HST405

ISLAM IN THE WORLD

Assignment topic: Critically discuss the question of Palestine, its background, origin,
and the contemporary situation. How critical is the Palestine question now in global
politics? Explain.

Submitted to:
Dr Nahid A. Kabir
Professor of History
Department of English and Humanities (ENH)
BRAC UNIVERSITY

Submitted by:
EFAZ MAHAMUD AZAD
ID:16309030
SOL, BRACU
Critically discuss the question of Palestine, its background, origin, and the
contemporary situation. How critical is the Palestine question now in global politics?
Explain.

Palestine referred to the region geographically located in between the Mediterranean Sea and

the Jordan river. It is a small country of 2400 square miles that is one of the most unstable and

violent region of the world. Historically it was the region of enormous prosperity, that played a

significant role in shaping the modern history of Middle East. Religiously it is the region

(Jerusalem) of the holiness (birth place) of three main religion of the world; Islam, Christianity

and Judaism. Thus, numerous violent attempts have been made to take control over the region

which can be traced back to ancient times. Though it was the home of many Arab Palestinians,

majority of the region is now wrongfully occupied by the Israel. At present time Palestine region

on paper includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

From the starts, Palestine has been ruled by numerous ethnic groups, including the Assyrians,

Babylonians, Persians, Arabs, Fatimids, Seljuk Turks, Crusaders, Egyptians, and Islamists1.

From 1517 to 1917, the region of Palestine had been ruled by the Ottoman Empire. The after

math of World War-I has changed the geopolitical situation in the entire continent. After the first

world war broke out, the joining of Ottoman Empire with Germany on October 30th, 1914 left the

Allied forces in a bitter situation. As the Ottoman Empire controlled the Muslim Caliphate, a war

against the Ottoman empire could provoke the entire Muslim community of the world as they
1
https://www.history.com/topics/middle-east/palestine
could consider it a war against Islam2. In order to prevent such provocation London plotted with

Hussain bin Ali, the Sharif of Mecca, a person appointed by and had bitter relation with the

Ottoman Empire. According to the conspiracy Hussain was to revolt against the Ottoman Empire

and in exchange of such revolt Britain was to assist him to claim and hold the Arab Caliphate in

which Palestine was included3. Soon after the first world war British took control over the

Palestine through a mandate issued by the League of Nations. British made enormous effort and

succeeded in creating an independent state for the Jews in Palestine and helped many Jews to

come and settle in Palestine. In 1939, a British government appointed committee recommended

two states, one for Jews and another for Arabs4. However, the Jews did not approve such

decision and engaged in terrorism from 1939 to 1948 to make Britain leave from the region.

Finally, David Ben Gurion proclaimed the State of Israel on 15 May 1948, much ahead of the

timetable prescribed in UN General Assembly Resolution 181 for establishing two states in

Palestine not later than 1 October 19485. Within a year of partition Britain left Palestine and

conflict started between Palestine and Israel. In April 9th 1948 Jewish had launched a full

concentrated attack on the Arab civilians which made at least 100,000 Palestinians flee from

their home6. At the same year war broke out between Jews and Arabs in the region. Five Arab

nations including Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Syria and Egypt engaged in a bloody war against Israel.

2
The Impact of World War I on the Arab World Today by K.P Fabian
June 17, 2016
Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (https://idsa.in)
3
ibid
4
ibid
5
The Impact of World War I on the Arab World Today by K.P Fabian
June 17, 2016
Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (https://idsa.in)

6
A 'Catastrophe' that Defines Palestinian Identity by HUSSEIN IBISH
MAY 14, 2018
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/05/the-meaning-of-nakba-israel-palestine-1948-
gaza/560294/
This is the first major event that initiate a number of violence in the coming year between Arabs

and Israel. In 1964 the Palestine Liberation Organization was established in Jerusalem. Several

factors such as, silence of Arab countries regarding the violence conducted by Israel, western

back up to Israel, the growth of nationalism and to establish rights of Palestinian people have

facilitated the rise of POL7. In 1969, Fateh leader Yasser Arafat became the leader of the

Palestine Liberation Organization and held the title until intoxicated by the Jews intelligence.

