Author’s note: The following article does not take sides on the ongoing situation between Israel and Palestine. It is neither a pro-Israel or pro-Palestine piece. Rather, this article aims to be an objective and politically-neutral examination of the conflict.

Today, October 7th, marks one year since the ongoing war between Israel and Palestine began. Thousands were in attendance of an open-air music festival when Hamas launched an airstrike. Various reactions have echoed around the world. Many nations have voiced their support of Israel and condemned the strikes on Israelis. Others have condoned the actions of Hamas and say it is payback for the long, harsh treatment of Palestinians. Although the freedoms of thought and speech are important, there are clear limits as to what is deemed acceptable to say and do.

Yet it is the very nature of taking sides that generates controversy and strong emotions. The world we live in today has a lot of groups voicing their opinions and views on certain topics, and the Israel-Palestine conflict is no exception. What’s more, the act of choosing an official stance is a difficult issue in itself. Should a person openly state “I stand with Israel,” he or she is subjected to heated claims of being anti-Palestinian. On the other hand, though, a person declaring support of Palestine usually gets hit with accusations of anti-Semitism. Needless to say, choosing a side is a very delicate, sensitive issue for many people, and it is why this writer will not declare a stance.

Israel-Palestine conflict (The Economist)

The Israel-Palestine conflict is not about one issue alone; rather, it stems from a multitude of factors. Land rights are one of the main points of contention between Israel and Palestine, especially with regard to Israeli settlements and the occupation of territory by Israel’s government. The question of water rights also sparks debates about who should own and have access to water as a resource. Border rights and security of said territories are two other major factors. Another sticking point is the Israeli permit regime in the West Bank, in which Palestinians have to acquire permits from the occupying Israeli government in order to perform various activities. This practice is considered by Palestine to be a form of racial profiling. In addition, both the Israelis and Palestinians claim Jerusalem as their capital city, which continues to be another intractable issue. There is also the Palestinian principle called “right of return”, in which refugees and their descendants should be entitled to reclaim the land and property that they were forced to leave behind or receive compensation if they are unable to return.

On a humane level, the conflict is undeniably awful. Airstrikes and bombings of civilian areas are horrible atrocities that should not take place. Furthermore, launching attacks on civilian areas, hospitals, schools, and urban areas is also inhumane and indefensible. There are men, women, and children who didn’t ask to be caught up in such events, and they certainly had nothing to do with the long-simmering political tensions between Israel and Palestine.

In order to understand the Israel-Palestine war, one needs to understand the true beginnings of where the conflict originated. One of the biggest mistakes in studying history is viewing the past with a modern-day, contemporary perspective. History itself is very much an exercise of looking back on events, especially wars, in hindsight with the idea about what “would/could/should have” happened. Instead, people interested in exploring the past ought to examine these historical events with an understanding of the original context in which they took place.

The history

The origins of the conflict go far back in history- long before Israel was ever created. For centuries, the territory in question had been occupied by Israelis and Palestinians at various times. History has shown that anti-Semitism existed in European countries for hundreds of years long before the bloodline of Adolf Hitler ever came into being. The Crusades were a long, drawn-out series of political and military campaigns that increased the persecution and violence directed against Jewish people during the Middle Ages. It was the Catholic Church’s intention to conquer the Kingdom of Jerusalem and to convert Muslims to Christianity; both of which were hardly noble in concept or in practice. By the late 19th century, the ethno-cultural movement called Zionism became prominent in Europe among many Jewish people who longed for a homeland of their own. In 1881, the first Jewish settlers arrived in Ottoman Palestine, and for the next twelve years, more Jewish immigrants from Yemen and Europe settled there. Naturally, the inhabitants of Ottoman Palestine feared the possibility of being displaced, which led to increased tensions between both groups. During the First World War, the British Empire took control over part of the former Ottoman region along with France and Belgium, and the geopolitical entity known as “Mandatory Palestine” was created as a result. The Great Revolt of 1936 by Arab peoples led to the end of Britain supporting Zionism. In 1948, the Palestinian War drove over seven hundred thousand Arabs out of their homes and expelled by Zionist paramilitary units and later by the Israeli government’s armed forces. During that same year, the United Nations created the State of Israel as an official homeland for Jewish people. This was done in the wake of World War II as an attempt to provide a refuge for European Jewish people who’d been suffered under Hitler’s Nazi regime. However, one main consequence of the decision was displacing the Palestinians. As a result of these political changes, they were essentially forced out of their land.

1949 Armistice Lines (The Economist)

As of today, the State of Palestine consists of two regions-the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Many Palestinians live in the Gaza Strip-a piece of land that is approximately forty-one kilometers (or twenty-five miles) in length and ten kilometers wide (7.5 miles). The total area is three hundred sixty-five kilometres squared, and the population is estimated to be around 2,141,643 Palestinians living there. Meanwhile, the West Bank area is slightly larger with an area of five thousand, six-hundred and forty square kilometres, and almost three million Palestinians occupying that territory. Both of these regions are little more than extended refugee camps, but the difference is that this is a group of over five million people who have no place to call home. The Palestinians are essentially a nation without a country. In addition, the West Bank region has been under Israeli control since the Six-Day War of 1967.

So, is there a solution to this situation?

Fighting is obviously not a good option, because it only generates further violence and more bloodshed. Hostage exchanges might be a way to end the air strikes and bombings, yet the feelings of tension and bitterness would still exist. Sure, the fighting might grind to a halt for a while, but the chances are likely that things would resume in due course. It also poses the question of how long both sides expect the conflict to go on.

Over the years, many have called for a proposed two-state solution. This idea would have two nations sharing the land but with distinct borders. Surely, “the two-state plan” would be a possible approach to the problem, right? In a perfect world, Israel and Palestine sharing the land might be a way for both nations to live in peace without feuding. That concept does sound appealing and logical.

But it ultimately would not work.

Destruction in Gaza (Reuters)

While the concept may appear promising in theory, the idea of a two-state solution is not as simple at it might sound. There would be questions of governance regarding certain areas of territory. For example, who exactly would be in control and over which regions? Another issue is the land itself and where to settle Palestinian newcomers moving over from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Exactly where they would live would prove to be a major point of contention between the Palestinians and Israelis. The effort of trying to place Palestinians in new homes would pose more frustrations and challenges. Furthermore, many Israelis fear the possibility of being ejected from their homes and forced to give up territory they own and use. In addition, the economy of a two-state system would probably face many difficulties in adjusting to the newly-created status quo. Bringing five million people into the country would be tough for Israel, and many have said it would lead to a collapse of the state. Also, the ongoing question about who occupy the city of Jerusalem would continue to pose a challenge.

Overall, the conflict between Israel and Palestine is still ongoing, and it seems unlikely to stop any time soon. Yes, there have been prisoner exchanges and temporary ceasefires, but even so, these are merely stop gaps and brief interludes at best. Now, there is the current situation developing between Israel and Lebanon. Perhaps there may be peace in the Middle East someday, but it will be a very difficult goal to achieve. One thing is for certain; there are no easy answers for such a difficult, ongoing issue like the Israel-Palestine situation.