Senior Committee

UNHRC

Agenda:

Displacement of indigenous people with special reference to the Israel-Palestine conflict,

addressing the violation of refugee rights.

Timeline:

19th Century-

● Late 1800s: Rise of Jewish nationalism (Zionism) in Europe, advocating for a Jewish
homeland in response to anti-Semitic persecution.

Early 20th Century-

● 1917: Balfour Declaration – British government supports establishing a "national home

for the Jewish people" in Palestine.
● 1920-1947: British Mandate of Palestine – Britain governs Palestine, facing increasing
tensions between Jewish and Arab communities.

Mid 20th Century-

● 1947: UN Partition Plan – Proposes to divide Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab
states; Jewish leaders accept, Arab leaders reject.
● 1948: Establishment of Israel – Israel declares independence; neighboring Arab states
invade, leading to the first Arab-Israeli War.
● 1948-1949: Nakba (Catastrophe) – Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians flee or are
expelled from their homes.
● 1967: Six-Day War – Israel captures the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula, and
Golan Heights.

Late 20th Century-

● 1973: Yom Kippur War – Egypt and Syria launch a surprise attack on Israel during Yom
Kippur; conflict ends with a ceasefire.
 ● 1978: Camp David Accords – Peace agreement between Egypt and Israel; Egypt
recognizes Israel.
● 1987-1993: First Intifada – Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation in the West
Bank and Gaza.
● 1993: Oslo Accords – First direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestine Liberation
Organization (PLO), establishing Palestinian self-governance in parts of the West Bank
and Gaza.

Early 21st Century

● 2000-2005: Second Intifada – Renewed Palestinian uprising marked by increased

violence on both sides.
● 2005: Gaza Disengagement – Israel unilaterally withdraws from the Gaza Strip.
● 2006: Hamas wins Gaza elections – Leading to a split in Palestinian governance between
Hamas in Gaza and Fatah in the West Bank.
● Recent Developments
● 2014: Gaza War – A 50-day conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
● 2020: Abraham Accords – Normalisation agreements between Israel and several Arab
states (UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco).
● 2021: Escalation in Gaza – Increased violence between Israel and Hamas, leading to
international calls for a cease fire

Actions committed by Israel against Palestine

Israel’s ongoing conflict with the Palestinians has a long drawn history since time immemorial.
This conflict has taken a global and multifaceted impact in the 21st century and is one of the
biggest blockades to peace and stability in the middle east.

Key aspects of this conflict inflicted on Palestine include the Israeli occupation of the West Bank
and Gaza Strip, Israeli settlements encouraged by the Government of Israel and the disputed
status of Jerusalem.

This recent conflict has its roots in the first Arab-Israeli War on May 14th,1948. The war ended
in 1949 with Israel's victory, but 750,000 Palestinians were displaced, and the territory was
divided into 3 parts: the State of Israel, the West Bank (of the Jordan River), and the Gaza Strip.

Over the following years, tensions rose in the region, particularly between Israel and Egypt,
Jordan, and Syria. Following the 1956 Suez Crisis and Israel’s invasion of the Sinai Peninsula,
Egypt, Jordan, and Syria signed mutual defence pacts in anticipation of a possible mobilisation
of Israeli troops. In June 1967, following a series of manoeuvres by Egyptian President Abdel
Gamal Nasser, Israel preemptively attacked Egyptian and Syrian air forces, starting the Six-Day
War. After the war, Israel gained territorial control over the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip from
Egypt; the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan; and the Golan Heights from Syria.

In 1987, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip rose up
against the Israeli government in what is known as the first intifada. During the whole six-year
intifada, the Israeli army killed at least 1,087 Palestinians, of which 240 were children. The
second intifada, sometimes called the Al-Aqsa intifada, began in September 2000. Although no
single event signalled its end, most analysts agree that it had run its course by late 2005. The two
uprisings resulted in the death of more than 5,000 Palestinians and some 1,400 Israelis. Over the
following years Israeli security in the Gaza Strip and West Bank increased due to increase in
settlements of Israeli citizens.

In light of more recent events, UN experts have expressed alarm over allegations of human rights
violations against Palestinian women and girls in Gaza and the occupied West Bank since Israel
launched its war on Gaza on October 7,2023. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for
Human Rights (OHCHR) said in a statement on Monday that it had received information that
Palestinian women and girls have “reportedly been arbitrarily executed in Gaza, often together
with family members, including their children”. In response to the attacks conducted by the
palestinian militant group, Hamas, Israel has responded with a devastating bombardment and
ground invasion that has displaced more than 80 percent of Gaza’s population and reduced much
of the territory to ruins. More than 29,000 people have been killed in the Israeli assault,
according to Palestinian authorities. In the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, Israeli forces
have intensified raids since October 7, killing hundreds of Palestinians and detaining thousands
of other
Actions committed by Palestine against Israel

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is characterised by a complex history of mutual hostility, with

actions taken by both sides contributing to ongoing tensions and violence. In recent years,
several notable actions by Palestinian groups against Israel have drawn international attention
and condemnation.

