Israel-Palestine Conflict: Key Terms and Timeline

Key Terms and Definitions

• Diaspora: The movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established homeland.
• Exodus: The second book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament.
• Judea: The biblical name of the mountainous southern part of the land of Palestine.
• Anti-Semitism: Prejudice, hatred of, or discrimination against Jews.
• Occupied Territories: A territory that is controlled by a foreign military and army.
• West Bank: A landlocked territory located in Western Asia. The West Bank shares boundaries to the west, north, and south with the State of Israel.
• Gaza Strip: A territory on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea that borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the east and north.
• Muslim: People who follow the Islamic religion and pray to Allah.
• Jew: A member of the Jewish people or one who practices Judaism.
• Jewish People: A nation and religious group originating from the Israelites or Hebrews of the ancient Near East.
• Refugee: A person who is outside his or her country of origin or habitual residence because they have suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, or political opinion.
• Zionist: A supporter of Zionism, a form of nationalism of Jews and Jewish culture that supports a Jewish nation-state in the territory defined as the Land of Israel.

The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

The conflict involves mutual recognition between the two communities. Most Palestinians and Israelis view the West Bank and the Gaza Strip as the ideal locations for a hypothetical Palestinian state in a two-state solution. Throughout history, fighting has been conducted by regular armies, paramilitary groups, terror cells, and individuals.

Historical Timeline: 1948 to 2009

• 1948 (May 14): The State of Israel was declared.
• 1948 (May 14): Britain abandoned its claims on Palestine.
• 1948 (May 15): Neighboring Arab countries sent troops into the territories specified for an Arab state.
• 1948 (May 15): This began the first Arab-Israeli War, and 720,000 Palestinian Arabs fled or moved to neighboring countries.
• 1964: The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was founded to create a Palestinian state.
• 1967: The third Arab-Israeli War broke out (the Six-Day War).
• 1979: A peace agreement between Egypt and Israel established limited autonomy for Gaza and the West Bank.
• 1987: The Palestinians of Gaza and the West Bank commenced the Intifada.
• 1988: The PLO declared an independent Palestinian state from exile.
• 1989: Yasser Arafat became president of the Palestinian state declared by the PLO.
• 1993: Peace negotiations were held under the auspices of the USA.
• 1994: An autonomy agreement was signed, and Yasser Arafat returned from exile.
• 1995: A negotiated agreement was reached between the PLO and Israel.
• 1996: Elections were held for the autonomous Palestinian territories, and Yasser Arafat was elected.
• 2004: Yasser Arafat died.
• 2009: The Israelis invaded Gaza, resulting in the deaths of 1,500 Palestinians.