Palestinian Occupation

NOTE - This essay was written in 2023 and does not contain any information garnered after the writing date. Information may be out of date. The Modern History of Colonization and Displacement of Citizens in Palestine        The story of Palestinian livelihood, success, and survivability, is dictated by the events of the past. For the last one hundred years the group has endured colonial takeovers, mass casualty events, and genocidal operations- all at the behest of powers that claim prominence in the expansion and protection of human rights. Historically, the Palestinian people have always received the short end of the stick, pushed into poverty, subjected to inhumane living conditions, and suffering horrendous war crimes, the question regarding the prominence of terrorist and militia groups in the geographical area of Palestine should not be difficult to answer. Yet, as the world has watched, the same acts of forced extinction are repeated virtually every decade. With no end in sight and an increasingly dwindled population, the people of Palestine deserve their story written in the sky.          However, society desires nothing more than the suppression of the voices arguably hurt most by the modern world. The ease with which citizens of developed nations can shield themselves from the horrific truth is evident as the cycle of Palestinian abuse repeats. It is imperative that this narrative ends with the current generation, the time has come to confront the harsh realities of the past and face responsibility. This is the map of atrocities that humanity has inflicted upon its very own.         The 1900’s begins with Palestinians under the direct rule of the Ottoman Empire. Due to the large populations and varying cultures within the empire, Palestinians experienced most government interaction at the local level. This was largely beneficial to the people as those in power reflected the demographic of their citizens, which at the time was primarily composed of Sunni Muslims. This period of time was relatively peaceful given the hardship to come, with Palestinians facing little discrimination by twentieth century standards. The citizens were loyal to the Ottomans, although this dynamic would inevitably shift during the onset of the First World War. (Rise of Arab Nationalism)        The area saw a rise in Arab nationalism as warfare induced, possibly due to the Christian nationalist movement which were victorious within the Balkans in 1912. Interestingly, the leaders of the nationalist movement among Arabs were primarily well-educated urban elites, with some directly serving the Ottoman empire as civil servants or serving officers. As accustom with any underground movement, secret societies were formed, although none finding major success until later in the war. The Hashemite Clan, a powerful force in the region who claimed descent from a prominent prophet in Sunni culture, became unofficial leaders of the nationalists at this stage. (Rise of Arab Nationalism)            Tensions between the Arab population and Ottoman authorities escalated with the construction of a large infrastructure project, the Hejaz Railway. This was perceived as an intrusion into the lives of the land’s inhabitants, with many fearing Ottoman interference with the way of life in the Arabian interior. The Hashemite Clan wildly opposed the railway and managed to garner support from the civilians, as well as the British, who were battling the allied German and Ottoman forces. (Rise of Arab Nationalism) As the First World War came to its conclusion, the British had formed relations with the Hashemite Clan through their control of neighbouring Egypt. The fall of the Ottoman Empire saw the separation of territories, dictated by the allied forces, and influenced by nationalist movements present in the regions. This marks the beginning of British influence on Palestine. (Ottoman Empire)                After the end of the First World War, select newly formed territories required governmental assistance from an existing country, as they were unable to adequately function on their own. The League of Nations, an organization similar to the modern-day United Nations, oversaw the distribution of these territories to allied powers. This delegation of regions is referred to as a mandate and are only intended to exist until the new nation can form and enforce governance. The San Remo Conference of April 1920 was the event which decided what power would oversee what area. (San Remo Conference Minutes)                 In said conference, the British ultimately received rule over Palestine, this period being referred to as the British Mandate. The League of Nations came to this conclusion after they adopted the Balfour Declaration. In short, the Balfour Declaration was a promise Britain made to the Jewish people regarding the creation of a Jewish state, specifically in the geographical area of Palestine. (San Remo Conference Minutes) The British made this