Israel

Answer 1

"Invaders arrived with guns and forced them out."

Answer 2

Answer 1 is a rhetorical answer to this rhetorical question, when in fact a more accurate statement might be: Arabs that remained in Israel and whom chose to live peacefully became what is known as Israeli Arabs, and Arabs that either participated in pogroms or sided with Arab nations who sought Israel's destruction Identified themselves as "Palestinian".

Arabs prior to the six day war in 1967, were given aid from Arab nations and were informed that if they remained after the loss of the Jordanian controlled (woe to Jordan if they were to establish a homeland for the Palestinians when they had a chance) West bank, they would lose this aid and Arab propaganda told them they would have no safe haven.

Additionally, many Native Palestinian Arabs residing in Jordan (also part of the original Palestinian mandate) were not recognized by the ruling family in Jordan favored by the Brittish for fighting the Turks during WWI, rose up against the Jordanians and were massacred on a very large scale by the Jordanians. (For more information read about the founding of the PLO and Black September.) Today, of course The King of Jordan styles himself as a Champion of Palestinian Rights and argues for the "Right of Return" as he would be happy to rid his own country of any Malcontents.

Arab Nations continue to exploit the Arabs that remained in Israel as a method of creating political and security problems as they were unable to destroy Israel in conventional wars.

Surely, Palestinian Arabs are the odd men out in middle eastern Politics as are the Kurds, Turkmen, Assyrians, and the Copts (who live under Arab rule with no homeland). But placing the blame exclusively on the founding of Israel is unbalanced.

Monotheism, the Ten Commandments, the Torah and the Prophets.
Judaism values all individuals; men, women, and children. The wealthy have no privileges; and the poor are valued, supported and their opinions listened to. (Compare this to those societies in which only mature, land-owning males had any legal status.)
Judaism applied laws, and rules of moral behavior, to all its members equally. The laws of Moses form much of Western legal background.
Quote:
"I will insist that the Hebrews have done more to civilize men than any other nation ... fate had ordained the Jews to be the most essential instrument for civilizing the nations" (John Adams, 2nd President of the United States).
"Certainly, the world without the Jews would have been a radically different place. Humanity might have eventually stumbled upon all the Jewish insights, but we cannot be sure. All the great conceptual discoveries of the human intellect seem obvious and inescapable once they had been revealed, but it requires a special genius to formulate them for the first time. The Jews had this gift. To them we owe the idea of equality before the law, both Divine and human; of the sanctity of life and the dignity of the human person; of the individual conscience and of the collective conscience and social responsibility" (Paul Johnson, Christian historian, author of A History of the Jews and A History of Christianity).

• The Jews' monotheistic religious tradition (Deuteronomy 6:4) shaped the Western beliefs about God.

• The 7-day week (Exodus ch.20), including a day of rest for everyone. This weekly rest was a concept unique to the Israelites.

• The concept of morality (Leviticus ch.18-19) was also the work of the Hebrews, including the dignity (Genesis 5:1) and value of a person (unlike idolatry, which had no moral character whatsoever; with worship of the gods accompanied by practices such as human sacrifice, "sacred" prostitution, and animal worship).

• Women's rights were carefully maintained in Judaism. Israelite women could own property, could initiate court cases, could have their own servants, and could own fields and businesses; and the Torah specifies marital rights for women (Exodus 21:10).

• Under Israelite law, everyone had recourse to the courts. A child, widow, wife, poor person, etc., could initiate legal action against any citizen to redress perpetrated harm. Compare this to those societies in which only mature, land-owning males had any legal status.

• The Western diet reflects some of the Judaic dietary law. With the exception of the pig, Western society does not eat species not contained in kosher law (Deuteronomy ch.14). Owls, mice, insects, rats, snakes, cats and dogs are not eaten by most Westerners and it is a direct result of Jewish culture.

• Parents are responsible for teaching children (Deuteronomy ch.11). Illiteracy among Israelites, in every generation, was rare. Universal education in the Western world is taken for granted today, yet this is a recent development. In Judaism, however, it goes back for more than 3300 years. Judaism has always maintained that education is the highest goal of man in his pursuit of godliness. This tradition has now been passed on to Western culture.

• Infants are to be cherished, protected and cared for, whether or not they turned out to be the gender you were hoping for. Compare this to societies in which unhealthy babies, or females, were killed.

• The Torah forbids cruelty to animals.

• Government is accountable to a higher authority. In other ancient societies, the monarch was all-powerful. Among the Israelites, however, the king was under the constant scrutiny of the Divinely-informed prophets, who didn't hesitate to castigate him publicly for any misstep in the sight of God. And, other than for the crime of rebellion, the king couldn't punish any citizen by his own decision. He was obligated by the Torah-procedures like everyone else (Talmud, Sanhedrin 19a).

• A robber repays double to his victim (Exodus 22:3), or works it off. Cutting off the hands of a robber is a punishable crime. Debtors are not imprisoned or harmed. They are made to sell property and/or work to repay what they owe. Compare this to the Roman practice by which anyone could accuse a man of owing them money and the debtor could be killed (Roman "Twelve Tables of Law" code, 3:10).

• Western jurisprudence is based in part upon Judaic Torah-observance. The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) and the laws that follow (Exodus ch.21-23) gave rise to a significant portion of modern law.

• It is the responsibility of the community to support the poor (Deuteronomy ch.15), the widow, the orphan, and the stranger passing through (Exodus 22:20-21).

Yes, Palestine was a country. When Israel was created in 1948, the land was occupied by the British and before that the Turkish Empire. When the UN created Israel after the Holocaust they wanted to split the land in half. Half as Palestine and half as Israel. Arabs did not like the idea. As the British retreated from Israel all the neighboring Arab countries tried to take over Israel. A war ensued and as the Jewish people pushed back their Arab neighbors they declared the land Israel. Palestinians today who live in the West Bank were Jordanian before the war, but never went back to live Jordan, because they want to stay in their home country. The West Bank and Gaza both are Palestinian and are still in Israel, but are run by their own Palestinian governments. Palestinians are determined to get THEIR land back.

___________________________________________________________ Palestine has been semi-autonomous (the Palestinian Authority) since renouncing war on Israel in the 1990's. As stated above, the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza now govern themselves, but they are not an independent country. They are still technically part of Israel. A study of history will show that this land has had many rulers before the Israelis, the Brits, and the Turks. But as the Arabs say"our land will be back".

The first to unite the Tribes of Israel was King Saul. After his death, King David initially ruled over Judah only, for seven years, before he succeeded in bringing all of the tribes under his governance. Doing so was important because a split kingdom would be much more vulnerable to outside attack as well as civil war. See also:

The Israelite kings

More about King David

The Balfour Declaration was very short, as follows:

"His Majesty's Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country".

This 'national home' was what the Zionists had been pursuing.

Pro-Palestinian Answer

Israel stole the land via safety zones or forced those out of work and bought the land for a pittance. Israel continues to occupy the stolen land and defies all peace talks.

Only recently Israel murdered an opposition leader while peace talks where being negotiated in Russia. Israel has no interest in peace or dividing the land equally.

Answer

The Occupied Palestinian Territories are a source of conflict because Israel has control of the territory, but is not well represented by the civilian population of the region. Palestinians have a claim to that piece of land and Israel has actively prevented the realization of that claim through the use of settlements. Palestinians have actively prevented the realization of their own claim by circumventing the peace process and, in the case of Hamas, actively seeking to torpedo peace talks and launching rockets at civilian areas with the intent to sow the seeds of conflict.

To see general causes of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, please see the Related Question below.

There are numerous Conflicts and Quasi-Conflicts in the Arab Israeli Conflict.

