Why does a community which is scattered all over the world go to the place where they know that they would be persecuted?
Background:
Judaism started from Jerusalem, the first Judaist state was established in Jerusalem about 2200 years before present, at that time the world is influenced by the Roman empire. To capture the only Judaist empire the Romans were attacked on the Jews in 72 A.D. and there is a mass exodus of Jews from their own land, 2000 years before present.
From the time of the exodus, the Jews were spread all over the world, most of them were in Europe. After they losses their own state, they are facing the problem of Antisemitism (Unfair treatment of people belongs to Semite tribe- who speaks Arabic, Hebrew, Aramaic language).
People from different parts of the world have a prejudice that the Hebrew speaking people (Jews) are very clever, they are not loyal to anyone, they can betray anyone for a very little cause.
{Case: The Jews soldier fighting for France in the 20th century- they had to wear a Yellow Star(Star of David) to identify themselves as Jews, those who not wear that yellow star could be faced jail and those who identify themselves as Jews could face atrocities for being a Jews/ Hebrew).
The whole quest is for the Holy land; Israel/Canaan/Al-Sham/Levant/Palestine/The Promise Land.
A Brief History of Formation of Israel:
Theodor Herzl works as a government employee in the Astro-Hungarian empire in Vienna, where he faces so much Antisemitism and lastly, he left that job and move to France and become a Journalist.
During his job as a journalist he was sent to cover a report of 1890 war between France and Russia, the war that France lost badly. All the blame for the defeat in the war was put on a Jews officer Alfred Dreyfus by France. Dreyfus was blamed that he is a Jews and he betrayed the Nation; Jews were not loyal of anyone.
After this incident, Herzl believed that Antisemitism is a very strong thing and Jews continue to face this problem until they have their own Nation.
Herzl determine to start a movement for a separate country for the Jews and form a World Zionist Congress (Zion-heaven), he wants that all the Hebrew speaking people were going to live there where they find the Zion(heaven); in Jerusalem. For his staunch belief and gallant stand, Theodor Herzl is known as Father of Zionist movement, without Herzl, the Jews of the world couldn’t meet.
The Zionist movement got a significant success in 1917 when Britain promised to give him (Jews) a separate state in Palestine-which is part of Turkish empire at that time if he (Britain) defeat the Turkey/ Autumn Empire in the War. It is for the First time when any world power recognises the demands of Jews, called as Balford Declaration.
On the basis of Balford Declaration, the Zionist started a campaign to organise the Jews from all over the world so that whenever British fulfil their promise, there is some population already there to settle in Palestine.
They started hiring their own private ship (Aalia) to migrate the Jews to Palestine: especially from Europe and America. Jews left their life whole earnings from where they are and move to Palestine.
Britain, as always refused to fulfil their promise. And made a secret agreement “SKYES-PICOT” with France and Russia, in which they decide who control the different parts of Middle-East; the UK kept Palestine for himself, which they promise to give to the Arabs as the Arabs were ready to oppose Ottoman empire and help UK in WW-1.
In 1939 World War 2 started and the World will sympathetic toward the Jews, due to the Holocaust (Killing in Concentration Camp) done by Adolf Hitler who started a movement to end the Jews of Europe, just because of their religious identity. During 1939 to 1944 Hitler killed 60 lakhs Jews out of their 80 lakhs total population. When the world knows about the atrocities against the Jews, they are sympathetic to give Jews a state of their own where they live in dignity.
On the basis of UN vote according to which Palestine should be divided into two Nation; Israel for Jews and Palestine for Muslims, finally on 16th June 1948 Israel is declared as an Independent Nation and David Ben-Gurion became the first president of Independent Israel.
The Jews accepted the UN plan for a separate nation for them as they came back to their Holy land after 2000 Years but Muslims were refusing the UN two Nation theory. Muslims were of the view that only Muslims were behaving good to the Jews, so the atrocities against the Jews in Europe will not be subsidised by the Muslims in Palestine and if UN wants to give them (Jews) a Nation, give them in Europe only. At the same time, Jews were want to live in Palestine only.
First Arab Attack:
On the very next day after Israel declared to be an Independent Nation, on 17th June many Arab countries attacked the newly formed Israel to exterminate them and made the whole country as Palestine for Muslims only. Arabs were expected that as Israel form two days before they don’t have any Army or arms and. But David Ben-Gurion guessed that attack before and the newly formed Israel defeat the whole Arabs by their heavily equipped army, advanced weapons and fighter. After the war, Israel captured more lands than promised by the UN to give them. David Ben-Gurion saw as a Statesman in the world.
Arab and Israel War 1956 (Suez Crisis):
Many Arab countries were wanted to put pressure on the International powers like France, Britain, America to supersede Israel. As the oil to the most European countries from West-Asia and Middle-East go through Suez Canal, the then President of Egypt Jamal Abdul Nasser Nationalize the Suez Canal to put pressure on them. The European powers with help of Israel attack Egypt and defeat them, in this war Israel capture Sinai– A desert of Egypt, strategically important because it’s located at the border of Suez Canal. It is believed that the one who captured Sinai can control the Suez Canal.
Eventually, Israel vacates Sinai due to International pressure. This is considered as the blunder of Israel because Israel can’t anticipate that America put pressure on him to stop the attack.
Jamal Abdul Nasser flaunts this American pressure as his victory over Israel, Britain, France, he comes out with puffery that because of his right stand he defeat these three nations. And Israel loses by Diplomatic victory over the Military victory.
