On October 7, 2023, the militant group Hamas launched what would become the deadliest terrorist attack in Israeli history. The group sent several thousand rockets into Israel from Gaza, a Palestinian territory under Hamas control. Hamas soldiers also crossed the Gaza border into Israel where they killed nearly 1,200 people and kidnapped over 200 more, many of them civilians. The attack has been informally called “Israel’s 9/11.”
Hamas justified their attack by citing Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories—and what it calls atrocities against the Palestinian people. (Although Palestine is not a member of the United Nations, many countries recognize the state, which includes both the Gaza Strip, as well as the West Bank and East Jerusalem.)
Since the attack on October 7, Israel has launched their own military assault on Gaza. Those efforts include near constant aerial bombings, which have destroyed over two thirds of structures in Gaza and killed over 30,000 people, many of whom are civilians. Some experts have called Israel’s operations some of the most destructive in military history.
In this learning journey, you will explore the origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and participate in current debates over how to bring an end to the violence.
Steps of the Journey
This learning journey will be divided into two sections, each with two readings.
The first section involves the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. For the first reading we recommend covering “Introduction” and “What is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict about?” For the second reading, we recommend covering the entire timeline.
The second section involves the debate over what’s been called the two-state solution, or the creation of a Palestinian state meant to coexist peacefully with Israel. The first reading, “The Strange Resurrection of the Two-State Solution” explores how this solution might be possible. We recommend reading “The Long and Winding Road,” “State of Denial,” and “Last Plan Standing.” The second reading, “The Two-State Mirage,” casts skepticism on the possibility of a two-state solution. We recommend reading the introduction and “Critical Conditions.”