Let’s start with the reasons for the recent conflict between Israel and Palestine. Towards the end of April 2021, Palestinians began protesting in the streets of Jerusalem, and Sheikh Zara’s residents, along with other residents and activists, began protesting at night.
In early May, after a court ruled in favor of the eviction, the protests spread by deploying Israeli police against the protesters.
On May 7, following weeks of daily demonstrations and rising tensions between protesters, Israeli settlers, and police during the month of Ramadan, violence broke out at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, with Israeli police using stun grenades, rubber bullets, and water cannons in a clash with protestors that left hundreds of Palestinians wounded.
The position of the United Nations is defined by resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly, as well as by international law and bilateral agreements.
The only way to ensure a two-state solution remains that both the Palestinians and the Israelis can realize their legitimate aspirations, based on the 1967 border and live in peace and security as well as living as the capital of both states.
The first major conflict between Israel and the Palestinians occurred in 1948 when neighboring Arab countries began fighting Israel shortly after the declaration of independence.
Here, we will critically examine the possible solution of the Israel and Palestine conflict in the light of the Two-State Solution advocated by the United Nations.
Prolonged Conflict: How Fair and How Far?
At the end of April 2021, during the chaotic and isolated situation, the world witnessed a catastrophe in the Middle East, which clashes in the most sensitive places of Jerusalem, the venerable plateau of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the iconic Golden Dome of the Rock.
The clashes are a reminder of the seven-week bloody war in 2014, which killed 2,000 Palestinians, including hundreds of civilians, and destroyed much of Gaza’s infrastructure.
Gaza is a 25-mile-long land between Israel and Egypt along the east coast of the Mediterranean. Both Gaza and the West Bank, a separate block of land between Jordan and Israel’s internationally recognized borders, are under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority, but since 2007 Gaza has effectively been governed by Hamas, an Islamist organization.
It is densely populated, home to around two million people. Long an Israeli-occupied buffer zone between Israel and Egypt, Israeli forces left Gaza in 2005, though Israel continues to control the airspace and territorial waters.
Peace talks have been occurring here and there for over 25 years, yet without any result. Despite global help for a truce, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed his aim to proceed with military tasks in Gaza.
Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since the militant group seized control. Several escalations since spring 2018 have almost developed into full-blown conflicts.
Look back (Causes of Conflict)
The first major conflict between Israel and the Palestinians occurred in 1948 when neighboring Arab countries began fighting Israel shortly after the declaration of independence.
As a result of the war, millions of Palestinians became refugees and their descendants now number in the millions, many of whom still live in refugee camps. Israel and neighboring Arab states went to war again in June 1967.
Israel won the war in six days, and part of the land it conquered included large populations of Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Between the late 1980s and early 1990s and again from mid-2000 to 2005, Israelis and Palestinians clashed in what are called the first and second intifadas.
In the middle of these violent periods, Israeli and Palestinian leadership embarked on a peace process known as the Oslo Accords.
These agreements still form the basis of relations between the two sides, but the overall goal of reaching a two-state solution, with a Palestinian state formed alongside Israel, has proved elusive.
Viewpoint of US
President Biden, in his most grounded call to end the savagery since the current acceleration started, told Mr. Netanyahu “that he expected a critical de-heightening on the way to a truce.”
The two leaders have spoken a few times during the current acceleration, during which Mr. Biden voiced help for Israel’s on the whole correct to safeguard itself from Hamas’ assaults, yet additionally called for staying away from non-military personnel losses.
The Biden administration expects that a truce could come for this present week, excepting any unexpected conflicts that may overturn the delicate conversations, as per a U.S. official.
The pressures encompassing Jerusalem and the more extensive fire with Gaza will test Israel’s newly discovered relations with a gathering of Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco, just as adjoining Egypt and Jordan.
Jerusalem and the situation with the Palestinians are intense subject matters for the Muslim world. The U.A.E., Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and others have censured Israel’s activities in Jerusalem.
Peace Talk: Rhetoric only?
Peace talks have been occurring here and there for over 25 years, yet without any result. Despite global help for a truce, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed his aim to proceed with military tasks in Gaza.
There is a worry that a third intifada could break out and that recharged pressures will grow into huge scope brutality.
The United States has an interest in ensuring the security of its drawn-out partner Israel, and accomplishing an enduring arrangement among Israel and the Palestinian domains, which would work on provincial security.
The long-running Israel-Palestine struggle is amidst the gravest acceleration between the two gatherings as of late, with the likelihood that the circumstance will crumble into a “full-scale battle,” as the United Nations cautioned.
