Munther Dajani Professor Larsen
Writing 121
Nov. 8th, 2012
Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: Unit 2 “The conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is one of the most enduring and complex in the modern world and continues to entangle and engage the international community to this day.” (Milton-Edwards 2). It seems as though every super power and any international affairs controversies are constantly enveloped in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, as you know. Why is such an important matter, like this conflict, in politics around the world? Most people here in the U.S. believe that this is a conflict due to the Middle East’s constantly reoccurring conflicts and will usually side with the Israeli’s, due to their western support. It impacts much of the Middle East conflicts and politics, which seem to be extremely abundant in our news today. This conflict takes place in what is now known as the Palestinian territory and the state of Israel. Palestine, as it was once known and still called by the Arabs and Palestinians who refuse the acceptance of an Israeli state, is one of the holiest places on Earth, containing holy sites for all three of the major religions; Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. Genocide, occupation, terrorism, refugees, war crimes, and peace agreements are all topics that can surface when this topic is discussed. The relationship between the Israelis and Palestinians is a deep and complex one and cannot be simply explained or solved. The United States, Britain, France, and many nations in the Middle East all had major parts in the birth of the Israeli state. Following events that took place in Europe, such as the holocaust, colonialism, and world wars, aided in the development of a Jewish state, which was established not under the Jewish peoples, but through the British occupied Palestine, who essentially created the state of Israel with British foreign interests in mind. Obviously, this caused alarm for the Palestinian peoples and initiated the foundation for the present conflict. To me, I feel connected to this topic because I have personally been to Palestine and Israel and have seen the situation that it is today. I have relatives that live there and what I have seen has been alarming as to what I have learned about the situation. Decades of war and bloodshed bring us to the problematic situation of today, where peace negotiations still seem to be but imperfectly realized by both sides of the conflict. So then, why is peace so difficult to achieve and can the actions taken to create a Jewish state be justified? First, we start by exploring the complex historical background of the conflict before us. Palestine was its own state under control by the Muslim Ottoman Empire, which controlled much of the Middle East region. Why then, did this Jewish immigration begin and with the help of the British? In Beverly Milton-Edwards’, Professor in the School of Politics, International Studies and Philosophy at Queens University Belfast and author of Islamic Foundationalism Since 1945 and Contemporary Politics in the Middle East, The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A People's War, states that, “factors such as the spiritual attachment and renaissance in romantic Christian association with Zion and the Jewish people, led to a growing sympathy for the Zionist cause of a Jewish state.” (Milton-Edwards 3). Dr. Milton-Edwards may have bias with the Israeli position because of his background in England and Israel. His book seems legitimate since it was published and reviewed. Knowing that the British have history with the idea of supporting the Jewish state, it explains why they would help establish Israel for the Jewish people. But question is then, why would there be interest for the British to waste time and resources on helping out the Zionist idea? Well, Dr. Milton-Edwards also explains how by establishing this Jewish state in the Middle East, it would give the British a slice of control over the Middle East region