Downloaded from: justpaste.

it/8758c

AN IDIOT’S INCOMPLETE GUIDE TO THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE ISSUE

Circa 1000 BC – Per Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) King David completed Joshua’s (assistant of Moses) push for
conquest over the Jebusites, described as the pre-Israelite inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Very little known about Jebusites outside the Hebrew Bible and the whole theory is contested hotly to this
day.
Some scholars think they are of Hurrian origin, a civilization of the Bronze age inhabiting the
Northern Mesopotamia, Syria and Anatolia (Turkey + parts of Armenia),
Some scholars consider Hurrians to overlap with Hittite Empire in Anatolia (1680 BC)
He brings together the 12 tribes of Israel around Jerusalem and is generally regarded as moving the
oppressed Jewish tribes towards statehood.
David tried constructing a temple to store the Ark of the Covenant, but Yahweh did not allow him for he had
shed too much blood.

957 BC - 1st temple complex of Solomon (Solomon was the heir to David, but not his son) built in 7 hectares
compound (today called old city).

597 BC – Solomon Temple destroyed by Babylonians and Jewish king and middle class sent into exile to Babylon.

538 BC - 50K Jews exiled by Neo-Babylonian king who destroyed Solomon's Temple, allowed to Return to Zion by
King Cyrus of the First Persian Empire (Achaemenida), who had freshly defeated the Babylonians. Upon their
return they settled in a self-governing Jewish Province, Yehud Medinata, and had their own currency.

538 BC – 450 BC Thus began a history of aliyahs or 'return migration of exiled Jewish diaspora' recorded in the
Books of Ezra (A priest) and Nehemiah - part of Hebrew Bible. (Sheshbazzar, Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah).

The concept of aliyah and the autonomy of Yehud would later become critical to the zionist nationalist movement.
As would the passages in these Books speaking to jewish reconstruction of Jerusalem.

509 BC - 2nd temple built (Herod’s temple) under Persian rule. Area of compound expanded to 14.4 hectares or
35 acres. Only learned jews can enter into inner sanctum, where it is said god tested abraham's faith by asking
him to sacrifice his son, isaac. Ordinary jews pray outside.

66-70 AD - Temple of Herod destroyed by Romans during the roman seige of Kingdom of Judah. Only one wall
remained - today the wailing/western wall, where jews pray. Even ordinary jews do not know where the inner
sanctum is.

Circa 640 AD (5 years after PBUH) - Arabs attack Jerusalem under Byzantine control (Eastern Roman
Empire). Win.

Build mosque al-aqsa to mark territory where prophet disembarked from flying horse. Land taken from
'deserted' church quarter.
691 AD - Dome of the Rock built in Jerusalem by Arabs (golden tomb opposite al-aqsa), to mark territory from
where Prophet after disembarking from flying horse was lifted into jannat, where he recieved basic tenets of Islam
from Allah.

Mosque and dome built in same 35 acre compound, called haram al sharif (Noble sanctuary) by Muslims.

Interrugnum - Jews considered traders between Muslims and Christians

JEWISH POGROMS BEGIN

1100s – Turks take over Jerusalem.

In response to Seljuk Islamic Turks forbidding christian pilgrims in Jerusalem, European Christians launch
crusades towards Jerusalem.
They briefly take over Jerusalem after 1st crusade and Christian quarter also setup within 35 acre
compound.
NOTE: Christians massacred Jews along the way as they are now considered guilty of deicide (killing of
jesus)

1187 - Turks take back Jerusalem and setup Waqf to administer haram al sharif (35 acre compound). No non-
muslims allowed hereafter in compound until after 1967 war (750 years).

1300s - Black deaths blamed of Jews resulting in expulsion, mainly from Rhine region (modern day austria and
germany)

1500s – Ottoman Empire takes over Palestine. Jews settle in ottoman empire, including Jerusalem.

1600s - half the jewish population is now living in poland-lithuania commonwealth due to favorable migration.

1650s - cossack ukranian peasant revolt stirs up against elites + jews considered hand in glove with power

1800s - Russians – who were Orthodox Christians – take over Polish territories after first Polish partition

Pogroms (Russian for devastation) ensue against nearly a million jews settled in the region). Jews begin re-
migrating to Europe, where conditions are slightly better, and America.
Pale of Settlement – Western region in Russia where Jews could reside permanently in exchange for
surrendering trading rights in rest of Russia. Even in the Pale, many cities didn’t

END

Late 1800s - Jewish nationalism gains steam.