Arab-Israeli War of 1947-1949

Neutral Name: Arab-Israeli War of 1948

Israeli Name: Israeli War of Independence

Arab Name: Nakba (Great Catastrophe)

Result: The Jewish Militias defeated the Arab Militias and the armies of Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and auxiliary forces from Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The ceasefire established a State larger than the one provided by the provisions of UN Resolution 181.

Arab-Israeli War of 1956

Neutral Name: Suez Crisis

Israeli Name: Sinai War

Arab Name: The War of Tripartite Aggression

Result: In five days the Israeli army captured Gaza, Rafaḥ, and Al-ʿArīsh-taking thousands of prisoners-and occupied most of the peninsula east of the Suez Canal. The ceasefire ceded this land back to Egypt in return for navigation rights on the canal and through the Straits of Tiran.

Arab-Israeli War of 1967

Neutral Name, Israeli Name, and Arab Name: Six-Day War

Result: Within the brief span of six days, the IDF overran the whole Sinai peninsula, up to the Suez Canal; took the entire West Bank of the River Jordan; and in the last days, without the benefit of surprise, captured a great part of the Golan Heights, including the dominant Mount Hermon - from then on "the eyes and ears of Israel". The culminating event was the capture of the Old City of Jerusalem and the re-encounter with the place most revered by Jews, the Western (Wailing) Wall. The blowing of the shofar at the Western Wall reverberated throughout the world.

Arab-Israeli War of 1967-1970

Neutral Name, Israeli Name, and Arab Name: War of Attrition

Result: No change in status before the war began. Both sides (Egypt and Israel) claimed victory.

Arab-Israeli War of 1973

Neutral Name: Arab-Israeli War of 1973

Israeli Name: Yom Kippur War

Arab Name: Ramadan War, October War

Result: The War resulted in early gains for the Egyptian and Syrian forces, but those were turned back by the Israelis by the end of the war. Both sides claimed victory, but it is notable that the ceasefire occurred as Israeli troops were advancing further into both Egypt and Syria.

Lebanese Civil War 1975-1982 (Israeli involvement from 1981-1982)

Neutral Name: Lebanese Civil War

Israeli Name: First Lebanon War

Arab Name: Lebanese Civil War

Result: The War was primarily not an Israeli conflict, but an internal Lebanese struggle. However, militants from Lebanon attacked Israel in 1981 and 1982, prompting an Israeli military response. By the end of the conflict, Syria had intervened as well. The PLO was successfully evicted from Lebanon, and Israel completely withdrew from Lebanon in 2000.

Palestinian Intifadas (Uprisings) of 1987-1993 and 2000-2005

Neutral Name, Israeli Name, and Arab Name: First & Second Intifadas

Result: The First Intifada had the effect of producing the Oslo Accords and the first International Recognition of Palestinian Aspirations. The Second Intifada had the effect of primarily destroying the Palestinian economy and lands in the Israeli reaction to the suicide bombers/bombings.

2006 Lebanon War

Neutral Name: 2006 Lebanon War, Israel-Hezbollah War

Israeli Name: Second Lebanon War, War with Hezbollah

Arab Name: July War, Israeli-Invasion of Lebanon

Result: Both sides claim victory as Hezbollah was not effectively prevented from organizing in Lebanon from the War and Israel claims victory because it was on the offensive throughout the conflict. Lebanon (specifically South Lebanon) was the major loser in the conflict, suffering bombings and other problems. Israeli infrastructure had to be repaired following the use of the Katyusha Rockets.

Gazan War of 2008-2009

Neutral Name: Gazan War of 2008-2009

Israeli Name: Operation Cast Lead

Arab Name: Gaza Massacre

Result: Israel won a decisive military victory against Hamas, destroying much of the infrastructure and capabilities of that organization.

