What are the roots of the Arab-Israeli Conflict Essay

What are the roots of the Arab-Israeli Conflict - Essay Example On the other hand, Iseroff, 2008, mentions that Sykes Picot Agreement of 1916 planned to divide Ottomans holdings between France and Britain after the war. The revolt by Arabs led by T.E. Lawrence led to partial Arab self-determination. However, many feel that Arabs had been short-changed by British promise to give Syria to French and Palestine as Jewish homeland. British denied any such promise that included Palestine in the area promised to Arabs. The conflict thus began. In November 1917, The Balfour Declaration highlighted British support for creation of Jewish homeland in Palestine without disturbing civil and religious rights of non-Jewish communities in the region. The Arabs opposed the idea for fear of dispossession by Zionists or the fear of living under Jewish rules. The British wanted to establish regions of self governing Palestine as well as Israel. However, while Israel feared Arab majority in such councils, Arabs displayed their displeasure by non-participation and instigating pogroms and rioting during 1920s. The violence led to formation of Hagannah Jewish self defence organisation in 1920. Future immigration of Jews into these territories led to protests from the Arabs against Jewish settlers despite direct benefit due to investment and infrastructural development in the region. Religious aspects like false rumours of synagogue on Wailing Wall or Jewish encroachment of Muslim rule over temple mount compound further fuelled rioting leading to evacuation of Jewish people from Hebron. An attempt to resolve situation through 1929 Passfield white paper to stop further immigration by British was however opposed vehemently and immigration of Jewish people continued unabated and in fact swelled during 1930s due to Jewish persecution well...The o wnership, demography and area have greatly fluctuated during this long history. Present Israel extends from Jordan river to the Mediterranean, with Egypt in the south, Lebanon in the north and Jordan in the east. The identified borders are about 78% while the rest is land occupied during operations like 6-day war of 1967 and some autonomous Palestinian regions. Gaza strip is another stretch of 141 square miles south of Israel controlled by Palestinian Authority. (Iseroff, 2008) Historically speaking, Israel came into existence starting from Abraham, 1272 BC and Jews claim their dominion over the land for about 1000 years randomly while continuous presence during past 3300 years. Romans conquered Jerusalem over 2000 years back and expelled the Jewish to Diaspora. The land has thereafter been ruled by the Romans, Islamic and Christian campaigners, by the Ottomans and British Empires. The present crisis involving small land of Israel as described above involves Israel and 24 Arab nations as shown in the map below. The genesis of this modern history can be traced back to massive immigration of Jews from Arab countries and Europe during first 3-4 decades of the 20th century All major countries and particularly UN have to play a supportive role to evolve a consensus. The solution can only be evolved by sitting across a table and talking to each other peacefully.