The idea of the Promised Land (Zion) begins to take hold, with the Book of Genesis (in Hebrew Bible) that
forms the basis of belief in the promised land of Israel (erstwhile Canaan and contemporary Palestine)
taking center stage.
1876 - 2 Jewish groups buy land from Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah, East Jerusalem under Ottoman Control.
Similar arrangements made elsewhere.

1881-1903 – First Modern Agricultural Aliyah

NOTE: There was planned and sporadic migration before as well, but this is considered the first major
migration in modern times.
Sponsored partly by the Rothschild Organization, heir of the banking mega empire that continues to this
day.
25K to 25K Jews migrated to Ottoman Palestine, but many returned due to hunger and disease.
350000 dunams of land was bought (1 dunam = 900 sq. mtrs)
About 28-30 settlements established.

1896 – Theodor Herzl, an Austro-Hungarian Jewish journalist, writes pamphlet Der Judenstaat, proposing setting
up of Jewish State in Palestine / Argentina and popularizing the term Zionism, originally coined by another fellow
Jewish Austrian journalist Nathan Birnbaum. But it was rejected by the 2nd Baron de Rothschild who thought it
jeopardized his own settlement plans.

1897 –

First Zionist Congress in Basel contemplates jewish homeland in palestine (under ottoman control).
Zionist Organisation (WZO) founded by Thoedor Herzl and Max Nordau, with the principal purpose of
resuming Aliyah and fulfilling Zionist settlement aspirations in Palestine.

1904-14 – Second Aliyah

Notable triggers were the Kishinev Pogrom of 1903 and the Russian Revolution of 1905, that targeted Jews.
35K Jewish Immigrants to Palestine
90% left as per Ben Guiron

1907 - Report submitted to UK PM Bannerman suggesting creation of a ‘Palestinian Buffer State’ for Jews in
Middle East to protect interest of the British Empire.

1907-1910 - Marj Bin Amer Deal that evicted 60K Arab farmers from 10K dunums land, as their land was bought
by the Jewish National Fund backed by Chaim Weizmann (representative of WZO and later, 1st President of
Israel who convinced US to formally recognize the nation of Israel) and banker 2nd Baron de Rothschild (Walter
Rothschild who would later be the author and receiver of the Balfour Letter).

1907 - 1920 Jewish militias setup to defend settlements, Bar Giora (1907), Hashomer (1909) and Haganah
(1920).

1914 - WW1 begins with Central Powers (Ottoman + German + Austrio Hungarian) challenging allied powers
(France, Britain, Russia, Italy and Japan). To overcome the Ottoman empire, British plan to curry favour with the
Jewish community in Ottoman controlled Palestine and the diaspora. They also plan to rope in the Hashemite
Sharif of Mecca, Hussein bin Al Hashimi in their fight.

1915 - Herbert Samuel – a British Liberal politician, committed Zionist and first practicing Jew to serve as Cabinet
Minister – penned a secret memorandum 'The Future of Palestine' recommending that:

The British Cabinet that they annex Palestine during WW1 with the assistance of Jews, and eventually
creation of Jewish State there when time was ripe, after allowing mass migration of jews to Palestine under
british supervision.
It is likely the first official record to document any British plan to enlist assistance of Jews in the war effort
against Ottomans.

1915/16/17 - British promise Palestine to:

1915 - Sharif of Mecca, Hussein Al Hashim, who led revolt against ottoman empire beginning June 2016
(Mcmohan-Hussein correspondence promising Hussein control of Arab lands with the exception of "portions
of Syria" lying to the west of "the districts of Damascus, Homs, Hama and Aleppo"Syria, which Hussein took
to mean Iraq, Jordan and Palestine; later Hussein would demand various and receive various clarifications –
Hogarth and Bassett letters being salient - but ultimately left shortchanged in his smaller Kingdom of Hejaz
– modern day Eastern coast of Saudi Arabia - and eventually was dethroned by the Kingdom of Nejd from
House of Saud backed by British, to eventually create Saudi Arabia in 1932), and
1916 - Themselves (+ Iraq, Transjordan) and Syria to french allies (secret Sykes-Picot agreement leaked
by Russian Bolsheviks in 2017, later incorporated in the post-war Treaty of Versailles)
1917 - Zionist jews who also revolted against ottomans (secret Balfour declaration later made leaked by
Russia in 2018, which was negotiated by Wiezmann and Arthur Balfour – former PM and wartime Foreign
Secretary of Britain – and addressed to Baron de Rothschild, and eventually also approved by league of
nations. It promised British support for a ‘Jewish National Home’ in Palestine).

