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THE Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a longstanding dispute and ongoing struggle between the State of Israel and the Palestinians, some of whom are represented by entities like the Palestinian Authority, Fatah, or Hamas.

This conflict is a part of the broader Arab-Israeli conflict and centers around a specific piece of land, once known as Mandatory Palestine, which both Palestinians and Israelis claim as their own.

Numerous attempts have been made to achieve a two-state solution, wherein an independent Palestinian state and an Israeli state would share the land. At present, the majority of Israelis and Jews, as indicated by various polls, support a two-state solution as the most viable path to resolving the conflict.

Most Palestinians envision their future state in the territories of Judea and Samaria, and the Gaza Strip, a perspective also shared by many Israelis.

A few academics propose a one-state solution, in which Israel, the Gaza Strip, and Judea and Samaria would form a bi-national state, affording equal rights to both Israelis and Palestinians.

However, substantial differences persist regarding the terms of a final agreement, and trust between the parties remains a significant issue.

Throughout history, there have been several agreements in 1920, 1937, 1948, 1967, 2000, 2003, 2006, and 2021 aimed at partitioning the land into two countries, departing from the original idea of a Jewish state encompassing all of Palestine (Jordan and Israel). Israel has accepted these agreements, but most Arab or Palestinian factions have rejected them.

Additionally, many Jews in Asia, Africa, and Arabia have relocated to Israel, resulting in dwindling Jewish communities across the Arab world.

Latest episode of fighting

The fighting between Israel and Hamas, which initiated a surprise attack on October 7, 2023, is the latest episode in seven (7)  decades of conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, drawing in external powers and unsettling the broader Middle East.

Israel took control of the Gaza Strip during the 1967 Middle East war when its population was approximately 394,000, with at least 60% being refugees.

The recent escalation is partly attributed to long-standing tensions, including disputes over the Al-Aqsa Mosque, a site sacred to both Muslims and Jews. Competing claims over this area, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, have previously erupted into violence, including an 11-day war in 2021.

In recent times, Israeli religious nationalists have intensified their visits to the compound, leading to tensions.

Additionally, Hamas has pointed to the expansion of Jewish settlements on land that Palestinians consider for their future state, and efforts to impose stricter restrictions on Palestinian prisoners in Israel as contributing factors.

The situation escalated further due to violent Palestinian protests. In negotiations involving Qatar, Egypt, and the United Nations, Hamas has pressed for Israeli concessions to ease the 17-year blockade on the enclave and address a deepening financial crisis.

(Reported by JR Amigo/ai/mnm)