Kontraband Know It All

How did the recent turmoil in the Gaza Strip begin?
The Gaza Strip is a small piece of coastal land in the Levant which is part of the Palestinian territories. Tensions have always run high between the residents of the Gaza Strip and Israel, however, in recent weeks (since October 2012), there has been a marked increase in militant attacks coming from the Gaza Strip (according to the Israel Security Agency). Attacks have included dozens of rocket fired into Israeli territory, deadly encounters with IEDs and raids on both civilian and military targets. In response to this, Israel has launched Operation Pillar of Defense.
Operation Pillar of Defense started on 14 Nov 2012 with an attack on Hamas by an Israeli airstrike, which killed an important Hamas military chief. Since then, the Israeli Defence Forces have made over a thousand military strikes at what they consider are legitimate targets; dozens of people have been killed. Israel has always been renowned for their no-nonsense approach towards militants and terrorists, unlike the UK. The UK policy against terrorists seems to consist of offering them a house, a car, a job, a PS3 and free medical care. It is a harsh approach, sometimes the cars are over 5 years old and the PS3 only comes with CoD: Black Ops (possibly for training purposes).

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Who is in the wrong? Can the USA or UN do anything about it?
The world is torn over who is right and who is wrong. The current Middle Eastern crisis, which has just entered a ceasefire, has divided powers, but not in an unsurprising way. Backing Israel are countries like the USA, UK, Australia, Canada, Germany and other so called Western nations. Countries such as Egypt, Iran and Turkey opposed the Israeli attacks. China urged Israel to show restraint and Russia also took a similar stance. The militants who made the attacks in the first place were in the wrong (as opposed to a particular state) but many believe Israel has over-reacted after calling up 75,000 reservists.
The UN stance was typically indecisive and toothless, although Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has been visiting the leaders in the area to try and help resolve the situation. As of writing, an Egyptian brokered ceasefire has been put into place, coincidentally just after a visit from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Obviously the US has offered concessions to Egypt, Israel and Palestine in return for a ceasefire. Egypt and Israel have been the two largest recipients of US military aid outside of NATO, so clearly it is in their best interests to listen to the US. The State of Palestine realises it is not strong enough to take on Israel (or the USA) directly and knows that concessions would make future economic aid from the West more likely. It is not known what agreements were made, but Disneyland Cairo and Six Flags Tel Aviv could be on the cards, although not much chance of a McDonald's in Gaza just yet.

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What's the difference between Hezbollah, Hamas and the PLO?
Whenever conflict arises in the Middle East, frequently one or all of these names are mentioned. The PLO (Palestine Liberation Organisation) was the body headed by the charismatic Yasser Arafat, the first leader to address the UN General Assembly whilst wearing a gun holster. The PLO dates back to 1964 and its goal was to create a Palestinian state. Hezbollah are actually based in Lebanon, which borders northern Israel. This group were founded in 1982 and they are considered a terrorist group by many countries, although they are actually a small part of the Lebanese government. Their main goal is considered to be the destruction of Israel, whereas the PLO now recognises Israel's right to exist.
Hamas is a political party which governs the Gaza Strip (the West Bank is governed by the Palestinian National Authority). Hamas was founded in 1987 and their ideology runs from removal of the Israeli state to a more moderate stance of establishing a larger Palestinian state. They have publicly claimed to be against violence, although they do have a military wing which is also considered a terrorist organisation by many. Throw into the mix organisations such as Fatah, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the PFLP and the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades and it is understandable to see why Israeli leaders maintain a strong security force. Fortunately for Mossad neither the People's Front of Judea nor the Judean People's Front have shown any activity since about 1979.

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Why has there always been trouble in the Middle East?
There is no single reason for the trouble in the Middle East. There is trouble and conflict all over the globe, but often these places attract less media attention: 5.4 million people died in the Second Congo War from 1998-2003 but the world was focused on problems with Iraq and then the War on Terrorism. A focused spotlight has always been shone on the Middle East, especially because of Israel and Palestine. The area has been a religious hotspot for centuries, with Islam, Judaism and Christianity all originating in that region. The land is very dry and arid; the climate is hot and at times oppressive. People in the area are often extremely politicised and have clear views of what they believe is right and wrong. It is a recipe for conflict.
Western meddling hasn't been too successful at times. Palestine existed as a state in its own right until 1948, when the British decided they no longer wanted to govern the often tumultuous British Mandate for Palestine. The UN General Assembly decided to partition the country to create the state of Israel, naturally to the anger of the Palestinians and armed conflict broke out. A two state solution seems the best way forward but only if Israel can curb the expansion of Israeli settlements on occupied territory. It is complicated and explosive, like juggling with live hand grenades whilst reciting Chaucer's Canterbury Tales in the original Middle English.

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