decades. Israel also continues to occupy and settle in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, territories that compose parts of Palestine under international law.5 These flagrant land violations have led to the rise of extremism in Palestine, including that of terrorist group Hamas. Concentrated in the Gaza Strip, Hamas is recognized by the US government as a terrorist organization. The body desires the destruction of Israel and an establishment of a full-fledged Arab Palestinian State in the region. They have employed multiple terrorist tactics, including mass bombings, suicide explosives, and attacks on innocent civilians. The group creates negotiating difficulties for the PLO and its leaders because they are unwilling to compromise with Israel, or even allow the nation to continue existing. However, the PLO and their allies have laid out certain terms and conditions for which they are willing to negotiate. Analysis The PLO is mainly supported by the Arab league, an organization of Islamic nations in Africa and the Middle East. They back Palestine's claims and support a twostate solution with the 1967 Israeli-Palestinian divisions. On the other hand, Israel is back by NATO and most NATO nations. They generally support Israeli extension and/or control beyond the 1967 line for security and trade purposes. In 2003, the US, UK, UN, and Russia (Also known as the “Quartet�) negotiated the Roadmap for Peace, which implemented a two-state solution, and was supposed to solve the conflict within two years. However, 2005 came and went with no results. Even so, the Roadmap continues to serve as a helpful model for negotiations. Most nations and organizations agree that a two-state solution is the best way to
resolve the current situation in Israel & Palestine. This entails one sovereign Jewish state and one sovereign Palestinian state to solidify the existence and ability to negotiate for both nations. In order to achieve this, many nations have petitioned the UNSC to grant Palestine a full-fledged UN membership, a movement known as Palestine 194. While the idea sounds reasonable, the United States has a long history of vetoing this motion for security concerns. Israel, with the backing of the US, currently occupies Palestine with its military. The Israeli government claims to be only protecting its national security and fight terrorism, while Palestinians see this as a violation of national sovereignty, especially since the Israeli government has begun setting up illegal Jewish settlements in Gaza and the West Bank. Also, many Palestinians and Arab nations continue to deny Israel’s legitimacy, so adding Palestine to the official roster of UN member states may level the playing field for the two nations. At the same time, it might create an opportunity to investigate accusations of human rights violations on both sides, including forced removal from homes and private land. In resolving these border disputes once and for all, the two nations may be able to reconcile and coexist peacefully. The last big piece of the story is Jerusalem. While Jerusalem serves as the capital of Israel, it also serves as the seat of Abrahamic religions. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all revere the municipality as sacred ground. Israel and Palestine both claim the holy city for Judaism and Islam respectively. The UN has continuously proposed that Jerusalem remain a corpus separatum, also known as an international city. Much to the 267