TIANMUN 2018 Arab League 1 FORUM: ISSUE: STUDENT OFFICER: POSITION: Arab League Measures to Reconcile the Gaza Strip Crisis between Israel and Palestine Isabel Lourie Arab League President Introduction Since the establishment of Israel in 1948, there has been conflict over Israeli- Palestinian borders. Palestine has been reduced to much smaller partitions of the former state, namely the West Bank and Gaza. In Gaza, modern conflict stems from hostility between Israel and the Gaza Strip s de facto governing power, Hamas. Hamas recent control over Gaza in this century has led to an economic blockade of Gaza. This blockade has dramatically impacted the economy of Gaza, pushing a majority of its citizens into poverty and lack of basic goods for survival. There has been controversy over Israel and Hamas role in infringing on human rights as a result. In addition, violence persists in spite of established ceasefires, slowing the peace process and harming civilians in the process. Necessary solutions include better awareness globally and locally, actions of compromise on either side, as well as a better-defined system of partition in Gaza. Background Gaza is a crucial area to control, due partly to its appealing coastal location, so the area has been a realm of conflict every so often in history. However, the modern conflict over the Gaza Strip
TIANMUN 2018 Arab League 2 gives the small area of land a whole new significance. The Strip is a stretch of land on the Mediterranean coast that has an area of 140 square miles, or 365 square kilometers. It was under British control as part of the British Mandate for Palestine issued by the League of Nations in 1923. One of the goals for Mandatory Palestine was to establish a Jewish homeland. British control over Arab Palestine laid the foundation for an influx of Jewish immigration into what was formerly Arabdominated Palestine. Israeli pursuit of independence only worsened the dispute. The borders between the Jewish land of Israel and Arab Palestine became an issue for the United Nations. In 1947, the UN approved a plan for partition of the area, but most of the Arab world (including Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt) rejected the borders that the UN had hoped to implement; the plan gave them less than half the land they originally had despite the overwhelming Arab majority of population. Notwithstanding, Jewish leaders agreed to the plan and claimed the land. When the Zionists declared Israeli independence on the day Britain renounced control, the Palestinian population was not exactly approving. The next day, May 15, 1948, the first Arab-Israeli war erupted. Israeli forces controlled an area around the town of Gaza, with the Gaza strip itself remaining under Egyptian control. Egypt maintained control over the Gaza strip until June 1967, when Israel occupied the Strip, along with the West Bank during the Six-Day War. Over the course of the week, Israeli military efforts gained them jurisdiction over the Gaza Strip, along with other Arab-controlled regions. In the time since Israel s declaration of statehood, Palestinians were forced to flee into the Gaza Strip and other areas no controlled by Israel. Settlement in Gaza forced them into entrapment between two unwelcoming countries, Israel and Egypt. To make matters worse, Israel infringed on international law by making settlements in the Gaza Strip, in which they already had stationed troops. The Arab refugees in Gaza were now under Israeli control, sparking an emergence in Palestinian nationalism Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). In 1993, Israel and the PLO signed the Oslo Peace Accords. These Accords created an interim Palestinian Authority that would be in charge of Gaza, Jordan, and the West Bank for a maximum of five years. The Accords called for Israeli withdrawal from the aforementioned areas, as well as the election of a more permanent Palestinian Legislative Council within nine A handshake after signing the Accords is overseen by the US President.
TIANMUN 2018 Arab League 3 months. The highly-disputed question of Jerusalem was left unanswered by the accords themselves. However, the interim period was meant for the establishment of negotiations between the Israeli Government and the Palestinian people on permanent status. However, the interim period ended without achieving a complete peace agreement. The Palestinian Authority became permanent. Despite attempts at revival of negotiations, Palestinian-Israeli violence reached an all-time low in 2000. The Second Intifada, a period of escalated Palestinian-Israeli violence, began in September of 2000. The Intifada, which lasted until 2007, was considered by Palestinians to be a nationalist movement for liberation. Israelis saw it as a terrorist campaign. Tactics consisted of mass protests and bombings by Palestinians, and mass arrests and even assassinations by Israel. In 2005, Israel officially withdrew settlements from Gaza. The following year, Islamic Militant group Hamas won a majority of seats in the Palestinian parliamentary elections. Israel stated that "Israel will not conduct any negotiation with a Palestinian government, if it includes any (members of) an armed terror organization that calls for Israel's destruction [Hamas]." The 2007 Battle of Gaza between the majority Hamas and minority Fatah parties resulted in Hamas gaining full control over Gaza. In response, Israel imposed a land, sea, and air blockade on the Gaza strip, devastating the economy and standard of living in Gaza. Since then, Palestinian armed groups and Israel continue to clash violently, at the expense of civilian safety in the area. Notable instances in recent times include the Gaza War of 2008-09 (Israeli military campaign) and the far deadlier 2014 Gaza War. Both wars resulted in more Palestinian fatalities than Israeli. Problems Raised Economic Effects of the Blockade The economic sanctions that Israel and Egypt established in 2007 have now lasted for over ten years, and so have the economic effects. Egypt and Israel control Gaza s borders, and thus have the ability to impose land blockades by largely closing border crossings with Gaza. In addition, the blockade extends to air and sea. The economic siege was in response to Hamas control over Gaza after the party pushed Fatah out of the picture. Israel claims it is done to protects Israelis from terrorism.
