A coin conflict, seems that is one or the other
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/the-israeli-palestinian-conflict-explained_2
Israel police officers throwing stun grenades and flashbangs to Palestinian civilians. 71 dead, which 65 were Palestinian. Another internal crisis that has shaken the news worldwide. First Colombia, not a month after, Israel and Palestine crisis reactivates again. This crisis has not been over or ease since it started. I label it as a coin conflict because is a conflict for territoy in which it is one or the other to be a winner, but not both. A fixed pie, a Paretho's Optimum. This has been latent since the creation of the Islam religion. Jews has been always around the world but have had a place that they feel they have the property, a place that are proud to call it home, and the origin of thousands of wars. Jerusalem.
I will make a
little reminder of everything around Jerusalem and why it is important for Catholicism,
Judaism, and Islam. All three have in common that main prophets have passed through
that city and some were born there. All three religions have an important
figure that started it all, Abraham. Then we have the one who build the city,
Solomon. After him, we have no more and no less than Jesus Christ. Here, the Catholicism
and Judaism ride off the horse. For Islam, the last and most important prophet,
Mohammed, ascended to heaven in this sacred city. Destination of thousands of
pilgrimages of all three religions. Well, mostly Judaism and Islam. The Wailing wall for Judaism and the mesquite Al-Aqsa
for Islam.
First, we
have the three, some says there were four, crusades in which the Spanish empire
in alliance with the church, wanted to take back the sacred land from the Muslims.
Around 1100 AC. Then we jump 900 years after, when the Ottoman Empire was getting
kicked out and dissolved after the first World War.
The Ottoman
empire extended from the famous Istanbul all the way across the Red Sea. Being
a loser of the Great War, the only possible outcome was to be distributed among
the winners. Winners that started to make lines like if they were drawing in an
elementary school class, just like if they discovered how to use a rule (just
like they did with Africa too). Sykes Picot distribution. In that moment, Jerusalem
was full of Muslims, as the Ottoman Empire was basically Muslim centered, and a
few Jews were living there. Perhaps with a little of alienation but, that was ok
since they were supported by the Ottoman Empire because they represented a hopeful
horizon in the business matter. Now Great Britain added some kilometers to its
collection of territories that formed the biggest empire of the history. It was
for him like when you receive new t-shirt, it is ok, I can use it later, not a
big deal your life can easily keep going with or without it. Alright, Jews kept
coming more and more. Immigration rate was in the clouds. They became a bigger minority
that started to be problematic for Britain and for Muslims. A militia was even
created and committed terrorist attacks. It was called “Irgun”. Pressure from Jews
started to grow more and more, tensions escalated slowly but significantly.
Later, just after World War II ended, this terrorist group bombed a building of
the UN and Palestine was very annoying in wanting its independence. The perfect
opportunity for UK to give this burden to another horse… the UN.
Not regarding
the fact that will benefit a tantrum from a terrorist group and being merciful
with the ethnic group that was massacred during the holocaust, event that was
very cruel and we all know, decided to split Palestine in half. The worst thing
is that the half of Palestine will be divided in two, resulting completely
split. Divided into West Bank and Gaza.
50% for Jews,
50% for Palestine. UN and Jews were celebrating! A party must be done. However,
Palestine and its Muslims friends, were not that happy. This is not the
independence we wanted, besides, how can it be possible that we, Palestinians, must
share our territory, in which we have been established since the roman empire
got away the Jews, with the victims of the anti-Semitism? Is not fair, but it
is religion, and should not be talk in family meetings. The UN said, I did my
best, deal with it. A new zone with a temperature of water waiting for being
boiled have been established. Chronologically, 1967. If it is not enough, not
more than two years, Israel was already a recognized state for most of the countries
and Palestine did not. This is like if the nerd student does its best to have a
good grade and win a star in class, and a bully wants the same. One day just because
the bully answers a question good in class, gives him a star and the good student
just watch how other person has what he wants. Despite that Palestine already fulfilled
the three main components to be considered a state (population, state, and territory,
this last one only given when split with Israel). It seems that nowadays
international recognition is a very important one, but it goes deeper in the
subjective field. Years later, Yom Kippur war, six days war and more occurred.
Common traits? Israel against the Muslim world (Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine,
and Iraq). In all of them, Israel won. Won! Being that small and newborn won
the wars. In one, it took the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt. With this loss, Egypt
was very sad and after attacking first Israel, went to cry to UN to have its
lands again. Dad UN give a solution. Israel must give back this land to Egypt
only, and if only, Egypt recognized it as a sovereign state. Sadly, its lands
were more important than his friends Palestine. To defend its own citizens, a
new insurgent group was born in Palestine, Hamas. Getting even worst the atmosphere
full of heat.
