the arab-israeli conflict part 2 cfr crisis guide: the israeli-palestinian conflict –
TRANSCRIPT
The Arab-Israeli Conflict
Part 2
CFR Crisis Guide: The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict –
What’s the Message Here?
Daly Show on Arab-Israeli Conflict
Current Status of All Territories Occupied by Israel in 1967
What are the Unresolved Issues?What are the unresolvedissues preventing a final peace agreement betweenIsrael and the Palestinians?
President Obama with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and
Palestinian President Malmond Abbas.
Unresolved Issue # 1
The Permanent Borders of a Future Palestinian State
Palestinians want Israel to with- draw to pre-1967 borders and the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza.
Israel still occupies parts of the West Bank and has annexed some parts that it insists it will never give up.
The Issue of Israeli Settlements• 300,000 Israeli settlers now
live in West Bank along with 2.2 million Palestinians.
• Israel has annexed some West Bank territory and insists on keeping its major settlements.
• These Israeli settlements in the West Bank complicate peace negotiations.
Israeli West Bank Settlements
News report on settlement issue Helecoptor Tour Over West Bank
Israel’s Security Barrier (Wall) Also Complicates Negotiations
Israel’s Security Barrier
Unresolved Issue # 2
Palestinian Refugees and the Right of Return
Four million displaced Palestiniansliving in refugee camps today inoccupied territories and neighboringArab states.
Palestinians want refugees or theirdescendants to be able to return tohomes and land they lost in 1948.
Israel rejects right of refugees toreturn to Israel. Would threaten theexistence of Israel as a Jewish state.
Unresolved Issue # 3
Control of East Jerusalem
Palestinians want East Jerusalemas the capital of their future state.
Israel’s annexed East Jerusalem and vows it will never give it up.
Residents of East Jerusalem aremostly Palestinians, but 250,000 Israelis now live there as well.
Unresolved Issue # 4
Israel’s Security
How to guaranteesecurity of Israel’sborders if radicalgroups like Hamas and Hezbollah refuse to recognizeIsrael’s right toexist ?
September, 2010
Obama Convened New Peace Talks
•First direct talks between Israel and Palestinians in two years .
•Stated goal was to “create a sovereign Palestinian state beside a secure Israel within one year.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
with Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas
September, 2010
Peace Talks Quickly Broken Down
Peace talks broke down within weeks over the settlement issue.
Talks remain stalled today.
Palestinians insist they won’t return to talks until Israel halts building of new settlements.
Israel insists on talks without any preconditions.
May 2011
Palestinian Rapprochement
• Fatah and Hamas signedreconciliation agreement.
• Cited their common goal of resistance to Israeli occupation.
• Reflects Fatah’s growingfrustration with stalledpeace process.
U.S.-Israeli Relations
Tension Over Settlements
• Obama opposes expansion ofexisting Israeli settlements or the building of any new ones.
• Israel refuses to stop building new housing in East Jerusalem or the West Bank.
U.S.-Israeli Relations
Tension over Borders
Obama endorsed the Palestinian position that borders should be based on 1967 lines
with “mutually agreed swaps” of land.
Led to tense meeting b/Netanyahu and Obama at White House and Netanyahu publically rejecting the idea.
PBS Report on May 2011 Meeting (5:00)
September, 2011
Palestinians Seek UN Recognition
• Palestinians sought UN’s recognition of Palestinian as a full-member state.
• Wanted recognition of state consisting of all of West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem.
• Bid failed because it lacked of support in the UN Security Council (+ U.S. veto threat).
November, 2012
UN General Assembly Recognizes Palestine as Non-member Observer State
• Move strongly opposed by Israel and the US.• Vote was 138-9 in favor, with 41
nations abstaining. • Palestinians can now take part in
UN debates.• Opponents say a Palestinian state
should emerge only from bilateral negotiations with Israel.
CNN report on meaning of UN Vote (3:21)