Palestine

Palestine is often attributed with Israel and the continued conflict by these two groups of people. Palestine had ceased being a state when Israel was constructed within the traditional lands of Palestine in 1948 under the direction and authorisation of Britain. However, this resulted in the Palestine people being forced out and becoming refugees within their own homeland, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank are the remaining territories of the Palestinian people, but this hasn’t stopped the encroachment of Israeli settlements. As seen in the map below Palestine is slowly shrinking.

Encroachment of land and the building of settlements on Palestinian land; destruction of a place of homes in the name of anti-terror; movement restrictions; checkpoints; Israel Defence Force (IDF) brutality; murder; torture; use of weapons on civilians and building such as medical centres and schools and fear and uncertainty are features within the Israeli and Palestine landscape. The Human Rights Watch document some of the atrocities committed by Israel as you can read from these Human Rights Watch reports,

http://www.hrw.org/news/2014/01/21/israelpalestine-growing-abuse-west-bank

https://www.hrw.org/news/2013/12/06/why-palestine-should-seek-justice-international-criminal-court

https://www.hrw.org/news/2013/05/18/israel-strengthen-white-phosphorus-phase-out

Palestine and Israel is a topic that is complex and cannot be solved over night, accountability needs to occur on both sides and movement towards peace should not be used as a smoke screen. An IDF soldier address the need to change and addresses some of the human rights issues that are and have occurred. I have to believe there is some hope.