Hamas and Israel

The history behind the “new” war in the Middle East

Julia Driscoll, Staff Reporter • December 1, 2023

The escalation of Jewish settlements in Palestine over the course of 54 years.

Adviser’s Note: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this opinion article belong solely to the author and do not reflect the view of The Colt Chronicle Staff, Kinnelon High School, or its students and staff members.

The Middle East is back in the headlines after two years, one month, and eight days after the U.S officially pulled out of the war on terrorism. The Palestinian terrorist organization, called Hamas, struck against the Israeli citizens and government after more than 50 years of systematic attacks on the Palestinian people.

The article you are about to read outlines the creation of Israel and Hamas and the escalation of tensions between the two. This article is not the only one you should read about this topic, please do further research after reading this article, thank you.

The Creation of Israel:

There have always been Jewish people in modern-day Israel. During the late 1800s, the Jewish population here grew due to expulsion/persecution from other regions (many from Russia, but also other European countries). Throughout history, every faith has been persecuted by another, but the Jewish faith has sadly been more than others.

Fast forward to the First World War, the British Empire promised that Jerusalem would be for the Jewish people if they helped to fight off the Ottoman Empire which controlled the Middle East. The document that outlined this promise, the Balfour Declaration, listed this as a clause, “Nothing should be done to prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine.” Many Jewish men went to fight the Ottoman Empire during WWI for the British Empire to reclaim a significant religious landmark. So once again the Jewish population increased.

After WWII, many Jewish Holocaust survivors were left unsure of where to live. So the United Nations using the promise from Britain during WWI proposed a nation for the Jews, Israel. But there was already a people in the proposed land, Palestine.

Pull Quote: “After a couple of years of staying in Palestine (After WWII), the Jewish community started expanding itself within Palestine.” (Fareda, senior at KHS)

Palestine’s History a Brief Timeline:

1882: Rishon le Zion was established in Palestine along with 29 other Jewish-zionist settlements. Three years later the term Zionism is coined (The belief in the creation and protection of a Jewish nation, Israel).

1896-1897: Theodor Herzl publishes the book, Der Judenstaat which translates to “The Jewish State”. The first zionist congress happened in Switzerland and the first Zionist Organisation is founded.

1922: The League of Nations approves Britain to begin making Palestine the homeland of the Jewish people.

1929: The first protests by Palestinians against Jewish Immigration/Colonization

The World’s Response:

While most nations in the UN support Israel, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and most European countries, the people in these countries are voicing their disagreement with their countries’ stances. Many pro-Palestine protests have taken place in the capitals of these countries.

The countries that support Palestine in getting back their autonomy are interesting to note considering their history. Many of the countries that are in or border the Middle East are doing their best to support Palestinians fleeing the conflict without alienating Israel which holds a lot of military and economic power. Another interesting supporter of Palestine is Ireland a country that has had a violent history of colonialism and religious and ethnic persecution.

One thing is clear regardless of what side you support, civilians are suffering, mainly children, the sick, and the elderly. Many innocent Palestinians are being denied the right to leave Gaza and the West Bank, by not just Israel but by Jordan and Egypt. Israel in an attempt to root out Hamas has been bombing hospitals and apartments, as well as cutting off basic necessities to Gaza and West Bank. A junior at KHS, Miriam Mesbeh, expressed how the fighting between Hamas and Israel has affected her and her family. “I have no way to contact any of my family members because Israel has cut off food, electricity, phones, and water.”

People cite this as blatant genocide and are calling for a ceasefire until Hamas and Israel have reached a settlement.

The bottom line is something needs to change. If giving Palestinians the right to govern themselves is the price that will make the lives of both Israelis and Palestinians safe, the only thing to ask is why is Israel not agreeing.