Student Commentary
By Nicolette Alexandra Brito-Cruz / Contributor from Rutgers University
The history of Palestine has been marked by a series of conflicts particularly following the withdrawal of Great Britain’s power in May 1948 and the establishment of the state of Israel by groups and parties including the United Nations and the Zionist Movement. Read more online.
From the Nakba (meaning “the catastrophe” in Arabic) on May 15, 1948, where thousands of Palestinians were displaced from their homes, to the current genocide happening before our eyes over the past month, the call for Palestinian liberation from its current colonial power centers on various historical, political, and humanitarian factors.
The occupation and mistreatment of Palestinians has been happening for the past 75 years. Following is a brief overview of the Palestinian territory and its history and reasons cited for the call for Palestinian liberation today.
Historical Background
Palestine has a rich history that spans millennia, with a diverse population that has included Canaanites, Hebrews, Philistines, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, and other communities.
The region was part of the Ottoman Empire until the end of World War I, when it came under British control after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.
Balfour Declaration and British Mandate (1917-1948)
The Balfour Declaration in 1917 expressed British support for the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine.
The British Mandate for Palestine was established by the League of Nations, leading to an increase in Jewish immigration and Jewish-Arab tensions.
1947 UN Partition Plan
The United Nations approved a partition plan in 1947, which aimed to divide Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, with international administration and an economic union from Jerusalem-Bethlehem.
The plan was accepted by Israeli leaders but rejected by Arab leaders from Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, leading to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
1948 Arab-Israeli War and Nakba
The war resulted in the establishment of the State of Israel and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Arabs, known as the Nakba. Read more. The Nakba Files.
Occupation and conflicts
In the aftermath of the 1948 war, the state of Israel occupied a significant portion of historic Palestine.
Further conflicts have erupted over the years, including the Six-Day War (1967) where Israeli military forces took control over the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. In 1987 and 1993, a first and second Intifada (Palestinian uprising) sought to take this territory back. In, returned to Egypt in the peace agreement of Camp David Accords (the beginning of a “two-state solution”). Among territories not claimed by Palestinians was the Sinani Peninsula.
Contemporary History
The Oslo Accords were a set of agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in the early 1990’s that aimed to create a plan for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by gradually giving governing authority to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, that would eventually lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state. The accords were signed in two stages: Oslo I in 1993 and Oslo II in 1995.
Yasser Arafat, who was the chairman of the PLO, played a key role in the Oslo Accords, signing them for the Palestinians. In 1994, he returned to Gaza as part of the agreement.
Yitzhak Rabin, a former Israeli former Prime Minister, was crucial in the peace process, along with Foreign Minister Shimon Peres. In 1995, Rabin was assassinated by Yigal Amir, an Israeli extremist opposed to peace process.
Shimon Peres, a former Israeli Prime Minister who played a role in the initial illegal settlements in the West Bank in 1967, was also instrumental in the Oslo Accords. He stayed involved in later peace efforts.
Despite the Oslo Accords, the conflicts persisted with tensions, violence, and periodic attempts to restart peace talks. Key issues like Jerusalem’s status, Palestinian refugees’ right of return, and establishing a Palestinian state were left out of the negotiations, leaving many Palestinians divided. Read more on the Oslo Accords– online.
Today, Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip are subject to Israeli military occupation. This includes, but is not limited to, checkpoints, restrictions on travel, and being subject to random attacks. In short, this is what Human Rights Watch has labeled an “Open Air Prison.”
Oct. 7
The Palestinian extremist and militant organization Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israeli towns on the Jewish holiday of the Simchat Torah (“the joy of the joy of Torah” in Hebrew), abducting 242 hostages, killing 250, and injuring 1,500 Israeli citizens
According to Israeli officials, around 1,200 people were killed in Israel and 5,600 are injured as of Nov. 10. Mapping the Hamas massacre.
Israel declared war the next day in an unprecedented attack and a siege on Gaza claiming to be targeting Hamas. In the process, Israeli military forces have killed over 14,758 civilians and injured over 35,000 Palestinians in Gaza; in the West Bank, at 226 people have been killed and more than 2,750 civilians have been injured.
On Oct. 27, the UN approved a “humanitarian truce” as part of a nonbinding resolution to ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. One hundred and twenty countries were in favor, 14 were against, and 45 abstained.
A group of seven UN experts stated “We remain convinced that the Palestinian people are at grave risk of genocide.”
Both Jewish and Arab scholars alike are condemning Israel’s attack on civilians in addition to the Hamas massacre. Judith Butler, a Jewish American philosopher, stated, “We should all be standing up and objecting and calling for an end to genocide.” Likewise, Professor of Sociology at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Canada. M. Muhannad Ayyash stated, “It is now clear that Israel is engaging in a genocide of the Palestinian people. Ayyash says that the Israeli state has “loosened” its military rules allowing soldiers to kill anyone they encounter inside the Gaza Strip as part of their ground operations.
Reasons for Advocating Liberation
The call for the liberation of Palestine is rooted in several factors, including:
Self-Determination: Many Palestinians and their supporters argue that they have the right to self-determination, the establishment of an independent state, and control over their own destiny.
End of Occupation: Advocates seek an end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which has lasted for decades, and an end to settlement expansion.
Recognition of Rights: There are calls for the recognition of the rights of Palestinian refugees and their descendants, as well as equal rights for Palestinian citizens of Israel.
International Law: Supporters cite international law, such as UN resolutions, to argue that Israel’s actions are in violation of established legal principles.
Human Rights and Justice: The struggle for Palestinian liberation is often framed in terms of human rights and justice, with concerns about issues such as checkpoints, blockades, and restrictions on movement.
What you can do to help
Acknowledge the history: In the words of the late Palestinian scholar, Edward Said: “My argument is that history is made by men and women, just as it can also be unmade and rewritten, always with various silence and elisions, always with shapes imposed and disfigurements tolerated.” It is important to look at all sides of a story and to acknowledge who has the upper hand when writing history.
Differentiate groups: Zionism and Israel are not synonymous with Judaism. Anti-Zionism, the opposition of the state of Israel in occupied Palestine, does not equate to Anti-Semitism, discrimination and hostility against Jewish people. Hamas does not represent all Palestinians or Gazans. This is not a religious war; it is a fight for indigenous land and human rights to be given back to the Palestinian people.
Demand better from “superpower” countries: Call your local government to demand a ceasefire and aid for the Palestinian people. If you are American, choose your vote wisely for upcoming elections.
Spread Information, not Disinformation: Fact-check information before reposting it to your social media. Here are some fact checking sites you can look to verify information: AFP, Reuters, and the Associated Press and Bellingcat- Palestine, Bellingcat-Israel.
Follow reporters reporting in Gaza on social media.
As of Nov. 23, 41 Palestinian journalists have been killed reporting on the ground. So far, no journalists are allowed to come into Gaza except for a small number of AP reporters, and it may be difficult to receive unbiased information when solely relying on Western and other outside not in Gaza. Below, a list of journalists and organizations reporting from Gaza.
Instagram Handles
Yara Eid
Donate: These are a list of organizations aiding Palestinians: United Nations Population Fund, Islamic Relief Palestine Emergency Appeal, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, and Medical Aid for Palestinians.
EDWARD SAID and Palestine (1988) | Documentary
Israeli Historian Ilan Pappé on Gaza War, Hostages & the Context Behind Current Violence | Democracy Now
Amnesty International | Jewish Voice for Peace Factsheet on Nakba | Center for Palestine Studies | Institute for Middle East Understanding | Middle East Institute |
This article does not aim to represent views or opinions of The Matthew newspaper or John Cabot University.
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