Introduction:
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been a complex subject of significant research over decades among the historians, political scientists, economists, humanitarian groups, non-governmental organizations, as well as other interested individuals and societal groups in the modern times. All these parties seek to establish an in-depth scope on the conflict’s history and the subsequent trajectory (Bickerton, 2012). Understanding the causal factors that triggered the conflict, the implications, and the dynamics of the conflict will foster a deeper analysis of the interplay between historical events, prevailing political perspective theories, and prospective arbitration procedures. These objectives therefore define the fundamental motivation to this log report.
Expectations:
In this paper the author provides an argument that espouses the application of the ‘new world’ models particularly with regard to settler colonialism, decolonization, the affirmation of a sense of national identity, and the role of both Israel and Palestine as well as the international community towards providing lasting peace solutions.
The conflict dates back to 1917 upon after the then British Prime Minister, Balfour, pronounced Britain’s stand on supporting Israel towards establishing herself as a state in the Palestine land. In the course of this research, the author will provide a concise analysis on how the historical settler colonialism has effected counter-productive solutions in the context of Israel-Palestine Middle East Conflict (Bar-Siman-Tov & Kacowicz, 2014).
In highlighting these dynamics, the author will acquire a deeper insight on the ingrained anti-Semitism attitudes across the Arab world, and the implications of Islamization in Gaza Strip towards the protracted violence and civil strife. Moreover, the study will enhance the author’s analytical skills in questioning theories and establishing facts and truths beyond what is stereotyped and publicized in the media.
Research skills required:
In this regard, high analytical skills will be a requisite towards developing solutions to complex issues in the political domains. Since the research will be carried across a short time frame, between two to three weeks, the author will acquire proper time management skills towards achieving a predetermined goal.
Skills acquired:
Moreover, having dealt with statistics on survey data describing various events, for example, in accounting for the number of Arab refugees across the Middle East countries (Jordan and Lebanon), the author will exhibit essential skills in math and data analysis.
Problems:
In attempt to define the historical Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, the value of any literary study lies in the ability of the author in defining the relationship between the colonial history of the Palestine and Israel and the establishing the post-colonial status among these two states and its implications on aggravating conflict. In this research, establishing comprehensive post-colonial evidences and its influence in shaping the conflict dynamics, which was limited by unverifiable justifications, time and space is inevitable (Gelvin, 2005).
Issues:
The inherent desire towards achieving a sense of identification and nationalisms between Israel and Palestine began in Europe where Jews faced considerable discrimination and distrust. Thousands of Jews were slaughtered across Europe and in the Soviet Republic concentration camps. Zionism was then perceived as the only remedy against these persecutions, and was established by Theodore Herzl during the wake of nationalism across Europe (Judis, 2014).
The Zionists therefore came together to establish a Jewish national home, and they chose Palestine as the promised biblical land. Arabs could not agree with the decision, and this triggered the conflict after the 1917 Balfour Declaration to have the Jews settle in Palestine.
Consequently, under the motivation and educational activities of the French and US missionary groups, the Arabs constituted themselves into a political group that sought the European assistance in fighting against the Jews. It is at this point that the conflict was bred and became severe during the Holocaust (Gelvin, 2005). The British betrayed the Jews by offering no help against Hitler.
As a result, the Zionists staged incessant attacks on the British headquarters, and killing over 200 people. Under the heat of despair, the British handed the Israeli-Palestine problem to the United Nations for arbitration. However, the animosity between the homeless Palestinians against the Israelis did not relent (Judis, 2014).
Developments:
Most of the Jews demonstrated high capabilities in the medicine, engineering, and other core industrial and economic domains, and hence they were perceived with power and greater dominance across Europe. Contrasting with the Arabs, only about 19 percent were educated, and their influence in the industrial and economic domains was insignificant (Bar-Siman-Tov & Kacowicz, 2014).
Therefore, the British were in favor of the Jews and against the Arabs who were perceived with inferiority. Therefore, the two elite groups were willing to put undue pressure on the Arab nationals who were less developed and unstable. This theory then provides a theoretical framework on the social and historical transformation that marked the onset of the conflict.
Conclusion:
Through the formation of a political wing, Zionists, the Jewish society was striving to emancipate itself from injustices and prevailing inequalities subjected by their colonial masters. Despite their liberation, the Jewish people translate their power influence over a lesser advantaged society of Arabs, and subsequently the struggle continues (Balogun, 2011). By perpetuating the power influence over Palestine; and displacing the Arabs from their previous settlements, with no prospects to negotiations, this has and will continuously fuel the animosity between the two states, despite the historical and modern substantial peace solutions by the international community.
References:
Balogun, M. J. (2011). Hegemony and sovereign equality: The interest contiguity theory in international relations. New York: Springer.
Bar-Siman-Tov, Y., & Kacowicz, A. M. (2014). Justice and peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. London: New York, NY: Routledge.
Bickerton, I. (2012). The Arab-Israeli Conflict. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing.
Constas, M. A. (2006). Translating Theory and Research into Educational Practice: Developments in Content Domains, Large Scale Reform, and Intellectual Capacity. Hoboken: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Gelvin, J. L. (2005). The Israel-Palestine conflict: One hundred years of war. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Judis, J. B. (2014). Genesis: Truman, American Jews, and the origins of the Arab/Israeli conflict. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Zeitoun, M. (2008). Power and water in the Middle East: The hidden politics of the Palestinian-Israeli water conflict. London: I.B. Tauris.
