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Lara Amro
Mr. Middlekauf
English 9 Honors
Augsut 14th 2015
The Conflict for the Holy Land
Many international problems plague the world. One of the more prominent issues that are
often brought to the forefront is the political conflict between Palestine and Israel. The formation
of Israel in 1946, and the following conflicts that encapsulated the entire Middle East, displaced
hundreds of thousands of lives in the country formerly known as Palestine. Last year, a grand
conflict between the Israeli military and the Palestinian resistance, Hamas, resulted in a horrible
loss of life and infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. More recently however, the reelection of
Benjamin Netanyahu and a number of sporadic attacks on Palestinian territory have continued
this horrendous struggle. Although the region is more stable today, tensions continue to run high
as Palestinians vie for statehood. I believe that an end to this conflict is important to the United
States because of its humanitarian cost, political liability, and its potential to stabilize the rest of
the Middle East.
Last year, nearly 3000 Palestinian men, women, and children died during the bombing of
the Gaza Strip (Dearden). The conflict started when the Israeli military accused Hamas members
of kidnapping three Israeli citizens, beginning a horrific summer of invasion. This conflict
quickly escalated, and numerous cease-fires attempted to find an end to the battle. The number of
innocent casualties, and the ineffectiveness of the diplomatic solutions during and following the
conflict resulted in a tremendous humanitarian crisis that continues to this summer. Although

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there is no large scale conflict occurring in the Palestinian territories this summer, various other
events leading up to the current day have suggested that another equally large crisis could erupt.
The Israel policy on Palestinian land is dubious at best, and various international efforts
have been made in an attempt to reclaim or reconcile the stealing of Palestinian lands. Following
his reelection into the position of Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu gave permission for the
construction of nearly 300 homes in an illegal settlement near the Palestinian city of Ramallah
(Kershner). The building of illegal settlements has been denounced internationally by several
members of the UN, and is currently one of the most notable political conflicts in the world.
Nevertheless, the United States has failed to properly aid in investigations into these atrocities,
and has threatened its use of the veto on several occasions regarding Israel. Indirectly defending
Israels illegal settlements, and failing to denounce the most recent approval of construction puts
the United States at political and moral odds with the rest of the world on a critical humanitarian
issue. The political debauchery of Israel and its aloofness to international law suggest that it is a
major political liability as a US ally in the Middle East.
The current state of the Middle East is incredibly depressing, especially for individuals
from that area of the world. ISIS currently terrorizes great swathes of Iraq and threatens many
other countries, including Turkey, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia (Botelho). Syria continues to be one
of the most dangerous places in the world, with millions making exodus away from the Assad
regimes slaughter (Botelho). In a time of political, social, and economic instability, unity
becomes very important in achieving peace. It is not surprising that Palestinian statehood has
been a core pursuit of many, if not all, of the Middle Eastern states. The acceptance of a
Palestinian state could very well be the catalyst to a more unified and stable Middle East. The
stabilization of the Middle East, and the betterment of its relations with the international

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community in both politics and economics, is extremely important to the United States.
Moreover, ending the occupation of Palestine sets an important precedent that could aid in
transforming the diplomatic relations involving Middle Eastern countries. The freedom of the
Palestinian people is thus a central issue in the stabilization of the Middle East as a whole.
Having recently visited relatives in Palestine, I can say that life is relatively normal in
calmer areas of the West Bank. However, the battles that rage between the resistance armies and
Israel are always nearby, and a night rarely went by without a relative suggesting an attack was
an imminent. I believe that it is important for the United States to consider Palestinian statehood
as a viable option in order to relieve the tension that surrounds the Middle East. Over the past
two summers, I have attended demonstrations that attempted to reveal the atrocities committed
by Israel to the people of Memphis. Although participating in demonstrations is extreme for
some to consider, I believe that continuing to be informed and informing others regarding the
subject is equally important. The conflict for the Holy Land has continued for centuries, and I
hope it comes to an end during our lifetime.

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Works Cited
Botelho, Greg. Whats happening in the Middle East and why it matters. CNN. Cable News
Network. 24 January 2015. http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/23/middleeast/middle-eastcountry-breakdown/
Dearden, Lizzie. Israel-Gaza Conflict: 50-day war by numbers. The Independent. The
Independent. 27 August 2014.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israelgaza-conflict-50day-war-bynumbers-9693310.html
Kershner, Isabel. As Homes in West Bank Settlement Are Demolished, Netanyahu Approves
More. New York Times. The New York Times Company. 29 July 2015.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/30/world/middleeast/as-homes-in-west-banksettlement-are-demolished-netanyahu-approves-more.html

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