Six-day War of 1967:
To take advantage of the victory of 1956 war Egyptian president Jamal Abdul Naseer along with Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan Armies made a surprise attack on 5 June 1967 and the war continues till 10 June 1967; called Six-day War. The Arab armies reckon themselves more powerful now to attack Israel, but history repeat and Israel defeat the whole Arabs in mere 6 days.
The credit of the six-day war victory goes to the Israeli intelligence Mossad– who guess this attack, just because of which Israeli Airforce get through the whole Egyptian Airforce in the very first day of the war. Consequently, the Israeli army captures some area such as Gazza Patti from Egypt, West Bank from Jordan, Golan Heights from Syria and some part of Sinai which they return them back after some time. The next major development in the area happens in 1973.
The Yom Kippur War or October War 1973: (6th October 1973 to 24th October 1973):
Yom Kippur is a holy festival of Jews, at that time most of the Israeli soldiers were on vacation. By taking advantage of that Egyptian soldier attacked again on Israel but as always, they lost badly.
One thing happens for sure after the war is that the new Egyptian President Anwar Sadat consider that he most end animosity with Israel; if they did not become a good friend then most not be an enemy.
The enmity come to an end when the then President of USA Jimmy Carter made to sign an MoU between the Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat called Camp-David Accord in 1978. According to Camp-David Accord both the Nations agreed to not attack each other and return their respective land, captured in war.
After the defeat of Arabs in 1967 War, the Palestinians now decided that they must not depend on Arabs to fight for them, seeing Arabs were weak in front of Israel in Military power.
So local Palestinians decided to make their own organisation called Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), and Yasser Arafat became the chairman of PLO.
Initially, PLO operates violent actions and due to which Israel declare them a terrorist organisation. After 1980 Yasser Arafat acknowledged that they take the path of non-violence and try to make their own Nation with dignity and peace. The first attempt toward this is taken in 1993 through a secret negotiation between Palestinian representative Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin called Oslo- Accord under the leadership of the then President of United States Bill Clinton.
Yitzhak Rabin paid the highest price of it; as many religious Jews organizations don’t want to Israel became broken in two states. As a result of which Yitzhak Rabin got assassinated in less than a year after signing the Oslo Accord.
After Yitzhak Rabin assassination the support for the implementation of Oslo-accord ceases down. Palestinians take it as their own (PLO) failure that they even can’t form their state on mere 21% of the land.
Between 1993 to 2000 many efforts were made by the UN and the whole world to make two states; Israel for Jews and Palestine for Muslims.
India official position from the time of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru is that; the only possible solution for this issue is the Two-Nation theory.
In 2000, America, Israel and Palestine all of them declared that the Oslo-Accord is failed, there is no future of it. After this, the local Palestinians who lived there in Gaza Strip and West Bank were started a movement especially the young generation Palestinians. They are of the view that if the Palestinian leaders were failed to do anything then they came on the road to put pressure on Israel. Then began a second Intifada.
In response of the Intifada Israeli Army open fire on the Palestinian School and College students and kill many of them. Taking advantage of Intifada, a local Palestinian group made an organization called Hamas. Hamas upraise at that time and the organisation is of the view that if PLO is failed to implement Oslo then the only way to form Palestine is violence; Terrorism. And ultimately Israel declares Hamas as an Islamic Terrorist Organisation; which control the Gaza Strip currently. After so many ups and downs Hamas now also ready to talk for peaceful negotiation.
In the last Decade:
In 2014 President of Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas released an official statement that they neither wait for Peaceful negotiations from Israeli side nor wait for a third Intifada; they planned to go in UN directly. Mahmoud Abbas said that although we don’t have a land to form our own state but give us the status of State.
In 2014, United Nation voted for Palestine to be a new state. After that, the Palestinian representatives urged from the countries of the world to put pressure on Israel that Israel should take a step to create Palestine. It is for the first time in UN history that a country without land, border, and capital- which didn’t exist in the map given the state member status.
In 1947 UN decided to give 78% of land to Palestine but now Palestinians were struggling for a mere 21% land to form their own state. And Israel continuously building their own territory in that 21% land too.
Major Issues:
•Status of Jerusalem-
It is the Holiest site (Dome of rocks) of Jews, the third holiest site for Muslims (Al Aqsa Mosque) and also important for Christians as Jesus Christ crucified there.
Jewish lives in the west part, Muslims in the east part of Israel and the holy places are in Centre of it.
Israel controls the city and restricts access to the holy sites most of the time of year. Also, Israel declared Jerusalem as its capital but it is not internationally recognised that’s why all the embassies were in Tel Aviv.
•Palestinians Refugees-
The war of 1948 and 1967 made the Palestinians vulnerable and they became a refugee in their own nation. Syria, Jordan, Egypt and many countries house the refugees in the camp. The major demand of Palestinians to bring them back in Israel. Around 5 million Palestinians refugees are still vulnerable.
•Israel’s security concerns over the terrorist activities and civilian attacks from Gaza and West Bank.
•Israel’s military occupation of West Bank and blockading of Gaza create Human rights concern.
•Israeli settlement in West Bank increases every day in West Bank for the conflict.
Most of the countries of the world along with the UN consider that the two-state theory is the only solution for the conflict. Each party has to understand the legitimacy of each other’s narrative and decided to come on a common ground, but that could only be achieve side-lining the Hawks and Doves among the stakeholders on both sides.