Universidad de Costa Rica

Sede Atlántico
Recinto de Guápiles

Oral Communication II

Topic
Palestinians and Israelis Conflict on Gaza Strip

Belongs to

Andrea Fernández Alvarado B42499

Kimberli Oporto Montero B45026
Second Semester, 2014
Content
Introduction.................................................................................................................... 3
Gaza Strip Facts............................................................................................................ 4
Israel Facts..................................................................................................................... 4
Backgrounds.................................................................................................................. 5
Main Cause.................................................................................................................... 7
What is HAMAS?........................................................................................................... 7
Israel Defense Force...................................................................................................... 8
What is the Iron Dome?.................................................................................................. 8
What role does the United Nations play in this conflict?.................................................9
Conclusion................................................................................................................... 10
Bibliography.................................................................................................................. 11

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 Introduction

For over a century Palestinians and Israelis has been fighting for a land that both
sides claim as their one. Periods of wars have being taking place around the holiest
ground on Earth, Jerusalem. Palestinian and Israelis want to be recognize as
independent countries and both want Jerusalem as their capital city. Israel claims that
the land belongs to them by heritage. However Palestine occupied what we know
nowadays as Israel since the beginning of times, despite that Israel has been taking
portions of land through the years. In present Israel has 85% control over the disputed
territory. This conflict has left thousands of deaths, injured victims, refugees,
destruction, suffering and an unsolved religious-political problem.

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Gaza Strip Facts

Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
Israel
Area: 360 km²
Population: 1, 816, 379 (July, 2014 estimation)
Languages: Arabic, Hebrew and English (widely understood)
Religions: Muslim, Jewish, Christian
Flag:

Israel Facts

Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
Lebanon.
Area: 20,770 km²
Population: 7,821,850 (July, 2014 estimation)
Languages: Hebrew, Arabic and English (widely understood)
Flag:

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 Backgrounds

Gaza fell to British forces during World War I, becoming a part of the British
Mandate of Palestine. After World War II the British withdrew their military mandate
from Palestine territory, leaving Gaza and Israel in a land fight that is why the UN
(United Nations) proposes to split the territory in two: Arabic and Jewish states, but this
proposal was rejected by the Arabs. In 1948 an Israeli state is declared, several wars
after, between Arabic’s and Israel’s, Gaza is conquered by Israel in 1967, in the Six
Day War. In 1994 Israel sign an agreement with Palestine granting them authority but,
also security and civilian responsibility for Palestine people living in Gaza Strip and
West Bank.

Between 1987 and 1993 an Intifada (known as rebellion in English) started. This
new conflict exploded when an Israel military truck killed four Palestinians, rumors that
the crash was deliberate reach Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, making
Palestinians decide to rebel against Israel administration carrying out strikes, boycotts,
refusing to work in Israel settlements and making Israeli products. In 2004 the
president of Palestine Yasir Arafat dies, and Mahmud Abbas (head of Fatah political
party) is elected president, he decided to continue the peace process proposed by
United States of America, European Union, United Nations and Russia calling for two
states: Israel and a democratic Palestine. In 2005 Israel withdrew its military forces
and dismantled its military facilities in Gaza Strip, but it continues controlling maritime
and air space.

In 2006 the Islamic Resistance Movement HAMAS won the Palestinian

Legislative Council election and took control of the Gaza Strip mean while the West
Bank it is ruled by Fatah forces that refuses to give up the power to HAMAS. Both
Fatah and HAMAS had tried to work together to unify the West Bank and Gaza Strip
forces but both factions have not found a balance point in government and security
matters. This political resistance between this two groups has brought armed conflict,
hundreds of victims to both people, making even more stressful the relationship among
each other.

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The following map shows the land ownership and control from both factions since 1946
to 2012.

Taken from: http://www.alfonshelsinki.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/46_12.jpg

1946: The land was occupied by Palestinian mostly.

