This is part 2 of a two-part series. In Part 1, we looked at the origin of the conflict. In part 2, we look at some of the events that have led to continuing violence over the years.
After Israel won the 1948 war, it took control of the whole region except for the Gaza Strip (controlled by Egypt) and a big chunk of land called the West Bank (controlled by Jordan).
This led to hostility towards Jews living in Arab-majority countries, and so, they also flocked to Israel.
And these events gave birth to conflict between Israel and neighbouring Arab countries.
Also, in the 1960s, Arab Muslims seeking a unified Palestinian state formed a group called the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), which occasionally performed acts of terrorism.
In 1967, Israel and neighbouring Arab countries fought another war, and this time, too, Israel won and seized Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and some land from Egypt and Syria.
In 1978, Israel—under a peace treaty— returned the lands to Egypt and Syria but retained control of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The fighting between Israel and PLO continued, with Israel mostly emerging victorious.
Then PLO, which had once wanted a unified Palestinian state, agreed for a divided land between Israel and Palestine.
But while this was happening, more Jews began settling in Israel-controlled but Muslim dominant areas of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
This angered Palestinians further, and in the late 1980s, there was a Palestinian uprising against the settlers and the Israeli government’s overlooking attitude towards this development.
The rebellion started peacefully but soon became violent, and thousands were killed.
Then a group of Palestinians in Gaza, who thought PLO was a weak group, created Hamas—a violent extremist group.
More violence followed, and leaders of Palestine and Israel realised they had to make peace, for too many were dying.
In 1993, both parties signed the Oslo Accord that gave Palestinians some freedom to govern themselves, but the extremists on both sides saw it as a losing proposition.
And so, the violence continued—the lack of peace fed more violence, and it continues till today.
