When you start to understand how the geopolitics of the Middle East is structured, you realize that the history of Palestine is not just a collection of dates and events. It is one of the most complex intertwinings of religion, culture, and politics on the planet.

The region is literally at the crossroads of civilizations. The Canaanites created city-states there; then follows a whole chain of conquests: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Alexander the Great. Each left its mark. The Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judea controlled most of the territory during the Iron Age, while the Philistines occupied the coast. The history of Palestine is the history of constant subordination and power reshuffling.

A particularly interesting period begins with the arrival of Islam. After the conquest in 636-641, the region was governed by dynasties one after another: the Rashidun, Umayyads, Abbasids, Fatimids, Seljuks. Then came the Crusades, then the Mamluks, and finally the Ottoman Empire took control of everything in 1516. Nearly 400 years under Ottoman rule without major upheavals.

But then the 20th century arrives, and everything changes. World War I, the Balfour Declaration, and the British Mandate from the League of Nations in 1922. The history of Palestine enters a completely new stage. Jewish immigration grows, and tensions rise. The British try to maintain a balance, but it doesn’t work out.

In 1947, the UN proposes dividing the region into two states. The Jews agreed, but the Arabs rejected it. The outcome is well known: in 1948, the State of Israel is proclaimed, and war begins. Israel doesn’t just win—it also captures more territory than the plan had provided. 700,000 Palestinians become refugees. At the same time, about 850,000 Jews immigrate from the Arab world.

After the war, the West Bank and East Jerusalem come under Jordanian control, and Gaza is occupied by Egypt. The Six-Day War in 1967 changes the picture: Israel captures the occupied territories and begins building settlements there despite protests from the international community.

The Palestinian national movement gains international weight through the PLO under Arafat’s leadership. 1993: Oslo Accords, the creation of the Palestinian Authority. On paper, it sounds like progress, but in reality, further peace initiatives don’t take hold. Hamas gains influence, rejects the PA, and in 2007 takes control of Gaza.

The history of Palestine continues. In 2012, the State of Palestine receives the status of a non-member observer state at the UN. Formally, this improved its position, but on the ground the situation remains tense. When you look at all these stages together, you understand that this is not simply a conflict between two peoples, but the result of centuries of geopolitical games and historical turning points.