Within the growing conflict in June 5, 1967 Israel attacked Egypt, Syria and Jordan in the Six-

day war, thereby occupied Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip from Egypt and the Golan Heights

from Syria, alone with West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan8. The growing conflict and

the wrongful occupation by Israel eventually fueled the broke out of first Intifada in 1987 which

resulted in hundreds of casualties. A peace process named the Oslo Accords was created to

establish peace and withdrawal of Israeli forces from the West Bank and other areas9. However,

this process could not prevent the Second Intifada.

So far, the people of Palestine has experienced numerous events from 1948 war to numerous

United Nations Resolution, yet the dispute remains unsolved. Millions of Palestinians were

forced to migrate from their home and around 420,000 Israelis have settled inside the West Bank

and East Jerusalem, an area beyond their territory10. More and more settlers are still coming as

the land are cheap and they are backed by the Israeli government. Main purpose behind

occupation is to make Palestinians leave the country. Several Israeli governments have denied

7
http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t236/e0618
8
https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/plohistoryofrevolution/2009/07/200972094351911191.html
9
https://www.history.com/topics/middle-east/palestine
10
THE PALESTINIAN QUESTION by NAHID AFROSE KABIR
Published by: Edinburgh University Press. (2013)
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3366/j.ctt3fgtqk.13
any peace agreements in order to continue the ongoing occupation as it is easier to justify such

occupation in absence of any peace deals. In terms of economy the distribution of resources is

highly discriminatory, whereby Israelis enjoy unparallel privileges to the Palestinians even their

population is much lower to Palestinians. Whereas, Palestinians face water and power

restrictions, the settlers enjoy water, pools, electricity and gas11. According to World Bank, about

53 percent of people in Palestine is unemployed whereby, about 75 per cent of them are living

under the poverty line. In terms of Military occupation, the Palestinians are no matched to the

Israelites and always backed up the western powers. Most of these powers is being used on

Palestinians civilians to suppress them. Every fundamental right confirmed by the Charter of the

United Nations towards the Palestinians people has always been denied by the Israel.

The world waits for a legitimate peace agreement for decades. More then sixty years of

diplomacy have failed to bring peace in between two communities. The whole world has agreed

upon one basic principle that is the “two states solution” whereby Israel and Palestine will live

side by side as distinct independent nations. Several theories like binational or federal state

inhabitant by both Israelis and Palestinians side by side enjoying equal rights. However, the

hatred between these two communities will inevitably make these theories void. The Camp

David Summit in 1978, the Oslo Accords from 1993 – 1995, the Clinton Parameters in 2000, the

Taba Summit in 2002, the Arab Peace Initiative in 2002, the Mitchel talks from 2010 – 2011, and

the Kerry talks from 2013 – 2014 have failed to established peace in the region12. Determination

of a fixed border line by International communities might be the first initiative to bring peace in

the region. However, declaration by both parties as they claim the whole territory make this

theory hard to implement. In the recent time a controversial declaration made by US president

11
ibid
12
https://thegeopolitics.com/the-israeli-palestinian-conflict-recent-developments-and-next-steps/
Donald Trump to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem had made the peace process

worsen. The people of Palestine took the decision as a support towards Israel to justify their

violent activities. Though the European Union disproved the decision adopted by the US as it

may further the peace process. Israeli governments often take violent decision in order to gain

public support and vote. Like present president Benjamin Netanyahu who was previously

charged for corruption, before recent election has declared to annex large parts of occupied West

Bank13. Announcements like these backed up by US will eventually make the peace process

impossible. Major countries and the European Union are still trying to make a permanent peace

process.

The people of Palestine are still dreaming of a free country which is recognized by all countries

of the world and they are still fighting for it. Although they are in possession of the large portion

of the region but the occupation conducted by Israel are still going in full scale. Many

international organization and rights groups consider these settlements illegal. While so much of

Palestine’s history has involved bloodshed, displacement, and instability the world urges for a

resolution that could bring peace and prosperity in the region. furthermore, after the Arab Spring

backed up by the US the whole Middle East is still going through chaos and civil wars. The

rising tension between Syria and Iran with US and Israel, the conflict of interest in between

Russia and Turkey with regard to Bashar regime in Syria have made the situation far worsen.

The contemporary geopolitical situation in Middle East implies that the history of bloodshed in

between Palestine and Israel is not going to over in any time soon.

13
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/10/netanyahu-vows-annex-large-parts-occupied-west-bank-
trump
THE END