This blog attempts to grasp the context of the current Israeli/Hamas conflict by offering a synopsis of the background history of a poorly understood region of the world. The overview renders some basic knowledge of the very complex mixture of vastly different cultures living there in seemingly never-ending tension. Hopefully, some familiarity may promote a better understanding of the IDF/Hamas war.
Offering an abridged version of the Middle East may be an oversimplification, but it may help you sort through the confusing, contradictory daily news reports and hopefully arrive at some stage of the reality of what’s going on in Gaza. Perception is not reality, so be careful with interpreting the news.
Identity in the Middle East is defined by ancestry, religion, and language. All three factors have tribal overtones differentiating and expressing these features. These facts are fundamental to understanding the Middle East.
Iran, formerly Persia, has a distinct history from the fourteen Arabic nations of the region. From a cultural standpoint, Iran/Persia is more educated and advanced and 60% of the population has pure Persian lifelines. Since the’79 overthrow of the Shah, the Mullahs have control over Iran’s 87 million Persians. Their radical Islamic ideology instigates most of the trouble in the region by sponsoring terrorist groups- Hezbollah and Hamas, their proxies. Simply put, Iran is the source of the problems.
Iran’s language is Persian- Farsi and Dari. Arabs speak Arabic, naturally the major language in the region.
Arabs and Persians share the same Muslim religion- Islam and the Quran, dating from the 7th century. Persians follow the Shiite version of Prophet Mohammad’s teachings, while the Sunni Arabs follow stricter interpretations. The doctrine is often literal, justifying radical terrorism.
Sunnis outnumber Shias two to one in a population of over a billion. They’ve fought each other over the centuries, but since the British Balfour agreement created Israel in 1948, their animosity has focused on Israel. Notably, their military attacks failed in ’68 (6-day war), ’73 (Yom Kippur war), and in 2014, a two-month war in Gaza. This was a prelude to the current war when they acquiesced to a cease-fire.
Meanwhile, Palestine was a British Protectorate, never becoming a State. Gaza is a 26 mile strip of land on Israel’s Mediterranean coast and Israel is about the size of New Jersey. Gaza is not recognized as a nation. Densely populated with over two million people, it once had high hopes of becoming the Singapore of the Mediterranean. Palestinians have a nomadic history. They make up half of Jordan’s population, and thousands more are living in Syria and Lebanon.
Although there were several opportunities presented and passed up for a “Two-State” solution, once Hamas gained control of Gaza in 2007 there was no chance. Hamas’ charter, like Iran’s, is to “Wipe Israel off the face of the earth.”
Not exactly a starting point for peaceful negotiations following the Hamas atrocities of October 7th, 2023.
As Golda Meier said “it is hard to negotiate with someone who wants to kill you”