The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has a long history that dates back to the late 19th century when Zionists sought to establish a homeland for the Jewish people in Ottoman-controlled Palestine. The conflict escalated in 1947 when the United Nations adopted Resolution 181, known as the Partition Plan, which sought to divide the British Mandate of Palestine into Arab and Jewish states. On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was created, sparking the first Arab-Israeli War. The war ended in 1949 with Israels victory, but 750,000 Palestinians were displaced, and the territory was divided into three parts: the State of Israel, the West Bank (of the Jordan River), and the Gaza Strip.

The conflict has continued for decades, with various events and incidents leading to violence and military confrontations between Israelis and Palestinians. For example, in the summer of 2014, clashes in the Palestinian territories led to a military confrontation between the Israeli military and Hamas, in which Hamas fired nearly three thousand rockets at Israel, and Israel retaliated with a major offensive in Gaza. In 2021, Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire after another round of violence.

The conflict has its roots in national movements, including Zionism and Arab nationalism, and has been fueled by issues such as the displacement of Palestinians, the establishment of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and the status of Jerusalem. The conflict has also been exacerbated by acts of violence and terrorism committed by both sides. The situation is complex, and each side perceives the actions of the other to have been so indefensible, so often repeated, and so layered that it is difficult to know where to begin when analyzing the situation.