Now, getting
into nowadays issue. Tension is a constant in borders with the split Palestine.
New Jewish settlements were the focus of getting Palestinian people out of their
houses and neighbors. This arose even more tensions between the two ethnic
groups. Now evil gazes were flying between Jews and Palestinians more
frequently. Protests from both parties went through the streets, giving hate to
the other group.
Ramadan was
ending, and people were praying in Al-Aqsa. Everything was good for Muslims.
Then some teenagers decided to start throwing stones to the police nearby. What
happens next? The anti-rioting police intervene. This resulted in several injuries
for the Palestinian citizens. Now streets have been no mans land basically for
Palestinians and Jews. Both parties trying to damage each other. Several videos
of Israeli police officers shouting out loud with Palestinian citizens. One
took place at a market, both parties discussing and shouting to each other.
Suddenly a police officer decided to throw a flashbang to unarmed civilians. In
these confrontations several casualties have been reported for the Palestinian
side. A few days ago, the paramilitary group Hamas, launched several missiles
to Israel. Casualties were not a problem since anti-ballistic missiles of Israel
were triggered when the menace was imminent. The following picture is a very beautiful
picture of the last described event, but full of context and sorrowful
consequences for the conflict.
https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2021/05/13/tensiones-israel-palestinos-conflicto-jerusalen-explicacion-trax/
What do
Israel government think about all this? Wants everything to end fast? Or want
bloodshed? Things do not seem hopeful for the people in the crossfire. The head
of state in coordination with the Israeli military forces want to launch a terrestrial
offensive against Palestine, and no cease fire will be accepted be Israel until
they launch the attack, ironically isn´t it? Cease fire just when the enemy is
downed. Good approach. (EFE, 2021). This in words of Benjamin Netanyahu “We are
doing it, and we will keep doing it with higher intensity. This is not an
ultimatum, and it will keep going as long as needed to”. The Israel government wanted
this opportunity to discharge everything against Palestine and nothing left to
do, Palestine will defend itself.
While writing
this article, more missiles were flying around, not unilateral but bilateral,
Israel and Palestine now have been launching missiles to each other. In support
of Palestine, Syria, launched 3 missiles against Israel. 1 landed in Syrian
territory, and 2 landed in the inhabited north of Israel, with no casualties (n.a, 2021).
Another country in the situation just gets things even worst and now this may
become a major regional war, and perhaps, a new (global) cold war but specifically
hot if US would want to defend its protégé. Iraq and other Muslim countries
would support Palestine. Western against Maghreb.
From a US ally
country citizen, in this case Colombia. General knowledge about what is
happening is very poor. However, people are getting more interested on the
matter, perhaps because is a similar crisis compared to here as there is police
brutality and casualties. Sadly, we have been taught that Palestinians have been
the bad side in the conflict, and Israel the poor victim. Palestine is the wolf
and Israel the poor sheep. This is not the reality. As shown above, is a very
complex situation because it involves two black holes of not only two countries
but two cultures and religions. Here, what is key is to determine that both are
human beings, lives at risk that must be respected, does not matter in what
they belief, it must be respected as a Human Right. There is not a good or bad
side. In the internal one, there will be several casualties from both sides, but
sadly, more for the Palestinians.
It is up to
you to accuse who is right or wrong (if you want to take a side) but first, consider both sides.
Sources:
Image #2: Ottoman Empire dissolution - https://ww1website.weebly.com/end-of-the-great-war.html
Image #3: Palestinian loss - https://ifamericansknew.org/history/
EFE. (2021). Israel intensifica los ataques en Gaza, que ya dejan 120 muertos. Retrieved from: https://www.elcolombiano.com/internacional/medio-oriente/continuan-ataques-entre-israel-y-gaza-que-dejan-decenas-de-muertos-NH15039455
Green, R. & Liebermann, O. (2021). El conflicto entre Israel y los palestinos: ¿Por qué ahora? ¿Qué ocurre en Jerusalén? ¿Qué dice la comunidad internacional?. Retrieved from: https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2021/05/13/tensiones-israel-palestinos-conflicto-jerusalen-explicacion-trax/
n.a. (2021). Israel-Palestina: La explicación de los enfrentamientos y últimas noticias del conflicto. Retrieved from: https://www.tycsports.com/interes-general/conflicto-entre-israel-y-palestina-la-explicacion-de-los-enfrentamientos-id342158.html
Redacción Internacional y Afp. (2021). Lanzan tres cohetes desde Siria hacia Israel en plena escalada con Gaza. Retrieved from: https://www.elespectador.com/noticias/el-mundo/lanzan-tres-cohetes-desde-siria-hacia-israel/
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