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On a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in December 2014
Few modern disputes have endured with such intensity and sorrow as the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. For more than seven decades, this struggle between two peoples over the same land has resisted the efforts of diplomats and peace negotiators. That which began as competing national movements has evolved into a humanitarian catastrophe marked by repeated wars, displacement and political paralysis. Today, amid the devastation in Gaza and the hardening of views, the conflict remains among the world’s more complex and emotionally charged challenges.
Roots in History
The origins of the dispute reach back to the late nineteenth century, when both Jewish and Arab nationalisms emerged under the Ottoman Empire. Zionism, a political and nationalist movement, sought a homeland for Jews in historic Palestine while Arab nationalism sought independence for the Arab inhabitants of the same region.
In 1917, the British government issued the Balfour Declaration, pledging support for a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine while assuring that existing non-Jewish communities would suffer no prejudice. When Britain assumed the League of Nations Mandate in 1920, Jewish immigration increased, particularly as European persecution worsened. As demographics shifted, violent clashes between Jewish settlers and Arab residents became frequent through the 1920s and 1930s.
Following the horrors of the Holocaust, international sympathy for the Jewish cause deepened. In 1947, the United Nations (UN) recommended partitioning Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem under international administration. The Jewish leadership accepted the plan but Arab leaders rejected it, arguing that it violated the rights of the Arab majority.
The Birth of Israel and the Palestinian Catastrophe
On 14 May 1948, the Jewish Agency declared the establishment of the State of Israel. The following day, neighbouring Arab states invaded, initiating the first Arab–Israeli war. Israel survived and expanded its territory beyond the UN partition lines. Roughly 700,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled during the fighting, a mass exodus remembered by Palestinians as al-Nakba, the “catastrophe.” They became refugees across the Middle East, many of their descendants still stateless today.
For Israelis, independence marked national rebirth after centuries of persecution. For Palestinians, it represented dispossession and the collapse of their society. This contrast, Israel’s independence versus Palestine’s catastrophe, remains the deepest fault line in collective memory and political identity.
The Occupation and the 1967 Turning Point
Another decisive moment arrived two decades later. In June 1967, Israel fought Egypt, Syria and Jordan in the Six-Day War, capturing the Sinai Peninsula, Golan Heights, Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem and the West Bank. The war transformed the region and left Israel controlling territories populated by more than a million Palestinians.
Israel later withdrew from Sinai after its 1979 peace treaty with Egypt but retained control over East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. In 1981, Israel annexed the Golan Heights from Syria. The international community regards these areas as occupied under international law while Israel disputes that characterisation. Over time, Israeli settlements in the West Bank have multiplied, fragmenting Palestinian territory and complicating the creation of a future Palestinian state.
For Palestinians, the occupation brought military checkpoints, restricted movement and economic dependency. For Israelis, recurring attacks and uprisings reinforced a sense of insecurity. Each side viewed itself as acting in self-defence, and mistrust deepened.
Attempts at Peace and the Rise of Division
Efforts to resolve the conflict have repeatedly faltered. The 1993 Oslo Accords, mediated by the United States of America (USA), marked the first mutual recognition between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO). The Accords created the Palestinian Authority to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza and envisioned a final settlement within five years.
The optimism of Oslo all but faded quickly. Continued settlement expansion, waves of violence and political assassinations destroyed trust. By the early 2000s, the Second Intifada erupted, claiming thousands of lives and shattering hopes for peace.
Palestinian politics also fractured. In 2007, after a brief civil struggle, Hamas, an Islamist movement refusing to recognise Israel, seized control of Gaza while the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority maintained limited authority in the West Bank. Since then, the Palestinian political landscape has remained divided, with two rival administrations unable to agree on strategy or elections.
The Gaza Strip: A Humanitarian and Political Flashpoint
The Gaza Strip, home to over two million Palestinians, became the epicentre of conflict. Israel withdrew its settlers and soldiers in 2005 but retained control of borders, airspace and coastline, in coordination with Egypt. When Hamas took power in 2007, Israel imposed a blockade, claiming it was necessary to prevent weapons smuggling. Palestinians describe the blockade as collective punishment that has strangled Gaza’s economy.
Gaza has endured repeated wars, in 2008, 2012, 2014 and 2021, each leaving immense destruction. Yet none equalled the devastation of the conflict that began in October 2023.
The 2023–2025 War: Catastrophe in Real Time
On 7 October 2023, Hamas launched a surprise assault on southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and seizing more than 200 hostages. The attack shocked Israel and the world. In response, Israel declared war and began massive air and ground operations aimed at eliminating Hamas.
The campaign has been among the deadlier of the century. By late 2025, much of Gaza lay in ruins. Tens of thousands of Palestinians had been killed, entire neighbourhoods were flattened and nearly the entire population was displaced. Hospitals and schools were overwhelmed or destroyed and humanitarian agencies warned of famine and disease.
Israeli leaders insisted that the offensive represented legitimate self-defence against a terrorist organisation that embeds itself among civilians. Critics, including international human-rights groups, condemned Israel of disproportionate force and accused it of possible breaches of international law. Global opinion divided sharply, between those emphasising Israel’s right to security and those condemning the enormous civilian toll.
The fate of hostages taken by Hamas became a central emotional issue inside Israel, fuelling domestic pressure and political unrest. In Gaza, families searched for the missing under rubble, and entire generations faced trauma and displacement.
Asymmetry and Mutual Fear
The current crisis underscores the severe imbalance between the two sides. Israel possesses one of the world’s more sophisticated militaries, backed by strong alliances, particularly with the USA. Palestinians, in contrast, remain fragmented, impoverished and without sovereignty.
Yet Israel’s overwhelming strength has failed to deliver safety or peace. Force may deter attacks temporarily but is unable to extinguish the resentment of an occupied and besieged population. Likewise, Palestinian armed groups have inflicted pain but also invited devastation upon their own communities. Both sides remain trapped in a cycle where victory proves elusive and suffering multiplies.
Why Peace Remains So Elusive
Countless peace initiatives such the Oslo Accords, the Camp David Summit, the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative and several USA-brokered proposals have sought a way out. Each collapsed under the weight of distrust, domestic politics and changing realities on the ground.
For Israel, security remains paramount. Many Israelis fear that territorial withdrawal would invite further attacks, as they believe occurred after leaving Gaza in 2005. For Palestinians, sovereignty and dignity are essential. They demand an end to occupation, control of borders and justice for refugees.
Leadership on both sides struggles to bridge these divides. Israeli politics has shifted rightward, empowering nationalist and religious factions opposed to major concessions. Among Palestinians, rivalry between Fatah and Hamas undermines unity and weakens bargaining power.
International mediators, chiefly the USA, Egypt, Qatar and the UN continue shuttle diplomacy. Yet without genuine political courage, even the best frameworks remain empty paper.
Possible Paths Forward
Despite the bleakness, analysts and diplomats still see pathways toward peace, although each requires immense resolve.
1. Humanitarian Ceasefire and Relief
The immediate priority is a durable ceasefire to end civilian suffering and allow aid delivery. This move must include the release of hostages, unhindered humanitarian access and international monitoring to ensure compliance.
2. Reconstruction and Governance of Gaza
Gaza’s rebuilding demands a credible plan. Several proposals suggest a transitional international administration, possibly involving the UN or Arab states, to oversee reconstruction and security until a reformed Palestinian government can take charge.
3. Reviving the Two-State Vision
The idea of two states, Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace, remains the only internationally recognised framework capable of satisfying both national aspirations. Although public enthusiasm has faded, no alternative offers a sustainable outcome. A single binational state, given present hostilities, would almost certainly perpetuate conflict.
4. Palestinian Political Reconciliation
Without unified leadership representing both Gaza and the West Bank, negotiations lack legitimacy.
Reconciliation, democratic renewal and credible institutions are essential for any future peace.
5. Settlements and Occupation
Israel faces difficult choices. Freezing settlement expansion, easing movement restrictions and recognising Palestinian sovereignty would rebuild confidence. A phased withdrawal, verified by international observers, could address Israeli security fears while advancing Palestinian self-rule.
6. International Engagement and Regional Incentives
The global community can reshape incentives for peace. Arab states such as Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia can link normalisation of relations with Israel to tangible progress on Palestinian statehood. Western nations can align aid with respect for humanitarian standards and human rights. Meanwhile, civil society initiatives such as joint education, trade and cultural exchanges can cultivate empathy rather than enmity.
The Role of the United Nations and Global Partners
The UN remains indispensable in documenting violations, coordinating relief and maintaining the diplomatic framework for a two-state outcome. Yet global institutions succeed only when local actors show political will. No amount of external pressure can impose reconciliation on societies unwilling to compromise.
Still, the UN and regional powers can support transitional arrangements, provide reconstruction funds and guarantee security mechanisms. International participation must extend beyond mediation to long-term development and institution-building.
Between Tragedy and Hope
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict persists less because solutions are unknown than because they are politically agonising. The contours of peace such as mutual recognition, two states, security guarantees and a just resolution for refugees have been visible for decades. Missing are trust and moral courage.
The events since 2023 reveal the fragility of coexistence and the devastating cost of failure. Yet amid the ruins of Gaza and the bitterness on both sides, one truth endures: neither people can erase the other.
Geography and history have bound Israelis and Palestinians together. Their destinies are inseparable.
Peace will arrive only through leadership prepared to risk popularity for principle and through societies willing to imagine life beyond vengeance. The world must encourage such courage, not by dictating terms but by supporting genuine compromise.
History offers reminders that entrenched conflicts can eventually yield. Northern Ireland, South Africa and the Balkans all seemed beyond repair until dialogue and persistence prevailed. For Israelis and Palestinians, weary of endless war, that example remains a fragile but necessary source of hope. The alternative, a future mired in endless violence and despair, is a path humanity can ill afford to tread further.
Footnote
Dr Richard A. Gontusan is a Human Resource Skills Training and Investment Consultant. Much of the information in this article is already available in the public domain. His views expressed in this article are not necessarily the views of The Borneo Post.
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