1918 - As British forces rolled into Jerusalem after defeating the Ottomans, they also had a Jewish unit (Jewish
Legion) accompanying them, which had among its ranks Ben Guiron (who tried recruiting Jews from the Marxist
Zionist movement flag of Paole Zion) to fight for Ottoman’s in 1915 but was still deported; also, later to be first PM
of Israel) and Nehemiah, father of yet to be born Israeli Labour politician and PM Yitzhak Rabin, who would be
assassinated in 1995 by RW fanatic opposed to the Oslo Accords.

1915 – (DETOUR) Russian Jew Joseph Trumpledore forms Zion Mule Corps in Egypt to fight alongside British
against Ottomans (Batrle of Gallipoli) in WW1.

Considered first all Jewish Military outfit in 2000 years and precursor to Israeli Defense Forces.
He would later die in a skirmish with Lebanese Shiite Arab miltia looking for French soldiers along the ill
defined Palestine-Lebanon border town of Tel Hai, a Jewish farming settlement.
He is a national hero in Israel, with a national holiday, a town, many songs and books dedicated to him.

WW-1 WAR ENDS

1919 –

King-Crane Commission warned that 90% of population was emphatically against creation of a Jewish
State and that the Zionist program should be given up.

Faisal-Wiezmann agreement – Hussein’s son Emir Faisal signed the Faisal-Wiezmann agreement,
agreeing to the establishment of a Jewish State and an Independent Arab State.
The agreement was preceded by meetings between Weizmann and Faisal, who both discounted
Arab Palestinian interests for their respective nationalist aspirations. It was mediated by Lt Col
Edward Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia).
However, the CAVEAT in this agreement by Faisal made it a contradiction in terms, since it implied
(but no directly) stated that Palestine should be part of undivided Arab Nation as per agreement of
1917 between his father, Hussein and British High Commissioner to Egypt Henry Mcmohan.

Paris Peace Conference –

Faisal-Weizmann Agreement waived by Weizmann as proof of Arab consent for Jewish Homeland. Map of
Jewish Homeland presented by Weizmann's World Zionist Organisation. Area included not limited present
day Palestine, but also East Bank of River Jordan (modern Jordan), parts of Lebanon and Syria.

Emir Faisal made a speech at the Conference which I find interesting. An excerpt: “If the views of the
radical Zionists, as presented to the Peace Conference, should prevail, the result will be a ferment, chronic
unrest, and sooner or later civil war in Palestine. But I hope I will not be misunderstood. I assert that we
Arabs have none of the racial or religious animosity against the Jews which unfortunately prevail in many
other regions of the world. I assert that with the Jews who have been seated for some generations in
Palestine our relations are excellent. But the new arrivals exhibit very different qualities from those "old
settlers" as we call them, with whom we have been able to live and even co-operate on friendly terms. For
want of a better word I must say that new colonists almost without exception have come in an imperialistic
spirit. They say that too long we have been in control of their homeland taken from them by brute force in
the dark ages, but that now under the new world order we must clear out; and if we are wise we should do
so peaceably without making any resistance to what is the fiat of the civilised world.[38]

Treaty of Versailles - Turns Syria into a French protectorate while Iraq, Palestine and Transjordan became
British Protectorates.

BRITISH MANDATE, ZIONIST EXPANSION, REVOLTS AND ZIONIST & ARAB NATIONALISM (1920-1948)
1920 - Herbert Samuel appointed First British High Commissioner to Palestine, despite opposition by top British
leaders (notably, military leaders Allenby and Bois who led WW1 efforts in the region, and Lord Curzon).

He became first Jew in 2000 years to govern the Palestine.

Nebi-Musa riots break out in Old Jerusalem between Arabs and Jews, resulting in deaths of 5 Jews and 4
Arabs, and countless injured.

1921 - Palestinian nationalist efforts begin in earnest in response to increasingly successful Zionist nationalist
claims, headed by Grand Mufti of Jerusalem (25 year old Husseini) began with successive delegations sent to
London.

1922 - British Mandate of Palestine formalised by League of Nations, handing political, administrative and
economic control of Palestine to British in order to oversee the establishment of a 'Jewish National home.'

Samuel added Hebrew to official Palestine languages of Arabic ane English. Also suffixed to Palestine, Hebrew
letters E and Y (Eretz Yisrael), which translates to 'Land of Israel'. Also passed several legislation allowing: 1.
Easier acquisition of land by Jewish organisations and people ('unclaimed property, neglected or owned by govt,
was handed over for Jewish settlments - Kibbutzim), 2. Allow a Jewish military to be formed, and 3.

