Name: Mary January R.
Chan Subject: Comparative Politics
Section: BA Political Science III-B
Demographic Comparison
ISRAEL PALESTINE
Form of Parliamentary Democracy Unitary, Semi-Presidential
Government Republic
Head of State President Isaac Herzog President Mahmoud Abbas
Leader
Prime Minister Prime Minister Benjamin Prime Minister Mohammad
Netanyahu Shtayyeh
Population The current population of Israel Based on the latest United
as of October 23 is, based on Nations data projections, the
Worldometer's elaboration of current population of Palestine
the latest United Nations data, as of October 23 is 5,409,438.
is 9,217,034.
Gross National The Gross Domestic Product The GDP value of Palestine
Income (GDP) in Israel was worth represents 0.01 percent of the
522.03 billion US dollars in world economy. GDP in
Palestine is expected to reach
2022, according to official data
17.96 USD Billion by the end of
from the World Bank. 2023.
Capital City Jerusalem East Jerusalem
Religion Judaism Islam
Ethnicity Arab and Jewish Arab and Jewish
Flag
A side by side comparison of their location:
History of Israel-Palestine
There has always been tension in the area between the Mediterranean Sea to the west
and the Jordan River to the east, which is reflected in the dispute between the Israelis
and the Palestinians. This dispute has long-standing origins, having been formed by
Israeli and Palestinian statehood claims that have been bolstered throughout time by a
variety of diplomatic ambitions and initiatives.
Additionally, there have been points of contention in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for
over a century, ranging from the first UN Partition Plan in 1947 to the Yom Kippur War
in 1973 and the most recent Israel-Hamas war that broke out in October 2023.
UN Partition Plan: Resolution 181, which calls for the division of the Palestinian
territories into two states—one Arab and one Jewish—is adopted by the UN General
Assembly. In addition, the resolution calls for Jerusalem to be governed by an
international UN council.
Israel Declares Independence: As British authority comes to an end, Israel asserts
its independence. The first Arab-Israeli War breaks out in response to Israel's
proclamation of independence.
Palestinian Displacement: At least 700,000 Palestinian refugees fled their homes
during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War; the movement is known to Palestinians as the nakba,
which is Arabic for "catastrophe." Israel prevails in the conflict, keeping the land
granted to it by the UN and taking control of some of the regions assigned to the
hypothetical future state of Palestine.
The Six-Day War: The Six-Day War is fought between Israel and many of its Arab
neighbours. Israel triumphs decisively, suffering only seven hundred casualties
compared to roughly twenty thousand for its opponents. Israel emerges victorious,
controlling all of East Jerusalem along with the mostly Palestinian-populated West Bank
and Gaza Strip.
First Intifada: The first intifada, or uprising, against Israeli occupation in the West
Bank and Gaza begins when an Israeli driver kills four Palestinians in a car accident.
The intifada is forever associated with the picture of Palestinians hurling rocks at Israeli
tanks. Approximately 200 Israelis and 1,300 Palestinians are killed over the course of
the next six years.
West Bank Barrier-Building: In order to defend Israeli cities and towns from
terrorist attacks, Israel starts construction on a security barrier in the West Bank. The
barrier—which is a fence in some areas and a wall in others—is divisive because it
crosses deep into West Bank territory in some areas in order to defend settlements. The
security barrier divides some Palestinian villages in half, cuts off the Palestinians from
Jerusalem, and makes it impossible for some of them to travel to work or school.
Israel-Hamas Crisis: After Palestinians attack Jewish Israelis, Israel conducts a
counterterrorism operation in the West Bank. The operation and the ensuing comeback
make 2018 the deadliest year for both sides since 2005, and the violence only escalated
in 2023.
Reflection on the Israel-Palestine Conflict
Whenever war is brought up in the context of political activities, all I could think of is
genocide. The amount of bloodshed being televised through international news
programs has got me hurling my insides, to think that for years of conflict, thousands of
innocent lives have become a sacrificial lamb for these disputes. I have never
understand why war has been one of the most controversial things a political leader
must do to attain what they want for their land. The amount of change it gives to those
who have witnessed it as survivors, the guilt stripped of their soldiers, the economic
imbalance it leaves towards that specific country, the fear it imprints on neighboring
states.
Everyone are witnessing an unending cycle of oppression followed by war, exploitation
followed by retaliation, starting with the Nakba and continuing through the Intifadas.
The previous generation of leaders has shown time and again that they are incapable of
coming to a lasting agreement. And now, as turmoil erupts in Israel and Gaza, we all sit
in dread as the number of Israeli and Palestinian deaths rises. Incalculable violence and
bloodshed, repeatedly going on about as a vicious cycle.
Our conversation about the conflict needs to shift if we are to break free from the
bonds of this never-ending suffering. The possibility that a couple of things may hold
true at once is something we must accept.