Answer 1

Everyone is to blame for the continuing conflict. Israelis are continuing to build settlements in the West Bank and Blockade Gaza, preventing the Palestinians from properly developing a State of their own. Palestinian organizations like Hamas refuse to recognize Israel as a Jewish State. American benefactors support Israel without encouraging it to abandon the practice of the settlements. Arab Nations do not try to engage Israel openly and honestly and believe in holding the Palestinians in refugee camps while they continue to demand that Israel host all of the refugees, something which they know is a non-starter with Israel.

Answer 2

Palestine. the Israelis had control of the land first, but the Palestinians seized it from them thousands of years ago.

Answer 3

In basest terms: God

The differences between the countries started out being religious, with each claiming that their own religion is the one that should have the region, it has since turned into a political issue

Answer 4

God is to blame. As well as the Germans, British, Americans and French. And, of course, the Israelis and Palestinians

Israel is a democracy,

The President is the "leader" of Israel (Head of State) but he doesn't have rights to control Israel and he is just symbol of Israel, the Prime Minister is the one who lead Israel (Head of Government).

The current (Dec 2013) Prime Minister of the State of Israel is Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Prime Minister is the leader of the political party that wins the greatest number of Knesset (parliament) seats in a general election. The primary political power lies in the office of Prime Minister. Currently, the Likkud conservative political party, has the most seats in the Knesset.

The current (Dec 2013) President of the State of Israel is Shimon Peres. While the Presidency in Israel is largely a ceremonial role, given Peres's long career in public service, he has more political influence than Israeli presidents typically have. The President is elected by the Knesset, to serve a term of seven years, and cannot be re-elected to the position of President.
The President of Israel only serves as a ceremonial figurehead while the Prime Minister holds the power of the Executive branch. As of 2014, Benjamin Netanyahu is Israel's leader.

In the Middle East, Muslim women are greatly respected, in contrast to their treatment in some other regions of the world, where they are harassed because of their preference for modest dress.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Women in Islam have equal rights and duties as Muslim men and in the meantime women have complementing role to men in family duties and responsibilities. The following are the basic rights for women in Islam that can explain accordingly women role:

1. The right and duty to obtain education.

2. The right to have their own independent property.

3. The right to work to earn money if they need it or want it.

4. Equality of reward for equal deeds.

5. The right to express their opinion and be heard.

6. The right to provisions from the husband for all her needs and more.

7. The right to negotiate marriage terms of her choice.

8. The right to obtain divorce from her husband, even on the grounds that she simply can't stand him. (pls note that God deeply frowns upon divorce as a solution unless there is hardly any other alternative but it does not mean that men have more right to divorce their wives than women do.)

9. The right to keep all her own money (she is not responsible to maintain any relations).

10. The right to get sexual satisfaction from her husband.

11. custody of their children after divorce.

12. to refuse any marriage that does not please them

In Islam there is absolutely no difference between men and women as far as their relationship to God is concerned, as both are promised the same reward for good conduct and the same punishment for evil conduct. The Qur'an says:

And for women are rights over men similar to those of men over women. (2:226)

The Qur'an, in addressing the believers, often uses the expression,'believing men and women' to emphasize the equality of men and women in regard to their respective duties, rights, virtues and merits.

Some non Muslims believe that women, in Islam, are viewed as utterly subservient to males. See their arguments below and accompanying hints on these arguments and seek the truth yourself:

