Lesson-History/Politics This AM

 So, the eternal Israeli vs. Palestinian conflict erupted again this week...Let's look at a no BS look at what is going on. 

I am sure I will upset people on both sides. 

The issues of today started about 100 years ago.

After the Ottoman Empire was defeated after World War 1,  the British took control of the area known as Palestine. A strip of land between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea. 

In 1918, the area had a Muslim majority and a Jewish minority. The British were given the task to set up a "National Home" for the Jewish people in Palestine. But both the Jews and Arabs claimed Palestine as their homeland. 

From 1920 to the 1940s, many Jewish people fled Europe, mostly Germany and immigrated to Palestine. That incited the Arab population. Violence between the Jews, Arabs and against the British escalated. 

In 1947 the UN voted to split Palestine between the Jewish and Arabic population into separate states.. 

Jerusalem, a holy land for both would become an "International City."

Jewish leaders embraced the plan, the Arab leaders did not. 

In 1948, the British realized they could not solve the Palestinian problem, so they left. 

The Jewish leaders then declared the Jewish State of Israel.  This received the backing of US President Harry Truman, and this did not go well with the Arab community, with Arab nations of Egypt and Jordan joining a fight against the Jewish state. This was the start of the present Jewish-Arab conflict. 

Israel controlled most of the land with Jordan controlling the West Bank, and Egypt controlling Gaza. Jerusalem was divided between the Israelis and Arabs. 

Fast forward to June, 1967. This was the 6 Day War. Israel again Egypt, Jordan and Syria. After the war, Israel controlled the West Bank, Gaza, the Sinai Peninsula and all of Jerusalem. 

At this point in time, most of the Arabs in Palestine live in either Gaza or the West Bank. And Israel has pulled-out of the Sinai, and Gaza, even though the UN considers Gaza as still occupied territory.

In the last 50 years 600,000 Jews have moved into Jerusalem, many into East Jerusalem which Palestine considers as their future capital. 

In these last 50 years, there have been numerous attempts by American President to negotiate peace in Palestine, including Carter, Clinton, Trump.  In the 80s, a Two-State "solution" was negotiated. Neither side trusted one another. 

By 2000, violence erupted, has flared from time to time since then. 

In 2007, Gaza has been controlled by a radical militant group called Hamas. And they have battle Israel several times. 

Arabs say they are being suffering because of Israeli restrictions. Israelis say they are only defending themselves. 

Things really kicked off in mid-April during the Islamic Holy Month of Ramadan. There were daily violent clashes between Palestinians and the Israeli Police. And then there were forced evictions of Palestinian families from their homes in East Jerusalem. 

Hamas in Gaza started shooting hundreds of rockets into Israel. Israel responded by bombing Hamas positions in Gaza.   

One of the major causes of this conflict is over who controls Jerusalem. 

And until deep seeded mistrust and hated is settled this will go on...Oh, there will probably be a cease fire at some people, but down the road, this will start again.....I Would not be shocked if this breaks into a civil war within Israel. There is still a large Arab population in Israel. 20% or 1.8 million is Arab. 

Thus endth the lesson-