why are israel and palestine at war

The conflict between Israel and Palestine is primarily about land, national self-determination, and political sovereignty. It originated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with the rise of Zionism—a movement advocating for a Jewish homeland in Palestine—and the simultaneous rise of Arab nationalism among the existing Arab population in that region. Tensions grew as Jewish immigration increased and land was purchased for Jewish settlement, leading to fears of displacement among Palestinian Arabs. The situation escalated due to historical promises, such as the British Balfour Declaration supporting a Jewish homeland, conflicting with Arab desires for independence. The United Nations proposed partitioning the land into separate Jewish and Arab states in 1947, which was rejected by Arab nations. The declaration of the State of Israel in 1948 led to wars and the displacement of many Palestinians. Since then, key issues including Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, the status of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements, security concerns, and the right of return for Palestinians have fueled ongoing violence and political deadlock. More recently, armed conflicts such as the 2023-2025 Gaza war, initiated by a large-scale attack by Hamas on Israel and subsequent Israeli military operations in Gaza, exemplify the continuing cycle of violence rooted in unresolved historical grievances, territorial disputes, and differing national aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians.