Gaza War (December 2008 - January 2009) – a three-week dissension between Israel and Hamas during the winter of 2008–2009. Brought by the intensified ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Israel responded to ongoing rocket fire from the Gaza Strip by "Operation Cast Lead". Military and civilian targets, police stations, and government buildings were attacked in the opening attack of Israeli forces. Israel ceased the tension on January 18 and withdrew on January 21, 2009.
Israel’s area within its pre-1967 armistice borders is a bit lower than 8,000 square miles. It’s about 11 miles from Tel Aviv to the green line border of Israel (West Bank). Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and other Israeli cities are within artillery range of any Palestinian state. Israel therefore insists on guarantees that a Palestinian state would be demilitarized. The West Bank has enormous strategic importance to any country wishing to invade Israel. Israel therefore asserts on guarantees of prohibited entrance of a foreign army to its borders, and has insisted on bases within the West Bank.
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Following the death of Yasser Arafat a new era began in Palestinian history and in Israeli-Palestinian relations. The Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) was elected President ("Rais") of the Palestinian National Authority with a comfortable majority in free and democratic elections. Abbas vowed to put an end to terror and to negotiate peace based on Israeli withdrawal from all the lands of the West Bank and Gaza, a Palestinian capital in Jerusalem, and "return of the Palestinian refugees."
The year 2005 was plagued by attacks of Fatah and Hamas factions against Palestinian institutions, as well as a suicide attack apparently instigated by the Syrian branch of Islamic Jihad. Majority of Palestinians want the radical Hamas movement which won an upset victory over the Fateh in PLC elections in January, 2006 to recognize Israel and negotiate peace. Hamas officials recognize existence of Israel but not as a Jewish state, and will never reconcile with Israel. European and American leaders pledged negotiation with Hamas and provision of aid to the Palestinians until Hamas agreed to disarm and recognize Israel. Hamas spokesmen sent mixed signals, but vowed never to recognize Israel and never to give up their claim to all of Palestine, though majority of Palestinians apparently desire peace.
The year 2005 was plagued by attacks of Fatah and Hamas factions against Palestinian institutions, as well as a suicide attack apparently instigated by the Syrian branch of Islamic Jihad. Majority of Palestinians want the radical Hamas movement which won an upset victory over the Fateh in PLC elections in January, 2006 to recognize Israel and negotiate peace. Hamas officials recognize existence of Israel but not as a Jewish state, and will never reconcile with Israel. European and American leaders pledged negotiation with Hamas and provision of aid to the Palestinians until Hamas agreed to disarm and recognize Israel. Hamas spokesmen sent mixed signals, but vowed never to recognize Israel and never to give up their claim to all of Palestine, though majority of Palestinians apparently desire peace.
The Quartet countries have officially boycotted the Hamas led government until they agree to recognize Israel and end violence. The boycott has been avoided for direct provision of compensation funds to Palestinian employees.
In elections held in January 2006, the Hamas movement won a majority of seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council and formed a government. This was eventually expanded into a unity government that included the Fatah, until June of 2007. The Hamas refused to recognize the right of Israel to exist and reconciliation.
In March of 2007, Hamas and Fateh concluded a unity agreement in Mecca, allowing formation of a unity government with a vague platform. Palestinians called on Western governments to recognize the new government and end the boycott. Quartet members would talk to non-Hamas members of the new government. Israel insisted a maintained relationship only with President Abbas but not part of the government.
In June of 2007, following growing anarchy in Gaza, Hamas militants attacked Fatah/Palestinian authority positions in Gaza, including military posts, government buildings, and hospitals, and drove the Fatah out of the Gaza strip. Palestinian PM Mahmoud Abbas dissolved the unity government and announced formation of a different government based in the West Bank. In the West Bank, Fatah militants arrested Hamas officials and Hamas fighters. On June 16, there were two separate governments in the Web Bank and Gaza which resulted the peace process to be extremely uncertain.