One of the most prominent groups involved in actions against Israel is Hamas, which rules the
Gaza Strip. Hamas, which is classified as a terrorist organisation by many countries, has
frequently launched rocket attacks on Israel. These rockets, which often targeted civilian areas
indiscriminately, caused casualties and significant property damage, causing widespread fear and
disruption to daily life in the affected regions. The use of rocket attacks is a central tactic of
Hamas's military strategy to oppose Israeli policies and military activities.
In addition to rocket attacks, there were numerous incidents of other forms of violence, including
suicide bombings, stabbings and shootings by various Palestinian groups. These attacks often
target Israeli civilians and soldiers and aim to cause maximum damage and spread terror. The
Second Intifada (2000–2005) was a particularly tense period, marked by a wave of suicide
attacks and other violence that resulted in significant loss of life and increased hostility between
the two communities.

More recently, there have been clashes on the Gaza-Israel border, with Palestinian protesters,
including members of Hamas, clashing with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). These protests,
sometimes referred to as the “Long March of Return,” included attempts to breach the border
fence, prompting a violent response from the IDF. The protests often resulted in fatalities on both
sides, but predominantly among Palestinian demonstrators.

The question of inciting the Palestinians also plays a role in the continuation of the conflict.
Incitement is the promotion of anti-Israel sentiment through various media, educational
materials, and political rhetoric. This includes glorifying acts of violence against Israelis and
encouraging young Palestinians to view resistance, often through violent means, as a legitimate
and heroic act.

These actions have serious consequences and contribute to the cycle of violence and retaliation
that characterises conflict. Israel's response, including military operations in Gaza, targeted
killings of militant leaders and tight security measures, further exacerbates the situation. Ongoing
hostilities hamper peace efforts and exacerbate the humanitarian crisis, particularly in the Gaza
Strip, where living conditions have significantly deteriorated due to blockades and recurrent
conflict.

Issue of Indigenous People at hand due to the RECENT Israel-Palestine

conflict

● In the recent conflict between Israel and Palestine ,the indigenous Palestinians
face multiple challenges. These include,
i) Displacement from ancestral and historic lands
ii) loss of homes due to Israeli settlements and violence
iii) limited access to basic resources like water, food and Healthcare
iv) the loss of infrastructure and mass hysteria among the locals regarding their safety.

● This conflict has led to a significant refugee crisis involving displaced

Palestinians seeking refuge in neighbouring countries and within Palestine itself.
 With thousands of refugees seeking shelter in UN facilities or relatives in distant
countries.
● Additionally, Reports of Palestinian refugees who were seeking refuge were
found internally displaced within West Jerusalem due to conflicts with isreali
security forces.
● This caused issues with Jerusalems stand on the issue, rights of Palestinian
refugees and the ongoing occupation of the palestinian territories.

● Adding to the refugee crisis, Reports of sexual harassment and other various forms of
exploitation were reported to be common during immigration.Refugees including women
and children are vulnerable to exploitation and trafficking due to their Displacement and
lack of protection.
● In refugee camps or temporary shelters, overcrowding and limited resources can help
come up with unfortunate circumstances and risks like these.
● Abuse and harassment are the main issues reported in refugee camps where the
breakdown of social structures can leave refugees more susceptible to exploitation by
individuals or groups seeking to take advantage of their unfortunate situation.
● With the state of refugee camps depending on location,access to resources,number of
people in that specific refugee camp, the living conditions in many of these camps can be
challenging. With limited access to water,sanitation facilities and healthcare.
● In some camps, overcrowding leads to hygienic issues which then leads to inadequate
sanitary and waste management systems. This can result in rise of infections and
diseases. Spreading of skin infections,respiratory infections and overall uncleanliness can
pose serious health issues to the refugees.
QARMA
1. Identify the key issues that lie in the agenda and address them.
2. A general overview of the refugee rights violations all over the world.
3. The feasible solution to improve the condition of the indigenous people of Israel AND
Palestine.
4. Your plan for the improvement of refugee asylum and amenities on both sides of the
conflict.
5. Issue of peace concerning all member nations.
Sources:
Delegates are advised to procure information from the following websites:\Sources to refer:
1. https://www.un.org/en/
2. https://www.unhcr.org/
3. https://www.aljazeera.com/
4. https://www.hrw.org/
5. https://www.dw.com/
6. https://www.thehindu.com/
\7. https://www.bbc.com/
8. https://www.reuters.com/

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