Israelis and Palestinians now face a third year shaped by the horrors of war. Emanuela Corrado, 15, from Sacred Heart High School Hammersmith, argues that everyone must learn about the suffering and its history.
You may have heard of the crisis between IsraelA country in the Middle East, and the only Jewish nation in the modern period. It is seen by Jews, Christians and Muslims as the Holy Land. and PalestineAn area located in the Southern Levant region of Western Asia. . But do you know what led up to this catastrophe? Do you know why Israel is recognised by only 164 of 192 UN member states and Palestine by just 146? Do you know why both countries are fighting over the same land? Do you know why there is tension between Jewish Israelis and Muslim Palestinians?
On 7 October 2023, an atrocity shook the Middle East. It is still affecting civilian lives today. On that day, HamasA militant Palestinian organisation, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007. It is listed as a terrorist organisation in the UK., a Palestinian group recognised by the UK as a terroristUsing violence or the threat of violence to create fear among a wide group of people. organisation, launched an attack from the GazaThe smaller of two Palestinian territories, home to two million people. It is located on the Mediterranean coast, bordered by Israel and Egypt. Strip and killed 1,200 Israelis. So began the current war between Israel and Hamas. Since then, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed. Many have been women and children, say the UNUnited Nations. An intergovernmental organisation based in New York that aims to maintain international peace and security..1 How would you feel living in fear of continuous war, in a society that threatens danger?
The conflict between Palestine and Israel has a long history, but here is a short summary. The Zionist movement, the nationalist movement to establish a Jewish nation (now known as Israel), was established as long ago as 1897. The British put their support behind the idea in 1917, when the Balfour Declaration established a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine, which was then an OttomanA member of the Turkish dynasty that ruled the Ottoman Empire. region. For the next 30 years, Palestine was ruled by the British. In that time, thousands of Jewish people moved to the land, fleeing Europe. In November 1947, Britain handed over Palestine to the UN and adopted Resolution 181 (the Partition Plan) which established the separation of Arab and Jewish states. Six months later in 1948, the State of Israel was created and was admitted to the United Nations. The Arab world rejected the plan and a war broke out — and that year, more than half of the Palestinian population was displaced.2
Israel and Palestine have gone through 16 wars or war-like clashes since 1947 to the present day. Sixteen wars! That’s up to six generations who had to face the reality of this war. But why is this important to us?
Well, by expanding our perspectives we can begin to understand how this war is affecting so many innocent people, allowing us to see the bigger picture. Remember that media outlets, and especially social media posts, are often biased and do not give the full story. By educating ourselves we will have more precise and informed opinions, enabling us to raise awareness and give victims the voice they don’t have.
Don’t let politics get in the way of the human race. We are one big community and helping each other lets us live in a better world. Now it is time to decide: what is your opinion?
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Keywords
Israel – A country in the Middle East, and the only Jewish nation in the modern period. It is seen by Jews, Christians and Muslims as the Holy Land.
Palestine – An area located in the Southern Levant region of Western Asia.
Hamas – A militant Palestinian organisation, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007. It is listed as a terrorist organisation in the UK.
Terrorist – Using violence or the threat of violence to create fear among a wide group of people.
Gaza – The smaller of two Palestinian territories, home to two million people. It is located on the Mediterranean coast, bordered by Israel and Egypt.
UN – United Nations. An intergovernmental organisation based in New York that aims to maintain international peace and security.
Ottoman – A member of the Turkish dynasty that ruled the Ottoman Empire.
- According to the UN
- According to the UN.
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