[Israeli President's Voice: Show Courage and Determination in Difficult Times]
As the Palestinian-Israeli conflict continues to intensify, Israeli President Herzog made an important speech to the country on the current situation. He posted on social platforms that Israel is going through a "very difficult moment", but he believes Israel has the ability to overcome those who threaten them.
President Herzog expressed support for IDF commanders and soldiers, security forces and rescue services. In his post, he conveyed courage and strength to all Israelis who were attacked. In addition, he called on people to heed the instructions of the Israeli rear command and to demonstrate shared responsibility and determination.
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict has escalated, and the Palestinian Islamic resistance movement Hamas has reportedly launched a new military operation against Israel called the "Al-Aqsa flood" and fired thousands of rockets. Israel has been subjected to extensive rocket bombardment from the Gaza Strip and numerous exchanges of fire with armed men. As a result of the attacks, several people have been killed and hundreds injured in Israel.
The IDF has declared a state of war and launched a military operation against armed groups in the Gaza Strip, named the "Iron Sword." In the face of the current tensions, Israeli President Herzog emphasized the unity of the country and the spirit of courage in the face of difficulties.
So how much do you know about the origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
Once upon a time, Palestine, Jews and Arabs lived side by side in a region considered holy by the world's major religions. This place is rich and pleasant, with enviable resources and landscapes, attracting many people to yearn and migrate here.
Jerusalem
Palestine, which enjoyed religious freedom and prosperity, attracted more and more Jews to settle here. They believe that this land is a sacred place given to them by God and hope to establish their home here. The arrival of the Jews aroused the resentment of some Arabs, who feared that their rights would be violated.
Wailing Wall
Over time, the contradictions between Jews and Arabs deepened. The Jews gradually expanded their influence in Palestine by buying land and developing the economy. However, this has also led to more Arab discontent and exclusion. They feel that their land has been usurped and that they have lost their autonomy.
With the outbreak of World War I, the entire Middle East region changed dramatically. The Allies victorious over Germany and the Ottoman Empire were victorious and received land guarantees for battle. Britain's promise of support for the creation of a state to Jews caused resentment and anger among the Arabs. The Arabs felt betrayed and deprived of the autonomy and state-building they had hoped for.
Soon after, the United Nations was established to resolve the question of Palestine through peaceful and just means. In 1947, the United Nations passed a resolution planning to divide Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state. However, the Arab States were dissatisfied with this division scheme, which they considered to be unfair treatment and firmly opposed it.
In ancient Mesopotamia, around present-day Iraq and Syria, an ancient and unique group began to rise: the Jews.
The origins of the Jews date back to ancient times around 4,000 BC. According to Jewish legend, their ancestor was Abraham, the ancestor of Israel, who is regarded as the spiritual leader and founder of the faith of the Jews. Abraham was considered God's chosen people and was given the special task of inheriting and guarding God-given laws and precepts.
Around 1400 BC, an important period began in the history of the Jews in Egypt. According to the Book of Exodus, Egypt was a powerful and prosperous kingdom at that time, and Jews came to settle here as an alien people.
At first, Jews lived a relatively peaceful and prosperous life in Egypt. However, over time, their circumstances gradually changed. The Pharaoh of Egypt, who had recently ascended the throne, felt jealous and threatened by the Jews, fearing that their growth and power would pose a threat to Egypt.
Pharaoh began a harsh policy of enslavement on the Jews, forcing them to engage in heavy labor, building pyramids and other large buildings. Jews were oppressed and abused, and their lives became difficult and painful.
However, just as the Jews were in despair, God sent Moses as their leader and savior. Moses fought Pharaoh several times, demanding that Pharaoh release the Jews and let them leave Egypt and return to their ancestral land of Canaan.
Pharaoh repeatedly refused, but God sent a series of disasters, and it was not until the last plague that Pharaoh agreed to let the Jews go. This catastrophe was a shadow of the death of the eldest son, which caused Pharaoh to finally submit and release the Jews.
In a city in ancient Egypt, a Jewish family gave birth to a baby. The baby's name was Moses. Moses was born during the reign of the Egyptian pharaoh, who feared that the Jewish population was growing too fast and ordered all Jewish baby boys to be thrown into the Nile.
Moses' mother decided to hide him in order to protect him. She put Moses in a small basket among the reeds by the Nile. At this time, Moses' sister Miriam stood in the distance to ensure his safety.
