The territorial dispute between Jews and Palestinians revolves around the control and ownership of land, particularly in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Jews have claimed the land as their ancestral homeland and see it as their right to live there. Palestinians, on the other hand, see the West Bank and East Jerusalem as part of a future Palestinian state and argue that the presence of Israeli settlements is illegal under international law. The conflict over the territory has been ongoing for decades, with both sides claiming rights to the land and engaging in acts of violence and conflict to support their claims. Efforts to resolve the dispute and find a peaceful solution have been made through negotiations and peace processes. Still, a final resolution has yet to be reached. Last week, within a few days, there were reciprocal attacks and acts of violence between Palestinians and Israelis. It all started Thursday, January 26, with an Israeli army military operation in the West Bank, in the Jenin refugee camp, in which 10 Palestinians were killed, which was followed first by an exchange of missiles and rockets between Israel and the Gaza Strip, and then between Friday and Saturday two attacks by Palestinians in East Jerusalem. In the first, the most serious, a 21-year-old man killed seven people while leaving a synagogue: not so many people have been killed in a single attack in Jerusalem for 15 years.
The origin of this conflict has old roots. Jerusalem's Old City is divided into four quarters: Muslim, Christian, Jewish, and Armenian. The Eastern part of the Old City is called the "East Jerusalem" and holds significant religious and cultural importance for Jews, Muslims, and Christians. In the 7th century, Jerusalem was conquered by Arab forces and became a cultural centre for Islam. The city remained under Muslim control until the First Crusade in 1099 when Christian knights captured the city and established the Kingdom of Jerusalem. In 1187, the city was retaken by Muslim warrior Saladin, who became a hero in Islamic history. During Ottoman rule, Jerusalem's East became a predominantly Muslim neighbourhood. In 1917, British forces captured the city during World War I and established the British Mandate in Palestine. The conflict between Jews and Arabs over control of Palestine and the city of Jerusalem escalated in the 20th century, leading to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and the establishment of Israel. In the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel captured and reunified the Old City of Jerusalem. Today, the Old City is a major tourist destination and pilgrimage site for people of different faiths, with the Temple Mount and the Western Wall, both revered by Jews, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of Christianity's holiest sites, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, a primary Islamic site, located in Jerusalem's East.
Since December 2022, a new government by Benjamin Netanyahu has been formed, and tensions between Israelis and Palestinians have grown significantly. The government is the most right-end in Israel's history. It includes ministers, such as Itamar Ben-Gvir, holding a strong nationalist ideology. Itamar Ben-Gvir is known for his controversial views on issues such as Israeli settlements in the West Bank, Palestinian statehood, and the treatment of Arab Israelis. He is a vocal opponent of the peace process. He has been associated with several acts of extremism and incitement, leading many to view him as a divisive figure in Israeli politics. The international community is notoriously divided over the issue of Israeli control of East Jerusalem. Some countries recognize Israel's sovereignty over the city, while others do not. The issue has led to debates and negotiations, with some countries supporting Israel and others supporting the Palestinians. Despite international efforts to resolve the conflict, the situation remains unresolved, and tensions continue to simmer in Jerusalem and the wider region.
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