The Middle East Conflict: The Palestinian Dimension

Abstract

significant flaw in search for peace in Middle East over years has been calculated avoidance of centrality of ?. -V. Palestinian dimension of conflict. Only now are efforts being made to tackle problem. But recognition of intractable nature of Palestinian-Israeli relationship still offers temptation to pursue other avenues of resolving conflict. This kind of diplomatic approach to conflict is both dangerous and futile. There can be no durable peace and stability in Middle East until a just solution to Palestinian plight is found. Those involved in Middle East diplomacy should be constantly re minded that, from Balfour Declaration in November 1917 and British Mandate under League of Nations in July 1922 to first Arab-Israeli war in 1948, basis of conflict between Jews and Arabs has been over sovereign territorial control of Palestine, and nothing else. formulation of Balfour Declaration was widely condemned by all Arabs and was perceived by one writer as the dou ble undertaking of irreconcilable commitments to Jews and Arabs.1 A writer who has given much thought to issue of self-de termination and nationalism had this to say of problem: The con ception of creating a Jewish national home in Palestine could not pos sibly be squared with principle of self-determination, or, for that matter, of democracy, on basis of any of generally accepted criteria.2 Under British Mandate, conflict was mainly between Palestinian Arabs and Jewish Agency, which represented Palestinian Jews. In accordance with Article 4 of mandate, Jewish Agency, whose president was Chaim Weizman, was set up to cooperate with British in implementing promise of a Jewish national homeland. De spite many Arab revolts and guerrilla warfare conducted by Jewish underground against British, negotiations continued involving