Palestinian Territories

Palestinian Answer

Zionists invaded Palestine and changed the name to "Israel". Many Palestinians were forced from their homes into concentration camps, such as Gaza.

Israeli Answer

Hamas, the ruling power in Gaza, has presented no terms an no way to negotiate for a two-state solution. Naturally, Israel, as any state would, is trying to make sure that Hamas does not ever have the capability to destroy the State of Israel. Israel is doing this on multiple levels, including blockading the region, using targeted airstrikes to remove the Hamas leadership, and on occasion, invading the region militarily. For people like the above Palestinian, the notion that the Zionists may have some rights to a State is completely out of the question, therefore it is impossible for them to arrive at a peaceful negotiated solution. If you note the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, while it is certainly not peaceful, those Palestinians have much more ability to be productive and develop internal infrastructure because they have not rejected Israel so vehemently.

Palestinian people today is one of the terms referring mainly to Arab people with family origins in Palestine. The religion of Palestinians is primarily Islam, but there are others who consider themselves Palestinian, including Christians, Druze, and Jews.

In British Mandate Palestine, all those granted citizenship by the Mandatory authorities were granted "Palestinian citizenship," including the newly arriving Jewish immigrants. The term "Palestinian" as used by the Mandatory authorities referred to all people residing there, regardless of religion. Following the 1948 establishment of the State of Israel as the national homeland of the Jewish people, the use and application of "Palestine" and "Palestinian" by and to non-Arab Palestinians dropped from use; and its use was again taken up by its Arabs after the establishment of the PLO in 1964. The English-language newspaper The Palestine Post for example, primarily served the Jewish community in British Mandate Palestine; after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the newspaper's name was changed to The Jerusalem Post. Today, Palestinian Jews generally identify as "Israelis". The more precise terminology Palestinian Arab which was in use until the 1960s is often contracted/abbreviated - at the expense of some linguistic clarity or for political purposes - to the now commonly used Palestinian. Notwithstanding the aforementioned, it is common for Arab citizens of Israel to identify themselves as both "Israeli" and "Palestinian" and/or "Palestinian Arab" or "Israeli Arab" in most cases.

The Palestinian National Charter, as amended by the Palestine National Congress in July 1968, states that "The Palestinians are those Arab nationals who, until 1947, normally resided in Palestine regardless of whether they were evicted from it or stayed there. Anyone born, after that date, of a Palestinian father-whether in Palestine or outside it-is also a Palestinian." The Charter also allows that "The Jews who had normally resided in Palestine until the beginning of the Zionist invasion are considered Palestinians."

The most recent draft of the Palestinian constitution expands the definition of Palestinian to state that: "Palestinian citizenship shall be organized by law without prejudicing the right of anyone who acquired it before 15 May 1948 in accordance with the law or the right of the Palestinian who was resident in Palestine before that date. This right is transmitted from fathers and mothers to their children. The right endures unless it is given up voluntarily.

The Palestinians are Arabs that moved into Palestine a century ago. Many of them came from Jordan and Syria.

The Palestinians are an Arab-speaking people with family origins in Palestine, an area now known as Israel along with Israeli territories, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Answer 1

The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict takes place in a small portion of the Southern Levant in the Middle East along the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea in territory termed "the former British Mandate of Palestine". This physical territory comprises the nation of Israel, and portions of Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. A very real dimension of the conflict also takes place in the world's broadcast and print media, and in national and international political and diplomatic bodies.

Answer 2

In the area between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean. However, people around the world have gotten involved, showing their support for different sides. There are spots where more activity is occurring than others, for example Gaza.
Mostly in the Gaza Strip area and surrounding borders.

Answer 1

Because they had nowhere else to go. Europe gave them a home in Palestine as a way of saying sorry but what the fault of the Palestinian people who are being forced to leave their homes. they were in no part involved in the killing of the Jews. Europe is trying to amend one of their sins by committing another. Why didn't they give them a home in Europe? They just wanted to show that they were sorry.

Answer 2

There are two operative parts to that question. There is the implicit question as to whether a Jewish State is something that should exist. There is the explicit question as to whether the geographical location chosen for this Jewish State is proper for its mission.

