The statehood of Palestine has been one of the most pressing issues in the very turbulent middle

east region. Its boundaries have varied throughout history as well as its inhabitants, which is very

well documented in history books. This never ending shift in territory and control has put

Palestine in a very precarious situation. This uncertainty has created multiple problems for the

formation of the statehood of Palestine such as the issue of Palestinian refugees, Israeli

settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, as well as the status of Jerusalem.

The number of Palestinian refugees right now are staggering. Due to the creation of the state of

Israel and the Arab-Israeli war of 1967, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have sought refuge

in neighboring countries such as Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. This mass exodus has raised the

issue of refugees being able to come back to their homeland. The Palestinians see this claim not

only a historical claim, but also as a personal claim. A claim to a specific private property which

he has owned prior to being expelled (AbuZayyad, 1994). This purported right would be difficult

to achieve since Israel sees it as a threat to the very existence of the Jewish state on the basis that

the return would destroy the Jewish image of Israel and turn it into a bi-national state.

Israel has slowly tried to eat away the territory of Palestine through the aggressive creation of

settlements inside the Palestinian territory. According to the report of the special rapporteur of

the Commission of Human Rights, Israel had confiscated 60% of the West Bank, 33% of the

Gaza Strip and 33% of Palestinian land in Jerusalem (UN). Israel has as many as 145 official

settlements, most of these built on privately owned Palestinian land (Middle East Research and

Information Project).
Jerusalem is an important city for three religions: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Israel has

time and again tried to claim Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, but the United Nations has

stressed that comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the question of the City of Jerusalem

should take into account the legitimate concerns of both the Palestinian and Israeli sides and

should include internationally guaranteed provisions to ensure the freedom of religion and of

conscience of its

inhabitants, as well as permanent, free and unhindered access to the holy places by

the people of all religions and nationalities.

These issues are all interconnected in such a way that in order to solve one issue, the others must

also be solved. In a very troubled region where the two opposing sides have their own agenda to

pursue, any solution to these issues would have to appease both sides as well as find a middle

ground to settle these issues. One of the more important factors in the difficulty of resolving

these issues is Israels willingness to deal with Palestine and be able to find a truly lasting

solution to the Palestinian question.

Choose any three central issues in the Palestinian question and then discuss why it is extremely

difficult to resolve them. (Ex. Palestinian refugees right to return, Status of Jerusalem, Israeli

settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, etc.) Be analytical add your own opinion.