TIANMUN 2018 Arab League 4 As fewer Gazans were granted exit permits and imports and exports ceased, the Gazan economy plummeted. In 2015, the World Bank estimated that Gaza lost over 50% in GDP. Gaza s once prominent manufacturing sector shrunk significantly due to war and the blockade. The economic decline is so pressing that it extends to humanitarian crisis. 30% of Gaza s population lives below the poverty line, and an estimated 80% receive some sort of aid. Israel also limits the goods that come into Gaza, often withholding basic goods necessary for an acceptable standard of living. This includes attempts by aid organizations such as the Mercy Corps to supply goods including food, wheelchairs, paper, and children s toys. Though there have been efforts to ease the blockade since 2010, the action still persists due to unreconciled conflict between Israel and Palestinian authority in the Gaza Strip. Gaza Border Protests Despite several attempts at ceasefire agreements, violence still persists on the Israeli-Gazan border. The most recent incentive for Palestinian protest is to demand the right to return. This movement, called the Great March of Return began in March 2018, and involved hundreds of thousands of Gazans marching on the border to call for this right for Palestinian refugees to return to the land from which they were displaced. The protests also stem partly from discontent over the longstanding blockades. Though the demonstrations have been mainly nonviolent, groups consisting mainly of young men have approached the heavily fortified borders and persist in violent acts, A fireball explodes in Gaza City after Israeli bombardment including rolling burning tires towards the fence as well as launching projectiles such as stones and makeshift bombs at Israeli troops on the other side. It is possible that the peaceful resistance is only a cover for Hamas military effort at the border.
TIANMUN 2018 Arab League 5 In retaliation, Israeli soldiers fired live ammunition and tear gas. Israel s use of deadly force vastly affected the conflict in terms of damages to the Gazan population. As of July, 168 Gazans have died with 17,000 injured. Tough many of the casualties were those militarily involved in the border dispute, a portion of those dead were civilian bystanders. Because import of weaponry of any kind into Gaza has been eliminated, it is unknown whether the Gazans would act equally as violently as the Israeli forces given the resources. Several supranational organizations including the Arab League, the European Union, the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the United Nations have condemned the situation and warned against further violence, particularly that against civilians. International Actions United Nations on Gaza Conflict The current United Nations Secretary General has openly condemned the Palestinian factions in Gaza who laugh rockets and other airborne objects within Palestinian Gaza and across the border. The SG has also taken direct care to address the need to reduce civilian casualty caused by Israeli military operations. The United Nations has attempted to enforce ceasefires, but they have been ignored time and time again. Statements have been made by United Nations officials condemning the use of deadly force by Israel, the blockade of Gaza as a crime against humanity, and the general violence on either side of the conflict. In 2009, an extensive report concluded that Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and armed Palestinian groups have committed war crimes. So-called actions to prevent...war have been called for in a past Security Council meeting and beyond, but warfare continues. The occurrences within Statistics as of July 2018 this conflict, particularly Israeli violence against Palestinian protestors, often breach pre-established agreements, such as the Oslo Accords or the Geneva Convention. Little has been effective in quelling the violence.
TIANMUN 2018 Arab League 6 Statements by International Humanitarian Organizations Organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International (AI), the Red Cross, and the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor issued reports or made statements regarding the current situation in Gaza. Their collective views are that Israel is still an occupying power, and as such has a duty under the Fourth Geneva Convention (international law) to protect the welfare of Gazan civilians. This welfare is decidedly limited by the Israeli blockade and violated international law through collective punishment, targeting civilians, and more, according to Human Rights Watch and AI. The Red Cross reported that the only solution to the humanitarian crisis is not provision of humanitarian aid, but to lift the blockade. In an Amnesty report, Israel s targeting of civilians and civilian property was also brought to light. A Human Rights Watch report also condemned Palestinian attacks as being aimed to spread terror. In addition, AI reported that by firing from populated civilian areas or civilian homes, they put Gazan civilians at risk. Injured Palestinian is carried away during the Border Protests Key Players Israel Israel was established on land already inhabited by Arabs, called Palestinians. Because of this, Palestinians were forced to move to partitioned areas of former Palestine, mainly the West Bank and Gaza. For obvious reasons, Israel is a large part of the conflict. Though separated from Gaza by a fortified border, Israel still has influence over the area. It controls Gaza s airspace and territorial waters. Israel has conflict with Gaza in particular because it does not recognize the Islamist Hamas government in control. In the name of fighting terrorism, the IDF has launched attacks on Gaza s Palestinian militant groups. Despite the devastation of the blockade, Israel asserts that since disengagement in 2005 it has not been an occupying power in Gaza. The blockade is seen from the Israeli perspective as a measure to ensure security and peace. The country s biggest concern is that no weaponry reaches Gaza.
