WK12

Al-Aqsa Intifada

14 May 2020
Topics
• Background of Al-Aqsa Intifada
• The development of Al-Aqsa Intifada
• Crucial events during Al-Aqsa Intifada
• The influence of Al-Aqsa Intifada
Background of Al- • Ariel Sharon, the leader of Likud, visited Al-Aqsa
Aqsa Intifada compound on 28 September 2000.
SourceL https://www.gettyimages.com
 Al-Aqsa Compound

Source: www.islamiclandmarks.com/
Al-Aqsa Mosque

Source: wikipedia
Dome of the Rock

Source: wikipedia
Failure of the Oslo Peace Process (review)
• 1. Israel continuous annexation of Palestine lands,
expansion of settlements and checkpoint.
• 2. Failure of Final status negotiation
• 3. Corruption and dysfunction of the PA
The development of Al-Aqsa Intifada

• The first stage: 28 September 2000—29 June

2003
• Palestinian militias conducted suicide bombings.
• Israel (Ariel Sharon) retaliated with heavy forces.
Operation Defensive Shield (March 2002)
• Debates on the suicide bombings or martyrdom
operation
• The second stage: 29 June 2003—11 November 2004
• Ceasefire of Palestinian factions.
• The death of Yasser Arafat.

• The third stage: 11 November 2004—25 January 2006

• Ceasefire of Palestinian factions again.
• Municipal elections and Palestinian Legislative Election

• Casualties of Al-Aqsa Intifada, 29 September 2000-29 September

2005
Crucial events during Al-Aqsa Intifada
• The Road Map (April 2003)
• The Road Map was from an speech by U.S President George Bush on 24 June
2002 in the White House. The speech condemned terrorism, criticism of the
PA, a call for replacement of Palestinian leaders, security reform and
elections.

• After Mahmoud Abbas became the first Prime Minister of the PA, the Quartet
(US, EU, Russia and the UN) issued the Road Map, demanding Palestinians’
renouncement of terrorism, and creation of a provisional Palestinian state
with temporary borders.

• In additions, the Road Map demands the stop of Israeli expansion of

settlements in Gaza and the West Banks and removed settlements built before
March 2001
• The death of Arafat: Post-Arafat period

• Mahmoud Abbas was elected as the president of the

PA on January 2005.

• 13 Palestinian factions issued “The Cairo Declaration”

• 1. Those gathered confirmed their adherence to Palestinian constants,
without any neglect, and the right of the Palestinian people to resistance in
order to end the occupation, establish a Palestinian state with full
sovereignty with Jerusalem as its capital, and guaranteeing the right of
return of refugees to their homes and properties.

• 2. Those gathered agreed on a programme of action for the year 2005,

centred on the continuation of the atmosphere of calm in return for Israel's
adherence to stopping all forms of aggression against Palestinian people and
land, no matter where they are, as well as the release of all prisoners and
detainees.

• 3. Those gathered confirmed that the continuation of settlement and the

construction of the wall and the Judaisation of East Jerusalem are explosive
issues.
• 4. Those gathered explored the internal Palestinian situation and agreed on
the necessity of completing total reform in all areas, of supporting the
democratic process in its various aspects and of holding local and legislative
elections at their determined time according to an election law to be agreed
upon. The conference recommends to the Legislative Council that it take
steps to amend the legislative elections law, relying on an equal division of
seats in a mixed system, and it recommends that the law for elections of
local councils be amended on the basis of proportional representation.

• 5. Those gathered agreed to develop the Palestine Liberation Organisation

(PLO) on bases that will be settled upon in order to include all the
Palestinian powers and factions, as the organisation is the sole legitimate
representative of the Palestinian people. To do this, it has been agreed upon
to form a committee to define these bases, and the committee will be made
up of the president of the National Council, the members of the PLO's
Executive Committee, the secretary-generals of all Palestinian factions and
independent national personalities. The president of the Executive
Committee will convene this committee.
• (6) Those gathered unanimously felt that dialogue is the sole
means of interaction among all the factions, as a support to
national unity and the unity of the Palestinian ranks. They
were unanimous in forbidding the use of weapons in internal
disputes, respecting the rights of the Palestinian citizen and
refraining from violating them, and that continuing dialogue
through the coming period is a basic necessity towards
unifying our speech and preserving Palestinian rights.
• Four-round municipal elections: 23 December 2004, 5
May 2005, 29 September 2005, 15 December 2005.

• Results:
• Fatah won the majority of the seats.
• Hamas won one-third of seats.
PLC election, 20 January 1996
PLC election, 25 January 2006

Source: Wiki
The influence of Al-Aqsa Intifada

• Denial of the legitimacy of the Oslo Peace Process

• The rise of Hamas

• East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza remains

under the Israeli occupation.