2008 Israel–Gaza conflict

Background

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an ongoing dispute between the State of Israel and the Palestinian people. It also forms part of the wider Arab-Israeli conflict. Essentially it is a dispute between two national identities with claims over the same area of land.

Qassam rocket attacks & Gaza as "hostile territory"

In September 2007, citing an intensification of Qassam rocket attacks, Israel declared Gaza "hostile territory." The declaration allowed Israel to prevent the transfer of electricity, fuel, and other supplies into Gaza. The stated purpose of this blockade was to pressure Hamas into ending the rocket attacks and to deprive them of the supplies necessary for the continuation of rocket attacks. [cite news|title=Israel Pressures Hamas Ahead of Rice’s Arrival|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/20/world/middleeast/20mideast.html?scp=3&sq=Gaza+fuel+Qassam&st=nyt|publisher=New York Times|date=September 19, 2007] [cite news|title=Israel declares Gaza 'hostile territory'|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/09/19/africa/mideast.php|publisher=IHT|date=September 19, 2007] [cite news|title=Cabinet declares Gaza 'hostile territory'|url=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/905561.html|publisher=Haaretz|date=September 20, 2007] [http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Templates/ArticleDynamicFix.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRORIGINALURL=%2fMFA%2fGovernment%2fCommuniques%2f2007%2fSecurity%2bCabinet%2bdeclares%2bGaza%2bhostile%2bterritory%2b19-Sep-2007%2ehtm&NRNODEGUID=%7bC93011D3-18EA-4EEB-84C1-717072E4071A%7d&NRCACHEHINT=Guest Security Cabinet declares Gaza hostile territory] by MFA] Israel's decision to cut fuel supplies to Gaza were widely condemned as "collective punishment." [cite news|title=EU warns against 'collective punishment' in Gaza|url=http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-30214320071029|publisher=Reuters|date=October 29, 2007] [ [http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/02/07/isrlpa17994.htm Gaza: Israel’s Energy Cuts Violate Laws of War] by Human Rights Watch] [ [http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/israel-cuts-electricity-and-food-supplies-gaza-20080121 Israel cuts electricity and food supplies to Gaza] by Amnesty International]

Breach of the Gaza-Egypt border (2008)

By January 2008, the economic effects of Israel's blockade on Gaza had reached a critical threshold, according to a United Nations study. [cite news | url = http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/947133.html | title=UN: Despite Israel's promises, West Bank barriers have increased | first = Akiva | last = Eldar | work = Haaretz | date=2008-01-22 ] Finally, on January 17 2008, Israel sealed the border completely following a rise in rocket attacks. The breach of the Gaza-Egypt border began on January 23, 2008, after gunmen in the Gaza Strip set off an explosion near the Rafah Border Crossing, destroying part of the former Israeli Gaza Strip barrier. The United Nations estimates that as many as half the 1.5 million population of the Gaza Strip crossed the border into Egypt seeking food and supplies. Israeli police went on an increased alert due to fears that militants will acquire more weapons in Egypt.cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7208252.stm |title=Gazans make new border wall hole: Palestinians have bulldozed down part of the Gaza-Egypt border wall again, hours after Egyptian troops blocked holes recently made by militants|work=BBC News |date=2008-01-25 ] On February 3, former Palestinian Foreign Minister, Mahmoud al-Zahar, announced that Hamas and Egypt would cooperate in controlling the border without Israeli oversight. [cite web
url=http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2008/02/03/hamas_to_control_passage_over_breached_egypt_border/
title=Hamas to control passage over breached Egypt border
first=Nidal
last=al-Mughrabi
publisher=Reuters / The Boston Globe
date=2008-02-03] The border was closed, after 11 days, except for travelers returning home.cite web
url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/04/world/middleeast/04mideast.html?em&ex=1202187600&en=e3ebdcac739a1d7a&ei=5087%0A
title=Egyptian Troops Seal Gaza Border
first=Isabel
last=Kershner
publisher=New York Times
date=2008-02-04]

