Conflicts between Israel and the radical Palestinian militant group Hamas have worsened, as Israel officially declared war on October 8.
These two powers have been in conflict dating back nearly a century, preceding the declaration of Israel independence as a state in 1948. The disagreements began as the two both saw the territory between the Mediterranean Sea and Jordan River as their own.
Christians, Muslims, and Jews all saw this land as sacred, so the two powers began to fight over the land. The day following becoming an independent state, a coalition of Arab states, including Palestine, began to attack Israel. At the end of these surprise attacks, Israel won the war and gained even more territory. This war forced many Palestinians to flee their land. Over the last 70 years, both continued to be in disputes with each other, with seemingly no resolution in sight.
Nearly 20 years later, the two began to go to war again. Palestinian guerilla groups increased attacks on Israel, resulting in an Israeli response. On June 5, 1967, the Six-Day War began between Israel and the Arab nations.
Again, the war ended with an Israeli victory, as they captured Palestinian-Arab territories. These included the captures of the Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, West Bank, Old City of Jerusalem and Golan Heights.
Even though there have not been significant headlines out in the past few years regarding their conflicts, the tension is still high. Past issues have yet to be resolved and the hatred has festered like a sore, leading to the most recent war declaration.
Declaring war on the 50-year anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, Israel responded to surprise attacks by the Palestinian military. The Yom Kippur War was a war in October of 1973 where a coalition of Arab nations launched a coordinated surprise attack on the Jewish holiday, Yom Kippur. The Israeli air force sent air strikes in Gaza after the Palestinian military infiltrated their territory.
With the infiltration of Israeli territory, Israel leaders claim that around 1,400 people have been killed. In response, the counterattacks have killed nearly 3,000 Palestinians. With heavy backing from the United States, Israel commanders stated that they re-gained control of the border after three days.
Also, the Carnegie for Endowment for International Peace and the US/Middle East Project released a statement saying that the main priority is equal rights and safety for both Israelis and Palestinians.
Despite mediation efforts from countries external to the conflict, it is unlikely that the ongoing war between the Israeli and Arab nations will subside anytime in the near future.
