š Palestine 101
Whatās Happening
Palestine has been under Israeli military occupation since 1967. Palestinians face military occupation in the West Bank, blockade and siege of Gaza (since 2007), systematic discrimination, restricted freedom of movement, home demolitions and forced displacement, violence from Israeli military and settlers.
This is genocide. The UN has recognized it as such. Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and Israeli organization BāTselem have documented that Israelās system of control over Palestinians amounts to apartheid under international law.
Essential Facts
Geography: West Bank (Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967, fragmented by settlements and military zones), Gaza Strip (coastal territory under Israeli blockade since 2007, one of the most densely populated areas on Earthā2.3 million people in 365 kmĀ²), Historical Palestine (the land between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River).
Population: Approximately 5 million Palestinians in West Bank and Gaza. Over 5 million Palestinian refugees worldwide (largest refugee population globally). 2 million Palestinian citizens of Israel (face systematic discrimination).
Status: Occupied Palestinian Territory recognized by international community. Canada recognized State of Palestine on September 21, 2025. Occupation is illegal under international law. UN Security Council Resolution 242 (1967) called for Israeli withdrawal.
Key Historical Moments
1948 - The Nakba (āCatastropheā): Over 750,000 Palestinians expelled from their homes. Over 500 Palestinian villages destroyed. Creation of Israel through ethnic cleansing. Palestinians call this the Nakba (catastrophe). CJPME Factsheet: The Nakba, Decolonize Palestine: The Nakba
1967 - Six-Day War: Israel occupied West Bank, Gaza Strip, Syrian Golan Heights, and Egyptian Sinai. Beginning of military occupation that continues today. UN Security Council Resolution 242 called for Israeli withdrawal. Start of illegal settlement construction.
1987-1993 - First Intifada: Palestinian uprising against occupation. Largely unarmed civil resistance. Led to Oslo Accords negotiations.
1993 - Oslo Accords: Peace process that failed to end occupation. Created Palestinian Authority with limited self-governance. Did not address core issues: refugees, Jerusalem, settlements, borders. Settlements expanded dramatically during this period.
2000-2005 - Second Intifada: Violent uprising following failure of peace process. Significant casualties on both sides. Construction of separation wall in West Bank began.
2007 - Gaza Blockade Begins: Israel imposed total blockade on Gaza. Severe restrictions on movement of people and goods. Described as āopen-air prisonā by human rights groups. 97% of water unfit for human consumption.
2018-2019 - Great March of Return: Palestinians in Gaza protested for right of return for refugees. Largely unarmed demonstrations along border fence. Israeli military response: over 200 killed, thousands wounded.
October 2023 - Present: Escalation of genocide. Ongoing humanitarian crisis. International legal proceedings at ICJ and ICC.
Current Situation
Gaza Under Blockade: Since 2007, 2.3 million people trapped. 97% of water unfit for human consumption. Electricity available only 4-8 hours per day. Unemployment over 40%. 80% rely on humanitarian aid. Described as āunlivableā by UN.
Israel is blocking aid: UN News, UN Chief calls it āmoral outrageā, 30% of aid missions denied since March 2024, Creating āapocalypticā conditions.
West Bank Under Occupation: Divided into Areas A, B, C by Oslo Accords. Area C (60% of West Bank) under full Israeli control. Over 700,000 Israeli settlers in illegal settlements. Restricted movement via checkpoints and permits. Home demolitions and forced displacement. Settler violence with impunity. Restricted access to water and resources.
Palestinian Citizens of Israel: Face over 65 discriminatory laws. Systematic inequality in resource allocation. Restrictions on land ownership and use. Unequal education funding. Amnesty International Report: Israelās Apartheid Against Palestinians
Key Terms
Occupation: Military control of territory by a foreign power. Israel has occupied the West Bank and Gaza Strip since 1967. Occupation is meant to be temporary under international law, but has lasted over 50 years.
Settlements: Israeli communities built on occupied Palestinian land. Settlements are illegal under international law (Geneva Conventions). Over 700,000 Israeli settlers now live in West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Blockade of Gaza: Israel controls all entry/exit from Gaza by land, sea, and air since 2007. Severely restricts movement of people and goods, creating humanitarian crisis. Described by UN as ācollective punishment.ā
Right of Return: The right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes, protected under international law (UN Resolution 194). Israel denies this right. Over 5 million Palestinian refugees worldwide.