1925 - Report of British Govt to League of Nations stated that 33K Jewish immigrants had been granted
Palestinian citizenship and 13 new settlements had been constructed. Tel Aviv, a Jewish settlement town, was
given Municipal autonomy. A Jewish Labour union, Histadrut, Hebrew University was setup.

1929 –

Fifth Aaliyah begins (till 1939). 300K immigrants arrive in this period
Bouraq revolt by Arabs against Zionist Jew groups gathering at Wailing Wall (Al Bouraq is Arabic term for
the wailing wall). More than 100 jews and arabs killed in clashes. 3 palestinian arabs hanged by British.

1929 – Jewish Agency for Israel setup as an operative branch of WZO, pushing similar Zionist interests, including
Aliyah and settlement projects.

1930-32 - Jewish population in Palestine now at 175K and over 200K dunums of land bought and converted into
settlements.

1931 - Former British PM DL George (1916-22) gave following speech in presence of Chaim Wiezmann
(chairman WZO) at a Zionist function:
"It is as your chairman reminded you, it is nearly sixteen years since he recruited me to the Zionist
movement. In Palestine, barren malarial swamps have been converted into happy settlements. The soil
has given a harvest, with water which had been running wild and waste since the early days of
creation."

1933 - In Palestinian demonstration against the British backed Zionist project, Musa Kazim al Husayni, an 80
year former Mayor of Jerusalem was beaten by colonial forces and later died of his injuries.
1935 – (DETOUR) Muhammad Al Qassam, a Syrian Muslim preacher who organised various rebel forces against
French Syrian colonialists and English Palestine colonialists (most famously the Black Hand), is killed in response
to killing of a British policeman.

This was a factor in the Arab Revolts in Palestine that would soon follow in 1936.
Today, Hamas' military wing, the Al Qassam Brigades, are named after him. They are declared as a terror
outfit by UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand.

1936 – Peel Commission Report in UK published a report supported by Weizmann and Gurion at Zionist
Congress, that for the 1st time suggested a 2-state solution to Palestine.

Zionist Congress accepted it so it may form the basis of negotiations, but Palestine Arab leaders rejected it.

1936-39 – Arab Revolt – Competing interests of the two populations as Jewish population increased due to
successive Aliyas, under the added pressure of British Colonialism, led to the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine.
The Arab High Committee spokesperson, explaining the basis of the revolt, states: "The main case of the
Arabs is against British government policy in Palestine: a policy which if continues will surely have as a
result the replacement of the Arabs by the Jews. Against all principles, the British Government imposed
the Balfour Declaration which is abhorred by all Arabs in the Near East. And in favoring the
establishment of a national home for Jews forgot intentionally to safeguard the civil rights of the
nonJewish population. The Arabs have decided on a general and a complete strike until the total and
immediate stoppage of Jewish immigration is brought about and until the government introduces an
essential change in its present policy. "

Arab Revolt begins with sporadic attacks on British and Jewish targets.
Crushed by, among other means, demolishing hundreds of homes of Palestinians who participated in the
revolt.
In the city of Jaffa alone, over 200 houses are destroyed. British and Jewish troops crush revolt

1939 –British White Paper - In response to Arab Revolt and subsequent failure of Arab-Zionist London
Conference, British Govt led by PM Neville Chamberlain recommend the formation of a Jewish National Home in
Palestine (as contemplated in Balfour Declaration), but within 10 years and with caps on Jewish immigration to be
decided by Arab majority.

Subsequently, Palestine Arab and Jewish leaders rejected the White Paper, and Zionist groups began
coordinated attacks British Govt Property.
This laid the ground work for Zionist Revolt starting 1944.
British Mandate guided by this White Paper, but only to a limited extent (caps on immigration and land
transfers waned away as WW2 broke out and British Govt changed hands).
Aliyah Bet and Bericha continued – Illegal immigration against White Paper policies, but due to war-time
persecution of Jews during WW2.

1944 -1948 To pressurize British into forming Jewish State, Jewish Resistance Movement was formed to conduct
insurgency in British Mandated Palestine. Haganah entered into a secret pact with RW Jewish militia like Irgun and
Lehi, conducting various strikes, most famously the bombing of King David Hotel – British Administrative HQ -
which killed 91.

1947-48 – On reference by Britain who now wanted to end the British Mandate after WW2, UN proposed a 2-state
solution [UN Partition Plan for Palestine – Resolution 181 (II)].

Map was a bit untenable in division of land.

