Minds Weapon

The Palestinian cause, Israel, Gaza, Egypt, Egyptian-brokered ceasefire,

The British Mandate: 1917--1947

In 1922, the League of Nations placed Palestine, which was among the former Ottoman territories, under United Kingdom administration. All these lands eventually became fully independent states with the exception of Palestine. In addition to “providing assistance and administrative advice,” the British Mandate incorporated the 1917 “Balfour Declaration”, expressing its support for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine. During the Mandate period from 1922 to 1947, there was widespread Jewish immigration, most of which came from Eastern Europe, and these numbers doubled in the 1930s as a result of Nazi persecution. The Arab demands that called for independence and resistance to immigration resulted in the 1937 revolt, followed by the continuation of terror and violence on both sides. The United Kingdom tried to achieve independence in a land torn by violence through various formulas. In 1947, the United Kingdom transferred the Palestine problem to the United Nations.

After considering other alternatives, the United Nations, through Resolution 181 (A) of 1947, proposed ending the British Mandate and dividing Palestine into two independent states, one Arab Palestinian and the other Jewish, with the internationalization of Jerusalem. And one state declared its independence as the state of Israel, and in its war in 1948 with the neighboring Arab countries, this state expanded to include 77 percent of the land of Palestine, including the greater part of Jerusalem. As a result, more than half of the Palestinian Arab population fled or were expelled. Jordan and Egypt took control of the rest of the territories specified in Resolution 181 for the Arab state. In the 1967 war, Israel occupied these lands that annexed (the Gaza Strip and the West Bank), including East Jerusalem, which Israel later annexed. The war resulted in a second emigration of Palestinians, estimated at around half a million people. In its Resolution 242, the Security Council laid down principles for a just and lasting peace, including the Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories in the conflict, reaching a just settlement of the refugee problem, and ending all allegations or fighting situations. The 1973 hostilities followed Security Council Resolution 338, in which it called, inter alia, for peace negotiations between the parties concerned. In 1974, the General Assembly reaffirmed the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination, national independence, sovereignty and return. In the following year, the General Assembly established the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, and granted the Palestine Liberation Organization observer status in the Assembly and at United Nations conferences. In 1974, the General Assembly reaffirmed the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination, national independence, sovereignty and return. In the following year, the General Assembly established the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, and granted the Palestine Liberation Organization observer status in the Assembly and at United Nations conferences. In 1974, the General Assembly reaffirmed the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination, national independence, sovereignty and return. In the following year, the General Assembly established the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, and granted the Palestine Liberation Organization observer status in the Assembly and at United Nations conferences.

In 1991, the Madrid Peace Conference was held with the aim of reaching a peace settlement through direct negotiations on two tracks: between Israel and the Arab countries, and between Israel and the Palestinians, based on Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973). It was decided that the multilateral track negotiations would focus on regional issues such as environment, arms control, refugees, water and the economy. A series of subsequent negotiations culminated in 1993 with the mutual recognition between the government of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, as the representative of the Palestinian people, and the signing of the Declaration of Principles relating to Interim Self-Government Arrangements (the Oslo Agreement), as well as the subsequent implementation agreements that led to the partial withdrawal of Israeli forces, and to elections. The Palestinian Council, the presidency of the Palestinian Authority, the partial release of prisoners, and the establishment of effective administration in the areas under Palestinian self-rule. The involvement of the United Nations was necessary both as the guardian of international legitimacy and also to mobilize and provide international assistance. The 1993 conference deferred some issues to subsequent final status negotiations, held in 2000 at Camp David and in 2001 in Taba, but these proved inconclusive.

The visit of Ariel Sharon of the Likud party to the Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem in 2000 led to a second intifada. Israel began building the separation wall in the West Bank, most of which was built inside the occupied Palestinian territories, and the International Court of Justice ruled that it is illegal. In 2002, the Security Council affirmed the vision of two states, Israel and Palestine. In 2002, the Arab League adopted the Arab Peace Initiative. In 2003, the Quartet (the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations) issued a roadmap initiative for a two-state solution. In 2003, prominent Israeli and Palestinian figures concluded the informal Geneva Peace Agreement. In 2005, Israel withdrew its settlers and forces from the Gaza Strip and maintained control over the borders, the beach and the airspace of the Strip. In 2006, following the Palestinian legislative elections, the Quartet provided assistance to the Palestinian Authority in its commitment to nonviolence, recognition of Israel and acceptance of previous agreements. After Hamas armed takeover of Gaza in 2007, Israel imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip. The Annapolis process of talks held in 2007-2008 failed to reach agreement on permanent status. The escalating missiles and air strikes in late 2008 culminated in the Israeli "Cast Lead" operation in the Gaza Strip. The UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1860, and violations of international law during the conflict in Gaza were investigated by the United Nations through (“the Goldstone Report”). The 2009 Palestinian Authority’s program to build state institutions received widespread international support. A new round of negotiations collapsed in 2010 as a result of continued Israeli settlement operations. In 2011, President Mahmoud Abbas submitted a request for Palestine to obtain membership in the United Nations. And UNESCO recognized Palestine as a member. And in early 2012 in Amman, exploratory Israeli-Palestinian talks were held. In November, another cycle of violence between Israel and Gaza concluded with an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire. On November 29, 2012, Palestine was granted the status of a non-member observer state at the United Nations. The General Assembly declared 2014 the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. In April 2014, Israel suspended a new round of negotiations that began in 2013 following the announcement by a Palestinian national government of consensus. Another round of fighting between Israel and Gaza took place in July-August 2014. In November, another cycle of violence between Israel and Gaza concluded with an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire. On November 29, 2012, Palestine was granted the status of a non-member observer state at the United Nations. The General Assembly declared 2014 the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. In April 2014, Israel suspended a new round of negotiations that began in 2013 following the announcement by a Palestinian national government of consensus. Another round of fighting between Israel and Gaza took place in July-August 2014. In November, another cycle of violence between Israel and Gaza concluded with an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire. On November 29, 2012, Palestine was granted the status of a non-member observer state at the United Nations. The General Assembly declared 2014 the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. In April 2014, Israel suspended a new round of negotiations that began in 2013 following the announcement by a Palestinian national government of consensus. Another round of fighting between Israel and Gaza took place in July-August 2014.In 2016, the Security Council adopted Resolution 2334 on settlements. On February 12, 2020, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights released a report on businesses involved in specific activities related to settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.