On October 7, Hamas, the Palestinian militant group governing the Gaza Strip since 2007, launched attacks against Israel resulting in the death of at least 1,200 individuals, marking a severe escalation in the longstanding conflict with Israel. In a retaliatory move, on October 9, Israel ordered a complete encirclement of the Gaza Strip causing over 10,000 casualties. 

The history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is deeply rooted in the geography and historical claims to the land. Modern Israel is located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, a strategic location connecting three continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe. From the mid-20th century, following the 1947 United Nations Partition Plan, Palestine has commonly been used to refer to the territories of the Gaza Strip and West Bank, which are separated from each other both geographically and politically. The land known as modern Israel is significant to Jews, being the biblical Land of Israel where the Kingdom of Israel (circa 1020-722 BCE) and the Kingdom of Judah (circa 922-586 BCE) were established. For Muslims, the land is part of the Bilad al-Sham, also significant in Islamic history. 

The Jewish connection to the land, rooted in Biblical accounts, emerges with the narratives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and later, the Exodus from Egypt under Moses’ leadership (circa 13th-14th century BCE). This connection is deeply spiritual, tied to the covenant in Jewish theology. The Jewish narrative is marked by the establishment of the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah (circa 1000 BCE-586 BCE), the destruction of the First and Second Temples (586 BCE and 70 CE), and subsequent exiles.

The Roman conquest, particularly the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, was a pivotal moment for the Jewish people. This event led to a significant diaspora, with Jewish communities spreading across the Roman Empire and beyond. The loss of the temple and the dispersion deepened the Jewish sense of disconnection from their ancestral land, a sentiment that would later fuel the Zionist movement.

Up till the Ottoman rule (1517-1917 CE), a distinct Palestinian identity began to crystallize, characterized by a predominantly Arab population engaged in agriculture and trade. The Ottoman era provided a formative backdrop for the Palestinian sense of nationhood that would later confront the rising tide of Zionism. However, following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, the League of Nations established the British Mandate over Palestine (1917-1948). The Balfour Declaration of 1917, issued by the British government, promised support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine, an area that had been predominantly inhabited by Arabs for centuries. This period witnessed an influx of Jewish immigrants, leading to a demographic shift that heightened tensions between the Jewish and Arab communities. These tensions were further exacerbated by British policies that struggled to balance the Balfour Declaration with the rights of the Arab majority, leading to communal violence and major Arab revolts. The situation reached a critical point by the end of World War II, leading the exhausted British government to refer the matter to the United Nations. 

After the horrors of World War II and the Holocaust, there was a surge of worldwide support for a Jewish homeland. In 1947, the United Nations proposed splitting the area into two independent states. Accepted by Jewish leaders but rejected by Arab leaders, the disagreement sparked a civil war in the region. In 1948, the head of the Jewish Agency declared the independence of the state of Israel. While this marked a historic achievement for the Jewish people and the realization of the Zionist dream, it also initiated the Palestinian Nakba, resulting in widespread displacement and a lasting legacy of conflict and struggle for both peoples.

In the following decades, Israel fought several wars with neighboring Arab states. In 1967, the Six-Day War brought the West Bank and Gaza Strip under Israeli control. These areas, which were intended to be part of the Arab state as proposed in the 1947 partition, continue to be at the heart of the dispute and the Palestinian quest for their own state.

The geographical and historical claims to the land, the differing narratives, and the religious significance to Jews and Muslims, all fuel the ongoing dispute. Recent conflicts remind us that this isn't just about maps and borders — it's about the lives and futures of Israelis and Palestinians. While both sides hold deep historical and spiritual ties to this region, finding a way to live together peacefully remains an ongoing challenge.

Battle for the Holy Land

In the mosaic of histories that compose the narrative of the Holy Land, the distinction between the Canaanites and the Jewish people forms a crucial part of the dialogue. It is imperative to dive into the historical claims of both Palestinians and Israelis, and offer insight into the unique characteristics and historical trajectories of the Canaanites and the Jews, and how these have influenced the modern context of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

The Canaanites, the earliest known inhabitants of the region (circa 3000 BCE), were a Semitic people who established city-states in what is now Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and parts of Syria and Jordan. Noted for their contributions to art, culture, and the development of the alphabet, the Canaanites played a significant role in the ancient Near East. Over time, their culture and population assimilated with incoming groups, including Arabs, contributing to a rich tapestry of identity that would eventually form part of the Palestinian heritage.

In contrast, the Jewish connection to the land, rooted in Biblical accounts, emerges with the narratives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and later, the Exodus from Egypt under Moses’ leadership (circa 13th-14th century BCE). This connection is deeply spiritual, tied to the covenant in Jewish theology. The ancient Israelites, emerging in the land during the Iron Age (circa 1200 BCE), were distinct from the Canaanites in terms of religion, language, and culture, although there were likely interactions and interminglings between these peoples. The Jewish narrative is marked by the establishment of the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah (circa 1000 BCE - 586 BCE), the destruction of the First and Second Temples (586 BCE and 70 CE), and subsequent exiles.

The Roman conquest, particularly the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, was a pivotal moment for the Jewish people. This event led to a significant diaspora, with Jewish communities spreading across the Roman Empire and beyond. The loss of the temple and the dispersion deepened the Jewish sense of disconnection from their ancestral land, a sentiment that would later fuel the Zionist movement.

Under the Islamic Caliphate (circa 7th - 16th centuries CE) up till the Ottoman rule (1517-1917 CE), a distinct Palestinian identity began to crystallize, characterized by a predominantly Arab population engaged in agriculture and trade. The Jewish community, although present, was relatively small during this period. The Ottoman era provided a formative backdrop for the Palestinian sense of nationhood that would later confront the rising tide of Zionism.

The British Mandate over Palestine (1917-1948) represents a pivotal chapter in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, marked by the Balfour Declaration in 1917 which advocated for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. This policy, symbolizing the first official endorsement of Zionist aspirations by a major power, significantly accelerated Jewish immigration, particularly following the horrors of the Holocaust during World War II. However, it overlooked the implications for the Arab population residing in Palestine, laying the groundwork for future conflicts. This period witnessed an influx of Jewish immigrants, leading to a demographic shift that heightened tensions between the Jewish and Arab communities. These tensions were further exacerbated by British policies that struggled to balance the Balfour Declaration with the rights of the Arab majority, leading to communal violence and major Arab revolts.

The culmination of the Mandate era was characterized by increasing unrest and contradictory British attempts to manage both Jewish aspirations and Arab opposition. The situation reached a critical point by the end of World War II, leading the exhausted British government to refer the matter to the United Nations. The UN's partition plan in 1947, proposing separate Jewish and Arab states, was accepted by Jewish leaders but rejected by Arab leaders. This decision set the stage for the end of the British Mandate, the declaration of the State of Israel in 1948, and the first Arab-Israeli war. While this marked a historic achievement for the Jewish people and the realization of the Zionist dream, it also initiated the Palestinian Nakba, resulting in widespread displacement and a lasting legacy of conflict and struggle for both peoples. In the ensuing decades, Israel established its identity as a nation-state, while the Palestinians grappled with the harsh realities of occupation and statelessness.