1) Why a Jewish State: Herzl explained quite well that the European concept of a nation-state was dependent on the idea that all of the people in any particular nation were of the same ethnic stock and heritage. Jews were branded by this system to be "the Other" and were regarded at best as possible equals and at worse as traitors, spies, thieves, and fifth columns. When the Dreyfus Affair turned out marches in Paris that said "Death to the Jews" on account of a kangaroo court against a particular guiltless Jew, it became clear that the Jew could not be integrated into Europe. After the Holocaust, the strongest proof that the Jew and the European Nation-State were irreconcilable, this view persists. In Europe, it is now directed at the Muslims since the Jews are not large enough of a threat to the European System. Unlike Muslims, though, which can return to their countries of origin if the discrimination becomes intolerable, the Jews did not have such a place. This is why the Jewish State is necessary. Since it came into existence it has accepted Jewish political refugees from over 50 nations and flown missions at its own expense to rescue Jews from at least 10 nations.

2) Why Palestine: Ahad Ha'am explains that the Jewish Soul is intrinsically connected to his history and in the same way that a German-American can never be as properly German as a German in Germany, the People of Israel can never be as properly Jewish if they are not in the Land of Israel. The relics in that land speak to a Jewish sensibility and character. There are also religious reasons as expounded by Rav Avraham Kook which posit that the development of a Jewish State in Israel hastens the arrival of the Messiah. There are additional political reasons why Palestine and not Europe. As explained above, the European Culture is strongly anti-Other and making a Jewish State there would have fostered much more contempt and alienation (ironically).

Note on Answer 1

In contrast to Answer 1, Israel was not created in the Middle East as a way to hurt Palestinians and Zionism was not founded as a reaction to the Holocaust. (Herzl, Ahad Ha'am, and Rav Kook were all Zionists long before the Nazis even gained power in Germany, among others.) Additionally, Jews in the Middle East did suffer prior to the advent of Zionism. There were blood libels (which still circulate in the Arab World) about Jews killing Christian Monks or of Jews killing Muslim children to drink their blood. Both are patently false, but the riots they caused killed untold numbers. There was legal discrimination against Jews in nearly every Muslim-majority country in the first half of the twentieth century. (After the first half, most no longer had Jews.) Currently, all of the former Palestinian Jewish population is part of Israel and actively prevented from "returning" to Jordan or the Gaza Strip.

There are three operative parts of this question which must be discussed before any viable answer can be given.

1) Who are Israelis? Israel was a combination of a number of ethnic groups of which Jews were the largest and most central. Jews worked in concert with other minorities in the land such as the Bedouins who openly supported the Kibbutz movement, the Druze whose holy places (like the Tomb of Shuayb-Jethro) the Jews helped to protect from Muslim vandalism, and the Circassians, a Russian Muslim ethnicity that had its lifestyle under siege from the Ottoman Turks and Palestinian Arabs. These groups worked in concert with the Jews to establish what would be a Jewish State with equal rights for non-Jews.

Additionally, there were numerous Arab Palestinians who joined with Jews in a passive way since they were committed to the enterprise of creating a nation of Israel. The Arab community of Abu Ghosh is prime example of just such a Zionist-sympathizing Muslim-Arab community. The combination of the above minorities and some of the Arab majority should dispel the myth that "it's just Jews". Israel is a state with a wide variety of citizens and has a larger minority percentage of its population than any Middle Eastern State except Turkey (which refused to recognize its Kurdish minority until the 1990s).

2) What is Palestine? Palestine, prior to 1949, was never used in the context of describing an actual nation or state. It was a regional term that came from the Roman Province Syria-Palaestina. From the 1500s-1919, Palestine was part of several different Ottoman governates like the Vilayet of Beirut, the Vilayet of Damascus and the Mutasaffirat of Jerusalem. The British Mandate of Palestine was the way that the British merely decided to redraw the lines. While there is certainly a legitimate Arab nationalist aspiration to create a Palestinian Arab state, there never was such a state in the past.