1. Have sex with your women whenever and as often as you like. 2:223 [Hint: The verse is truncated. The the verse says (meaning English translation):{Your wives are as a tilth unto you; so approach your tilth when or how ye will; but plan in advance and do some good act for your souls beforehand (foreplay sex) ; and fear Allah. And know that ye are to meet Him (in the Hereafter), and give (these) good tidings to those who believe. (223)}. This means don't approach in sex with other than your wife that you can approach whenever you want. However, you should have foreplay sex first with her to please yourselves and get her acceptance. When approaching your wife fear Allah (God) and be kind to your wife.]
2. Women have rights that are similar to men, but men are "a degree above them." 2:228 [Hint:again the verse says (meaning English translation): {... And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them, according to what is equitable; but men have a degree (of advantage) over them. And Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise. (228)}. The men degree above wives is only in money spending. It is the Islam obligation that Husbands are responsible of all marriage expenditures even if the wives work and earn money. The wife money is for her own investment to her own choice. This is explained explicitly in verse 4:34 that says: {Men are the support of women as God gives some more means than others, and because they spend of their wealth (to provide for them)}
3. A woman is worth one-half a man. 2:282 [Hint: This is absolutely wrong. Only in two cases. First, in witness regarding money affairs, witness of two men is required or one man and two women. In other cases of witness, only woman witness is necessary. second, in inheritance by sons and daughters. the son inherit twice the daughter because it is the Islam obligation that Husbands are responsible of all marriage expenditures even if the wives work and earn money. The wife money is only for her own investment to her own choice. Accordingly, males are in more need of money than females.]
4. "Marry of the women, who seem good to you, two or three or four." 4:3 [Hint: Again the verse is truncated and miss understood. The verse says{marry women who are lawful for you, two, three, or four; but if you fear you cannot treat so many with equity, marry only one}.Accordingly, it is conditional to marry more than one. You must treat them equally, get the approval of previous wife before the new marriage, each wife to have independent and same level residence and receive same expenditure and appreciation, .... Because of the difficulty to fulfill these many conditions it very rare and very seldom to find one marrying more than wife. It is not like some Christian denominations that allow unconditional polygamy with unlimited number of wives]
5. Males are to inherit twice that of females. 4:11 [Hint: This is only in one case. When the one passing away has sons and daughters. The son inherits twice the daughter because it is the Islam obligation that Husbands are responsible of all marriage expenditures even if the wives work and earn money. The wife's money is only for her own investment to her own choice. Accordingly, males are in more need of money than females. Other cases are quite different. For example, if one died and has one daughter and his parents are alive. His daughter inherits 1/2 his wealth. His parents each equally gets 1/6 of his wealth.]
6. Men are in charge of women, because Allah made men to be better than women. 4:34 [Hint: Allah made men better than women only in expenditures. Otherwise, they are equal or in some cases women are better than men. The verse 4:34 says: {Men are the support of women as God gives some more means than others, and because they spend of their wealth (to provide for them)}]
7. Don't pray if you are drunk, dirty, or have touched a woman lately. 4:43. [Hint: The statement is misleading and not correct. The verse says:{O you who believe, do not perform your service of prayer when you are intoxicated until you are sure of what you are saying, nor when in a state of seminal pollution (due to intercourse sex with wife), until you have taken a bath,...}. The verse is very. Don't pray when drunk. If you are in a state of seminal pollution due to sex with wife, you should take bath. Is there any wrong ?]
8. Women are feeble and are unable to devise a plan. 4:98 [Hint: Please read the the verse before this verse and the verse after it to understand the meaning. The verses 97-99 say, those who dye as unbelievers and claim that they were oppressed will be punished in the day of judgment because they didn't migrate to other lands. The exceptions are men, women, and children who are feeble and can't plan to migrate. Those will be forgiven by God. Is there any thing here against women?]
9. "Unto the male is the equivalent share of two females." 4:176 [Hint: Refer to the Hint under item # 3]
10. When it's time to pray and you have just used the toilet or touched a woman be sure to wash up. If you can't find any water, just rub some dirt on yourself. 5:6 [Hint: it means don't pray without ablution (minor or major ablution) if you used the toilet or made sex with your wife. If you don't find water make what is called 'Taiammum'. In taiammum, you beat the floor (or carpet or the like) once and wipe your face and another time and wipe your hands as symbol for rituals before praying. What is wrong in this and what is against women in this?]