declaration not because of their true support of Zionists, but due to their desire to gain the support of the Jewish people during the First World War, especially Jewish communities within the United States. The end goal of the British being a Jewish nation that would be loyal to them, therefore protecting the Suez Canal in Egypt, which was essential to trade routes with British colonized regions in India. (Balfour Declaration)                  Notably, the Balfour Declaration, while extremely unpopular in Palestine, promised the preservation of rights and religion for the Palestinians. The coming disfunction was foreseeable, as the British Mandate was intended to appoint a special commission to deal with internal problems regarding differences in religion, regulations, and communities. The president of the commission was to be appointed by the League of Nations, in the interest of preventing one power becoming overtly powerful in their dictation of the mandate. (Balfour Declaration)                 Following thirteen years of British rule in Palestine, the British were hesitant to allow the mass migration of Jewish people into the region as the idea was detested by existing civilians. Nonetheless, during the brutal rule of Adolf Hitler, the British Mandate oversaw the migration of 130 000 Jewish people into the Palestinian nation between the years 1933-1936. To the Palestinians dismay, Jewish migrants began purchasing vast amounts of land, leading the existing citizens to feel cornered and neglected. This, along with the undue economic and humanitarian suffering experienced by the Palestinians, sparked what is known as “The Arab Revolt” in 1936. (Palestine – The Arab Revolt)                  The events of 1936 were not abrupt nor sudden in their occurrence. The tensions between Palestinians, the British Mandate, and migrating Jewish people, had been simmering for years prior. Tit for tat attacks conducted at the instruction of militia groups defined the period leading into 1936. The last straw which incited The Arab Revolt was the killing of two Jewish people, followed by a retaliation that took the lives of two Palestinian laborers. (Great Arab Revolt, 1936-1939) The civil unrest can be broken down into two stages, the first being characterized by the rise of the Arab Higher Committee, which called for a general strike acted upon by all Palestinians.                  The Arab Higher Committee was an organization promptly established whilst the first stage begun gaining traction. The group was initiated by Haj Amin Al-Husayni, who was the grand mufti of Jerusalem, this is a Sunni Muslim cleric which oversees the operations of the Islamic holy places. The committee was formulated with multiple local clan and political leaders. (Arab Higher Committee) The general strike which they advocated for were intended to place pressure on the British Mandate. The goal being the cease of Jewish immigration, the banning of transfers of land from Palestinians to Jewish people, as well as the introduction of a national government which would answer to an elected assembly. As the Palestinians became increasingly impoverished while striking, combined with the British threat of martial law, the Arab Higher Committee requested the people of Palestine to end their strike in October of 1936. (Peel Report, page 96) The organization was then banned in 1937 due to their alleged involvement with the assassination of a British official, with most of the prominent leaders being deported.                    The groundwork for the second stage of The Arab Revolt was laid via the immense British repression seen during the first stage. However, this phase was led primarily by the peasants of Palestine. Continuing the common theme present in Palestinian history, the people fought oppression in any way they knew how, which resulted in the massacre of thousands of their people at the hands of the British. Documents recorded by British officials displayed 2000 Arab deaths, 108 hangings, and 961 deaths from “gang and terrorist activities.” (Peel Report, page 103)                     The cruelty inflicted by the British was intended to chop Arab nationalism at its knees once and for all, setting the tone for the families of Arab fighters via mass execution. The British traveled from town to town, village to village, killing anyone who was suspected of being involved with the revolt. Arab historians spell out a different story than the British, claiming approximately 5000 were slaughtered, 10 000 injured, and 6000 detained by 1939. Allegedly, 10% of the male Palestinian population between the ages 20 and 60 were killed, wounded, or exiled, with the Jewish and British teaming up in this performance of carnage. (Khalidi, 27)                      The Arab Revolt had come to its conclusion by 1939, to the disappointment of the Palestinians and overjoy of the British government. While the mass killings had ended, the groups within the British Mandate were back at square one. The