1947: Was the proposal of United Nations, the creation of two independent states, but

this proposal was never accepted by Palestinian.

1967: Israel won the Six Day War this victory allows them to expand their territory.

2012: Most of the West Bank is now populated not only by Palestinian but also by

Israelis.

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Main Cause

The boiling point occurred when three Israeli teenagers were kidnapped on June
12th, 2014 while hitchhiking in the West Bank, they were killed, and their bodies were found
in Israel on June 30th, 2014. Israel Defense Forces accused HAMAS to be responsible of
planning this action. In consequence three hundred Palestinians were arrested as
suspects of murdering the teenagers, and at least ten Palestinians were killed. In respond
to what happened a Palestine teenager was beaten and burned alive. Since then
Palestinians and Israelis have been attacking to each other, disrespecting human and
civilian rights. Bombs and rockets come and go from each side, however the biggest
damage it is over the Palestinian side.

The conflict broke out when Israel started Operation Protective Edge in respond to
HAMAS offensive, this happened on July 8 th. “Since the conflict began, 1,423 Gazans
have died and 8,265 have been injured while 59 Israelis have died, according to the
Palestinian Health Ministry and IDF, respectively”. (ABC, 2014). The military arsenal,
equipment, and high tech cannot be compere. Israel counts with the political and economic
support of United States government.

What is HAMAS?

“Hamas is a Palestinian Islamist political organization and militant group

that has waged war on Israel since its 1987 founding, most notably
through suicide bombings and rocket attacks. It seeks to replace Israel
with a Palestinian state. It also governs Gaza independently of the
Palestinian Authority…” (Beauchamp, August 6th, 2014)

HAMAS forces oppose to recognize Israel authority and

legitimacy, Hamas is seeking the complete destruction of Israel. In
several occasion HAMAS armed forces has launched rockets toward
Israel and have been accuse of suicide bombings, so far fifty nine
Israelis have died. This armed group its consider as a terrorist by Israel
and United Stated due to HAMAS principal goal is to eliminated as
many Israelis as possible. Many of the weapons that HAMAS uses are
supplied by Iran.
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Israel Defense Force

It is known that Israel and the United States have a close

relationship. Israel gets more than half of all United States foreign aid, a
grant total of $121 billion dollar to improve their military force and with
this money Israel supposed to end the war with Palestinian. However,
even the United States knows about the Gaza conflict and what Israel
Defense Forces is doing with the money, why the incomes keep
flowing?

The aid is received by Israel in many ways: food, weapons,

military research programs an example of it is the anti-rocket defense
system (known as iron dome), being Israel the only country in the whole
world who has it. The aid given by the United State to Israel also
includes the construction of libraries, medical centers, schools,
universities, etc.

What is the Iron Dome?

The iron dome it is not a physical barrier, it’s a mobile all-weather air defense system.
This system was designed to intercept and destroy rockets fired from 4 to 70
kilometers of distances. This dome operates day and night, and it was develop by
Rafael Advanced Defense System. How does it work? The radar detects and tracks
were the rocket might land, and sends a signal to a computer that is operated by a
commander. If the rocked target is a populated area, the commander will have from
three to five seconds to decide if he launches a missile to intercept it or not.

Is the dome protection effective? Israel said they have intercepted 90% of the
rockets fired from the Gaza Strip intercepting a grand total of one thousand rockets
fired by Palestinian militants, each interception cost ninety five thousand dollar. The
United States co-found the development of the system giving to Israelis $429 million
dollar only for this project.

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What role does the United Nations play in this conflict?

The United Nations called Israel and Gaza to a ceasefire so they could help both
side victims from this war. Despite that the political help-intervention on Gaza Strip
conflict from the United Nations has been almost null the humanitarian aid has been
invaluable. The UN has send a group of volunteers to help with the devastation suffer
mostly by people in Gaza, they have settled medical facilities inside Gaza’s schools,
taking them, also, as shelter for hundreds of Palestinians.