Israel has been inclining up assaults in the Gaza Strip by strengthening air tasks, while Hamas has purportedly dispatched around 3,000 rockets into the Israeli region.
The circumstance has been promoted exacerbated by the homegrown political difficulties confronting the decision foundations of the two states.
In Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu has flopped once more to the mixture of an alliance government and keeping in mind that Palestinian chief Mahmoud Abbas chose to defer parliamentary and official decisions inspired by a paranoid fear of losing the rush to the resistance. The possibilities for a goal between the different sides look thin.
How does UN React?
While the United Nations has approached the two states to deescalate the circumstance promptly, numerous nations are favoring one side.
Saudi Arabia’s adherence to a Palestinian state, in light of the 1967 boundaries, with East Jerusalem as its capital has been reflected through the authority articulation of the Foreign Affairs Minister.
In the United States, the previous Trump organization selected distinctive methodology last year by accepting Israeli goals for joining 30% of the West Bank under its standard while permitting Palestine a restricted state choice – if Israel perceives the authenticity of its political administration.
New President Joe Biden needed to hold the Trump organization’s proposition for Middle East harmony and pull together from the Middle East to the Indo-Pacific, however, the new Israel-Palestine heightening has wrecked that arrangement. Because of the raising brutality, Biden featured U.S. support for Israel’s security and “authentic right to protect itself,” adding later that he saw no “overcompensation” by Israeli powers in Gaza.
Neutral Stance of Beijing and Moscow and the Fate of Resolution
Russia and China appear to be seeking a more nonpartisan position on the contention. Moscow is approaching the two players to “de-raise pressures and calmly resolve the arising issues.”
China’s position was on top of that of Russia, encouraging all gatherings to practice restrictions to keep away from additional setbacks.
Russia and China are known for sharing a typical mentality toward the U.N. as a foundation of worldwide political engineering, while at the same time contradicting the U.S.- advanced “rules-based global request.”
Moscow and Beijing’s covering position on working with the U.N. administration in settling worldwide debates is exemplified by their endeavors to bring the Israel-Palestine conflict to the U.N. Security Council (UNSC).
China and Russia proceed to together advance the “two-state framework” as the most ideal choice for a harmonious settlement, which has likewise been upheld by the United Nations.
Saudi Arabia’s adherence to a Palestinian state, in light of the 1967 boundaries, with East Jerusalem as its capital has been reflected through the authority articulation of the Foreign Affairs Minister.
Saudi Arabia has approached the global-local area to stop this draining at the UN General Assembly. The area can’t manage the cost of another conflict and we should proceed with our endeavors to de raise strains and make openings for political arrangements in light of a legitimate concern for harmony.
What we expect, China and Russia must be proactive in the UN Security Council to jointly promote a “two-state system” as the best option for a peace settlement, which has also been supported by the United Nations.
UN Secretary-General perspectives that, holding “long past due broad decisions” in Palestine, including East Jerusalem, will be “an urgent advance” towards recharged authenticity for public establishments and “rejoining the Palestinian individuals under a solitary, genuine and majority rule Palestinian public government.
New Israel PM, Leadership of Hamas and Presidential Election in Palestine
Mr Bennett has since quite a while ago held desires to be leader, yet his new job is striking given his conservative patriot party, Yamina, won just a small bunch of seats in the last broad political race. He has portrayed himself as “more conservative” than Mr Netanyahu.
Naftali Bennett is frank in his support of Israel as the Jewish country state and Jewish recorded and strict cases toward the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Syrian Golan Heights – domain involved by Israel since the 1967 Middle East conflict.
Ismail Haniya has been reappointed as head of the Palestinian gathering Hamas, authorities have said, solidifying his control of the association that manages the assaulted Gaza Strip.
Ismail Haniya acclaims “Fearless” heads of obstruction groups across Gaza, and he says Hamas powers will just develop “More robust”.
Haniya affirms that Jerusalem is the red line and heart of Palestinian civilization. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas postponed planned elections amid a dispute over voting in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem and divisions in his Fatah party.
He issued a presidential decree postponing the May 22 parliamentary and July 31 presidential elections. He blamed Israel for uncertainty about whether it would allow the elections to proceed in East Jerusalem as well as in the occupied West Bank and Gaza.
What we expect, China and Russia must be proactive in the UN Security Council to jointly promote a “two-state system” as the best option for a peace settlement, which has also been supported by the United Nations.
OIC, Arab worlds and peace-loving nations must raise their collective voices to resolve the 73 years old conflict between Israel and Palestine.
(Dr. Mohammad Tarikul Islam is an Associate Professor in Government and Politics, Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh)
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