Palestine & Gaza, West Bank
1) What “Palestine” means (and why definitions matter)
Geographic region vs. political entity. “Palestine” historically referred to a region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River (and sometimes beyond). In the 20th century it became the British Mandate for Palestine (1922–1948). Today, “Palestine” is widely used for the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)—the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip—and for the State of Palestine, which the U.N. General Assembly recognized in 2012 as a non-member observer state. (Encyclopedia Britannica)
Current on-the-ground authorities. Israel controls its internationally recognized territory and, since 1967, occupies the West Bank and East Jerusalem; it also controls most access to Gaza (with Egypt controlling Rafah). The Palestinian Authority (PA) administers parts of the West Bank; Hamas has de facto controlled Gaza since 2007. (UN Documentation, Wikipedia, International Court of Justice)
2) A concise timeline
Late 1800s–1948: From competing national movements to war
Zionism & Arab nationalism grow in the late 19th–early 20th century.
Balfour Declaration (1917): Britain supports a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine, with the caveat that existing non-Jewish communities’ rights be preserved. (Peace Now)
League of Nations Mandate (1922) gives Britain administrative control; it incorporates the Balfour text. Intercommunal violence escalates in the 1920s–30s; the 1936–39 Arab Revolt and the 1937 Peel Commission propose (first) partition. (Encyclopedia Britannica, Casebook)
U.N. Partition Plan (Resolution 181, 1947) proposes two states (Arab and Jewish) with Jerusalem under international regime (“corpus separatum”). Jewish leadership accepts; Arab leadership rejects; civil war ensues. (United Nations, UN Documentation)
1948 War: Israel declares independence; Arab states intervene. Armistice lines (1949) leave Israel within the “Green Line”; Jordan controls the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and Egypt controls Gaza. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees flee or are expelled; U.N. Resolution 194 (1948) addresses refugees (return/compensation). UNRWA is created in 1949 to assist them. (UN Documentation, United Nations)
1967–1993: Occupation, settlements, and resolutions
Six-Day War (1967): Israel captures the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza, Sinai (from Egypt), and Golan Heights (from Syria). U.N. Security Council Resolution 242 (1967) calls for withdrawal from territories and respect for every state’s right to live in peace; it becomes a cornerstone of all subsequent diplomacy. Israeli settlements begin in the OPT. (UN Documentation)
1973 War leads to U.N. Resolution 338, reaffirming 242 and calling for negotiations. (Context for later peace efforts.) (Digital Library)
PLO (founded 1964) emerges as the main Palestinian national body; First Intifada (1987–1993) is a mass uprising against occupation. Hamas is founded in 1987. (International Court of Justice)
1993–2005: Oslo peace process & its unraveling
Oslo Accords (1993–95) create the Palestinian Authority, mutual recognition (PLO ↔ Israel), and an interim division of the West Bank into Areas A, B, C (with different layers of PA/Israeli control). Final-status issues—Jerusalem, borders, refugees, settlements, security, water—are deferred. (UN Documentation)
Second Intifada (2000–2005) follows failed final-status talks; violence spirals. In 2004, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issues an advisory opinion: segments of Israel’s separation barrier inside the West Bank violate international law. (Avalon Project)
2005 Israeli Disengagement from Gaza: Israel unilaterally removes settlements and permanent military positions from Gaza (but retains control over airspace/sea and most crossings). (Congress.gov)
2006–2022: Palestinian split, blockade, recurring wars, and diplomacy
2006 elections: Hamas wins the Palestinian Legislative Council. Fatah-Hamas split (2007) leaves Hamas ruling Gaza and PA ruling parts of the West Bank. Israel and Egypt impose a blockade; recurrent Gaza wars (2008–09, 2012, 2014, 2021) follow. (Wikipedia, International Court of Justice)
Settlements keep expanding; U.N. Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016) affirms that settlements have “no legal validity” and are a “flagrant violation” of international law. (United Nations)
Jerusalem’s status remains explosive; most states do not recognize Israel’s 1980 “Basic Law” declaring a unified Jerusalem as its capital; U.N. Security Council Resolution 478 (1980) calls that law “null and void.” (United Nations)
Abraham Accords (2020) normalize Israel’s ties with several Arab states without resolving the Palestinian question.
