Conflict in Israel and Palestine through 2015: Crash Course World History #223

CrashCourse
28 Jan 201512:52
EducationalLearning
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TLDRThe video examines the complex history behind the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It starts in the late 19th century with the rise of nationalism and traces how competing claims to the land emerged under Ottoman and then British control. Key events covered include Jewish immigration and settlements in the early 1900s sparking Arab resistance, the 1947 UN partition plan and ensuing war, the 1967 Six-Day War and occupation of Palestinian territories, failed peace processes in the 90s and 2000s, the rise of Hamas, and recent violence between the groups. The script argues for acknowledging the legitimacy of both national narratives in order to work towards peace.

Takeaways
  • 😊 The Israel-Palestine conflict is largely about land and nationalism rather than religion or ancient hatreds
  • 👫 In the late 19th century, Ottoman Palestine was a place where people of different faiths lived together peacefully
  • 📜 The Balfour Declaration in 1917 promised a Jewish national home in Palestine while it was still under Ottoman control
  • 😠 Tensions grew in the 1920s-1930s as Jewish immigration increased and land purchases displaced Arab farmers
  • 😥 The British suppressed Arab revolts brutally before leaving the issue to the UN to resolve in 1947
  • 🔫 Israel was established in 1948 after war with Arab states, with 700,000 Palestinians fleeing or expelled
  • 💪 Israel captured more Palestinian land in 1967, beginning Israel's occupation of these territories
  • 🤝 The 1993 Oslo Accords brought Israelis and Palestinians to the negotiating table for the first time
  • 😤 The peace process ultimately failed, giving way to violent uprisings and entrenching Israeli control
  • 🕊 Understanding competing nationalist claims is key to resolving the conflict
Q & A

  • What was the main cause of the conflict between Israel and Palestine according to the video?

    -The main cause was competing nationalism and land disputes rather than religious differences.

  • What promise did the British make to Sharif Hussein during World War 1 regarding Palestine?

    -The British promised Hussein that he would rule over an Arab state including Palestine if he led an Arab revolt against Ottoman rule.

  • Why did tensions rise between Jewish people and Arab Palestinians in the 1920s and 1930s?

    -Tensions rose because of the rapidly growing Jewish population and their practices of purchasing Arab land and evicting Arab farmers.

  • What were the outcomes of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War?

    -Israel won and occupied a third more land than allotted in the UN partition plan. Jordan controlled the West Bank while Egypt controlled Gaza.

  • What territorial changes occurred as a result of the 1967 Six-Day War?

    -Israel gained control over the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights in addition to their existing territory.

  • What was the First Intifada and what was its main outcome?

    -The First Intifada involved Palestinians boycotting Israel and protesting, later turning violent. Its main outcome was the emergence of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

  • What key issues needed to be resolved in the Oslo Accords?

    -Issues included borders, Jewish settlements, Palestinian refugees' right to return, and water rights.

  • Why did the 2000 Camp David Summit under Clinton fail to achieve peace?

    -Ehud Barak was willing to compromise on land but key issues like settlements and refugee return remained unresolved.

  • How did the security barrier built by Israel impact relations with Palestinians?

    -Palestinians saw it as an illegal land grab as it enclosed Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory.

  • What point does the video make about resolving the conflict in the conclusion?

    -It states that by understanding the legitimacy of both nationalist narratives, a solution becomes more feasible.

Outlines
00:00
😊 Introduction and Background

The first paragraph introduces host John Green and the topic of Israel and Palestine. It explains that the conflict is not eternal or deeply religious, but rather about land and competing nationalisms that emerged in the late 19th century under Ottoman rule.

05:11
📈 Rise of Zionism and Tensions Over Land

The second paragraph discusses the rise of Zionism among European Jews in the late 19th century and the promises made by the British government to establish a Jewish national home in Palestine after World War 1. It explains the increasing Jewish migration and land purchases in the 1920s and 30s which heightened tensions with Arab Palestinians.

