Conflict Timeline

The nightmare for our Palestinian people began with the 1917 Balfour Declaration, when British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour promised our land to create a "Jewish homeland" without consulting those who actually lived there. With these 67 words in a letter, a foreign power decided the fate of our blessed land without any regard for its Muslim and Christian inhabitants who made up over 95% of the population.

Following World War I, Britain took control of Palestine under the Mandate system (1922-1947). During this period, the British facilitated mass Jewish immigration, dramatically altering our homeland's demographics against the wishes of the indigenous population.

The UN Partition Plan of 1947 proposed dividing Palestine into Jewish and Arab states, allocating 55% of the land to the Jewish population (who owned less than 7% of the land). This unjust proposal was rightfully rejected by Palestinians.

Then came the catastrophic Nakba (catastrophe) of 1948, when Zionist forces launched a campaign of ethnic cleansing that resulted in the destruction of over 500 Palestinian villages and the expulsion of more than 750,000 Palestinians from their homes. The infamous Deir Yassin massacre, where Zionist forces slaughtered over 100 Palestinian villagers including women and children, was just one of many atrocities. Those who managed to reach Gaza, the West Bank, or neighboring countries carried their house keys, believing they would soon return.

Allah reminds us in the Quran: "And do not consume one another's wealth unjustly..." (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:188)

In 1967, Israel launched the Six-Day War, occupying what remained of historic Palestine – the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem – along with Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and Syria's Golan Heights. This occupation brought Al-Aqsa Mosque, our third holiest site in Islam, under Israeli control. Muslims worldwide were shocked and heartbroken.

Since 1967, Israel has built hundreds of illegal settlements on our land, housing over 700,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, violating Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Our First Intifada (1987-1993) was a popular uprising against these harsh conditions. Largely nonviolent, it featured mass demonstrations, civil disobedience, and general strikes. This uprising led to the deeply flawed Oslo Accords (1993-1995), which created the Palestinian Authority with limited self-governance but failed to end the occupation.

The Second Intifada (2000-2005) erupted after provocative Israeli politician Ariel Sharon visited Al-Aqsa Mosque compound with hundreds of armed guards. More than 3,000 Palestinians were killed, and Israel began construction of the "Separation Wall" that snakes deep into Palestinian territory.

In 2005, Israel withdrew its settlements from Gaza but maintained control over its borders, airspace, and territorial waters – transforming it into "the world's largest open-air prison." In 2006, Palestinians held democratic elections resulting in a Hamas victory. Rather than respecting this democratic choice, Israel and Western powers imposed a punishing blockade on Gaza.

Since 2007, this blockade has devastated Gaza's economy and infrastructure. Israel has launched major military offensives against Gaza in 2008-2009, 2012, 2014, 2021, and the ongoing 2023-2024 campaign – killing thousands of civilians and repeatedly targeting schools, hospitals, and essential infrastructure.

Through all this suffering, our steadfastness (sumud) grows stronger. We hold firm to our land with the patience (sabr) that Allah commands:

"O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient." (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:153)