Pharaoh in his daughterhood went down to the river to fetch water and found Moses' basket. Impressed by the baby's cuteness and helplessness, she decides to adopt him as her son and name him Moses.
Growing up, Moses had a deep sympathy for the suffering of his own people. Once, he witnessed an Egyptian bullying a Jew, and in a fit of rage, Moses shot the Egyptian to death. When this was discovered, Moses realized that he had become a wanted criminal and had to flee Egypt.
Years later, Moses was grazing sheep in a wilderness mountainous area. On the front of a mountain, he saw a peculiar sight, a flame burning in a thorny bush without being consumed. Curiosity drove Moses, and he approached where the flame was. As he approached, he heard a voice that was God's call to him.
God told Moses that he had been chosen to deliver the Jewish people from Egyptian slavery. God has endowed him with miraculous abilities and wisdom, and He will be the guide who will lead the people through the wilderness and restore social order. Moses was in awe and uneasy, but he accepted God's command and was determined to fight for freedom and dignity for his people.
Moses returned to Egypt to show Pharaoh God's will, demanding that the Jews be released and allowed to leave Egypt. However, Pharaoh was unwilling to let them go, so God sent ten plagues, such as frogs, locusts, blood and water, etc., and Pharaoh finally agreed. Moses led the Jews across the Red Sea, escaped Pharaoh's army, and led them through many difficulties and trials in the wilderness.
Later, Moses led the land of Canaan, to which the Jews had reached, to become their ancestral land and establish the State of Israel. He also led the Jews to receive God-given laws, including the Ten Commandments.
Moses was regarded by the Jews as a great prophet and leader, and his story became an important scripture and tradition in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. His firm faith and sense of mission brought freedom and justice to the people, profoundly influencing world history and religious development.
The Jewish journey out of Egypt is known as the book of Exodus. They went through the hardships and trials of the wilderness, while also being sheltered and guided by God. Moses led them across the Red Sea, escaping Pharaoh's pursuers and eventually to Mount Sinai.
At Mount Sinai, Moses received God's heavenly law, the Ten Commandments, and numerous other laws and regulations. These laws became the cornerstone of Jewish culture and belief, shaping their moral outlook and way of life.
Although Moses and his great deeds are based on the legend of Exodus, the Jews do have deep historical ties to Egypt. Archaeological evidence suggests that Jews did exist in ancient Egypt and that they may have suffered varying degrees of oppression and suffering there.
The history of Jews in Egypt shows their resilience and faith. Despite oppression and persecution, they maintained their unique identity and beliefs, adhering to God-given laws and precepts. This history also became a symbol of their quest for freedom and justice, inspiring Jews to fight for their faith and rights in later years.
The history of the Jews has been full of ups and downs, facing many exiles and difficulties. In the 6th century BC, the Babylonian Empire invaded their homeland and expelled them to Babylon, an event known as the Babylonian Exile. However, under the rule of the Persian Empire, some Jews were able to return to Palestine and rebuild the Jewish temple, a period known as the Second Temple Period.
However, in 70 AD, the Roman Empire brutally suppressed the Jews, destroying the Second Temple and expelling the Jews again. This exile became known as the Great Expulsion or the Great Purge of the Jews. Since then, Jews have been forced to disperse around the world and become diasporas.
Despite being scattered across different countries and continents, Jews still strive to maintain their unique identity and cultural traditions. They adhere to the Jewish faith and respect and obey God's commandments and laws. In the diaspora, Jews also made outstanding contributions in the cultural, intellectual, and commercial spheres. They have made great achievements in various fields such as law, medicine, science, arts and economics.
However, the Jews also suffered a lot of persecution and suffering throughout history. They experienced many catastrophic events such as the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, and the Nazi Holocaust. These sufferings deepened Jews' insistence on their unique identity and culture, and raised global concerns about Jewish rights and dignity.
After World War II, Jews pursued their right to self-determination and proclaimed the State of Israel in 1948. The country became a home for the Jews, a home where they could live and thrive safely. However, this has also led to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, ongoing conflicts and controversies with Arab countries.
With the introduction of the division plan, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has further escalated. The Jews were dissatisfied with the restrictions imposed on their country by the partition scheme, and they tried to expand their territory. The Arab States condemned such actions sternly, saying they would not accept the existence of a Jewish state.
In 1948, the first Middle East war broke out. Israel declared its independence and became an independent state, while the Arab countries united in an attempt to defeat Israel and restore its sovereignty. The war lasted for several months and caused a great deal of casualties and destruction, but in the end Israel succeeded in retaining its territory and expanding its territory.
