The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine

1. Zionism's Colonial Roots and the Denial of Palestinian Rights

Starting after World War I, the dismantling of indigenous Palestinian society was set in motion by the large-scale immigration of European Jewish settlers supported by the newly established British Mandate authorities, who helped them build the autonomous structure of a Zionist para-state.

Settler Colonialism. The core of the conflict lies in Zionism's nature as a settler-colonial project, aiming to supplant the indigenous population. This framework explains the systematic efforts to dispossess Palestinians, mirroring historical patterns in the Americas, Africa, and Australasia. The Zionist movement, backed by powerful external forces, sought to transform a predominantly Arab land into a Jewish state, necessitating the marginalization and displacement of its native inhabitants.

Denial of Existence. A key tactic in this colonial endeavor was the denial of Palestinian identity and rights. This erasure manifested in various forms, from dismissing Palestinians as mere "non-Jewish communities" to propagating the myth of a barren, empty land awaiting Jewish cultivation. Such rhetoric justified the dispossession and displacement of Palestinians, framing them as an obstacle to progress and civilization.

Biblical Justification. The Zionist movement skillfully wove its colonial ambitions with biblical narratives, resonating deeply with many Christians and Jews. This religious framing obscured the colonial nature of the project, making it appear as a divinely ordained return rather than a modern political movement seeking to displace an existing population. This biblical veneer continues to influence perceptions of the conflict, particularly in the West.

2. The Balfour Declaration as a Declaration of War

For the inhabitants of Palestine, whose future it ultimately decided, Balfour’s careful, calibrated prose was in effect a gun pointed directly at their heads, a declaration of war by the British Empire on the indigenous population.

Imperial Ambitions. The Balfour Declaration, issued in 1917, marked a turning point, pledging British support for a Jewish national home in Palestine. This declaration, made without consulting the indigenous population, effectively disregarded their rights and aspirations. It was a strategic move by the British Empire, motivated by geopolitical interests and a desire to secure control over Palestine.

Disregarding the Majority. The declaration's language, referring to the Arab majority as "non-Jewish communities," underscored the colonial mindset that prioritized Zionist aspirations over the rights of the indigenous population. This disregard for the Palestinians' political and national rights set the stage for a century of conflict and dispossession. The declaration was a promise made by a foreign power regarding land it did not own, to a people who were a tiny minority in that land, at the expense of the vast majority of its inhabitants.

A Colonial Mandate. The Balfour Declaration, enshrined in the League of Nations Mandate for Palestine, provided the legal and political framework for the Zionist project to flourish. The Mandate facilitated Jewish immigration, land acquisition, and the establishment of a parallel Zionist administration, effectively creating a state-in-waiting within Palestine. This structure, backed by British power, further marginalized the Palestinians and paved the way for their eventual dispossession.

3. Palestinian Identity Formation Amidst Colonialism

In fact, Palestinian identity and nationalism are all too often seen to be no more than recent expressions of an unreasoning (if not fanatical) opposition to Jewish national self-determination.

Evolving Identity. Palestinian identity evolved in response to both internal and external factors, including Ottoman rule, modernization, and the growing threat of Zionism. The rise of modern education, the press, and political organizations fostered a sense of shared national consciousness among Palestinians. This identity was not merely a reaction to Zionism but a complex and multifaceted expression of belonging to a specific land and culture.

Challenging Misconceptions. The narrative that Palestinian identity is a recent invention is a deliberate attempt to delegitimize their claims to the land. In reality, Palestinian identity, like all national identities, is a modern construct shaped by historical circumstances. It is a dynamic and evolving sense of belonging, rooted in a shared history, culture, and attachment to Palestine.

The Role of the Press. Newspapers like Filastin and al-Karmil played a crucial role in shaping and disseminating Palestinian national consciousness. These publications provided a platform for expressing Palestinian concerns, articulating their aspirations, and fostering a sense of collective identity in the face of colonial encroachment. They served as vital tools for mobilizing resistance and preserving Palestinian heritage.

4. The UN Partition Plan and the Seeds of the Nakba

With the UN partition decision, the Zionist movement’s military and civil structures were backed by both of the nascent superpowers of the postwar era and could prepare to take over as much of the country as possible.

