The project will have two components that will be combined together to create one project. These include: (1) identify one recent significant issue confronting two countries and/or groups covered in this competency, including the historical background(s) of those issues, and (2) apply your understanding of the history and politics of those countries and/or groups to formulate a solution to the problems which would be politically acceptable, along with explanations.

Arab-Israeli Conflict Student Name University Course Professor Name Date Arab-Israeli Conflict The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a complex and enduring issue rooted in conflicting territorial claims, deep historical grievances, and conflicting aspirations for national martyrdom. Fundamentally, it is the opposition between the Jews’ wish for a sovereign country in the historic Jewish territory of Palestine and the Palestinians’ desire to build an autonomous state in the same place. The fight for the territory that began over a century ago is well remembered as a series of violence and mass migrations. It is likely the most challenging work to do in order to settle the conflict, and it continues to be a severe concern for the world. Among the Israeli-Palestinian conflict’s recent set of challenges, the encroachment of Israeli settlements into the Palestinian-held West Bank has emerged as one of the most striking and enduring issues with extensive repercussions for the pursuit of a final peace settlement. Historical Background Origins of the Conflict The contemporary Israeli-Palestinian conflict dates back to the Balfour Declaration, which was adopted by the British government in 1917 (Tabarani, 2008) and, in the process, pledged to set up a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine, which was then a part of the Ottoman Empire. This event paved the way for Jewish settlers to Palestine and growing conflicts with the native Arab population. In 1948, although the strife persisted, the State of Israel was established by occupying a part of the Palestinian lands, which had the previous British Mandate (Rogan & Shlaim, 2001). This incident earned the name “Nakba” among Palestinians, which resulted in the dispersion of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their houses and belongings and the first war between Israelis and Arab forces. The expulsion of the Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict and the refusal of the just-formed state of Israel to allow them to go back or to compensate them for their mislaid estates became a bitter experience that contributed to the formative process in the national psychology of the Palestinians. These mass movements, along with a sense of defeat and loss of the homeland, brought on feelings of loss of rights and determination for armed uprising. Escalating Tensions The 1967 Six-Day War was considered another crucial phase in the conflict (Mohammad & Bali, 2017). The decisive victory of Israel over the combatants of Egypt, Syria, and Jordan led to the occupation of the territories of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, The Sinai Peninsula, and the Golan Heights. In this case, the position was a trigger for worsening the conflicts and gave impetus for Palestinian groups struggling to fight back against Israeli control of these regions. The Israeli occupation of the West Bank along with the Gaza Strip, which started in 1967 and is, to date, ongoing, has been a significant part of the main problems and conflict. The building of Israeli colonies on Palestinian lands, which violates international law according to the UN charter, has been a significant source of Palestinian anger. Palestinian anger and opposition have escalated, and the likelihood of establishing a Palestinian state is far away. A chain of events occurred in the Middle East, which demonstrated the impotence of diplomatic channels. In this context, Palestinian resistance groups, such as the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and later Hamas, were born in reaction to the displacement of Palestinians from their lands and the lack of real progress in achieving the national aspirations of Palestinians through political negotiations. The concerned parties adopted a variety of strategies, many of which included fighting civil disobedience, starting conflicts, and traveling the world to promote their cause and persuade Israel to acknowledge their demands. Globalization as a Complicating Factor The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has so far been affected to a considerable extent and made much more complicated by the role of the external foreign prolonging parties and other international...