TIANMUN 2018 Arab League 7 Hamas Since its takeover of Gaza in 2007, Hamas has been the governing authority of the Strip. Hamas is a Sunni- Islamist organization usually recognized internationally as a terrorist organization, meriting animosity from the Israeli government. Hamas has stated that its intentions are to liberate Palestine from Zionist occupation and to restore rights of the Palestinian people. Hamas employs Jihadist ideals in its leadership and military campaigns. Hamas charter calls not only for liberation of Palestinians, but also for the restoration of the 1967 Israel-Palestine borders. Weapons hidden in civilian-dense areas have been reported in Gaza Egypt Egypt has been an active part of the blockade of Gaza, and has established itself as an ally of Israel since 2014. Egypt s alliance with Israel is backed by enormous amounts of financial aid from the United States. In a way, Egypt is financially obligated to continue its support of Israel. Egypt s border is more open than the Israel-Gaza border, but Egypt must maintain a balance between appeasing the angry public and a close relationship with Israel. The nation s argument for the blockades are that to lift them would legitimize the terrorist Hamas government. United States The United States government has been a strong supporter of Israel, starting in the 1970s. Under the Trump administration, Israeli-American relations have been warmer than in recent years, especially with the recognition of Jerusalem, a disputed city, as Israel s capital. Though the Unites States officially supports Israel and its side of the Gaza conflict, individual ambassadors such as Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders (opponents to the current President) have voiced objections. Clinton urged for the easing of the blockade despite official U.S. support. In general, the United States officially supports Israel s actions, including any violence in the border conflict because of Israel s alleged right to defend itself.
TIANMUN 2018 Arab League 8 Possible Solutions Going Beyond Peace Talks It is important to continue to push for summits and peace talks between the two parties, as well as reinforcement of existing ceasefire agreements. Although these pushes towards peace are significant and should be included in a resolution, an important part of the solution of the conflict is finding actions that constitute a compromise between Israel and Palestinian forces to promote satisfaction for both parties. Such compromise-based solutions might include gradual lifting of the economic blockade on Gaza by Israel in exchange for a reduction of Hamas military operations, or requesting that Israel at least allow humanitarian organizations into Gaza to give relief and ensure welfare of innocent Gazan citizens. Encouragement of a Two-State Solution A popular idea for the resolution of conflict in not only Gaza but the West Bank would be to establish two separate states, Israel and Palestine. Details in this sort of solution would include how to split the territory to appease all groups and population sizes, as well as the overarching governing authority of Palestine. The disadvantages of the one-state solution include the possible majority of Arab Muslims overpowering the Jews in governmental positions, or the potential discrimination against Palestinians by Israelis. However, if a feasible approach to this solution can be devised, such a solution is also open for debate. Glossary Collective punishment A form of retaliation where a mostly innocent group larger than a suspected perpetrator is targeted. This may include family members, sects, or even entire ethnic groups. The blockade of Gaza is considered collective punishment towards Palestinians when only specific groups are connected to alleged crimes. Islamist
TIANMUN 2018 Arab League 9 Advocating or supporting Islamic militancy or fundamentalism; often associated with extremism. Blockade an act or means of sealing off a place to prevent goods or people from entering or leaving
TIANMUN 2018 Arab League 10 Sources Bishara, Azmi. 4 May 1999 and Palestinian Statehood: To Declare or Not to Declare? Journal of Palestine Studies, vol. 28, no. 2, 1999, pp. 5 16., doi:10.2307/2537930. Everything You Need to Know about Israel-Palestine. Edited by Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 31 Mar. 2014, www.vox.com/cards/israel-palestine/gaza-basics. Hamas Sweeps to Election Victory. BBC News, BBC, 26 Jan. 2006, news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4650788.stm. Israel to Reduce Gaza Fishing Zone by One-Third. Al Jazeera News, Al Jazeera, 6 Oct. 2018, www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/10/israel-reduce-gaza-fishing-zone-181006152457024.html. Marks, Julie. Gaza: The History That Fuels the Conflict. History.com, A&E Television Networks, 2018, www.history.com/news/gaza-conflict-history-israel-palestine. Mughaiseeb, Mohammed Abu. The Past Six Months in Gaza Have Been like Another War. Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 2018, www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/months-gaza-war- 180930090023217.html. Oslo Accords Fast Facts. CNN, Cable News Network, 4 Sept. 2018, edition.cnn.com/2013/09/03/world/meast/oslo-accords-fast-facts/index.html. Rayman, Noah. Mandatory Palestine: Jews and Muslims Under British Administration. Time, Time, 29 Sept. 2014, time.com/3445003/mandatory-palestine/. The World Factbook: GAZA STRIP. Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 28 Sept. 2018, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gz.html. Trew Jerusalem, Bel. Gaza-Israel Conflict: What Is Happening and Why Does It Matter? The Independent, Independent Digital News and Media, 26 July 2018, www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/gaza-israel-conflict-what-happeningpalestinian-idf-border-jerusalem-west-bank-a8461536.html. Why Is There a Water Crisis in Gaza? Fanack Water, 2016, water.fanack.com/specials/gazawater-crisis/why-water-crisis-in-gaza/.