2019–2021 Israeli–Palestinian crisis

2019–2021 Israeli–Palestinian crisis
Title	2019–2021 Israeli–Palestinian crisis
Partof	Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Date	2019–2021
Place	West Bank, Gaza Strip, Jerusalem
Status	Ongoing
Combatant1	Israel
Combatant2	Palestinian National Authority; Hamas; Palestine Liberation Organization; Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine

2019–2021 Israeli–Palestinian crisis was a multi-year period of intensified tensions, political shifts, and intermittent armed confrontations between Israeli and Palestinian actors centered on the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Jerusalem. The period encompassed Israeli domestic developments involving the Likud (Israeli political party), Blue and White (political alliance), and figures such as Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz, alongside Palestinian political dynamics involving Mahmoud Abbas, Ismail Haniyeh, and Yahya Sinwar. International actors including the United States, European Union, United Nations, Egypt, and Qatar played active diplomatic roles.

Background

The crisis built on long-term precedents including the First Intifada, Second Intifada, and the Gaza–Israel conflict history, framed by unresolved issues from the Oslo Accords and disputes over East Jerusalem and Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Political fragmentation after the collapse of unity efforts such as the Fatah–Hamas reconciliation agreements and recurrent leadership contests in Israel involving parties like Yisrael Beiteinu and Labor Party (Israel) accentuated instability. Regional dynamics with Iran–Israel conflict, Turkey–Israel relations, and the role of Arab League states contributed to shifting alliances, while international legal frameworks including the Fourth Geneva Convention informed debates.

Timeline of conflict (2019–2021)

From 2019, recurring cycles of violence coincided with Israeli electoral campaigns featuring Benjamin Netanyahu and challenges from Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid, producing four elections between 2019 and 2021. In late 2019 and early 2020, tensions rose over proposed annexation plans connected to the Trump peace plan, followed by the 2020 normalization agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain under the Abraham Accords. In 2020–2021, clashes in Sheikh Jarrah and at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound precipitated mass protests involving groups like Palestinian Islamic Jihad and civil society organizations such as Addameer and B'Tselem. The most intense confrontation occurred in May 2021 with an exchange between Hamas and the Israel Defense Forces, followed by a ceasefire mediated by Egypt and Qatar.

Key actors and political developments

Principal Israeli actors included Benjamin Netanyahu, Benny Gantz, Naftali Bennett, Ayelet Shaked, and parties like Likud (Israeli political party), Blue and White (political alliance), and Yamina (political party). Palestinian leadership figures included Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah, Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, and Salam Fayyad in political discourse. Armed groups such as Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine and factions within Palestine Liberation Organization influenced strategy. Regional and international stakeholders—United States Department of State, UNRWA, European Union External Action Service, Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate, and Qatar—participated in mediation, funding, and humanitarian coordination. Israeli judicial and security institutions including the Supreme Court of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces shaped responses to protests and planned policies like proposed annexation.

Major military operations and incidents

Clashes included targeted air strikes by the Israel Defense Forces in the Gaza Strip, rocket barrages by Hamas and Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine toward Tel Aviv and other Israeli population centers, and security operations in the West Bank involving the Israel Defense Forces and Israel Police. Notable events encompassed operations in May 2021 with extensive use of Iron Dome (air defense system), strikes on infrastructure in Gaza City and Rafah, incidents at the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif including confrontations near the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and settler-Palestinian violence in areas like Hebron and Nablus. Cross-border elements featured actions attributed to groups backed by Iran and proxy networks, while maritime and aerial surveillance involved assets from Israel Aerospace Industries and regional partners.

Humanitarian impact and casualties

The crisis produced substantial civilian harm documented by agencies such as OCHA and World Health Organization. Casualties included deaths and injuries among Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and Israeli civilian and military casualties in urban centers including Ashkelon and Beersheba. Infrastructure damage affected hospitals like Al-Shifa Hospital, schools under UNRWA administration, and utilities managed by municipal bodies in Gaza City. Displacement impacted families in Sheikh Jarrah, refugee communities from Nakba histories, and internally displaced persons documented by International Committee of the Red Cross operations. Economic disruptions involved actors such as the Palestine Monetary Authority and sectors tracked by the World Bank.

Diplomatic responses and ceasefire efforts

Diplomatic mediation engaged the United States, including envoys from the Trump administration and the Biden administration, as well as regional intermediaries like Egypt, Qatar, and Jordan. Multilateral responses from the United Nations Security Council and statements from the European Union and Amnesty International shaped international pressure. Ceasefires negotiated through backchannels involved figures from Mossad, Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate, and Qatari mediators; public diplomatic efforts referenced the Abraham Accords context and UN-led humanitarian relief packages. Reconstruction pledges included funding initiatives coordinated with World Bank and donor meetings involving Turkey and Norway (Kingdom of Norway).

Legal issues and investigations

Legal debates invoked institutions such as the International Criminal Court, which considered jurisdictional questions related to actions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and inquiries by bodies like the United Nations Human Rights Council. Allegations examined compliance with the Fourth Geneva Convention and other norms codified in instruments addressing occupation and armed conflict. Israeli domestic legal proceedings saw petitions in the Supreme Court of Israel concerning evictions in East Jerusalem neighborhoods like Sheikh Jarrah, while international NGOs including Human Rights Watch and B'Tselem published reports prompting scrutiny. Investigations into possible war crimes, accountability mechanisms, and reparations discussions involved legal experts from institutions such as International Court of Justice-related scholarship and university centers specializing in international humanitarian law.

Category:2019 conflicts Category:2020 conflicts Category:2021 conflicts Category:Israeli–Palestinian conflict