Part 8/12:
The original 1948 partition plan, which intended to establish separate Jewish and Arab states, was met with rejection and violence from Arab nations and Palestinian leaders. Subsequent wars in 1967 and 1973 saw Israel emerge victorious despite tremendous opposition and hostility. Instead of peace, these conflicts often resulted in expanded Israeli territory and heightened tensions.
Efforts like the Oslo Accords and US-led negotiations have repeatedly failed, largely because Palestinian leadership has historically rejected or undermined peace proposals. Yasser Arafat refused offers of statehood in 2000, and more recently, leaders such as Mahmoud Abbas rejected Israeli proposals—despite Israel’s unilateral withdrawals, such as from Gaza in 2005, which Hamas exploited to seize power.