Israel Vs Palestine
Israel Vs Palestine - Episode Preview and Article
Written by: Sheng Chang Li - Writer for the Topilitical article chain
Israel vs Palestine is one of the hottest topics right now, as a result of the recent events in the Middle East. With the Israeli government having invaded Gaza recently, there have been sparks of violence between the Israeli government, the people of Palestine, and groups such as Hamas. This isn’t a new conflict, though, as Israel and Palestine have been struggling for power and land in the area for over a century. The conflict is full of history and a very complex problem with many different perspectives and sides. To some, Israel is a sinister, apartheid state that’s founded on colonialism, imperialism and oppression. To others, Israel is a beacon of hope and a symbol of protection for the Jewish people, who historically have been persecuted. To people in between, the conflict has been a result of poor decisions by colonial powers and unachievable promises.
On the pro-Palestine side, the actions of Israel are seen to be oppressive and discriminatory against the Palestinian people, who have lived there far before Israel’s establishment. From this perspective, the establishment of Israel has pushed the Palestinians out of their homes unfairly and have left the Palestinians without a country of their own. Coupled with the events of the 1984 Arab-Israeli war, many pro-Palestinians would not just consider this a theft of their land, but an attempt to eradicate the Palestinians from the land. These groups of people only want one thing, and that is land for the Palestinian people, but this is where the issue gets a little complicated.
Even many pro-Palestinian people agree that Israel should not be abolished completely and instead, they should share the land, but to many more radical people, even an inch of land belonging to Israel is a disservice to Palestine. Although the leaders of groups like Hamas have supported other religious groups in Palestine, it is clear that groups such as Hamas are not in favour of a 2 state solution and instead want all the land to belong to Palestine. This is where the trouble begins.
On the Israeli side, all of them want some sort of Israeli state. Many even support a two-state solution if it means at least some land for Israel, but with prominent groups like Hamas not wanting to have these two states coexist, there is not much room for negotiation. In a scenario like now, there are not many ways for the two countries to negotiate with each other, which has led to the power struggle between the two groups. With atrocities committed by both sides, there doesn’t seem like there will be an end to this conflict anytime soon, but there are many proposed solutions.
The most popular solution would be a two-state solution, with both states owning land in the area and coexisting, but the problem is that many extremists on both sides refuse to have two states, making such negotiations difficult to conclude. Another popular solution would be to give the land to Palestine and relocate the Jewish people of Israel somewhere else. The problem is that there aren’t many spaces to do this without possible oppressing or undermining the interests of the Jewish people. Another problem is that the land of Jerusalem is holy to all Abrahamic religions and so many Israelis may be hesitant to leave the area. Another solution proposed would be to send the Palestinians to another Arab country nearby and let the Israeli’s stay, although that is unpopular since many see the Palestinians as the true owners of that land. There are many solutions to this issue but none are popular among a majority of people, leaving many to think about how we could ever solve this problem. The truth is, no one knows, but in this current moment when many are passionate about this issue, many hope that some sort of compromise could be reached.
Another large concern about this conflict, especially online, is the increase of antisemitism and Islamophobia online. On the pro-Palestine side, there are problems with anti-Semitic dog whistles that may target Jewish people and make the assumption that all Jewish people support Israel, which is not true. In an effort to target Zionism, many may go too far and begin to target Jewish people as a whole, which is very dangerous and harmful. On the other hand, many Israeli people may feed and believe in the harmful stereotypes facing Muslims, such as the unfounded claims that Muslims are terrorists, which as we know, aren’t true. Especially in Jerusalem and Gaza, right now, many Palestinians are being targeted and labelled as terrorists by the people and occasionally, the Israeli state. One thing all people should be able to agree on is that a conflict between nations shouldn’t be seen as a conflict between people. Just because you don’t like Palestine doesn’t mean you should target Palestinians. Just because you don’t like Israel, it doesn’t mean you can target Jewish people. Racism is a darker side of this conflict that many feel should be addressed and better cared for.
Now that you somewhat understand what’s happening in Israel/Palestine, what do you think? Feel free to do your research to reach your conclusion on this complex problem, but feel free to listen to the newest episode of Topilitical, coming up soon, to hear the perspectives of David and Omar on this conflict. Have a nice week and remember to stay on top and to stay Topilitical.