The Core Of The Arab-Israeli Conflict In One Simple Sentence

The Palestinian Arabs sought and failed to be recognized as a new state by the United Nations Security Council on April 18, 2024, as the United States vetoed the resolution, insisting that Israel and the Palestinian Authority need to hammer out the contours of a deal before they would recognize a state. As the U.S. is a permanent member of the UNSC, its veto is an effective block.

In responding to the event, Ziad Abu Amr, the Palestinian representative to the UN made an opening statement that contains a twisted narrative which is arguably the best place to understand the core of the conflict.

According to the Palestinian representative to the UN, the “plight” of the “Palestinian people” started “over a century ago” and, what’s more, it “is still ongoing.”

“Over a century ago”: meaning the conflict is not rooted in the 1967 War in which Israel took over Gaza and the West Bank in a defensive war. Instead, he claims it started with the Balfour Declaration in 1917 and the accelerated move of Jews to their historic homeland. Palestinians are not fighting about getting a state in the West Bank and Gaza, they are fighting about the presence of Jews and the existence of a Jewish State.

“Palestinian people”: A century ago, Palestinians included both Jews and Arabs. Both were residents of the Ottoman-controlled region. By suggesting that “Palestinian people” of a century ago are only Arabs is an ahistorical lie. Jews were Palestinians, and the “plight” that they have endured is the persistent attacks by local Arabs.

“Is still ongoing.”: Yes, Jews still live and continue to move to the land of Israel, and the Jewish State still exists. That Palestinian Arabs view the presence as a source of their “plight” shows their xenophobia, antisemitism and refusal to coexist.

The Palestinian representative, unashamed by his admission of xenophobia and antisemitism, continued to air more lies that “We” (meaning local Arabs) “have made every possible genuine effort… to achieve a peace that is based on the two state solution.”

Rejecting two-states in 1947, 1948, 1967, 2000, 2008, 2014 and launching wars slaughtering thousands of Israeli civilians is hardly an effort towards peace. The heinous attacks of October 7 and broad support by Palestinians for the attack show the desire of local Arabs to seek the destruction of Israel and murder of Jews.

Palestinian Arabs voted the antisemitic jihadi terrorist group Hamas to 58% of parliament and continue to support the group which controls Gaza and over 2 million people. In what alternative reality does anyone think that Palestinian Arabs support a two-state solution when the Hamas charter specifically states it will never accept a Jewish State? Why would any United Nations’ country vote to admit a State of Palestine that is still devoted to the mass slaughter of Jews and destruction of the Jewish State?

The Palestinian Authority lied to the United Nations that Jews have no rights nor history in the holy land and that the Jewish presence causes Arab suffering. That’s how little they’ve advanced in coexistence over the past century.