Israeli-Palestinian+Conflict

toc = The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict = 

The reasons for the founding of the state of Israel
===          ===  The Israelis had to fight for their state. The State of Israel was found for  the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; it based  the country <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'times','serif';"> on freedom, justice and peace ensure <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'times','serif';">d <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'times','serif';"> complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or <span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">se <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'times','serif';">x. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'times','serif';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'times','serif';">Israel also <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'times','serif';"> guaranteed freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'times','serif';"> and <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'times','serif';"> safeguards the Holy Places of all religions <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'times','serif';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'times','serif';"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Contrary <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> to a widespread myth it was not given to the Jews as a consolation for the Holocaust. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'times','serif';"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">

<span style="color: #ad1f62; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Causes of the conflict
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The **2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict**, part of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, started on 27 December 2008 when Israel launched a military campaign called
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Operation Cast Lead, **<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> which targeted the members and infrastructure of Hamas. The conflict has been described as the **Gaza Massacre**.

<span style="color: #a81550; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Who is Hamas and what is their role in the conflict?
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">The organization of Hamas, also known as the Islamic Resistance Movement, was founded in 1987 to prevent a peaceful settlement to the disagreements between Israel and Palestine over territory in the Middle East. On August 18, 1988, the group adopted this contract, stating its goals to speed up a jihad, or holy war, against the Israelis and ensure the Palestinian possesion of territory in and around Jerusalem. As Israeli and Palestinian leaders have moved closer to reaching some sort of agreement in the 1990s, Hamas has increasingly resorted to terrorist activities, including suicide bombs, to undermine the peace process.

<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[[image:untitled.JPG width="638" height="525"]]
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">**__2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict__**

A six-month truce between Hamas and Israel broke on 19 December 2008. With the beginning of the second Intifada, Gaza Strip was blockaded (The **Gaza Strip** is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea) and Gaza international airport was closed by Israel. The Israeli attacked on a purported cross-border tunnel in the Gaza Strip on November 4 created a serious break down of the truce, Hamas launched its rocket and mortar attacks on Israel. Hamas and Israel could not agree on conditions to extend the truce.

On 27 December 2008, Israel launched its hostilities (military operation) to go against Hamas rocket fire. Hamas demanded the cessation of Israeli attacks and an end to the Gaza Strip blockade.

On the first days of the Israeli operation, the Israeli Air Force, supported by the navy, bombed Hamas bases, training camps, headquarters and offices of Gaza. Many infrastructures, including mosques ( A **mosque** is a building where Muslims go to worship. ), houses and schools, were also attacked; Israel claims that many of these buildings stocked weapons or personnel and that it is not targeting civilians.

Hamas has intensified its rocket and mortar attacks against civilian targets in Israel throughout the conflict, hitting such cities as Beersheba and Ashdod. On January 3, 2009, the Israeli ground invasion began, with mechanized infantry, armor, and artillery units, supported by helicopter gunships, entering Gaza. As of 22 January 2009, 13 Israelis have been killed during this conflict, including three civilians. On the Palestinian side, it is estimated that 1,330 individuals have been killed. This includes 904 civilians, among them 437 children, 110 women and 123 elderly men (according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health).

<span style="color: #a5224b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<span style="color: #a5224b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 90%; color: #000000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> In general, what makes the Palestinian/Israeli conflict so dangerous is that half the world, (three billion people (Jews, Christians & Muslims)) are emotionally, historically and religiously attached to the land known as Israel/Palestine. Moreover, due to the wide spread of TV, in even the most underdeveloped countries, billions of interested people are exposed to the battle in Gaza. Furthermore, the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is becoming extremely dangerous that there is a possibility of NUCLEAR WAR. Currently, only Israel has nuclear weapons in the Middle East. But Iran may also go nuclear and if that happens the Arabs will try to do the same. Without a doubt, there is no conflict on earth that has the same global impact as the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">

· __<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times','serif';">WikiAnswers __<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times','serif';">. 4 Feb. 2009 <http://wiki.answers.com/Q/ What_was_the_reason_for_the_creation_of_Israel_in_regards_to_the_holocaust>. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times','serif';"> · <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times','serif';">"Hamas Covenant." __ABCCLIO World History The Modern Era__. 4 Feb. 2009 <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times','serif';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times','serif';"><http://www.worldhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display.aspx?categoryid=33&entryid=354596&searchtext=causes+of+the+conflict+between+israel+and+palest ine&type=simple&option=all&searchsites=1,5,6,8>. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times','serif';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times','serif';"> · __tcpbs__. 4 Feb. 2009 <http://www-tc.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/israel502/images/ 501israel_map.gif>.<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times','serif';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times','serif';"> · "2008-2009 Israel-Gaza conflict." __Wikipedia__. 4 Feb. 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ 2008%E2%80%932009_Israel%E2%80%93Gaza_conflict>.<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times','serif';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times','serif';"> · "Israel/Palestine Conflict May Lead to Nuclear War." __MND__. 4 Feb. 2009 <http://mensnewsdaily.com/ 2009/01/13/israelpalestine-conflict-may-lead-to-nuclear-war/>.<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times','serif';"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> ===<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[|http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_was_the_reason_for_the_creation_of_Israel_in_regards_to_the_holocaust] <span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">http://www.worldhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display.aspx?categoryid=33&entryid=354596&searchtext=causes+of+the+conflict+between+israel+and+palestine&type=simple&option=all&searchsites=1,5,6,8 === ===<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">  === ===<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www-tc.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/israel502/images/501israel_map.gif    === ===<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">  === ===<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008%E2%80%932009_Israel%E2%80%93Gaza_conflict   === ===<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">   === ===<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">   === <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">[|http://mensnewsdaily.com/2009/01/13/israelpalestine-conflict-may-lead-to-nuclear-war/]