Hananya Naftali
Nov 7, 2026
The Conflict Explained
The Short Answer
At its core, the conflict is about whether a Jewish state has the right to exist in the Land of Israel. Arab leaders rejected the UN plan for Jewish and Arab states in 1947 and went to war. Since then Israel has made peace with Egypt, Jordan and other Arab states, but Palestinian leaders have rejected repeated offers of statehood and terror groups like Hamas seek Israel's destruction.
How It Began
Jews returned to their ancestral homeland in growing numbers from the late 19th century. In 1947 the UN voted to divide the land into two states. The Jews accepted, the Arab leadership refused, and five Arab armies invaded in 1948. Read more: The Nakba and 1948
Missed Chances for Peace
Israel withdrew from Sinai for peace with Egypt and signed a treaty with Jordan. Palestinian leaders turned down offers of a state in 2000, 2001 and 2008, and Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, after which Hamas took over and fired thousands of rockets.
The latest war began when Hamas invaded Israel on October 7, 2023, murdering about 1,200 people and kidnapping 251. Read more: Did Israel Provoke October 7?
Key Facts
Arab leaders rejected the 1947 UN partition plan.
Israel has peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan and normalized ties with several Arab states.
Palestinian leaders rejected statehood offers in 2000, 2001 and 2008.
Hamas started the current war on October 7, 2023.