cycle of militia offensives, followed by retaliatory strikes, had again encompassed the nation. During the important year of 1939, the London Conference took place. This convening of powers was intended to reopen negotiations for peace, with the Palestinians, Jewish peoples, and British government all taking part. (London Conference)                    The Palestinians remained consistent in their wishes presented during the first phase of The Arab Revolt, specifically those communicated by the Arab Higher Committee. To reiterate, these desires revolved around the creation of a Palestinian state with an elected assembly, the end of mass Jewish immigration, and the banning of Palestinian land sales to the Jewish peoples. In a surprising compromise, the Palestinians expressed their willingness to provide Jewish peoples who had already immigrated with minority rights. (London Conference)                   The Jewish peoples came to the bargaining table with the outright denial of several Palestinian requests. This is especially intriguing due to the balances of power at play. The Jewish people were in the minority, and while they had the support of the British, they were awfully confident in their ability to overtake the Palestinians in negotiations. The Jewish negotiators argued for no limitations on immigration, with the power to approve migration delegated to the Jewish people. The refusal to acknowledge or support a Palestinian nation was also stated. Their concessions were in reference to parity in Palestine. As well as the willingness to discuss the separation of land into smaller geographical areas, although the Jewish state must be at least as large as defined in the Peel Report. The Peel Report was a piece of text released during the time period discussing the events which had occurred, also directions on how to move forward. (London Conference)                     With neither side willing to budge in their stances on negotiations, the Macdonald White Paper was introduced by the British. The paper was a notice provided by the English regarding their continued rule of Palestine over the coming wartimes. The White Paper established the refusal to partition, which had been recognised in the Peel Report. Although, the British claimed intention to create a self-governing institution in the territory over a ten-year period, with authority over the coming state to be shared between the Palestinian and Jewish peoples. Jewish immigration was to be limited to a total of 75 000 migrants, with further relocation to be determined with Palestinian approval. The purchasing of Palestinian land by Jewish peoples was to be limited to select areas. Due to the wide controversy surrounding the proposal, the Macdonald White Paper was deemed unsustainable and not upheld. (Macdonald White Paper)                       Between 1939 and 1947 the demographics of the Palestinian territory continued to change. Palestinians were becoming outnumbered in their homeland due to the increasingly prevalent Jewish migration. Militia groups on both sides projected continual efforts in their warfare against the rivaling groups. Senseless killings made up the near decade, rising hostilities to levels never seen before. It was at this stage, in 1947, the newly formed United Nations (UN) decided to involve themselves with the disputes. The UN passed Resolution 181 that year, removing the British Mandate, and splitting the geographical area of Palestine into two states, one Jewish and one Palestinian. (The Question of Palestine)                         The Palestinian state was to have a territory of 11 100 square kilometers, or roughly 42% of its original size. This land was primarily the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and a corridor connecting the two, also a small piece of Jerusalem. The Jewish state, now known as Israel, was intended to possess 14 100 kilometers of the land, or 56%. Israel received metropolitan areas like Tel Aviv, Haifa, and portions of Jerusalem, as well as the large geographical areas of Negev, Coastal Plain, and The Galilee. The remaining two percent of the land being parts of Jerusalem and all of Bethlehem, which were titled international zones due to their significance to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. (United Nations Resolution 181)                 This United Nations Resolution incited arguably the biggest humanitarian crisis of modern history, along with a full civil and regional war. Known as Nakba, the Arab-Israeli war of 1948 presents the biggest stain on Israels history, with war crimes and horrific battles distinguishing the decade. The awful nature of Nakba still affects the Palestinians today, creating generational trauma which has, and will continue to, last for centuries.                   As the fallout of the resolution spread, the civil war ensued. The Israeli militia groups immediately began ransacking Palestinian towns, murdering and looting as they go, sending thousands of migrants fleeing toward surrounding Arab nations. Infamous events like the attack on the Arab village Deir Yassin fueled the civil war. This onslaught of violence was performed by an Israeli paramilitary group and saw the execution of roughly 13.3% of the village. The Palestinians retaliated with an attack on a convoy headed to a university hospital, killing 80 Israeli’s. This represents the beginning of a civil conflict which would escalate region wide. (Deir Yassin)                   On May 13th of 1948, surrounding Arab nations came to the defense of their Palestinian friends, launching an air attack on Tel Aviv. Arab forces were vastly unprepared for this battle, with some nations contributing as few as a thousand troops. The Egyptian nation provided the largest offensive, totalling 35 000 soldiers under one command, mostly Egyptian citizens with a portion being supplied by Saudi Arabia. The Arabian powers of Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and Egypt, all moved into what was now officially Palestinian territory. The militaries came in strong, however they did not effectively communicate between one another. (Arab-Israeli Wars)                   By the middle of 1948 Israeli troops and militia groups had exiled 220 villages which could not be defended by Arab forces, conquering 3500 kilometers squared of territory, or 13% of Palestine. At this stage the Israeli’s were not defending territory, they were advancing into what the United Nations had designated as the Palestinian state. The land which they stole was often either the most densely populated, or most fertile. The Israelis then captured the main road to Jerusalem, cutting flow of supply and troops from the Arab powers. The Israeli forces proceeded to repulse various attacks from Arab nations. Periodical truces were called, but the Israeli’s used the cease in fighting to reposition and reignite their military, repeatedly breaking agreements for the annexation of more Palestinian territory. (U.S Gov, Arab-Israeli War)                       The fighting between military groups was extensive and horrific, yet that does not reflect the true evil narrative here, which is the Israeli war crimes against Palestinian citizens. Population centers which could not be protected by Arab forces were subject to massacres, destruction, and other brutalities. Israeli forces became known for raping women, blowing up homes and sacred places of worship, torturing citizens, stealing possessions, and in extreme cases killing youths. These actions sent Palestinians fleeing from their homes, never to return. (Abu-Sitta, 94-105)                      In a specific operation, Operation Dani, Israeli forces began occupying major towns and the villages surrounding them. They expelled 60-70 000 Palestinians during this operation, often by gunpoint. Civilians attempted to hide in local mosques, they were executed. Some experiences depicted by the fleeing Palestinians includes the severing of ring fingers for the valuable stones, and Israeli forces burning people alive. Those who chose to flee into the rural desert could only survive so long in the summer heat. Many starved or died of thirst, with the most vulnerable being the children and elderly. Anyone who tried to return to their homes were seen as infiltrators, being shot on site, or blown up by landmines and other various traps. (Abu-Sitta, 94-105)                   In 1949 the United Nations again inserted their presence, passing Resolution 194. This bill called for the restoration of Palestinian land ownership, as well as financial compensation for damages. The resolution also formulated “The United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine,” which consisted of France, Turkey, and the United States (UN Resolution 194). The idea was to meet with both Israeli and Arab governments in the interest of a ceasefire. The Lausanne Conference was proposed, but evidently failed due to the Israeli’s refusal to accept Palestinian refugees, even though the refugees were native to the land. In a shocking announcement the Israelis notified the commission that they would accept 100 000 refugees, but that never happened. Modern day documents show the Israelis never intended to welcome those refugees. The commission was then disbanded due to the lack of progress in peace seeking, and most Palestinians did not receive the land ownership or financial compensation the bill promised. (UN Conciliation Commission for Palestine)                 Finally, also in 1949, the Armistice Agreements were struck via UN negotiator Ralph Bunch. These agreements articulated a shared commitment to stability and restricted the threats or acts of military aggression. The guidelines also mandated that neither side should gain military or political advantages, defined borders, and called for the abandonment of outposts. Additionally, prisoners of war were to be under the supervision of the United Nations. The Palestinian region of the Westbank was left under Jordanian control, with the Gaza Strip under Egyptian rule. Region wide fighting ceased after the Egyptians and Israelis agreed to this document, with other Arab powers following soon after.  