Apartheid: System of institutionalized racial segregation and oppression. Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and BāTselem have documented that Israeli policies amount to apartheid under international law. Key reports: Human Rights Watch: A Threshold Crossed (2021), Amnesty International: Israelās Apartheid Against Palestinians (2022), BāTselem: A Regime of Jewish Supremacy (2021).
BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions): Palestinian-led movement calling for economic and cultural pressure on Israel until it complies with international law. Modeled after anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. What is BDS?
Zionism: Political ideology supporting establishment of Jewish state in historical Palestine. Palestinians and allies critique Zionism as a settler-colonial project that dispossessed Palestinians.
Anti-Zionism vs. Antisemitism: These are NOT the same. Anti-Zionism is political opposition to Zionism and Israeli policies. Antisemitism is hatred of or discrimination against Jewish people. Criticism of Israeli policy is not antisemitism. Many Jewish students and allies are part of the Palestinian solidarity movement. Understanding Anti-Zionism (BBC)
Myth-Busting
ā āItās a complex issue, both sides are at faultā
Reality: There is a clear power imbalance. Israel is a military superpower with advanced weapons (backed by US). Israel controls Palestinian movement, resources, borders. This is not a āconflict between two equal sidesāāitās military occupation and genocide.
ā āHamas uses human shieldsā
Reality: Israel makes this claim without evidence. Gaza is one of the most densely populated areas on Earthācivilians are everywhere. International humanitarian law does NOT allow attacking civilians even if military targets are nearby. Israeli military has been documented placing Palestinians in danger.
ā āIsrael is the only democracy in the Middle Eastā
Reality: Palestinians under occupation have no voting rights in the system that controls their lives. Palestinian citizens of Israel face over 65 laws that discriminate against them. Democracy that applies only to one ethnic group is not democracyāitās apartheid.
ā āIsrael has a right to defend itselfā
Reality: Under international law, occupying powers do NOT have right to āself-defenseā against people they occupy. Palestinians have right to resist occupation under international law. The violence of the oppressed is not the same as the violence of the oppressor.
ā āPalestine was empty land / A land without a peopleā
Reality: Palestine had thriving Palestinian society before 1948. Cities, villages, agriculture, culture, institutions. Ottoman census records, British Mandate documents, photographs all document Palestinian presence. This myth was colonial propaganda used to justify ethnic cleansing.
ā āIf Palestinians stop violence, there would be peaceā
Reality: Palestinians have tried numerous forms of nonviolent resistance (Great March of Return, BDS, etc.). Nonviolent Palestinian protests are routinely met with violence. Occupation and settlements have EXPANDED during periods of Palestinian nonviolence. The issue is not Palestinian violence, but Israeli occupation, apartheid, and genocide.
CJPME: Palestinians and the Right to Resist, Decolonize Palestine: Myth-Busting
Educational Resources
Factsheets: All CJPME Factsheets, Israelās System of Apartheid, Anti-Palestinian Racism, The Nakba, Palestinians and the Right to Resist, Israelās Extremist Right-Wing Government, The Blockade of Gaza.
Other resources: How You Can be an Ally to Palestine (Handmade Palestine), Decolonize Palestine (accessible explanations of key topics).
Maps & visual: CJPME Maps (historical maps showing land loss), CJPME Flyers and Maps (downloadable and printable), Visualizing Palestine (interactive infographics and data visualization).
Cultural context: The Meaning of Kufiyas (Keffiyehs) to Palestinians, Why Watermelons are a Symbol of Palestinian Solidarity.
Where to Get Current Information
Palestinian/Arab media: Middle East Eye, +972 Magazine (Israeli-Palestinian journalism), Mondoweiss, Electronic Intifada (Palestinian perspective), Al Jazeera English - Palestine.
Human rights organizations: Human Rights Watch - Palestine, Amnesty International - Palestine, BāTselem (Israeli human rights org).
United Nations: UN Reports on Palestine, UNRWA - Palestine Refugee Agency.
Canadian context: CJPME (Canadian policy analysis).
Next Steps
Continue learning: Read one CJPME factsheet. Watch a documentary (film list). Follow 5 Palestinian voices (list). Explore myth-busting resources.
Take action: Take Action Hub ā (email your MP, donate, participate in campaigns), Campus Organizing ā (get organized on your campus).
Questions? Email mail@berryhouse.ca
Ready to learn more? ā Complete Education Resources
From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free. šµšø