Jerusalem to be internationally administered area (Corpus Separatum).
Israelis agree thanks to Ben Guiron’s Gordian knot pragmatism which is willing to forsake claim over entire
Palestine and Jerusalem
Palestinian Arabs reject the proposal as untenable and Palestinian Arab Nationalist leader Mohammed
Amin al-Husseini called for annihilation of Zionists.
Israelis attribute Arab rejection of the plan to mere intransigence such as that reflected in the statements of
Husseini (later to be echoed by Fatah, PLO and Hamas).
But Palestinian Arabs state they were opposed to the very idea of partition plan primarily because it was
unfair:
The majority of the land (56%) would go to a Jewish state, when Jews at that stage legally owned
only 6-7% of it and remained a minority of the population (33% in 1946).
Area under Jewish control contained 45% of the Palestinian population.
The proposed Arab state was only given 45% of the land, much of which was unfit for agriculture.
However, equally true that most of the proposed Jewish state was the Negev desert, which was
unsuitable for agriculture but also a "vital land bridge protecting British interests from the Suez Canal
to Iraq"
THIS IS SEMINAL as the resolution was never implemented by British, who left on May 14/15, 1948 after
mandate expired.
Civil war broke out.
Israel unilaterally claimed independence.
All Palestinian territories were now in play.
Arab-Israeli war ensues. IDF created by Ben Guiron by combining all Jewish miltias
Jordan occupies West Bank (of Jordan River; 5600 sq kms), including East Jerusalem.
Jordan settles Palestinian refugees in Sheikh Jarrah. Disallows Jews to pray at Wailing wall in old
city.
Egypt took control of Gaza (all Palestine protectorate; 365 sq kms, 1/4th of Delhi).

1949 - Rhodes Armistice Agreement between Arab nations and Israel.

Green Line delineating temporary borders of Israel with Gaza and West Bank accepted by parties.

1950 - Britain, France and UK sign Tripartite agreement agreeing to:

Continue international enforcement of the Green Line.

However, territorial claims preserved without prejudiced in agreement. Further, Palestine rejected Green
Line because Statehood not recognised but referred to as Refugees.

1950 - Law of Return passed by Israeli Parliament, Knesset

1948-51 – Aliyah from Arab countries in light of Arab-Jewish tensions increasing.

260K Jewish immigrants arrive

1951 - Sporadic attacks by a loose coalition of Palestine Fidayeen begin from Jordan controlled West Bank, Egypt
controlled Gaza and Sinai, and Lebanon. Most fidayeen were 1948 war refugees. As per Israeli records, over 400
Israelis killed and 900 injured in these attacks and even formed basis of the 1967 war.

1959 - Fatah formed by Palestinian diaspora. Founders include Yaseer Arafat

1964 - PLO formed with aim to overthrow Zionist State by means of armed struggle (later amended to bring in line
with objectives of Oslo Accord in 1993,

But armed struggle again became main strategy beginning 2000, once accords failed and 2nd intifada
began).
It was initially styled as secular government in exile, but in 2003 - while vying for influence with the more
religious Hamas - Arafat accepted an amendment to make Islam and Sharia as official State religion of
Palestine. It has elections etc.

1967 - 6 day war begins at the behest of Israel, which considered Egypt’s act of blocking the Strait of Tirhan an act
of war. War included Syria and Jordan.

Israel extends territory way past Green Line to sinai peninsula + golan heights + west bank + gaza), also
East Jerusalem including Sheikh Jarrah, which site goes under control of Jewish Trusts.
Trust sells the land again to Jewish settlers and asks Palestinian refugees to vacate. Impasse ensues.
Wailing wall reopened to pious Jews and Jewish sites in Jerusalem and West Bank handed over to Jewish
sects for maintenance. This day is celebrated as Yom Yerushalayim, which fell on May 10 this year.
Israelis and Jordanian understanding that Jordan will administer 35 acre waqf site, but everyone including
jews permitted inside ONLY as tourists but not as worshippers. Extremists on all sides upset.

1967 - Fatah merges with PLO. Many Palestine Fidayeen Groups also begin merging with PLO.

1967 - UNSC Resolution 242 passed (including India as non permanent member), as per which: Arab
nations and Israel agree to settle each country's territorial claims, and Israel agrees to withdraw from
'territories occupied in recent conflict.'
This PHRASE is hotly contested and at the heart of disagreement over existing and continued settlements
West Bank region.
Palestine rejected the Resolution since it failed to recognise Palestinian State.