Additional issues:

1. Believing women must lower their gaze and be modest, cover themselves with veils, and not reveal themselves except to their husbands, relatives, children, and slaves. 24:31 [Hint: The first command, to lower gaze and be modest, is for both woman and men. Women are commanded to cover their whole bodies except their faces and hands (exactly as you notice in the pictures of the virgin Mary). This is also valid in Judaism and Christianity. What is wrong in this? Do you like women to reveal themselves to other than their husbands, close relatives, and children?]
2. Women must cover themselves when in public. 33:59 [Hint: Except face and hands as you notice in Virgin Mary picture. Refer to the hint above]
3. Those who "did wrong" will go to hell, and their wives will go to hell with them (no matter how they behaved). 37:22-23 {Hint: This groundless. The verses say:{Gather all the wicked together and their comrades, and those they had worshiped (22) Other than God," (the angels will be told), "then show them the way to Hell, (23)} The verses are very clear and have nothing against women]
4. Quran says: "For Muslim men and women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast, for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in God's praise, for them has God prepared forgiveness and great reward". (33:35). This clearly contradicts the assertion of some Christian Fathers that women do not possess souls and that they will exist as sexless beings in the next life. The Qur'an says that women have souls in exactly the same way as men and will enter Paradise if they do good. Quran says: "Enter into Paradise, you and your wives, with delight." (43:70) and says: "Who so does that which is right, and believes, whether male or female, him or her will We quicken to happy life. " (16:97)
5. The Qur'an admonishes those men who oppress or ill-treat women: Quran says "O you who believe! You are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should you treat them with harshness, that you may take away part of the dowry you have given them - except when they have become guilty of open lewdness. On the contrary live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If you take a dislike to them, it may be that you dislike something and God will bring about through it a great deal of good. " (4:19)
6. Considering the fact that before the advent of Islam the pagan Arabs used to bury their female children alive, make women dance naked in the vicinity of the Ka'ba during their annual fairs, and treat women as mere chattels and objects of sexual pleasure -- possessing no rights or position whatsoever, these teachings of the Noble Qur'an were revolutionary. Unlike other religions, which regarded women as being possessed of inherent sin and wickedness, and men as being possessed of inherent virtue and nobility, Islam regards men and women as being of the same essence created from a single soul. The Qur'an declares: "mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, his mate, and from this pair scattered (like seeds) countless men and women. Reverence God, through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and reverence the wombs (that bore you); for God ever watches over you." (4:1)
7. The Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him, said, "Women are the twin halves of men". The Qur'an emphasizes the essential unity of men and women in a most beautiful saying: "They (your wives) are your garment and you are a garment for them." (2:187). Just as a garment hides our nakedness, so do husband and wife, by entering into the relationship of marriage, secure each other's chastity. The garment gives comfort to the body; so does the husband find comfort in his wife's company and she in his. "The garment is the grace, the beauty, the embellishment of the body, so too are wives to their husbands as their husbands are to them."
8. Islam does not consider woman "an instrument of the Devil", but rather the Qur'an calls her muhsana - a fortress against Satan because a good woman, by marrying a man, helps him keep to the path of rectitude in his life. It is for this reason that marriage was considered by the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, as a most virtuous act. He said: "When a man marries, he has completed one half of his religion." He enjoined matrimony on Muslims by saying: "Marriage is part of my way and whoever keeps away from my way is not from me (i.e. is not my follower)." The Qur'an has given the raison d'être of marriage in the following words: "And among His signs is this, that He has created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquillity with them; and He has put love and mercy between you. Verily in that are signs for those who reflect." (30:21)
9. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was full of praise for virtuous and chaste women. He said: "The world and all things in the world are precious but the most precious thing in the world is a virtuous woman." He once told the future Caliph, 'Umar: "Shall I not inform you about the best treasure a man can hoard? It is a virtuous wife who pleases him whenever he looks towards her, and who guards herself when he is absent from her." On other occasions the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "The best property a man can have is a remembering tongue (i.e. which remembers God), a grateful heart and a believing wife who helps him in his faith." And again: "The world, the whole of it, is a commodity and the best of the commodities of the world is a virtuous wife." Before the advent of Islam women were often treated worse than animals. The Prophet wanted to put a stop to all cruelties to women. He preached kindness towards them. He told the Muslims: "Fear God in respect of women." And: "The best of you are they who behave best to their wives." And: "A Muslim must not hate his wife, and if he be displeased with one bad quality in her, let him be pleased with one that is good." And: "The more civil and kind a Muslim is to his wife, the more perfect in faith he is." The Prophet, peace be upon him, was most emphatic in enjoining upon Muslims to be kind to their women when he delivered his famous sermon (Arabic: khutba on the Mount of Mercy, at Arafat, in the presence of one hundred and twenty-four thousand of his Companions who had gathered there for the Hajj al-Wada (Farewell Pilgrimage). In it he ordered those present, and through them all those Muslims who were to come later, to be respectful and kind towards women. He said: "Fear God regarding women. Verily you have married them with the trust of God, and made their bodies lawful with the word of God. You have got (rights) over them, and they have got (rights) over you in respect of their food and clothing according to your means."
10. In Islam a woman is a completely independent personality. She can make any contract or bequest in her own name. She is entitled to inherit in her position as mother, as wife, as sister and as daughter. She has perfect liberty to choose her husband. The pagan society of pre-Islamic Arabia had an irrational prejudice against their female children whom they used to bury alive. The Messenger of God, peace be upon him, was totally opposed to this practice. He showed them that supporting their female children would act as a screen for them against the fire of Hell: It is narrated by the Prophet's wife, 'A'isha, that a woman entered her house with two of her daughters. She asked for charity but 'A'isha could not find anything except a date, which was given to her. The woman divided it between her two daughters and did not eat any herself. Then she got up and left. When the Prophet, peace be upon him, came to the house, 'A'isha told him about what had happened and he declared that when this woman was brought to account (on the Day of Judgment) about her two daughters, they would act as a screen for her from the fires of Hell.
11. The worst calamity for a woman is when her husband passes away and, as a widow, the responsibility of maintaining the children falls upon her. In the Eastern World, where a woman does not always go out to earn her living, the problems of widowhood are indescribable. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, upheld the cause of widows. Most of his wives were widows. In an age when widows were rarely permitted to remarry, the Prophet encouraged his followers to marry them. He was always ready to help widows and exhorted his followers to do the same. Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet said: "One who makes efforts (to help) the widow or a poor person is like a mujahid (warrior) in the path of God, or like one who stands up for prayers all of the the night and fasts all of the day."
12. Woman as mother commands great respect in Islam. The Noble Qur'an speaks of the rights of the mother in a number of verses. It enjoins Muslims to show respect to their mothers and serve them well even if they are still unbelievers. The Prophet, peace be upon him, states emphatically that the rights of the mother are paramount. Abu Hurairah reported that a man came to the Messenger of God, peace be upon him, and asked: "O Messenger of God, who is the person who has the greatest right on me with regards to kindness and attention?" He replied, "Your mother." "Then who?" He replied, "Your mother." "Then who?" He replied, "Your mother." "Then who?" He replied, "Your father."
13. In another tradition, the Prophet advised a believer not to join the war against the Quraish (i.e. the pagan disbelievers at that time) in defense of Islam, but to look after his mother, saying that his service to his mother would be a cause for his salvation. Mu'awiyah, the son of Jahimah, reported that Jahimah came to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and said: "Messenger of God! I want to join the fighting (in the path of God) and I have come to seek your advice." He said, "Then remain in your mother's service, because Paradise is under her feet."