3) What does "take over" mean? Take over in this context traditionally means to forcibly assume control of something that was previously controlled by someone else. Since the British, a foreign power, were in control of Palestine, not the indigenous Arabs, the Israelis could not take over Palestine from the Arabs. This is similar to how the United States annexing Texas is not construed as taking over Mexican land. Texas and the United States were states separate from the Mexican population of Texas even though the majority of Texans at the time of annexation were Mexicans. Israelis (not just Jews, as explained above) fought the British for the control of a region of land. That land just happened to be called Palestine because of the way the map was drawn.

Result:

As this explains, Israel did acquire the territory of the British Mandate of Palestine as the result of a war that was declared against it. However, this does not mean that Israel took over Palestine if we hold to the definitions that we have already reasonably established. It bears mentioning that from its inception, Israel has sought to establish peaceful relations with everyone else. Unfortunately, it has had the need to defend its civilians almost constantly, all the while maintaining the strongest efforts to mitigate collateral harm.

Israeli Demands of Palestinians and other Arabs:

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. Jews 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.

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. Jews want the Palestinians to accept the result of Zionism: a Jewish State. Many Arabs, like those behind the Arab Peace Initiative of 2007 and Qaddafi's "Isratine" are willing to accept an Israel that is democratic and majority Arab. This would defeat the purpose of a Jewish State, because that State would not have a Jewish character.

3) Security: This is paramount for most Israelis. They want to be able to go asleep every night and worry more about whether they bought the right baby formula than whether their baby is going to live another day. Israel has been attacked unceasingly since its declaration of independence and is extremely skeptical of armistices and other treaties for security guarantees. Israelis are thus hesitant to withdraw from a number of positions until it can be made clear that Israel will not have lost a strategic advantage in protecting itself for naught.

Palestinian and Arab Demands of Israelis:

1) Hallowed Land: Palestinian Muslims consider Jerusalem holy because of Mohammed ascending to Heaven on the Buraq over Jerusalem's Temple Mount. The Arabs want to ensure maintenance and access to the sites which they feel have been limited by the Israelis who arbitrarily close off access to Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. The City of the Jerusalem is considered by many Palestinians to be their city and representative of their historical identity.

2) End of the 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 and greatly desire the Right for Palestinians to return to what is now Israel.

3) End of the 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.

4) End of the 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 Palestinian caught in the struggle barely has 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. Palestinians in both cases want governments that are able to make their own decisions without an Israeli say-so to lift a finger.

A number of things would have to take place before a long-standing peace (as opposed to a mere cessation of hostilities) could take place. There are other requisites, but there are the most important.

1) Mutual Recognition: Israel would need to recognize a completely independent and sovereign Palestinian Government that would fully control a certain amount of the former British Mandate of Palestine (most likely Gaza and the West Bank). Israel would also have to confer on this state the unambiguous nature of being correct and necessary for Israel. Conversely, Palestine would have to recognize the Right for Israel to Exist as a Jewish State occupying the remaining amount of the British Mandate of Palestine (most likely 1949-Israel). Both sides would have to recognize the historical and emotional value that the land also has to the other.

2) Regional/International Recognition: States that have adopted attitudes strongly favoring one side at the expense of the other, such as the Arab States would need to recognize the legitimacy of both Israel and Palestine.

3) Israeli Reparation Payments: Israel dispossessed many Palestinians of their property, either by malicious activities that took place during the Arab-Israeli Wars or by Ben-Gurion refusing to let Palestinians who left return after the 1948-9 War. Israel needs to pay the Palestinian government reparations for the land that was taken in this way.

4) Israeli Withdrawal from the Settlements: Israel must withdraw from the Settlements to provide Palestine with a viable infrastructure and complete sovereignty. The Settlers must return to Israeli territory. The buildings, however, should be left as partial payment of the above-mentioned reparations.

5) Palestinians Must Concede Right of Return: Recognizing the State of Israel as a Jewish State is meaningless if Palestinians en masse are allowed to Return to Israel. Therefore, Palestinians (and their backers) must abandon the notion that they can ever return to Israeli territory. Palestinians should leave the refugee camps and become proper citizens in this new country of Palestine.