1967-68 –

ANTI-SEMITISM: In the wake of preemptive war, Persecution of Jewish diaspora in Arab countries like
Lebanon, Iraq, Syria Egypt, Yemen, Lebanon, Tunisia and Morocco increases. Famously, rabbis of
Alexandria and Cairo arrested. 7000 Jews expelled.
Anti-semitism also increases in Communist nations like Poland, 11,200 Jew emigrate to Israel.
 Aliyahs continued
ANTI-PALESTINE: Over 1 million Palestinian Arabs were displaced from West Bank and Gaza due to war.
Roughly 300K resettled in neighboring countries, mostly Jordan.]
Many Arab houses demolished, with the most notorious case being of 3 villages in West Bank.
Citizenship only offered to Palestine Arabs living in Golan heights and East Jerusalem. Although later a lot
of ambiguity existed with changing policy positions with respect to readmission of refugees etc. (14K out
120K refugees who applied for re-entry from Jordan were later readmitted).
ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION OF SETTLEMENTS IN WEST BANK– Organisations like Gush Emunim with
close ties to WZO and JA spring up, accelerating the settlement projects in West Bank, which would later be
deemed illegal as per international law, repeatedly by UNSC (listed below), UNGA (listed below), ICJ
(2004), ICRC (2001) and other regional bodies like EU (1980), NAM (2003), and even US Department of
State (1978).
Many organizations similar to Gush Eminum were setup after annexation of West Bank, some more
fundamental than others and asking for expulsion of Palestine Arabs from West Bank as well.

1969 - Arafat assumes Chairmanship of PLO.

UNSC Res 271 applying Geneva Convention to the Occupied West Bank Territories.

1973 – War between Egypt/syria + arab nations and Israel, at the behest of Israel. Ends in ceasefire brokered
by US and USSR, after Egypt 3rd army nearly annihilated 100 kms from Cairo.

1974 - PLO given observer status by UN.

Recognised as legitimate authority on behalf of palestinian nationalist cause by over 100 countries,
including India slowly recognise existence of Palestinian state.

1979 - Camp david peace treaty between egypt and israel,

Sinai peninsula returned to Israel under certain conditions (land for peace).
Egyptian claims over Gaza renounced in favor of PLO.
But, effective control of West bank and gaza retained by israelis (despite resolution 242 and 338.)

1970s – Israeli SC rules that settlements are temporary acquisitions driven by military necessity and hence, legal
under international (Hague Conventions applied in some cases over the more stringent and more recent Geneva
Conventions).

However, later Israeli Govt itself repudiated the temporary nature of these settlements.

1979-80 – Several UN resolutions, including 446, 452, 465, 471 and 476 affirm unambiguously that Israel's
occupation of West Bank is illegal, settlements have no legal validity and pose a serious obstacle to peace.
NOTE: All resolutions passed in the case of Israel are passed under Chapter 6 (non-binding), whereas similar
resolutions passed by UN against Iraq were under passed under Chapter 7 (binding). Scholars attribute this
political pressure.
1980 – Israeli Knesset passes Jerusalem law, stating that "Jerusalem, complete and united, is the capital of
Israel".

UN Resolution 478, deeming the Jerusalem Law illegal.

Similar law passed in Knesset wrt Golan Heights and deemed illegal vide UN Res 497.

1982 – Alan Harry Goodman, IDF soldier conducts terror attack inside dome of the rock. 2 killed in firing. This
begins on-site tensions, with stone pelting on jewish worshippers becoming commonplace.

Separately, in Sheikh Jarrah, Palestinian refugees sign agreement recognising themselves as tenants on land
owned by private Israelis. NOTE: International Law regime still doesn't recognise Sheikh Jarrah or East Jerusalem
as falling within Israel.

1987 - Hamas formed as offshoot of Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.

Dawah is it’s social service wing.

Al Qassam Brigades and Executive Force are its militias.
Objective was to overthrow Israeli State and establish an Islamic State in its place.
However, since 1994 the group has frequently stated that it would accept a truce if Israel withdraws to the
1967 borders, paid reparations, allowed free elections in the territories, and the right of return of Palestinian
refugees.

1st intifada begins (trigger: 4 palestinian refugees killed by israeli military), BUT DISPUTED.

1988 - First declaration of independence by PLO, proclaiming Jerusalem as capital of Palestine on the basis of
Resolution 181(II), which was initially rejected by Palestine leaders in 1947.