By the end of Nakba 700 000 Palestinians had been forcibly removed from their homes, with tens of thousands slaughtered. (Armistice Agreements)                   The years following Nakba did not get easier for the Palestinians. Geopolitical tensions and the refugee crisis rattled the territory for decades to come. Although borders were established in the Armistice Agreements, these borders were often subjects of dispute. The status of Palestinian statehood and governance continued to be an issue, with the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) forming in 1964. This group was designed to coincide Palestinian nationalist movements into one powerful group which could rule over the West bank and Gaza strip. While not gaining significant traction in the first three years of its existence, the 6-day war of 1967 saw a boost in support for the PLO. (Palestinian Liberation Organization)                      The 6-day war occurred partly in fact due to the rise of Guerilla based attacks on Israel from neighbouring Arab countries. The Israeli defense force then began air strikes on said groups, which enraged the inhabitants of the land. Egypt, as the other dominant power in the region, began facing increased scrutiny regarding their lack of action against the Israelis. The president of Egypt then responded to the critiques with a mobilization of forces, displaying extreme support for the surrounding Arab nations. The Egyptians blocked the Gulf of Aqaba to Israeli shipping, which rendered a major Israeli port useless. The Egyptian leaders then signed mutual defense pacts with Jordan and Iraq. (6-Day War)                       Israel responded pre-emptively to the increase in military activity in the region, launching an air attack which devastated 90% of the Egyptian air force, with a similar attack defeating the Syrian air force. Lacking air defense, the Arab nations were open to ground attack. In a matter of three days the Israelis had captured the Gaza Strip, all of the Sinai Peninsula, and up to the East Bank of the Suez Canal. War erupted on the east as Jordanian forces came to the defense of the Arabs, but Israel pushed them out of their territories in the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem in two days. (6-Day War)                The United Nations called for a ceasefire promptly, with Egypt, Jordan, and Israel immediately accepting. Syria held out for a few days and continued shelling Israel, but eventually gave in to the ceasefire due to lack of military ability. Again, the Arabs had experienced death on a massive scale, where the Israelis seemed unphased. Egypt lost 11 000 soldiers, Jordan lost 6000, and Syria lost 1000. All in contrast to Israeli’s total death toll of 700. Israel had undoubtedly proved it was the dominant power in the Middle East. Another humanitarian crisis began as thousands were displaced, with approximately a million Palestinians now under Israeli control. (6-Day War)                   Over the next 50 years peace negotiations were repeatedly reopened, all leading to failure and an increased hopelessness in diplomacy. The oppressed people of Palestine became under rule of the Palestinian Authority, who were heavily regulated by the Israelis. Militia and terrorist groups continued to rise in the region with quality of life consistently on the decline. Smaller attacks and retaliations were repeated in the brutal cycle of violence which is still prevalent to this day. The terrorist group Hamas eventually seized control of what was left of the Palestinian peoples, leading us to the current conflict which appears to seek to wipe out the Palestinians.                   For hundreds of years now, Palestinians have always been under the thumb of oppressive governments. Growing increasingly unstable over time, the current quality of life and cycle of violence is absolutely unacceptable, but the worlds powers don’t seem to care. Actually, they do care. They care about continuing the supply of arms which are used to slaughter Palestinians. They care about spreading propaganda while they bomb hospitals, schools, homes, and places of worship. They care about cutting the supply of food and medicine as they watch the Palestinians starve. The question of intent is irrelevant when you’ve murdered 20 000 civilians within a mere three months, the majority being women and children. The student composing an essay a century from now regarding the attempted extinction of the Palestinian peoples will reflect on us with disgust, as they should.  Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa. Encyclopedia.Com. 8 Jan. 2024 .” Encyclopedia.Com, Encyclopedia.com, 20 Jan. 2024, www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/arab-higher-committee-palestine.

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