Jihad and five major wars in Israel's history

Israel's history has been marked by significant conflicts since its establishment as a modern state in 1948 including: the War of Independence (1947-1949), the Six-Day War (1967), the Yom Kippur War (1973), the Lebanon War (2006), and the ongoing Gaza War (2023-2024). By analyzing these conflicts and incorporating insights from Professor Kedar, an Israeli scholar of Arab culture, we can identify common threads, root causes, and the broader context within Islamic thought and practice.

Israel's War of Independence (1947-1949) began after the United Nations voted to partition Palestine into Jewish and Arab states in November 1947. This decision was accepted by Jewish leaders but rejected by Arab leaders. The war can be divided into two phases: intercommunal fighting between Jewish and Arab communities within Palestine, followed by an invasion by neighboring Arab states after Israel's declaration of independence on May 14, 1948. The conflict resulted in around 6,000 Israeli and 10,000 Arab deaths, as well as the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Arabs, creating a refugee crisis that continues to impact the region today.

The Six-Day War (June 1967) dramatically altered the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East. Tensions had been building for years, with Arab states refusing to recognize Israel's right to exist and engaging in economic warfare through blockades. The immediate trigger for the war was Egypt's closure of the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping in May 1967, along with the mobilization of Arab forces along Israel's borders. Feeling existentially threatened, Israel launched a preemptive strike on June 5, 1967, destroying most of the Egyptian air force on the ground within hours. Over the next six days, Israel fought against Egypt, Syria, and Jordan, ultimately capturing the Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Golan Heights. This conflict led to long-term complications regarding the occupation of territories and the status of Palestinians under Israeli control.

The Yom Kippur War (October 1973) began with a surprise attack by Egypt and Syria on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. The Arab states sought to reclaim territories lost in the Six-Day War and restore Arab pride. Initially, Arab forces made significant gains, crossing the Suez Canal and pushing into the Sinai Peninsula, while Syrian forces advanced into the Golan Heights. The surprise attack caught Israel off guard, and for the first few days, the situation looked dire for the Israeli forces. However, after mobilizing its reserves and receiving critical military aid from the United States, Israel managed to turn the tide. By the war's end on October 25, Israeli forces had pushed back both the Egyptian and Syrian armies, even advancing further into Syrian territory. The war ended with a UN-brokered ceasefire. While it was a military victory for Israel, the initial Arab successes shattered the myth of Israeli invincibility and paved the way for future peace negotiations, particularly between Israel and Egypt.

The Lebanon War (2006), also known as the Second Lebanon War, was a 34-day military conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, a powerful Lebanese militant group and political party. The war began on July 12, 2006, when Hezbollah militants crossed into Israel, killed three Israeli soldiers, and kidnapped two others. Israel responded with airstrikes and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon, aiming to destroy Hezbollah's military capabilities and secure the release of the captured soldiers. Hezbollah, in turn, launched thousands of rockets into northern Israel. The conflict resulted in significant casualties and destruction on both sides. Over 1,100 Lebanese, mostly civilians, were killed, along with 165 Israelis, including 44 civilians. The war ended on August 14 with a UN-brokered ceasefire. While Israel inflicted heavy damage on Hezbollah and Lebanese infrastructure, it failed to achieve its primary objectives of eliminating Hezbollah's rocket threat or rescuing the captured soldiers. The war was widely seen as a strategic failure for Israel and a political victory for Hezbollah, which emerged with its reputation enhanced in the Arab world.

The ongoing Gaza War (2023-2024) represents one of the most intense and devastating conflicts in the region's recent history. It was triggered by a surprise attack by Hamas, the militant group controlling Gaza, on Israeli civilians and soldiers near the Gaza border on October 7, 2023. In response, Israel launched a massive military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, including air strikes and a ground invasion. The conflict has resulted in thousands of casualties on both sides, with a particularly high civilian death toll in Gaza due to the densely populated nature of the territory and the intensity of the Israeli military response. As of early 2024, the war continues with no end in sight, raising concerns about the long-term impact on regional stability and the prospects for peace.

Incorporating insights from Professor Kedar, we can better understand the religious and cultural motivations behind these conflicts, particularly from the perspective of Islamic thought. Professor Kedar explains that the concept of Jihad is central to understanding these conflicts. Jihad is not limited to military actions but encompasses various forms of struggle, including economic, educational, and media efforts to advance Islamic causes. This broader interpretation of Jihad helps explain the multifaceted nature of the conflicts Israel has faced, extending beyond conventional warfare to include economic boycotts, propaganda campaigns, and diplomatic isolation efforts.

In Islam, the concept of Ummah refers to the global community of Muslims, transcending ethnic and national boundaries. This concept plays a role in uniting diverse Muslim groups against perceived common enemies, such as Israel. The idea of Ummah has contributed to the internationalization of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, drawing support for Palestinian causes from Muslim communities worldwide and complicating efforts to reach localized peace agreements.

According to Professor Kedar, traditional Islamic thought holds that non-Muslims, particularly Jews and Christians, should live under Islamic rule with limited rights. The existence of Israel as a Jewish state is seen as a violation of this principle. This perspective helps explain the deep-rooted resistance to Israel's existence among some Islamic groups, going beyond mere territorial disputes to fundamental ideological objections.

Professor Kedar discusses the Islamic concept of deception in war, citing a hadith that states "war is deception." This principle has been applied in various conflicts, including the use of temporary peace agreements as strategic tools. He points to historical examples, such as the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah signed by Muhammad, which was later broken when Muslims gained military advantage. This concept of strategic deception complicates peace negotiations and trust-building efforts between Israel and its neighbors.

The Palestinian cause, according to Professor Kedar, has become central to contemporary Jihad, uniting various Islamic groups, including Sunnis and Shias, against Israel. This has elevated the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from a local dispute to a rallying point for diverse Muslim communities worldwide, increasing the stakes and complexity of a potential resolution.

Both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, according to Professor Kedar, maintain claims to all of Israel "from the river to the sea," indicating that the conflict extends beyond the territories occupied since 1967. This maximalist position presents a significant obstacle to peace negotiations based on land-for-peace formulas or two-state solutions.

Professor Kedar criticizes Western approaches to the conflict, arguing that attempts to appease extremist groups or impose Western-style governance structures on the region have been ineffective. He points to the failure of nation-building efforts in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan as examples of the mismatch between Western political ideals and Middle Eastern realities.

Instead, Professor Kedar proposes a novel approach to resolving conflicts in the region, suggesting the establishment of smaller, clan-based emirates rather than attempting to force diverse groups into larger nation-states. This proposal recognizes the importance of tribal and clan affiliations in Middle Eastern societies, which often supersede national identities imposed by colonial-era borders.

These insights help explain why traditional diplomatic approaches have often fallen short in achieving lasting peace in the region and underscore the need for innovative solutions that consider the unique historical, cultural, and religious dynamics at play.

In conclusion, Israel's five major wars since 1948 reflect not only territorial and political disputes but also deep-seated ideological and religious conflicts. Only by understanding the root causes of conflict, including religious motivations and cultural imperatives, can there be hope for sustainable peace in the region.