6) Jerusalem Must Be Shared or Internationalized:Palestine and Israel both want Jerusalem and the only way to solve this is either divide the city East/West respectively and divide the Old City or Internationalize the City or some combination of Internationalization and division. Neither side will rest until it can assure its followers that its holy sites will be protected.

7) Liberal Thought: Just in general, people have to be willing to compromise and live with that compromise.

Answer 1

Yes they did, in 1947 the Israelis took over Palestine, trying to wipe out every Palestinian when some survived after this tragedy happened. The Israeli's are saying that they did not try to wipe out every Palestinian and there wasn't even anyone there when we got there.

Answer 2

It's quite complicated and there are two questions in this question.

Firstly, did Israelis kill the Palestinians? Yes, but it was for the most part a conflict not a civilian massacre. There were certainly events that led to numerous Palestinian deaths and the removal of Palestinians from large swathes of land. Throughout the fighting (from 1947-1949) numerous Palestinians were forced from their homes inside what would become Israeli territory, culminating in the Israeli atrocities committed against the Palestinian people in such places as Deir Yassin. Other Palestinians left in fear that they too could be attacked and forced to leave. This climate of fear and and desire to leave was increased by Arab leaders who encouraged such activities claiming that it would get civilians out of the way while the fighting occurred. After the War and the elimination of Israel, the Palestinians would return without issue. This did not happen as Israel was victorious. Palestinians call this event (the overall war and removal from their homes) the Nakba or Great Catastrophe.

Secondly, did the Israelis steal Palestine. No. While Israel certainly acquired a lot more of the former British Mandate than they were initially given, this does not fall under theft since Israel was not fighting an expansionary war, but a defensive war. As concerns the original Israeli territory as allotted by the United Nations Resolution 181, allocating territory to Jewish State and to an Arab State (Palestine), this is settled law and completely legal. Therefore it is not theft. However, people chose to avoid the legal definitions of things when those do not accord with their personal feelings.

A number of things would have to take place before a long-standing peace (as opposed to a mere cessation of hostilities) could take place. There are other requisites, but there are the most important.

1) Mutual Recognition: Israel would need to recognize a completely independent and sovereign Palestinian Government that would fully control a certain amount of the former British Mandate of Palestine (most likely Gaza and the West Bank). Israel would also have to confer on this state the unambiguous nature of being correct and necessary for Israel. Conversely, Palestine would have to recognize the Right for Israel to Exist as a Jewish State occupying the remaining amount of the British Mandate of Palestine (most likely 1949-Israel). Both sides would have to recognize the historical and emotional value that the land also has to the other.

2) Regional/International Recognition: States that have adopted attitudes strongly favoring one side at the expense of the other, such as the Arab States would need to recognize the legitimacy of both Israel and Palestine.

3) Israeli Reparation Payments: Israel dispossessed many Palestinians of their property, either by malicious activities that took place during the Arab-Israeli Wars or by Ben-Gurion refusing to let Palestinians who left return after the 1948-9 War. Israel needs to pay the Palestinian government reparations for the land that was taken in this way.

4) Israeli Withdrawal from the Settlements: Israel must withdraw from the Settlements to provide Palestine with a viable infrastructure and complete sovereignty. The Settlers must return to Israeli territory. The buildings, however, should be left as partial payment of the above-mentioned reparations.

5) Palestinians Must Concede Right of Return: Recognizing the State of Israel as a Jewish State is meaningless if Palestinians en masse are allowed to Return to Israel. Therefore, Palestinians (and their backers) must abandon the notion that they can ever return to Israeli territory. Palestinians should leave the refugee camps and become proper citizens in this new country of Palestine.

6) Jerusalem Must Be Shared or Internationalized:Palestine and Israel both want Jerusalem and the only way to solve this is either divide the city East/West respectively and divide the Old City or Internationalize the City or some combination of Internationalization and division. Neither side will rest until it can assure its followers that its holy sites will be protected.

7) Liberal Thought: Just in general, people have to be willing to compromise and live with that compromise.