Intifada (First)
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| Intifada (First) | |
|---|---|
| Conflict | First Intifada |
| Partof | Israeli–Palestinian conflict |
| Date | December 1987 – Madrid Conference, October 1991 |
| Place | West Bank, Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem |
| Result | Increased international attention; led to Oslo Accords negotiations; political shifts within Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel |
| Combatant1 | State of Israel, Israeli Defence Forces |
| Combatant2 | Palestine Liberation Organization, Palestinian local committees, Fatah, Hamas |
Intifada (First) The First Intifada was a widespread Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip from December 1987 through the early 1990s, culminating in diplomatic initiatives such as the Madrid Conference. It transformed Palestinian nationalism, reshaped Israeli politics, influenced regional actors like Egypt and Jordan, and set conditions for the Oslo Accords negotiations involving figures such as Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin.
Background
The uprising emerged in the context of prolonged control by State of Israel following the Six-Day War and the War of Attrition, amid settlement expansion in Judea and Samaria and legal arrangements from the Allon Plan era. Longstanding tensions involved key actors including Palestine Liberation Organization leadership in Tunis, local leadership in Ramallah and Gaza City, and influential movements such as Fatah and emerging factions including Hamas. Regional dynamics featured stakeholders like Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and international mediators including United States administrations and United Nations agencies.
Outbreak and Catalysts
The immediate catalyst was a December 8, 1987 traffic collision near Jabalya involving an Israeli Defence Forces vehicle and a Datsun taxi, which killed four Palestinians and provoked demonstrations in Gaza Strip and Nablus. Preceding incidents included confrontations at Khan Younis and clashes linked to settler activities in Hebron and curfews imposed by Jewish settlers and IDF operations. Broader catalysts included economic hardships tied to closures and labor permit policies affecting Palestinians working in Israel, political marginalization following the Lebanese Civil War and the exile of PLO leaders, and the inspirational effect of popular movements like Solidarity and anti-colonial campaigns in South Africa.
Major Events and Tactics
Protest methods combined civil disobedience, stone-throwing in locations such as Jabalya Refugee Camp, general strikes coordinated from local popular committees, and widespread demonstrations in cities like Hebron, Bethlehem, and Jericho. Palestinians used tactics including tax resistance, boycotts of Israeli products, and establishment of parallel institutions in healthcare and education linked to figures like Salah Khalaf and organizations such as Palestinian Red Crescent. Israeli responses triggered events like mass arrests, administrative detention, and curfew enforcement resulting in confrontations such as the Kafr Qasim memory protests and clashes in Balata and Shuafat. Notable violent incidents involved improvised weapons, petrol bombs, and the use of live ammunition by IDF units, producing focal flashpoints that drew attention from international actors including International Committee of the Red Cross and journalists from outlets like BBC and The New York Times.
Israeli and Palestinian Responses
Israeli policy combined security operations by the Israel Border Police and IDF, legal measures including military orders and closures, and political shifts within parties like Likud and Labor. Israeli leaders such as Yitzhak Shamir and later Yitzhak Rabin debated strategies including targeted arrests and administrative detention. Palestinian responses featured grassroots organization by local popular committees, political guidance from the PLO and Fatah leaders, and the emergence of Hamas as an organized actor issuing statements and organizing social services. Regional actors including Jordan and Syria adjusted posture, while international diplomacy involved the United States, European Community, and United Nations special envoys.
Casualties and Humanitarian Impact
The uprising resulted in significant casualties, with hundreds of Palestinians killed by live fire and thousands injured, alongside dozens of Israeli fatalities including civilians and soldiers from incidents in settlements and border clashes. Detention policies led to thousands of arrests and the use of administrative detention centers such as those near Ramla, prompting human rights concerns raised by organizations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Economic impacts included declines in employment, disruptions to agricultural production in areas like Jenin and Tubas, and strain on healthcare facilities in Gaza City and Nablus supported by international relief from agencies like UNRWA.
Political Consequences and Peace Efforts
Politically, the uprising increased international recognition of Palestinian national aspirations, strengthening negotiating positions for leaders like Yasser Arafat and contributing to the environment that produced the Madrid Conference and later the Oslo Accords. Israeli politics saw shifts affecting leaders such as Shimon Peres and policy debates within Likud that influenced settlement and security policy. The period catalyzed the growth of Islamist politics via Hamas's social, religious and political networks, altered relations with neighboring states like Jordan culminating in later bilateral talks, and engaged world powers including the United States and the Soviet Union in renewed mediation.
Legacy and Historical Assessment
Scholars assess the First Intifada as a pivotal popular uprising that combined grassroots mobilization and strategic political outcomes, influencing subsequent events including the Second Intifada and the trajectory of Israeli–Palestinian peace process. Analyses reference contributions from intellectuals and historians linking the uprising to long-term debates involving Oslo Accords critiques, settlement policy assessments, and the evolution of Palestinian leadership from exile to local governance structures seen later in the Palestinian National Authority. Commemorations and contested narratives involve civic rituals in places like Gaza and Ramallah, and legacies debated by commentators in outlets such as Haaretz and The Washington Post.