10:16
🚫 Failure of Partition Plans and Continuing Conflict

The third paragraph covers failed attempts at partition plans in 1947 and after the 1967 Six-Day War. It explains how the conflict morphed into one between Israelis and Palestinians specifically, discussing factors like the Israeli settlements, Palestinian refugee crisis, PLO formation, and origins of Hamas.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Zionism
Zionism refers to Jewish nationalism and the movement to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine. As the video explains, most early Zionists were secular Jews who envisioned Israel as a state for Jews, not necessarily a religious Jewish state. Zionism grew in response to rising nationalism and anti-Semitism in Europe in the late 19th century.
💡Balfour Declaration
The Balfour Declaration was a 1917 statement by the British government promising to establish a Jewish national home in Palestine. This pledge encouraged further Jewish immigration to Palestine in the early 20th century. However, the Declaration also ignored Arab claims to Palestine, sowing seeds for future conflict.
💡Palestinian nationalism
Palestinian nationalism refers to the emergence of a distinct Palestinian identity and desire for self-determination in the early 20th century, in response to Zionist claims to Palestine. This growing sense of nationalism erupted in the 1936 Arab revolt against British rule.
💡United Nations Partition Plan
The 1947 UN Partition Plan called for Palestine to be divided into separate Arab and Jewish states. This controversial plan launched the 1948 Arab-Israeli war and subsequent conflicts over borders and statehood.
💡Palestinian refugees
The 1948 war displaced over 700,000 Palestinian Arabs, creating a major refugee crisis. The right of these refugees and their descendants to return to their lands remains a key issue blocking resolution of the conflict.
💡Israeli settlements
Israeli settlements refer to civilian communities built on occupied Palestinian land, now home to over 350,000 Jewish settlers. Though illegal under international law, Israel continues to build settlements, inflaming tensions.
💡Intifadas
Intifadas refer to Palestinian uprisings against Israeli occupation. The First Intifada (1987-93) involved civil disobedience, strikes, and rioting. The more violent Second Intifada (2000-05) was sparked by Ariel Sharon's visit to the Temple Mount/Al-Aqsa Mosque.
💡Oslo Accords
The 1993 Oslo Accords established a framework for Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations towards a two-state solution, based on UN Resolution 242. But key issues remained unresolved and Oslo ultimately failed.
💡Hamas
Hamas is an Islamist Palestinian militant group, founded during the First Intifada, that also builds schools and clinics in Gaza. Hamas won 2006 elections but its attacks on Israelis have helped prevent a peace deal.
💡Competing nationalism
The core obstacle underlying the conflict is competing Jewish/Zionist and Palestinian nationalism, both with reasonable claims to the same land according to their distinct historical perspectives.
Highlights

The conflict is primarily about land and nationalism, not religion or theological differences

In 1917, Britain issued the Balfour Declaration to gain Jewish support, conflicting with promises made to Arabs

Jewish immigration and land purchases heightened tensions between Jews and Palestinian Arabs in the 1920s-1930s

After suppressing the 1936 Palestinian revolt, Britain called for a joint Arab-Jewish state, displeasing both sides

The 1947 UN partition plan for 2 states failed quickly, war broke out, 700,000 Palestinians fled their homes

In the 1967 war, Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza, Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights from Arab states

UN Resolution 242 called for Israel to withdraw from captured territories and recognize Palestinian rights, but was not implemented

The Palestinian Liberation Org used both violence and nonviolence to pursue a Palestinian state

The 1993 Oslo Accords brought Israelis and Palestinians together for peace talks

Clinton's 2000 Camp David talks came close but ultimately failed to reach a final peace deal

Sharon's 2000 Temple Mount visit sparked protests and violence of the Second Intifada

Israel's West Bank wall has been criticised by Palestinians as an illegal land grab

Since 2005, Hamas-controlled Gaza and the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority have had a divided, poor governance

The core issues are recognising the legitimacy of both Israeli and Palestinian nationalist narratives

These issues emerged under British rule in the 1920s-40s, so are not ancient religious conflicts

Transcripts

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