Superpower Influence. The 1947 UN Partition Plan, dividing Palestine into Jewish and Arab states, reflected the growing influence of the United States and the Soviet Union in the post-World War II era. Both superpowers, for their own strategic reasons, supported the creation of a Jewish state, disregarding the rights and aspirations of the Palestinian majority. This international endorsement provided the Zionist movement with the legitimacy and resources to pursue its territorial ambitions.

Unequal Division. The Partition Plan allocated a disproportionate share of Palestine to the Jewish state, despite the fact that Jews constituted a minority of the population and owned a small percentage of the land. This unequal division, coupled with the plan's failure to adequately protect Palestinian rights, laid the groundwork for the Nakba, the mass displacement and dispossession of Palestinians in 1948.

A Green Light for Conquest. The UN resolution provided the Zionist movement with the international backing it needed to implement its long-held goal of establishing a Jewish state in Palestine. With the support of the superpowers, Zionist militias were emboldened to seize control of as much territory as possible, leading to the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their homes. The UN resolution, intended to bring peace, instead became a catalyst for violence and displacement.

5. The Nakba: A Deliberate Campaign of Ethnic Cleansing

Such radical social engineering at the expense of the indigenous population is the way of all colonial settler movements.

Systematic Expulsion. The Nakba, or "Catastrophe," of 1948 was not merely a consequence of war but a deliberate campaign of ethnic cleansing aimed at creating a Jewish majority in Palestine. Zionist militias, and later the Israeli army, systematically expelled Palestinians from their homes, destroyed their villages, and seized their land. This forced displacement resulted in the creation of a massive refugee population, whose descendants continue to seek their right of return to this day.

Beyond Military Victory. The Nakba was more than just a military victory for the Zionist movement; it was a necessary precondition for the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine. The expulsion of the Arab population was essential to achieving a demographic majority and securing control over the land. This radical social engineering, carried out with violence and impunity, remains a defining event in Palestinian history.

Ongoing Dispossession. The Nakba was not a one-time event but an ongoing process of dispossession and displacement. Even after 1948, Palestinians continued to be expelled from their homes, their land confiscated, and their rights denied. This continuous process of dispossession underscores the colonial nature of the conflict and the ongoing struggle for Palestinian self-determination.

6. The Legacy of 1967: Occupation and Resistance

Starting after the war, the focus on Palestine as a central locus of identity drew strength from widespread frustration at the blocking of Arab aspirations in Syria and elsewhere as the Middle East became suffocatingly dominated by the European colonial powers.

New Territories, New Challenges. The 1967 Six-Day War resulted in Israel's occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights, bringing millions more Palestinians under Israeli military rule. This occupation, which continues to this day, has been marked by systematic human rights violations, settlement expansion, and the denial of Palestinian self-determination. The war also led to a new wave of Palestinian refugees, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

Security Council Resolution 242. The UN Security Council's Resolution 242, passed in the aftermath of the 1967 war, became the cornerstone of international efforts to resolve the conflict. However, its ambiguous language and failure to address the core issues of Palestinian rights and self-determination have rendered it largely ineffective. The resolution's focus on "secure and recognized boundaries" has been interpreted by Israel as a justification for maintaining its occupation and expanding its settlements.

Resurrecting Palestinian Identity. The 1967 war, despite its devastating consequences, also sparked a resurgence of Palestinian national consciousness and resistance. The occupation galvanized a new generation of Palestinians, who organized protests, strikes, and armed resistance against Israeli rule. This renewed sense of identity and purpose helped to keep the Palestinian cause alive on the international stage.

7. The Oslo Accords: A Façade of Peace

The great initial disadvantage under which the Palestinians labored was compounded by the Zionist organization’s massive capital investments, arduous labor, sophisticated legal maneuvers, intensive lobbying, effective propaganda, and covert and overt military means.

False Promises. The Oslo Accords, signed in the 1990s, were initially hailed as a breakthrough in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, the accords ultimately failed to deliver on their promise of a just and lasting peace. The interim nature of the agreements, coupled with Israel's continued settlement expansion and control over Palestinian life, created a system of limited self-rule that fell far short of Palestinian aspirations for statehood.