1993 to 1998 OSLO ACCORD PERIOD

1993 –

Oslo Accord with Bill Clinton + Yaseer Arafat + Ehud Barak in Washington DC.
PLO recognizes Israel.
1st Intifada ends
Criticised strongly by Palestinians because Palestinian State not discussed (only administrative borders,
status of Jerusalem and West Bank territories).
Academic Edward Said called it "Palestine's Versailles".
First suicide bombings begin by Hamas, with the Mehola Junction car bombing in occupied West Bank,
killing 2 – the terrorist and a Palestinian Arab - and injured 8 Israeli soldiers. Several bombings

1994 –

RW Jewish fundamentalism inspired by Greater Israel ideology results in the Hebron Mosque Massacre by
a fanatic, leaving 29 dead and 125 injured.
 Israel-Jordan peace treaty per resolution 242.
Jordan relinquishes claim over West Bank in favour of PLO.
Israel accepts Jordan River as international border. State of war ends.
Gaza-Jericho Agreement between Israel and Arafat's PLO, allowing establishment of 5 year interim PA /
PNA to administer Gaza and West Bank (A and B of West Bank)

1995 interim - Oslo 2 signed in Taba which categorises West Bank into 3 areas - A, B and C (Jewish settlements).
Allows PA to negotiate final settlement based on Resolution 242 and 338. Israeli PM Yitzhak Rabin who signed it
assassinated by RW fanatic.

At least 6 subsequent agreements were signed over water sharing, movement of persons, protocols for
transfer of responsibilities and resources to PA. But no final agreement on the Palestine question.

ENDS

2000 - No headway on Olso Accords, famously ending in no progress at Camp David.

PM contender and RW opposition leader Ariel Sharon breaks 1967 understanding and visits Temple Mount
with guards.
Sparks 2nd intifada.
Suicide bombings become commonplace.
3K palestinians and 1K isrealis dead.
Israel enters and occupies Gaza as well.
Construction of West Bank Barrier begins allegedly in response to 2nd Intifada. Continues in earnest
till 2006 and sporadically even now.
Not built along Green Line (except ~20%), but in some places as deep as 22 kms past the Green
Line.
Pace of new Israeli settlements in West Bank picks up. Between 2000-2008, roughly 120000 Israelis
settled there

2002 - RW Ariel Sharon is PM. Roadmap for peace proposed under Bush administration, which again sought
2-state solution.

But thwarted by Israelis as non-starter due to freeze on settlments clause.

Additional conditions imposed by Israelis including removal of Arafat, dissolution of Hamas, guarantee on
non-violence by Palestinians (but no similar guarantee by Israel).
Israel also undertook to remove 2 dozen illegal settlements, but is yet to do so.

2003/04 - UN Votes 144-4/6, declaring West Bank Barrier illegal and calling for its removal.

Israel calls for removal of Arafat amidst 2nd intifada declared by Hamas. Targets PA and imprison 90% of its
NSOs, setup under Oslo Accord.
Allegedly, destroys all public data of PA (including Health, Education)
2004 - ICJ issues advisory opinion applying Geneva Convention (as applied to Occupying Power) and holding
that:

West Bank Barrier to be illegal

Settlements in West Bank are illegal
Palestinian people have the right to self-determination in accordance with Resolution 181(II)

2004 - Arafat dies, besieged in his compound by IDF.

Reasons for death remain mysterious, especially in backdrop of several assassination attempts and open
statements by Israeli officials calling for his removal at the time, place and manner of Israel's choice.
Mahmoud Abbas takes over as President of Palestine.

2005 – Sasson Report commissioned PM Ariel Sharon found that Israeli Govt had funded the creation of at least
150 Jewish settler outposts in the West Bank that were unauthorized and in violation of stated government policy
and Israeli SC precedent. Specifically finding that:

The Housing and Construction Ministry, the World Zionist Organization, the Education Ministry and the
Defense Ministry cooperated to "systematically establish illegal settlement points", paying millions of
dollars to create the infrastructure.
Secret cooperation between various ministries and official institutions to consolidate "wildcat" outposts,
which settlers began erecting more than a decade ago.
Adding that "the process of outpost expansion is profoundly under way”

2005 - 2nd Intifada ends

Ceasefire between PNA’s Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli PM Ariel Sharon.

Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza, but retains border, air and maritime control.
PA control over Gaza instated
However, Hamas begins exerting control.

2006-07 - Hamas wins elections in Gaza and rejects attempts by PNA to de-recognise Hamas Govt and their PM
elect.

Battle for Gaza ensues between Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades and Executive Force (PSS), and PA backed
militia Fatah. Hamas emerges victorious. PNA control reduced to West Bank.
Gaza blockaded in June 2007 by Israel-Egypt combine.
According to a US diplomatic cable that quoted Israeli diplomats, Israel's policy was to "keep Gaza's
economy on the brink of collapse".
The blockade continues to this day and the fact of Hamas’ commitment to violence and control of Gaza
continues to be used by Israel to defer any engagement with PNA on the Palestinian State question.
The Gaza–Israel conflict is also representative of a power struggle between regional powers
including Egypt, Iran and Turkey and Qatar , supporting different sides of the conflict in light of the regional
standoff between Iran and Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, as well as influenced by troubled
Egyptian-Turkish relations
2008-09 – After sustained attacks and incursions by both sides, a tenuous 6 month ceasefire was announced in
2008, only to broken by a 3-week long Gaza War finally between Hamas and Israel in December 2008.

2000-2008 (UNCLEAR DATA) - 6L israelis settled in East Jerusalem. 4L settled in remainder of West Bank
settlements

2012 - Observer Status granted by UN to State of Palestine (PNA controlled). 138 countries recognise Palestine
by now.

2014 - Palestinian radical attempts assassianting Israeli radical, but gets killed. Israelis prohibit all Palestinian entry
into 35 acre compound. Violence ensues everywhere. Rockets fire by Hamas into Israel and vice versa. Another
War erupts in Gaza.

(UNCLEAR DATA) – Special permits required by palestinians to visit, among others, al aqsa mosque/Church in
the old city in east Jerusalem.

2016 – UNSC Res 2334 of 2016 states that Israel's settlement activity constitutes a "flagrant violation" of
international law and has "no legal validity". It demands that Israel stop such activity and fulfill its obligations as
an occupying power under the Fourth Geneva Convention.

2017 - Trump recognises entire Jerusalem as Israeli capital and proposes shifting embassy there.

OIC recognises Jerusalem as capital of Palestine.

US secy of state clarifies that it is not a final opinion and subject to intra party negotiations.
However, as per some reports, since Trump's announcement, 60% increase building permits given to jewish
settlers and 30% of overall permits given to palestinians.

2017 - Hamas proposes palestinian state solution. Rejected by israel as israeli statehood not recognised in hamas
plan.

Trump's two state plan, hailed by Netanyahu as deal of century, but rejected by Palestinians because it legitimises
Israeli settlements in west bank and East jerusalem.

THE PRESENT

May 9/10, 2021 - SC Judgment in appeal against Sheikh Jarrah eviction order slated to be pronounced. Ramzaan
coming to an end. Jerusalem Day also (celebrating Israel's 1967 victory).

Violence and protests anticipated so judgment deferred and 10K limit imposed by Israel on Khatam worshippers
inside Al-Aqsa.

But at this point narratives diverge.

Israel claims on morning of 10 May, stones pelted from Al-aqsa compound onto police below and in
retaliation, police enter mosque, evacuate and close it. Claim is also that stone pelting during this time is
 annual affair, exacerbated by Jarrah.

Palestinians claim unprovoked take over of mosque by Israelis, in an effort to gain leverage against Jarrah
protests. Claim is also that leverage over al-aqsa is a time tested Israeli strategy.

By evening, Hamas gives ultimatum to vacate mosque or face attack. By night, over 150 Hamas rockets
fired. Most intercepted by Iron Dome. Few injuries sustained, even in Gaza itself. Hamas claims most
rockets fired as warning shots in deserted Israeli areas.

May 11, 2021 onwards - Operation Guardian of the Walls launched by Israel. 130 air strikes in Gaza against
alleged Hamas bases. 23 killed, including 9 children.

Separately, all across Israel, Gaza and West Bank, Palestinian protests flare up. Palestinians also march on
Al-Aqsa in thousands.

Reports of rioting by Arab populations in Lod where Jews are being targeted and evacuated simultaneously.

Reports of rioting and lynching of Arab persons by Zionist RW groups, under protection of Israeli State
forces (police + IDF) in Bat Yam.

ISRAELI OPERATIONS UNDER WAY…

Opinions:

1. Continued building of settlements in West Bank after 1967 a clear violation of Geneva Convention.
2. Discriminatory practices in West Bank qua citizenship, access to resources (building permits, water and
electricity connections), race-based travel restrictions, race-based unequal citizenship laws in West Bank,
also violation of International Law.
3. Destruction / demolition of Palestine property and denial of access to land is a violation of Geneva
Convention.

Sustained blockade of Gaza a clear violation of Geneva Conventions and other codified / uncodified International
Law.
Hamas’ actions in firing rockets indiscriminately at citizens also a clear violation of International Law.