sanctioned on that account.
How long did the kingdom of Israel exist?
We do know that the kingdom of Israel ceased to exist after its conquest by the Assyrians in 722 BCE. Biblical tradition says that the Israelites settled the area around 1400 BCE, although archaeologists say that the region was not really settled until around 1250 BCE.
- From the biblical version, we can say that Israel existed for about 680 years.
- From the archaeological evidence, Israel actually existed for around 530 years.
- From the time of Saul, if indeed he was a king of Israel, to the destruction of Israel, was about 300 years.
What species of snake are found in the Negev?
Several types of vipers, and (less commonly) adder, ringed snake, black cobra.
Yes. There are viper snakes in Israel. It's called Vipera palaestinae. See related link for more information.
What is the reason and background for the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict?
There are really two questions here: What are the causes of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict? and What is the general history of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict? Each will be answered in turn.
Causes for the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict:
1) Hallowed Land: The Jews consider the Land of Israel (which is not necessarily all in the borders of the State of Israel) to be a holy piece of land in that God promised it to the Jewish people as an eternal inheritance. Thus, some Jews, especially Religious Zionists see resettlement of the Land of Israel by Jews to be part of God's plan and mandate and therefore do everything in their power to settle it. In addition, it contains specific religious and historical sites such as the Western Wall and the Old City of Jerusalem, the Cave of Machpelah, the Old City of Jaffa, and the Sanctuary of Shiloh among others. Muslims also consider Jerusalem holy because of Mohammed ascending to Heaven on the Buraq over Jerusalem's Temple Mount. Both cultures want to ensure maintenance and access to the sites which they feel have been limited by the other. (Jews claim that Jordanians used the Western Wall as a landfill and Arabs argue that Israelis arbitrarily close off access to Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock.
2) Zionism: A number of Jews in Europe began to feel that they were being permanently and deliberately excluded from parts of European society because of the prevalent racial and pseudo-scientific forms of Anti-Semitism. They believed that there was no possible equality between European nationals and their Jewish residents and were disinterested in the Andalucian Solution because they did not want to be second-class citizens. They believed that the Jewish people needed to form a political apparatus (an Independent State) to defend themselves and their civil rights. Zionism originally had purely secular connotations, but with the advent of Religious Zionism, the powerful secular cause of Zionism joined with the Hallowed Land idea to provoke conflict. Zionism is strongly opposed by many for many different reasons. See the link at the bottom of the page for Anti-Zionist arguments and rationales.
3) Halutzim & Jewish Land Acquisition: In the First Zionist Congress in 1897, the main resolution was to acquire, by any means, a piece of land to be made a country for the Jews. Early Zionists tried to figure out how to attract Jews to leave their country of origin and come to build this Jewish State. The general consensus always revolved around building a State in the Land of Israel/British Mandate of Palestine since that would make attraction easiest. (The idea of the Jews Returning to Israel had a very romantic notion to Jews at the time and still does today.) As a result, politically influential Jews began purchasing tracts of land from the Ottoman Pashas in control of the territory without indigenous consent and promptly began to develop it. The indigenous Palestinians took issue with the migrations of these Halutzim (Jewish Pioneers) but as the land was bought legitimately, they had little recourse but to allow them to arrive. This occupation and colonialism were certainly not greeted with friendly handshakes or pats on the back by the indigenous inhabitants who stood to lose everything.
4) Balfour Declaration, the Holocaust, and UN Resolution 181: The European Climate also supported the Zionist idea of forming a Jewish State in the Middle East as it would allow Jews to leave Europe and stop being a European problem and have to absorb the refugees themselves, rapidly increased the numbers of Jews in Israel. In addition, Britain issued the Balfour Declaration which declared Britain's intent to create a Jewish State in the Middle East. This, however, was not seriously considered until the Holocaust proved to Europeans (and Jews) that Europe was no longer safe for Judaism. UN Resolution 181 promoted a partitioning of the British Mandate of Palestine into a Jewish State and an Arab State. While this resolution did pass (and is in fact legally binding) many Arabs find issue with its decision because there were not enough independent Arab States to vote it down.
5) Palestinian Exodus & UNRWA: This is probably the most thorny issue between Israel and Palestine. During the Arab-Israeli War of 1948-9 (in which Palestinian militias also participated), many Palestinians were forced out of their homes by Israeli soldiers due to brutal atrocities. In addition, many left because they feared similar outcomes. Also Arab leaders encouraged the exodus, because they believed that they could destroy Israel and safely return all of the Palestinians after the conflict. However, this did not happen and a large number of Palestinians (some estimate four million) are in UNRWA Refugee Camps and there is a large Palestinian Diaspora. They have not forgiven Israel for not allowing them to return after the War or at any subsequent point in time.
6) Occupation of the West Bank & Gaza: In 1967, Israel fought the Six-Day War against the Arab States and took over control of the West Bank and Gaza. These territories did not come under Israeli Civil Authority and have been instead militarily controlled. Palestinians who live in these territories have to contend with Israeli checkpoints, military provisions, and incoming settlers (from the Hallowed Land section). This occupation is perceived by Palestinians to be a repression of their Right to a State and their ability to lead normal productive lives. Settlers in the territories act in a very cavalier fashion (similar to cowboys in the Wild West) and steal property owned by Palestinian families for generations in the name of Religious Zionism. Zionist Squatters are a huge problem in cities like Hebron where these individuals have "liberated" over a quarter of the city from its Palestinian inhabitants and begun to drive a wedge into those communities.
7) Blockade of Gaza & Dependence of the West Bank: Due to the militancy of Hamas, Israel has found it necessary for defense to form a blockade around Gaza and to only allow certain materials into the territory. This has resulted in a Human Relief Crisis in the Gaza where the average caught in the struggle barely have enough food, heat, and light to adequately survive. On a different token, the West Bank (as controlled by the Palestine Authority) is a patchwork of separate unconnected jurisdictions. As a result, the West Bank leaders depend on Israel for defense coordination, tax collection, and assurances of safety from settlers. This creates a secondary occupation-dynamic where the Palestinian government is bound to the desires and wishes of the Israeli people in addition to its actual constituency.
8) Retaliation: This one is fairly simple. Each side honors its fallen by engaging in retaliatory killings and attacks. In addition, the retaliation is usually on a larger scale than the offense. (I.e. one death results in ten retaliatory deaths etc.) The memories of these attacks remain years and decades after the actual events took place.
9) Jewish Rejection of Dhimmitude: (Written by someone else) The Arabs rejected the Jewish state purely because it was Jewish. Had it been just another Muslim group, a separate state would have been accepted without controversy. But it was intolerable to allow the Dhimmis (the non-Muslims who lived in Muslim States) to set up a state. Even worse, one in which Dhimmis would rule over some Muslims. This problem - and nothing else - is the root cause of the conflict.
General Historical 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.