On one of the Palestinian school operated by UN agents, was under attack by

Israel Defense Force (IDF). Close to 300 Palestinian refugees who were inside the
school at the time of the attack got injured, most of them were children and women, 16
people were killed on that attack. The United Nation Relief and Works Agency
(UNRWA) accuse directly to Israel Defense Force as responsible for attacking the
school. Christopher Gunness spokesperson of UNRWA said they gave to IDF the
school precise coordinates, therefor IDF knew that school was used by UNRWA as a
shelter and the attack was premeditated.

UN tries to help as much as they can but the conditions that Israel has set on
Gaza make the action harder than it is. Israel has completely blocked the Gaza region,
everything that goes in and goes out depend strictly on Israel control. Israel has cut off
electrical power, oil supply; the incoming of basic construction material such as
cement, steal has been banned by Israel with the excuse that this items can be used in
the construction of homemade weapons. This measure of pressure has been look at
with contempt by the United Nation as a violation of international law turning Gaza in
the world´s longest open air prison.

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Conclusion

This conflict has exist for a long time, constants arm fights for land both countries try to
expand their territory. Nowadays wars are more aggressive and frequently compare to
pass time, hundreds people of both side have died and apparently others countries do
not seem to care what is going on. A conflict of this proportion will be never solved
cause involve political, economic and religious interest, beside that they are not only
two countries fighting there is also a third party under it.

For Palestinians is more difficult to face Israelis attacks due to that United State helps
Israel providing them weapons, foods, medical attention and huge economic help to
finance Israeli projects improving their attack and defense. The United Nations has
send aids to Gaza but is not enough, with every confrontation a lot of Palestinians are
injured and many lose their families, every intention to defend themselves is label as a
terrorist attempt.

The responsibility of the UN is to establish peace among nations around the world.
Provide humanitarian aid won’t eradicate the conflict between both countries. An
intervention is necessary to create an agreement so Israeli and Palestinian can live
peacefully together and stop their selfish desires which are causing genocide,
however religious beliefs are an important part in solving the problem. We do not have
any idea about what is going to happen with these polemic countries but both are
hoping for peace and joy.

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 Bibliography

ABC News (July 31th, 2014). Everything You Need to Know About the Israel-Gaza
Conflict. ABC. Date of search: August 30 th, 2014. Retrieve from:
http://abcnews.go.com/International/israel-gaza-conflict/story?id=24552237

AJ+ Labs. (2014, July 20). US Aid To Israel. [Video file]. Date of search: September
th
6 , 2014. Retrieve from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLcWaty9osg

Beauchamp, Z. (August 6th, 2014). Everything you need to know about Israel –
Palestine. Vox. Date of search: August 30th, 2014. Retrieved from:
http://www.vox.com/cards/israel-palestine/intro

Jewish Virtual Library. Date of search: August 30th, 2014. Retrieved from:
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/intifada.html

Palestine Military Guide. Date of search: August 30th, 2014. Retrieved from:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/palestine/

Test Tube. (2014, July 28). What is Hamas and Why Are They At War With Israel?
[Video file]. Date of search: September 7 th, 2014. Retrieve from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmlGcQUFmEA

Test Tube. (2014, September 2). What is Israel´s Iron Dome and How Does it
Work? [Video file]. Date of search: September 7 th, 2014.Retrieve from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM1FIWEj0_I

Test Tube. (2014, July 15). Why are Israel and Palestinian Fighting? [Video file].
Date of search: September 7th, 2014. Retrieve from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=R7nobq2Nl5k

The Week (August, 2014). Iron Dome: how Israles missile defense system works.
The Week. Date of search: August 31th, 2014. Retrieved from:
http://www.theweek.co.uk/world-news/middle-east/59368/iron-dome-how-israels-missile-
defence-system-works

The World Fact Book. Date of search: August 30 th, 2014. Retrieved from:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/is.html

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