1. Arab-Israeli Conflict

2. Ongoing Occupation Issues

3. The Right to Self-Determination; The Illegal Settlements; The Siege of Gaza; The Right to Water; The Right of Return; The Cleansing of East Jerusalem; The Prisoners; The Right to Freedom of Movement; The Right to Health; The Wall; House Demolition; The Confiscation of Land.

4. Self-Determination “…all peoples have the right of self-determination. The right of self-determination is of particular importance because its realization is an essential condition for the effective guarantee and observance of individual human rights and for the promotion and strengthening of those rights. It is for that reason that States set forth the right of self-determination in a provision of positive law in both Covenants and placed this provision as article 1 apart from and before all of the other rights in the two Covenants.” Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, General Comment 12, 1984.

5. Right Now Palestinians live in OCT’s under Israeli military occupation –Human Rights Violations –Access to education, healthcare, even basic necessities is sporadic –Some representation under PNA - Parliament App. 4.5 million Palestinian refugees today –Original number: 800,000 in 1947

6. Israel and the UN Israel is a nation with ‘special status’ in the UN –They are active members in the Western European and Others Group (WEOG) in NY –Are not part of UN operations in Geneva – barred from standing in elections, participating in Geneva committee debates, etc. Many accusations of Anti-Semitism in the UN by Israel and US –Israel tends not to trust the UN resolutions, does not always comply with peacekeeping forces based in Israel/Palestine Territories Government of Israel says that it must have equal rights to equally honor the wishes of the General Assembly

7. Palestine and the UN ‘Palestine’ is not a recognized state of the UN, but representatives from the PNA speak as guests –‘Observer’ status in the UN – Palestinian National Authority is responsible for providing representation for the ‘Palestinian’ peoples –Given because there is no legitimate national government for Palestine

8. Israeli Perspective Palestinian Perspective Terrorist organizations like Hamas (which controls the Gaza Strip) and Hezbollah (based in Lebanon and who was at war with Israel in the summer of 2006) continue to fire rockets into Israel. Individuals also continue to commit other acts of terror. Can’t stereotype all Palestinians as terrorists as the majority are not terrorists. Palestinian government denounced terrorism. Current Issue: Security and Terrorism

9. Israeli Perspective Palestinian Perspective Sees united Jerusalem as its capitol Sees East Jerusalem as its capitol Current Issue: Jerusalem

10. Israeli Perspective Palestinian Perspective For religious, political, and security reasons a large number Israeli settlements exist in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. –270,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank Israeli settlements go against the idea of a future Palestinian state. Current Issue: Settlements

11. Israeli Perspective Palestinian Perspective Palestinians need permission to leave West Bank. Israelis see this as needed security to prevent terrorism. The restriction on movement limits jobs, health care, education, etc. contributing to standard of living in West Bank being significantly less than that of Israel. Current Issue: Movement

12. Israeli Perspective Palestinian Perspective If Palestinians living in Arab nations or in the Occupied Territories return to Israel to reclaim land, it can mean the end of Israel as a Jewish state. As refugees, Palestinians believe they should be able to return to their or their families land in Israel. Current Issue: Right of Return

13. Reflection Write for five minutes about BOTH of the following questions. –If you were Israeli, how might you feel about the Two State Solution and the current issues in the Israel-Palestinian Conflict? –If you were Palestinian, how might you feel about the Two State Solution and the current issues in the Israel-Palestinian Conflict?