Israel history – UPSC GS1

The original sin of Israel’s birth has scarred it for life and it remains incapable of finding an identity that would meet basic democratic norms. Do you agree with this view? Critically comment. (200 Words)
The upcoming of a Jewish State, Israel, started from the influx of Jews into Arab dominated Palestine following the Belfour Declaration. After facing years of torture at the hands of Nazi’s, Jew population in Palestine increased many fold and it got UN-backing for a separate State. Despite erstwhile Palestinian’s objection the 1947 UN resolution declared the partition heavily skewed in Israel’s favour. The Jews formed only 1/3rd of the population, even after influx of Holocaust survivors, and they were awarded 55% of the Palestinian land, which included the more fertile land and industrial areas. Hence, the birth of Israel itself defied the will of the majority of the Palestinians.
Israel continued it expansionist agenda in the 1948 and 1967 war. Despite UN declaration of Jerusalem as an international city, Israel declared it as its ‘eternal’ capital. Violating 4th Geneva convention, it further occupied Gaza and West Bank and refused to withdraw even after UN resolution. Ironically, Israel was admitted into UN on the very condition that it would return the occupied territories. The persecution faced by Jews in 1940s, later was reflected in the adversities of Palestinians at the hands of Jews themselves. Palestinians lost most of their State and continue to live as refugees in Jordan, Libya, Syria, Iraq, Kuwait, etc.
Terming Israel as a ‘Jewish Democratic State’ would be unfair seeing it political class undermining democracy and dictating terms irrespective of global scenario. Current presidents accusation against Iran are also ill-founded as IAEA has confirmed a number of times that Iran’s nuclear programme is not a threat to global peace. The scars of the heinous past of Jews does not justify the violent bloodshed and diatribe.

 

Despite global appreciation, Israel labelled the recently concluded nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers as stunning historical mistake‘. Critically examine the historical reasons why relations between these two countries is not good. (200 Words)
The relationship between Iran and Israel is a mixed bag, there was a time when both these nations maintained cordial relations but with the opposition of Israel to the deal of P5+1 with Iran the differences between them had again surfaced. Some of the historical reasons behind these differences are
  1. Iran had opposed to the plans of UN for formation of Israel state by partitioning Palestine in 1948 as they felt that this could lead to instability in the middle east
  2. With return of conservative rule in Iran post 1979 revolution hitherto good ties between both of them have been broken off and again the question of legitimacy of Israeli state was put forth by Iran. Iran‘s prosecution of its Jewish minority after the 1979 revolution was objected by Israel forcefully.
  3. Post-Gulf war which lowered the influence of Iraq in the west Asia a bipolarity has emerged in the form of Iran and Israel as strong powers in this region
  4. Acquiring of weapons by Iran is always seen as a threat to their sovereignty by Israel, this militarily strengthening of Iran had further aggravated the situation
  5. Israel alleged that Iran is involved in funding to extremist organisations like Hamas, Hezbollah etc.
  6. Israel taking the side of Saudi Arabia, which is in conflict with Iran on sectarian lines i.e. Shias and Sunnis.
  7. Israel has unpaid debt to Iran of about a billion dollars, which it refuses to pay even after losing international cases.
  8. Alleged covert attacks by Israel on Iranian nuclear scientists and the Israeli complicity in the Stuxnet attack also complicates the relations.
Finally, fears of Israel should be alleviated by the P5 nations and Iran otherwise the already instable west Asia is prone to more vulnerability

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