Mahmoud Abbas tried to convince Palestinian militant groups to declare a truce and refrain from attacking Israel, while Israel declared cessation from assassinations and hunting down wanted terrorists except on emergencies. The ceasefire was on and off. Israel continued to arrest wanted Palestinians and people on their way to terror attacks in the West Bank, while Palestinians continued to fire Qassam rockets from Gaza. Israeli reprisals in Gaza killed both civilians and armed terrorists.
Abbas has frequently declared not to use force against armed groups and law enforcement at the same time disallowing armed group of unruliness and independent actions.
The Quartet Road Map calls for considering a Palestinian state within provisional borders as an option, which is favored by Israelis and the United States, while Abbas insisted on final status negotiations and claims he does not want a state with provisional borders.
Beginning in 2001, Palestinian groups in the Gaza strip have been firing Qassam rockets, initially at Israeli settlements in the Gaza strip and later at civilian targets inside Israel. The firing escalated after the Hamas took power. The rockets have claimed about a dozen lives and done extensive property damage. The town of Sderot has been subject to a daily barrage of Qassam rockets in 2007.
In the fall of 2005, however, the Rafah Crossing was opened under European Union, Egyptian and Palestinian supervision, with Israeli remote monitoring via TV cameras. Israel committed an implemented safe passage but did not comply. Nonetheless, the crossing is open only intermittently. In the West Bank, numerous checkpoints restrict the movement of Palestinians.
In June of 2006, groups affiliated with the Hamas, including those who later kidnapped BBC reporter Alan Johnston, crossed the border into Israel and kidnapped Corporal Gilad Shalit . He is being held for ransom against freeing of an unspecified large number of Palestinian prisoners. Israel insists that serious negotiations about final status issues cannot be restarted until Shalit’s release. Palestinian negotiators were apparently offered discharge of over 1,000 prisoners in return for Shalit, but refused the offer.
Israel is supposed to hand over security responsibilities in West Bank cities, gradually lifting the siege and returning conditions to what they were before the start of the violence in 2000.
A "security barrier" built inside the West Bank cuts off Palestinians from their lands and from other towns, and destroys olive groves and other property according to Palestinians. The route of the fence has been changed several times under international pressure. On October 2005, it includes about 7% of West Bank territory on the Israeli side of the barrier. An International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory ruling declares the barrier to be in violation of international law. Since the barrier was built, Israeli casualties decreased dramatically, and the IDF claims that it is vital to preventing terror attacks. An Israeli Supreme Court ruling declared that the fence is legal in principle, but that the route must be changed to optimize the balance between security and humanitarian concerns.
The Sasson report released March 9, 2005 catalogued extensive misuse of government funds for building settlements, though most of the information had been known beforehand. Israeli PM Ariel Sharon promised again to evacuate the outposts. Nevertheless, no substantial progress was made as late as June 2007.
Israel holds thousands of Palestinian prisoners, of whom about 500 were released in February of 2005, and an additional group of over 450 are to be released soon. Palestinians want release of all prisoners, especially women and minors. Israel is unwilling to release prisoners who have served less than two-thirds of their sentence and those who were directly involved in attacks.
The Israeli Government decided to unilaterally withdraw from the Gaza Strip and from 4 settlements in the West Bank, evacuating about 8,000 settlers. After the death of Yasser Arafat, it partially coordinated the move with the Palestinians. Disengagement was completed without major incidents by September of 2005, but was followed by considerable disorder within Gaza.
Palestinians living in Gaza have very limited access to the outside world. A safe passage for Gazans to the West Bank was supposed to have been implemented under the Oslo accords but never materialize. Israel favors a rail link, while Palestinians want a motor road. Most border crossings between Israel and Gaza have been closed since disengagement.
The Rafah border crossing with Egypt was supposed to be closed at one point, but Palestinians overpowered the guards and Hamas blasted a portion of the barrier, allowing Palestinians to cross freely for a brief time before the crossing was closed again. Israel wanted the crossing to remain closed for several month and open a crossing at Kerem Shalom in Israeli territory, which unlike Rafah, would be partly under Israeli control.
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