2023–2025: The Gaza war and legal flashpoints
October 7, 2023: Hamas and other groups launch a mass attack on Israel (killings, kidnappings). U.S. DoD called it the worst terrorist attack in Israel’s history; hostages were taken to Gaza. Israel begins a large-scale war in Gaza. (U.S. Department of Defense)
Human toll: By August 28, 2025, Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported 62,895 Palestinians killed and generalized devastation, figures the U.N. humanitarian office (OCHA) relays with caveats. (Numbers evolve and are contested.) (UNOCHA)
Hostages: According to Israel’s official hostages page, about 50 hostages remained in Gaza as of June 22, 2025; subsequent reporting places the number in the high 40s and notes additional remains recovered—counts fluctuate amid operations and negotiations. (Government of Israel, ABC News)
International law:
The ICJ (Jan–Mar 2024 & later) ordered provisional measures in South Africa v. Israel related to preventing genocidal acts and enabling humanitarian aid. (UNRWA)
ICJ Advisory Opinion (July 2024) concluded Israel’s prolonged occupation, settlement enterprise, and annexation measures are contrary to international law and called on states not to recognize the situation and to cooperate to end serious breaches. (United Nations)
ICC: In May 2024 the Prosecutor applied for arrest warrants against Hamas leaders and Israeli senior officials; in Nov 2024 warrants issued for two Israeli leaders; subsequent 2025 decisions addressed Israel’s challenges but left warrants in effect pending further proceedings. (United Nations, International Criminal Court, Reuters)
3) The core disputes (what’s still unresolved)
Borders & sovereignty
The diplomatic baseline since 1967: land-for-peace under U.N. 242/338—withdrawal from occupied territories in exchange for recognition and security. Where the border runs (land swaps? which settlements? the Jordan Valley?) remains unresolved. (UN Documentation)
Jerusalem
Both peoples claim it as capital. East Jerusalem (including the Old City) was occupied by Israel in 1967; Israel later applied its law and claims a united capital; most states and the U.N. do not recognize this; UNSC 478 denounced Israel’s Basic Law on Jerusalem. The U.N. partition plan (181) had envisaged international administration. Holy sites add exceptional sensitivity. (United Nations)
Settlements
Israel has established communities across the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 1967. The U.N. and ICJ consider them illegal under the Fourth Geneva Convention; UNSC 2334 labels them a “flagrant violation.” Israelis often view major blocs as likely to be annexed/retained; Palestinians see them as fragmenting the territory needed for a state. (United Nations)
Refugees & the “right of return”
Palestinian refugees and their descendants (assisted by UNRWA) trace claims to 1948 (and 1967). U.N. GA 194 (1948) spoke of return “at the earliest practicable date” for those willing to live at peace, or compensation. Israel argues mass return would end Israel as a Jewish-majority state; Palestinians emphasize international law and personal property claims. (UN Documentation, United Nations)
Security & recognition
Israel prioritizes guarantees against terrorism (rockets, cross-border attacks, tunnels, armed groups), demilitarization of a Palestinian state, control of borders/airspace for a period, and normalization with Arab states. Palestinians prioritize ending occupation, movement restrictions, and military incursions, and seek security guarantees from Israel. The Oslo framework tried to balance these but never delivered a final settlement. (UN Documentation)
Gaza
Israel’s 2005 pullout removed settlements but not effective control over borders/air/sea; after Hamas took Gaza in 2007, Israel/Egypt imposed a blockade—Israel argues it’s needed to stop arms; rights groups and U.N. agencies say it’s collective punishment with severe humanitarian impacts. The 2023–25 war magnified destruction, displacement, and famine risks. (Congress.gov, Wikipedia)
4) International law & diplomacy (what the world’s bodies say)
U.N. Resolutions:
GA 181 (1947): proposed partition & internationalized Jerusalem. (United Nations)
GA 194 (1948): refugee return/compensation framework. (UN Documentation)
SC 242 (1967) & 338 (1973): land-for-peace foundation for negotiations. (UN Documentation)
SC 478 (1980): Israel’s Jerusalem law “null and void”. (United Nations)
SC 2334 (2016): settlements have no legal validity. (United Nations)
ICJ (World Court):
2004 advisory: West Bank barrier inside OPT violates international law. (Avalon Project)
2024 advisory: occupation/settlements/annexation measures are unlawful; states should not recognize or aid them. (United Nations)
2024–25 provisional measures: ordered Israel to prevent genocidal acts and enable aid flows during the war. (Case continues.) (UNRWA)
ICC (The Hague):
May 2024: Prosecutor applied for warrants for Hamas leaders and Israeli senior officials;
