Decoding the Israel-Palestine Conflict: Origins, Wars, and West's Support

The Israel-Palestinian conflict, which has spanned seven decades, is rooted in Israeli demands for security and Palestinian aspirations for statehood. Israel was established in 1948, leading to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. Since then, major wars, such as the Six-Day War in 1967 and the Yom Kippur War in 1973, have been fought, along with two Palestinian intifadas. Various peace efforts, including the Oslo Accords and the Arab plan, have been made, but progress has been stalled since 2014. The main issues include the two-state solution, Israeli settlements, the status of Jerusalem, and the plight of Palestinian refugees. The recent conflict between Israel and Hamas has complicated peace efforts, including the Biden administration's goal of securing a "grand bargain" in the Middle East.