Conflict Between Israel and Palestine
Why in news ?
Recently, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a devastating attack on Israel known as Operation ‘Al-Aqsa Storm.
Israel – Palestine Conflict
- The Israeli-Palestinian conflict dates back to the end of the nineteenth century.
- In 1947, the United Nations adopted Resolution 181, known as the Partition Plan, which sought to divide the British Mandate of Palestine into Arab and Jewish states.
- Palestine was a part of Ottoman empire, later became part of British empire.
- On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was created, sparking the first Arab-Israeli War.
- The war ended in 1949 with Israel’s victory, but many Palestinians were displaced and the territory was divided into 3 parts: the State of Israel, the West Bank (of the Jordan River), and the Gaza Strip.
Arab’s fight against the Israel (1948-49)
- Arabs saw the creation of Israel as a part of a conspiracy to move them out of their land. Consequently, in 1948, the Arab states of Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, and Syria declared war on Israel.
- Note: It’s interesting to note here that India opposed the UN resolution and Gandhi called it as a crime against humanity. But India recognized Israel in 1950.
- At the end of the war between Israel and Arab countries, Israel emerged victoriously. Moreover, it could increase its territory to a larger extent and it marked the beginning of the expansionist policy of Israel.
UN Charter and return of the Sinai Peninsula
- Under the UN Charter, there can lawfully be no territorial gains from war, even by a state acting in self-defense.
- Therefore, in response to the Six-Day War, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution for ‘Land for peace’ and it mandated that Israel should return the captured areas back to the defeated nations.
- In light of Israel’s reluctance to return the captured territories, another Arab-Israeli war erupted in 1973 (Yom Kippur War) in which Israel suffered some setbacks.
What are the Global Ramifications of the Conflict?
- Disrupt the geopolitical realignment Process in Middle East- Middle East in recent times has been witnessing geopolitical realignments from the Israel-Arab reconciliation to the Iran-Saudi détente. However the recent conflict will disrupt this peace and normalisation process being pursued by middle eastern countries.
- Make the Middle East as theatre of War- Middle East had been a theatre of War with Wars like Gulf War, Iraq war, 6 day war. The recent conflict has potential to become a full blown war with involvement of foreign powers like US, EU. This would make the region a theatre for proxy wars like US and Iran.
- Disrupt the global connectivity projects and global transport routes- The envisaged projects like India Middle East Economic Corridor (IMEC) will be disrupted by this prolonged conflict. The escalation of the conflict would endanger the strategic supply routes like the Strait of Hormuz and the red sea.
What will be the impact of the Israel-Palestine Conflict on India?
- India through its support for Israel has chosen sides in the recent conflict. However any prolonged conflict will not augur well for India.
- Impacts our De-hypenation and West Asia Policy- India had been successfully implementing its de-hyphenation policy in the region. India’s relation with both the Arab World and Israel has improved. However the current conflict puts India in a diplomatic tightspot to choose one side. India cannot afford to loose either.
- Increase in Inflation- Any prolonged conflict in the Middle East will impact the oil and gas production. Inflation in the country will further increase as India is heavily dependent upon imported oil and gas.
- Depreciation of the Indian Rupee- The conflict will impact the inflow of FPI and FDI in the Indian financial market. Increase in oil prices will further increase India’s Current Account Deficit(CAD). All these will lead to depreciation of the Indian rupee.
Recent Developments:
Al-Aqsa Mosque & Sheikh Jarrah:
- In May 2021, Israeli armed forces attacked Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Haram esh-Sharif in Jerusalem, ahead of a march by Zionist nationalists commemorating Israel’s capture of the eastern half of the city in 1967.
- The threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah escalated the crisis further.
West Bank Settlement:
- Israel’s Supreme Court has rejected a petition against the eviction of more than 1,000 Palestinian inhabitants of a rural part of the occupied West Bank in an area which Israel has designated for military exercises.
- The judgment paved the way for the demolition of eight small villages in a rocky, arid area near Hebron known to Palestinians as Masafer Yatta and to Israelis as the South Hebron Hills.
SOURCE – THE HINDU