A Subcontractor for Occupation. The Palestinian Authority, established under the Oslo Accords, became increasingly reliant on international aid and security coordination with Israel. This dependence undermined its legitimacy in the eyes of many Palestinians, who viewed it as a tool of the occupation rather than a genuine representative of their interests. The PA's role in suppressing Palestinian resistance further eroded its credibility.

The Illusion of Progress. The Oslo Accords created an illusion of progress while entrenching the status quo of occupation and dispossession. The failure to address core issues such as Jerusalem, refugees, and borders left the conflict unresolved and paved the way for future violence and instability. The Oslo process, intended to bring peace, ultimately became a vehicle for perpetuating the occupation.

8. The Wars on Gaza: A Cycle of Violence and Dispossession

The message is also amply represented in popular culture in Israel and the United States, as well as in political and public life.

The Gaza Strip as a Crucible. The Gaza Strip, a small and densely populated territory, has become a focal point of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, Israel has imposed a crippling blockade, severely restricting the movement of people and goods. This blockade, coupled with repeated military assaults, has created a humanitarian crisis and fueled a cycle of violence and despair.

Disproportionate Force. Israel's military operations in Gaza have been characterized by the use of disproportionate force, resulting in a high number of civilian casualties and widespread destruction of infrastructure. These attacks, often justified as self-defense against Hamas rocket fire, have been condemned by international human rights organizations as violations of international law. The Dahiya doctrine, which advocates for the use of overwhelming force against civilian areas, exemplifies this approach.

A Humanitarian Crisis. The blockade and repeated military assaults have left Gaza's economy in ruins, its infrastructure devastated, and its population traumatized. The lack of access to basic necessities, coupled with the constant threat of violence, has created a humanitarian crisis that demands urgent international attention. The wars on Gaza have become a symbol of the ongoing dispossession and suffering of the Palestinian people.

9. The US Role: A Century of Enabling Dispossession

Today, the conflict that was engendered by this classic nineteenth-century European colonial venture in a non-European land, supported from 1917 onward by the greatest Western imperial power of its age, is rarely described in such unvarnished terms.

Unwavering Support. The United States has played a central role in shaping the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, providing unwavering political, military, and economic support to Israel. This support has enabled Israel to maintain its occupation, expand its settlements, and resist international pressure to negotiate a just and lasting peace. The US has often acted as Israel's lawyer, defending its actions on the international stage and shielding it from accountability.

Ignoring Palestinian Rights. The US has consistently prioritized Israeli security concerns over Palestinian rights and aspirations. This bias has manifested in various forms, from vetoing UN resolutions critical of Israel to providing billions of dollars in military aid. The US has also failed to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law, perpetuating a cycle of impunity.

A Distorted Narrative. The US has promoted a distorted narrative of the conflict, portraying Israel as a victim of Palestinian violence and ignoring the underlying causes of the conflict, including the occupation, dispossession, and denial of Palestinian self-determination. This narrative has shaped public opinion and policy in the US, making it difficult to challenge the status quo.

10. The Imperative of Equality for a Just Resolution

There is also his tenacious conviction that ‘there are now two peoples in Palestine, irrespective of how they came into being, and the conflict between them cannot be resolved as long as the national existence of each is denied by the other.’

Two Peoples, Equal Rights. The only path to a just and lasting resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict lies in recognizing the equal rights of both peoples. This requires acknowledging the historical injustices inflicted upon the Palestinians, ending the occupation, and creating a sovereign Palestinian state alongside Israel. It also requires dismantling the system of legal and institutional discrimination that privileges Jewish Israelis over Palestinian citizens of Israel.

Challenging the Status Quo. Achieving equality will require a fundamental shift in power dynamics, both within Palestine and in the international arena. This will necessitate challenging the dominant narrative that has long favored Israel, holding it accountable for its actions, and mobilizing international pressure to end the occupation and ensure Palestinian rights.

A Postcolonial Future. The future of Palestine depends on moving beyond the colonial framework that has defined the conflict for over a century. This requires embracing a vision of shared sovereignty, mutual respect, and equal rights for all, regardless of ethnicity or religion. Only by dismantling the structures of inequality and oppression can Palestinians and Israelis build a future of peace and justice together.

Last updated: March 28, 2025