Until the start of the 19th century, Palestine was part of the Ottoman Empire, where Muslims, Jews, and Christians coexisted. The Zionist movement, founded in Europe, aimed to unite Jews worldwide to establish a Jewish state in the Holy Land of Palestine. Consequently, many Jews began migrating to Palestine.

After World War I, the Ottoman Empire collapsed, and Palestine came under British control. The Balfour Declaration, issued by the British Government in 1917 during the First World War, announced support for the creation of a Jewish state. This prompted further Jewish migration and escalated tensions between Jews and Muslims. As conflicts intensified, Britain withdrew, and the United Nations took control of Palestine. The UN proposed a partition plan, dividing Palestine into Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem as an independent zone under UN control. The plan was accepted by Jews, and on May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was established. However, Arab states and Muslims rejected it, leading to the first Arab-Israeli war. Israel emerged victorious, occupying many Palestinian areas, resulting in the displacement of 700,000 Palestinians, an event known as Al-Naqba (“the catastrophe”).

In the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel gained control of the entire Palestine, leading to more Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza. The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) was formed to resist Israeli occupation. Years of conflict ensued until the PLO signed an agreement with Israel, which did not resolve the issue. Jewish settlements in Palestinian territories continued, deemed illegal by the UN. This sparked a rebellion, leading to the formation of Hamas, a militant group opposing Israeli occupation.

In 1993, an agreement divided the West Bank into three areas: Area A (full Palestinian control), Area B (joint Israeli-Palestinian control), and Area C (full Israeli control). However, Area C, rich in resources, was allocated to Israel, creating further Palestinian discontent. The Second Intifada (uprising) followed, leading to increased Israeli restrictions. In 2005, Israel withdrew from Gaza but maintained settlements in the West Bank. Gaza, now under Hamas control, was blockaded by Israel.

In December 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, violating UN resolutions. Clashes in Jerusalem escalated into severe conflict between Israel and Hamas. Israel’s actions led to significant Palestinian casualties and displacement. Despite international law recognizing Palestinians’ right to return, Israel denied it. Palestinians faced restrictions, especially regarding access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, leading to protests against Israeli policies.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas fired rockets on Israel due to oppression and settlements in Palestine, leading to a severe military response from Israel, including airstrikes on Gaza. More than 32,000 Palestinians have been killed, 75,092 have severe injuries, and thousands are buried under rubble. Entire infrastructure has been destroyed by bombings and other attacks. More than 13,000 Palestinian children have been killed. Healthcare systems have also been badly damaged as hospitals are being heavily targeted. There have been more than 400 attacks on healthcare facilities. There is a severe shortage of food and medical supplies, with 1.1 million people at risk of famine, including pregnant women and newborns. Humanitarian aid is not reaching Palestinians because Israel has imposed strict restrictions and blockades.

Despite this severe situation, the international community, which declares itself as human rights champions, did not react to the situation. Instead, they supported Israel. This shows a gap between their words and actions as they failed as human rights champions. Additionally, international organizations and Islamic states, including the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Saudi Arabia, have not played significant roles in addressing the conflict. Palestinians continue to struggle for their rights and freedom, enduring substantial losses.

WAJIHA KHANUM,

Rawalakot.