14. The Prophet's followers accepted his teachings and brought about a revolution in their social attitude towards women. They no longer considered women as a mere chattels, but as an integral part of society. For the first time women were given the right to have a share in inheritance. In the new social climate, women rediscovered themselves and became highly active members of society rendering useful service during the wars which the pagan Arabs forced on the emerging Muslim umma. They carried provisions for the soldiers, nursed them, and even fought alongside them if it was necessary. It became a common sight to see women helping their husbands in the fields, carrying on trade and business independently, and going out of their homes to satisfy their needs.
15. 'A'isha reported that Saudah bint Zam'ah went out one night. 'Umar saw her and recognized her and said, "By God, O Saudah, why do you not hide yourself from us?" She went back to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and told him about it while he was having supper in her room, and he said: "It is permitted by God for you to go out for your needs." The predominant idea in the teachings of Islam with regard to men and women is that a husband and wife should be full-fledged partners in making their home a happy and prosperous place, and that they should be loyal and faithful to one another, and genuinely interested in each other's welfare and the welfare of their children. A woman is expected to exercise a humanizing influence over her husband and to soften the sternness inherent in his nature. A man is enjoined to educate the women in his care so that they cultivate the qualities in which they, by their very nature, excel. These aspects were much emphasized by the Prophet, peace be upon him. He exhorted men to marry women of piety and women to be faithful to their husbands and kind to their children. He said: "Among my followers the best of men are those who are best to their wives, and the best of women are those who are best to their husbands. To each of such women is set down a reward equivalent to the reward of a thousand martyrs. Among my followers, again, the best of women are those who assist their husbands in their work, and love them dearly for everything, save what is a transgression of God's laws."
16. Once Mu'awiyah asked the Prophet, peace be upon him: "What are the rights that a wife has over her husband?" The Prophet, peace be upon him, replied: "Feed her when you take your food, give her clothes to wear when you wear clothes, refrain from giving her a slap on the face or abusing her, and do not separate from your wife, except within the house." Once a woman came to the Prophet, peace be upon him, with a complaint against her husband. He told her: "There is no woman who removes something to replace it in its proper place, with a view to tidying her husband's house, but that God sets it down as a virtue for her. Nor is there a man who walks with his wife hand-in-hand, but that God sets it down as a virtue for him; and if he puts his arm round her shoulder in love, his virtue is increased tenfold." Once he was heard praising the women of the tribe of Quraish, saying: " . . . because they are the kindest to their children while they are infants and because they keep a careful watch over the belongings of their husbands."
17. The Shari'ah (Islamic Law) regards women as the spiritual and intellectual equals of men. The main distinction it makes between them is in the physical realm based on the equitable principle of fair division of labor. It allots the more strenuous work to the man and makes him responsible for the maintenance of the family. It allots the work of managing the home and the upbringing and training of children to the woman, work which has the greatest importance in the task of building a healthy and prosperous society.
18. It is a fact, however, that sound administration within the domestic field is impossible without a unified policy. For this reason the Shari'ah requires a man, as head of the family, to consult with his family and then to have the final say in decisions concerning it. In doing so he must not abuse his prerogative to cause any injury to his wife. Any transgression of this principle involves for him the risk of losing the favor of God, because his wife is not his subordinate but she is, to use the words of the Prophet, peace be upon him, 'the queen of her house', and this is the position a true believer is expected to give his wife. In contrast to these enlightened teachings of Islam in respect of women, Western talk of women's liberation or emancipation is actually a disguised form of exploitation of her body, deprivation of her honor, and degradation of her soul!

This question seems to be fishing for "the Gaza Strip and West Bank". However,

neither of these territories is "in" Israel, and Israel is not fighting to acquire either

of them. The Gaza Strip is completely administrated by Hamas, and the West Bank

is under partial Israeli Military Occupation, but is a foreign territory.

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Another contributor added:

The only "piece of land" that one could accurately describe as "being fought over in

Israel" is Israel itself. The government and general population of Israel are determined

that their nation shall survive as a sovereign and autonomous entity, while a large group

of other nations, both neighboring and worldwide, are equally determined, to the point of

periiodic military and terrorist action, that it shall not.