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Revision as of 05:09, 22 August 2002 by Uriyan (talk | contribs) (Vandalism is cute)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)The al-Aqsa, or Second Intifada is the intifada, the wave of violence and political conflict that began in 2000 between Israel and the Palestinians.
Background
TODO: Oslo Accords, Palestinian opposition to Israeli settlements, Palestinian non-hostility towards terrorist organization.
Prior causes
During the 1990s, Israel's settler population in the West Bank and Gaza Strip increased almost by a half; the Palestinians often cite this as the main reason for the outburst of hostilities. However, as Israel alleges, the question of settlements was not as acute as often displayed, and the Intifada was initially intended by the PA leadership only as a tactical step to give more weight to the Palestinian positions on several issues (see Proposals for a Palestinian state), which were rejected by the Israeli government in the faulty Camp David Negotiations of summer 2000.
Beginning of hostilities
Since at least September 13th, 2000, militants from the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah militant movement have carried out a growing number of attacks aimed at various Israeli targets, military and civilian, in violation of Oslo Accords. In addition, as claimed by the Israeli agency Palestinian Media Watch, the Palestinian official TV broadcasts became increasingly militant during the summer of 2000, as Camp David negotiations faltered. On September 27th, the new Intifada claimed its first Israeli victim, Sgt. David Biri.
On September 28, 2000 the Israeli opposition leader, Ariel Sharon visited the Temple Mount (also called Al-Haram As-Sharif) in Jerusalem, a holy site for Islam, Christianity and Judaism (the Islamic holy site is the al-Aqsa Mosque, and the Jewish one - the Wailing Wall). Prior to his visit some moderates on both sides protested Sharon's visit (announced in advance), because of his controversial political stance and his massive armed bodyguard. Some declared that Palestinians would treat such a visit as a provocation although the eventual proportions of the Palestinian riots suprised even them. Sharon declared, on the other hand, that he went to the site with a message of peace.
As it turned out, Sharon's visit marked the beginning of the second (or al-Aqsa) intifada. Palestinians initially claimed that this intifada was spontaneous; Israelis charged that the Palestinian leadership planned an uprising in order to use violence to get Israel to make more concessions. Few months later a number of Palestinian officials have claimed that the new intifada indeed was a pre-planned event not caused by Sharon:
- Whoever thinks that the Intifada broke out because of the despised Sharon's visit to the Al-Aqsa mosque, is wrong, even if this visit was the straw that broke the back of the Palestinian people. This Intifada was planned in advance, ever since President Arafat's return from the Camp David negotiations, where he turned the table upside down on President Clinton. (Palestinian Communications Minister Imad al-Faluji, March 3, 2001, Al-Safir)
Development of the violence on both sides
Following Sharon's visit, the Muslims visiting Jerusalem have began an unprecedented wave of violent riots, which led to the destruction of property throughout Old Jerusalem, then expanding to other locations in Israel. The riots that developed caught Israel's generally peace-oriented government, led by Ehud Barak off-guard. Palestinian and Israeli-Arab leaders refused to condemn the violence; Israeli Arabs began a series of severe riots (as some Israelis estimated at that time, amounting to mutiny), in which 13 Israeli Arabs were killed in confrontations with the Israeli police, and hundreds were injured on both sides.
Later in October 2000, the Palestinians destroyed a Jewish shrine in Nablus, Joseph's Tomb. They also stoned worshipers at the Western Wall and attacked another Jewish shrine, Rachel's Tomb. The Israelis killed during al-Aqsa intifada are detailed in terrorism against Israel.
TODO: write about (1) tactics of both sides (2) claims of both sides (3) Tenet & Mitchell (4) Operation Defensive Wall.
Further information from pro-Israel source:
Pro-Palestinian information at: