This document provides background on the Israel-Palestine conflict from both the Jewish and Palestinian perspectives. It outlines the key events and narratives from 1948 when Israel became a state to present day, including peace agreements, uprisings, and attacks. Both sides claim rights to the land and seek security and sovereignty, but have conflicting historical narratives that perpetuate the ongoing violence and disputes over borders and settlements.

1. UNDERSTANDING
THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT
Dr. Stan Meyer • stan.meyer1@my.gcu.edu

3. What happened on October 7?
1. Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah (Joy of the Law)
2. Hamas militants attacked in Southern Israel
3. Killed 1,400 Israelis (most civilians)
4. Captured 222 hostages (infants, children, elderly)
5. Tortured, beheaded, and burned alive, many
6. Israel invaded Gaza to free the hostages
7. Arab World protested the invasion & Palestinian deaths
3

4. We describe Identity as a
Metanarrative

5. Metanarrative is a story we tell about ourselves
To make meaning of our experiences
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6. ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT
CONFLICTING NARRATIVES

7. Jewish Story
• Jews are children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
• Jews were slaves in Egypt
• God freed them from slavery
• God gave them the Law on Sinai
• God gave them the Land of Israel
7

8. Jewish Story
• Jews broke God’s law
• Jews were scattered for 2,000 years
• Wandered, homeless, & persecuted
• Hitler tried to annihilate the Jews
• Jews needed a homeland
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9. Jewish Story
• Jews returned to the Land of Israel
• 1948 established the State of Israel
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10. Jewish Story
But Israel continues to
fi
ght for survival
In their own land
10

11. Palestinian Story
• Arabs are children of Ishmael
• Allah gave them the Arab lands
• Palestinians are Arabs who lived in Palestine
for 2,000 years
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12. Palestinian Story
Palestinians caretakers of Jerusalem
Third holiest site in the Muslim World
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13. Palestinian Story
• Jews are foreign to the Middle East
• Jews are White Europeans
• Europeans didn’t want the Jews
• Sent them to Palestine to colonize it
• Jews displaced Palestinians
13

14. Palestinian Story
Today, Palestinians
fi
ght to be
free in their own land
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15. What Happened in 1948
When Israel Became a State

16. Israel’s Version
• Egypt, Jordan, Syria invaded Israel
• Vowed to annihilate Israel and kill the Jews
• Told Arab inhabitants to
fl
ee their homes
• Israel promised citizenship to Arabs who stayed
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17. Israel’s Version
2.1 Million Arab Israeli Citizens
5 Million Palestinians in occupied territories
17
Arab Citizen of Israel

18. Palestinian Version
• Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq invaded Israel
• Israel drove the Palestinians from their homes
• Israel erased the evidence of their crime
• Palestinians are now refugees
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19. Palestinian Version
• Palestinians want to return to their homes
• Many want to annihilate The State of Israel
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20. WHAT IS THE TIMELINE?

21. 1948
Modern State of Israel founded
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22. 1967
Arab Nations invaded Israel (again)
Israel captured Sinai, Gaza, West Bank
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23. 1978
Camp David Accords
Israel signed peace treaty with Egypt
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Sedat (Egypt), Pres. Jimmy Carter, Begin (Israel)

24. 1994
Wadi Araba Treaty
Israel signed peace treaty with Jordan
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Rabin (Israel), Clinton (US), Hussein (Jordan)

25. 1993
Oslo Accords
Israel peace treaty with Palestine
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Rabin (Israel), Clinton (US), Arafat (Palestine)

26. 1993
Palestinians recognized Israel
Israel recognized Palestine
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Rabin (Israel), Clinton (US), Arafat (Palestine)

27. Oslo Accords
Palestinian Authority Governs West Bank
And Gaza Strip
Israel agreed to withdraw forces once
Palestinian terrorists stop attacking
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28. Palestinian Authority
Mahmoud Abbas
Fatah Party
Governed West Bank & Gaza Strip
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29. Hamas
Ahmed Yassin, founder of Hamas
Rejected Oslo Accords
Vowed to annihilate Israel
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Ahmed Yassin, Founder of Hamas

30. 2005
Israel withdrew army from Gaza
Gaza became self-governing
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Israel Withdraws from Gaza

31. 2007
Hamas took over Gaza
Expelled Palestinian Authority
Vowed to annihilate Israel
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32. 2007 - Today
Hamas
fi
red rockets into Israel
Israel attacked terrorist bases
Signed Cease Fire
Hamas resupplied from Iran
Attacked again
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33. October 7, 2023
Hamas in
fi
ltrated South Israel
Killed 1,400 Israelis
Captured 222 hostages
Vows to attack again
Israel invaded Gaza to remove Hamas
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34. Protests Sweep U.S.
Pro-Palestinian Groups
Protest Israel’s war in Gaza
Some claim Hamas is justi
fi
ed
34

35. Rise in Anti-Semitism
Mon, Nov 6, Los Angeles
Anti-Israel protest
Elderly Jewish man beaten to death
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36. Rise in Islamophobia
Oct. 30, Chicago
Landlord shot and killed 6-year-old
Palestinian boy
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