Understand

In 1947, the UN General Assembly made a momentous decision, although without consulting the Palestinian inhabitants. They passed a resolution to partition the land of British Mandate Palestine, creating two separate states - one for the Jewish people and another for the Arab population. The representatives of the Zionist community in Palestine accepted the UN's partition plan, while the Palestinian Arabs rejected it. This led to a state of war between the newly proclaimed State of Israel, which had been engaged in efforts to drive out Palestinian inhabitants, and the Arab League. The Arab League dispatched military forces to the former Mandate in an attempt to counter Israel's aspirations. However, Israel emerged victorious from the war, occupying territories that were originally designated for the Palestinian Arab state under the non-binding partition plan. Jordan, known as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and Egypt also seized territories meant for the future Palestine. Jordan captured the eastern part of Jerusalem, including the historic old city, the mountains of Judea and Samaria, and labeled the region "The West Bank" due to its location west of the Jordan River. Egypt, on the other hand, took control of the Gaza Strip. Israel, having captured West Jerusalem and the entirety of the remaining territory designated for the Arab state, found itself grappling with the question of how to govern the Palestinians living in the areas under its control. For decades, these Palestinians were held under military law and denied citizenship, a situation that still persists today within the West Bank, while Israeli settlers within Israel proper enjoy the protections of civilian law. Palestinians face numerous challenges, including mass arrests, residency revocation, restrictions on travel, indefinite "administrative detention," denial of basic rights such as adequate water supply and power, and more. The Israeli side, in an effort to maintain its own security, oversees the transfer of goods and resources, including electricity and water, to Gaza. Unfortunately, these resources are often exploited by Hamas, the ruling political power in Gaza, for the construction of rockets and tunnels used in attacks, primarily targeted at Israeli civilians.