Military conflicts

Conflict continued as three Israeli missiles hit the Palestinian Interior Ministry in Gaza on February 27 2008, hours after Palestinian militants fired more than 40 Qassam rockets into southern Israel. [ [http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/02/27/mideast/index.html Airstrike hits Gaza ministry building] CNN, Feb. 27, 2008] Israeli aircraft February 28 2008 bombed a police station near the Gaza City home of Hamas leader Ismail Haniya. [ [http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/02/28/mideast/index.html Children killed as Gaza violence flares] CNN, Feb. 28, 2008] The Israeli military says its air and ground operations against militants firing rockets from northern Gaza have hit at least 23 armed Palestinians, while Palestinian sources have reported higher death tolls and say many civilians have also been killed. [ [http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/03/01/mideast/index.html Palestinians: Israeli attacks killing dozens] CNN, Mar. 1, 2008]

Israel began its air and ground operations on February 29. [http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aLyZdF2fucGg&refer=home UN Demands End to Gaza Strip Violence as 72 Palestinians Killed] ] The IDF's offensive in Gaza has killed more than 100 Palestinians in less than a week. [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/959923.html Iran leader calls on Muslims to hit Israel 'in face' over Gaza op] ] In contrast Palestinian fired 150 rockets at Israel during a week which killed three Israelis, including two soldiers and a civilian. The United States called for an end to clashes between Israel and the Palestinians. [http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5g5m6DPBT8Ba1eOE00ORUel-9ZrKQ White House calls for end to Gaza violence: spokesman] ] The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, has accused Israel of "international terrorism", saying its assault on Gaza constitutes "more than a holocaust". [ [http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/0C8EBD66-032E-4470-82FB-005D6A2B5186.htm Abbas: Gaza attacks 'a holocaust'] ] Later on March 3 he has suspended all contact with Israel over its assault on Gaza as the Israeli government sent warplanes to hit more targets early on Monday and vowed to continue its offensive. [ [http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/52EF7122-5D4D-416A-B343-37118EAD689B.htm Abbas suspends ties with Israel] ] The European Union on Sunday condemned what it called "disproportionate use of force" by the Israeli military in Gaza after 54 Palestinians were killed in the highest single day toll since fighting erupted in 2000. [ [http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-03-02-eu-israel_N.htm EU condemns "disproportionate" use of force by Israel] ] United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also issued a condemnation of what he termed Israel's "excessive and disproportionate" response and called on Israel "to cease such attacks," while denouncing the ongoing rocket attacks on Sderot and Ashkelon.citation|url=http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=25816&Cr=Palestin|title=Security Council, Secretary-General alarmed by deadly violence in Middle East|date=2 March 2008|publisher=UN News Centre|accessdate=2008-03-03] In the Muslim world, demonstrators took to the streets to protest the IDF attacks. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called on Muslims to rise up and their leaders to hit Israel "in the face with their nations' anger,". In Lebanon, hundreds of Hezbollah supporters gathered at the Fatima Gate at the border between Lebanon and Israel, shouting "Death to Israel" and waving Lebanese and Palestinian flags. In Egypt, thousands of students held protests at universities across the country calling on Arab leaders to stop Israeli aggression and support the Palestinians. Some protesters burned Israeli and American flags. About 10,000 protesters, mainly from Jordan's mainstream Muslim Brotherhood and smaller opposition groups, took to the streets in one of the country's most vocal and largest anti-Israeli demonstrations in recent years. Saudi Arabia meanwhile compared the IDF offensive to Nazi war crimes and called on the international community to stop what it called the "mass killings" of Palestinians. Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the IDF attacks can have no humanitarian justification and added that Israel was rejecting a diplomatic solution to the dispute. Most Israeli tanks and troops pulled out of northern Gaza March 3 2008, and an Israel Defense Forces spokesman confirmed that the Israeli military was ending offensive operations there after five days. [ [http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/03/03/mideast/index.html Israel withdraws from Gaza as anti-rocket offensive ends] ]

ee also

*Timeline up to 2006 Gaza crisis
*2004 Israel-Gaza conflict
*2006 Israel-Gaza conflict
*2006 Israel-Gaza conflict casualties timeline
*2007–2008 Israel-Gaza conflict
*List of Qassam rocket attacks
*Breach of the Gaza-Egypt border (2008)

External links

* [http://www.cfr.org/publication/15683/hamas_necessary_for_mideast_talks.html?breadcrumb=%2F Siegman: No Peace Possible Between Israel and Palestinians without Hamas] by CFR
* [http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10608398&CFID=9255691&CFTOKEN=f4f1ee3ebdf03cfe-315784CD-B27C-BB00-012BEA62CA3765FD Hamas won't go away] , The Economist, Jan 31st 2008

References