Arab-Israeli conflict and Peace Initiatives
...er the first Zionist settlers arrived in the 1880’s. Many Palestinians opposed the Zionist movement as they became aware of the Jewish intention to establish a homeland. By the mid 20th Century not only did Arab numbers double, Jewish numbers escalated to 40% of the Palestinian population. The reason for the Arab population increase was immigration of surround Arab nations. A German dictator Adolf Hitler thought of Jews as an inferior race. He planned and promoted schemes of elimination Jewish people all across Europe. This was called the holocaust and happened during the 1930’s and world war two. Six million Jews died. The return of Jews to Palestine was known as the Exodus. From the 1920’s onwards terrorist groups/extremists from both Jewish and Palestinian regions were developed. The beliefs of these groups were expressed through terrorism and riots. During this time the British ruled Palestine – known as the mandate system- because either side had neither power nor control over the area. In 1948 the newly formed United Nations (UN) took over from Britain to handle the Palestinian problem. They decided to grant Jews a state occupying 56% of the former Palestinian territory. Israel came to existence on 14th May 1948. After the UN approved the partition of Palestine, the Jewish settlers (or Zionists) implemented their Plan Dalet, which was designed to drive out Arabs out of the proposed Jewish state. On 10th April 1948members of the Irgun and the Stern Gang, Jewish terrorist groups, attacked the Arab village of Deir Yassin at 4.30 a.m. a total of 250 inhabitants, including women and children, were killed… none of the perpetrators were punished… many Arab villagers fled in fear of further attacks. Deir Yassin caused many Arabs to flee and to re locate themselves as a people on Palestine’s borders. This, today, is a tough issue to solve because Palestinians won’t relocate from the borders unless Israel compromises. This involves other bordering nations because they do not want Palestinians in their country because of a risk of being attacked by Israel. Dier Yassin is considered as a crucial event as that it has caused the permission the violence, terrorism wars assassinations and killing of innocents over the past 50 years. Recent attempts in the Middle East have been the Arab peace initiative, the Ayalon-Nusseibeh plan, the Geneva Accords and the UN Road Map to Peace. In March 2002 Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah announced the Arab Peace Initiative. He floated a plan which calls for Israeli withdrawal from territories occupied since 1967 and the return of the Palestinian refugees to Israel in return for a recognition of Israel, by the Palestinians, and then to compromise for normal relations. This plan doesn’t narrow the direct problems. There hasn’t been much progress towards this plan. It has not been successful because refugees still occupy borders and Israeli settlements in the occupied territories have expanded over the past year. In July 2002 Sori Nusseibeh president of Al Quads University, Ami Ayalon former Israeli Director of domestic service and former admiral of Israeli Navy, released a set of principles for an Israeli-Palestinian peace, this follows on from the Arab peace Initiative. The plan suggests: permanent borders between Israel and Palestine and each state are respected as the home land of each people, Jerusalem will be an open city and give the refugees the right of return. The Nussiebeh-Ayalon plan also known as ‘The people’s choice’ has had success. Since July 100 000 Israelis and 70 000 Palestinians have signed petitions supporting these principles. Nussiebeh and Ayalon have recently visited America to promote it, and that can suggest American support. Both sides supporting the plan is a success, however does not reflect all the people’s opinion. Some flaws may be that Jerusalem as an open city does not look realistic as it is a main conflict-cause, at centre of attention and both parties want it as their own capital. The Geneva accords were talks held in Geneva which became public in mid October 2003. The talks brought together the representative of the state of Israel, the Palestinian liberation organisation and the representative of the Palestinian people. The accords stipulated several basic tenets upon to which bot sides agree. Simply each party are reaffirming their determination to put an end to decades of confrontation. Affirming that the only viable solution is a two-state solution based on UNSC Resolution 242 and 338; affirming that this agreement marks the recognise of the right of the Jewish people to statehood and the recognition of the right of the Palestinian people to statehood, without prejudice to the equal rights of the Parties' respective citizens; therefore recognizing each other's right to peaceful and secure existence. This initiative has been successful. It was signed in the week of October 14th – 21st 2003 by both Palestinian and Israeli negotiators and talks with Colin Powell (U.S Secretary General) with each side suggests that both parties have agreed, however will they follow through with their promises and can the issues be solved? The Quartet Road map is an orga...