Palestine-Israeli Conflict: Religious Reerspective

The land variously called Israel and Palestine is a small (10,000 square miles at present) land at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. During its long history, its area, population and ownership varied greatly. The present state of Israel occupies all the land from the Jordan river to the Mediterranean ocean, bounded by Egypt in the south, Lebanon in the north, and Jordan in the East. The recognized borders of Israel constitute about 78% of the land. The remainder is divided between land occupied by Israel since the 1967 six-day war and the autonomous regions under the control of the Palestinian autonomy. The Gaza strip occupies an additional 141 square miles south of Israel, and is under the control of the Palestinian authorityHistory and different perceptions of history are perhaps the most important factors in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Dozens of accounts have been written.This very brief account is intended as a balanced overview and introduction to Palestinian and Israeli history and the history of the conflict. It is unlikely that anyone has written or will write an "objective" and definitive summary that would be accepted by everyone, but it is hoped that this document will provide a fair introduction and a peaceful solution to the conflict.