Nov 2024: warrants issued for two Israeli leaders;
2025: Appeals/Pre-Trial rulings allowed Israel to press jurisdictional challenges but did not lift the warrants pending further decisions. (United Nations, International Criminal Court, Reuters)
State recognition of Palestine:
As of 2024–2025, more than 140 U.N. member states recognize the State of Palestine (wave of new recognitions in 2024–2025). Status at the U.N. remains non-member observer state. (Wikipedia, Encyclopedia Britannica)
5) Humanitarian realities (people’s daily lives)
Refugees & displacement: UNRWA assists millions of registered Palestine refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. The Gaza war has caused extraordinary internal displacement, repeated mass evacuations, and widespread infrastructure collapse. (United Nations, UNOCHA)
Casualties: As of Aug 28, 2025, OCHA relays 62,895 Palestinian fatalities (per Gaza’s MoH). Israeli casualties from Oct 7 and subsequent fighting exceed a thousand; the attack also involved mass hostage-taking. (Figures fluctuate, and parties dispute them.) (UNOCHA, U.S. Department of Defense)
Blockade & access: Longstanding movement and goods restrictions in Gaza and the West Bank shape health, economy, and livelihoods; Israel says they’re essential for security. Aid agencies call for sustained humanitarian access and reconstruction. (Wikipedia)
6) The two main narratives (in brief)
Israeli perspective (very summarized):
Jews are an indigenous people who re-established their state amid persecution and the Holocaust; security is existential. Arab states rejected compromise in 1947–49; Palestinian violence (including terrorism, rockets, Oct 7) shows why strong security control is necessary. Jerusalem is Israel’s capital; settlement blocs are legitimate or negotiable. No final deal is possible unless Palestinians recognize Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people and provide robust security guarantees. (UN Documentation)
Palestinian perspective (very summarized):
Palestinians are the indigenous Arab population; 1948 created a permanent refugee crisis; 1967 began a prolonged occupation with land confiscation, settlements, and separate legal regimes. They seek self-determination, an end to occupation, a capital in East Jerusalem, fair resolution of refugees’ claims, and freedom of movement and economic life; Gaza’s blockade and repeated wars are collective punishment. (United Nations)
7) The main solutions on the table (and obstacles)
Two-state solution (most internationally endorsed)
Idea: Independent State of Palestine in the West Bank & Gaza (capital in East Jerusalem), living alongside Israel with security guarantees.
Obstacles: Settlements/land swaps; Jerusalem sovereignty and Holy Sites; refugees/compensation; borders, water/airspace, and long-term security arrangements; divided Palestinian politics and fragmented territory; Israeli coalition politics and security concerns. (UN Documentation, United Nations)
Two-state confederation
Two sovereign states with open borders, shared Jerusalem administration, coordinated security, and freedom of residence with citizenship anchored to each state—an attempt to square demography, identity, and mobility. (Various civil-society and academic blueprints exist.)
One democratic state (binational or civic)
Idea: Equal rights in a single polity from river to sea.
Obstacles: Identity/national-home questions, fears of domination, transitional justice, security integration; presently few major power brokers endorse it.
“Rights-first” incrementalism
Focus on equal civil/human rights, movement, economic revival, and security de-escalation now, while deferring final sovereignty design.
8) Where things stand right now (Aug 31, 2025)
Active war in/around Gaza with high civilian toll and periodic hostage diplomacy; West Bank facing increased tensions and operations; regional spillover risks (Hezbollah, Red Sea/Houthi, Iran-linked actors). (UNOCHA)
Courts & diplomacy: ICJ orders and 2024 advisory opinion heighten legal pressure; ICC proceedings add personal legal jeopardy to leaders on both sides; many states have recognized Palestine, pushing for a pathway back to diplomacy anchored in 242/338. (UNRWA, United Nations, Reuters, Wikipedia)
Quick reference (primary texts & landmarks)
Balfour Declaration (1917); Mandate for Palestine (1922). (Peace Now, Encyclopedia Britannica)
U.N. GA 181 (1947) (Partition & corpus separatum for Jerusalem); GA 194 (1948) (refugees). (United Nations, UN Documentation)
U.N. SC 242 (1967) / 338 (1973) (land-for-peace framework). (UN Documentation)
U.N. SC 478 (1980) (Jerusalem law “null and void”); SC 2334 (2016) (settlements illegal). (United Nations)
ICJ 2004 (Wall); ICJ 2024 (Occupation); ICJ 2024–25 provisional measures. (Avalon Project, United Nations, UNRWA)
UNRWA / refugees; OCHA humanitarian updates (2025). (United Nations, UNOCHA)
Gaza disengagement (2005); blockade (since 2007). (Congress.gov, Wikipedia)
ICC actions (2024–25). (United Nations, International Criminal Court)