However, instead of resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the war has complicated the situation. Large numbers of Arab refugees have been forced to leave their homes and become stateless exiles. This has exacerbated Arab hostility towards Israel and made the Palestinian-Israeli conflict more difficult to resolve.
Over the years, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has had ups and downs at different stages. Peace initiatives and attempts at negotiations have continued but have failed. Disputes have focused on issues such as territory, security, refugees and Jerusalem. The differing views of the two sides on each other's national security and the right to self-determination had led to a stalemate.
In recent years, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has escalated again and the violent conflict has continued to intensify. The war in the Middle East has become the focus of global attention, and people have attracted greater attention and concerns about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Countries around the world have called on both sides to exercise restraint and resolve the issue through dialogue and peaceful means. However, achieving a peaceful solution requires all parties to work together to make compromises and concessions.
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict is a complex and lengthy issue involving historical, religious, territorial and political dimensions. It takes wisdom and courage on all sides to find a just and lasting solution to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East. It is only through mutual understanding and respect that this bloody struggle can finally be brought to an end and that the peoples of Palestine and Israel can live side by side in peace and prosperity.
Jerusalem in Palestine is considered holy to Judaism, Christianity and Islam. This is because Jerusalem has important historical, religious, and symbolic significance among these three religions.
For Judaism, Jerusalem is a sacred place given by God and the spiritual center of the Jewish people. In the classical and cultural traditions of Judaism, Jerusalem is where Abraham offered Isaac, and where Solomon built the first temple and Nehemiah rebuilt the second. These events made Jerusalem a place of religious pursuit and pilgrimage for Judaism.
Christianity regards Jerusalem as the holy city of Christianity. According to Christian doctrine, Jerusalem is the place of the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. Christians consider Jerusalem to be a place of reconciliation between God and humanity and the starting point for the spread of the gospel of Christ. The Old Walls of Jerusalem contain many important Christian shrines, such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Mount of Olives.
In Islam, Jerusalem is known as "Betur-Medina", which means "the land of the prophets on expeditions." According to Islamic beliefs, Muhammad came to Jerusalem at night through heaven and subsequently ascended to heaven. Thus, for Islamists, Jerusalem is the third holiest city and is considered the place of the holy experience of the Prophet Muhammad. The Al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem are among the most important shrines in Islam.
Despite the importance and significance of Jerusalem among the three major religions, there are some differences and controversies among religions regarding the treatment of this holy place. For example, for Jews, Jerusalem is the religious and historical center of the Jewish people, who want to be able to establish their own state and temple in Jerusalem. For Christians and Islam, they also have important religious sentiments and status over Jerusalem, so they want to be able to preserve and enjoy their religious rights here.
The status quo and disputes in Jerusalem have not yet been completely resolved and have become one of the key issues in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The international community calls on all parties to resolve the issue of Jerusalem through dialogue and compromise in order to achieve peace and stability. Only mutual respect and understanding, guided by the principles of justice and equality, can provide space for the coexistence of the pursuit of all religions.
The Gaza Strip has become a key point in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict because of its geographical, political and historical specificities.
Geographically, the Gaza Strip is located between Israel and Egypt, closely linked to Israel, and is narrow and crowded. Its geographical location makes it one of the main areas inhabited by the Palestinian people. However, the region's limited resources and high population density have led to difficult living conditions, lagging economic development, social pressures and instability.
Gaza Strip
Politically, the Gaza Strip is part of Palestinian territory but has been under Israeli occupation since 1967. Israel has imposed strict border controls and closures and has imposed a prolonged blockade of the Gaza Strip. This has led to the economic collapse of the Gaza Strip, high unemployment and humanitarian hardship.
Historically, the Gaza Strip has been in a state of tension and conflict since the beginning of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Palestinian and Israeli sides have engaged in numerous clashes and wars in the region, resulting in casualties, destruction and humanitarian crises. The Palestinian national movement has also enjoyed broad support and development in the Gaza Strip, strengthening the region's quest for independence and self-determination.
As a result, the Gaza Strip has become a key point in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict because of its geographical importance, political controversy and the accumulation of historical conflicts. Both sides want to achieve their political goals and national interests in the region, which has led to a struggle for land, resources and control. The conflict and instability in the Gaza Strip still exist, and the search for a peaceful solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict requires joint efforts and compromise on both sides.