First Intifada facts for kids
Quick facts for kids First Intifada |
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| 179–200 killed by Palestinians | 1,962 killed
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The First Intifada (which means "The First Uprising" in Arabic) was a major period of protests and civil disobedience by Palestinians against Israeli rule. It took place in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories and Israel. This uprising began in December 1987 and lasted until September 1993.
The Intifada was driven by growing frustration among Palestinians. They were unhappy with Israel's military control over the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, which had been in place since the Six-Day War in 1967. The protests involved many non-violent actions, like strikes and boycotts. However, there were also riots, with Palestinians throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at Israeli forces.
Israel responded by sending many soldiers. Human rights groups criticized some of Israel's actions as being too harsh. During the six years of the Intifada, many Palestinians and Israelis were killed or injured. This period significantly changed the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. It eventually led to important peace talks and agreements.
Contents
Why Did the Uprising Start?
Palestinians felt frustrated by the long-term Israeli occupation. They faced various challenges in their daily lives. These included restrictions on movement and limitations on building and agriculture.
After the 1967 war, Israel opened its job market to Palestinians. Many Palestinians worked in Israel, often in jobs Israelis did not want. By the time the Intifada began, over 40% of the Palestinian workforce commuted to Israel daily.
However, there was also a shortage of land for new homes and farms. This led to crowded areas and a lack of jobs, even for those with university degrees. Only one in eight college-educated Palestinians could find work related to their studies.
At the same time, more Palestinian universities opened. These schools educated many young people from refugee camps and small towns. This new generation became more active in protesting against the occupation.
Some Israeli politicians also discussed moving the Palestinian population. This caused fear among Palestinians that they might be forced to leave their homes. These difficult conditions and fears contributed to the growing unrest.
The Spark That Ignited the Uprising
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The First Intifada is generally considered to have started with a specific event. On December 8, 1987, an Israeli truck crashed into cars carrying Palestinian workers. This happened at the Erez Crossing. Four Palestinians were killed, and seven others were injured. Three of the dead were from the Jabalia refugee camp.
Hundreds of Palestinian workers witnessed the crash. Rumors quickly spread that the crash was intentional. This was because an Israeli businessman had been killed in Gaza a few days earlier. Israel denied the crash was deliberate.
The funerals for the victims quickly turned into large demonstrations. About 10,000 people from the camp attended.
How the Uprising Unfolded
Protests quickly spread across the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Young people took control of neighborhoods. They blocked roads with garbage, stones, and burning tires. They also threw petrol bombs at soldiers.
Palestinian shopkeepers closed their businesses. Workers refused to go to their jobs in Israel. These actions were seen by Israel as "riots" that needed to be stopped to restore "law and order."
Within days, the occupied territories saw widespread demonstrations and commercial strikes. Military vehicles, Israeli buses, and Israeli banks were targeted. However, Israeli settlements were not attacked.
The protests involved tens of thousands of civilians, including women and children. Israeli security forces used various methods to control the crowds. These included clubs, tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets, and live ammunition. Despite this, the protests grew stronger.
Israeli Responses and Daily Life
The Israeli army killed many Palestinians early in the Intifada. Most were killed during demonstrations and riots. Because many of those killed were civilians and young people, Israel changed its approach. It adopted a policy that involved more physical force.
Israel also arrested many Palestinians. They used collective punishments, like closing universities and schools for long periods. For example, Hebron University was closed for over three years. Curfews were imposed frequently, sometimes for weeks at a time. This meant 25,000 Palestinians could be confined to their homes at once.
Communities sometimes had their water, electricity, and fuel supplies cut off. Trees on Palestinian farms were uprooted, and agricultural products were blocked from being sold. In the first year, over 1,000 Palestinian homes were demolished or sealed off.
Palestinians also refused to pay taxes. In response, Israel confiscated property and licenses. They also imposed new car taxes and heavy fines on families whose members were identified as stone-throwers.
Casualties and Impact
The First Intifada resulted in many casualties on both sides. In the first year in the Gaza Strip alone, 142 Palestinians were killed. Most died from shootings or tear gas. Some also died from beatings by Israeli police or soldiers.
Over the entire six-year period, the Israeli army killed more than 1,000 Palestinians. Tens of thousands of Palestinians were arrested. Many had their homes destroyed.
Between December 1987 and June 1991, about 120,000 Palestinians were injured. Around 15,000 were arrested, and 1,882 homes were demolished. One report stated that in the Gaza Strip alone, over 60,000 Palestinians were injured from shootings, beatings, or tear gas between 1988 and 1993.
For Israelis, about 179 to 200 were killed during the same period. More than 3,100 Israelis were injured, including soldiers and civilians.
There was also violence among Palestinians themselves. Nearly 1,000 Palestinians were killed by other Palestinians. These were often people suspected of working with Israeli intelligence.
Palestinian Leadership During the Uprising
The Intifada was not started by one person or group. Local leaders emerged from various Palestinian organizations. These included groups linked to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), such as Fatah and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Islamic groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad also played a role.
The uprising was largely guided by community councils. These councils promoted independent networks for education, medical care, and food aid. For example, they set up underground schools when regular schools were closed by the military.
A group called the Unified National Leadership of the Uprising (UNLU) became very important. They issued public statements that Palestinians generally followed. This leadership decided to avoid using deadly violence. They believed that armed resistance would lead to severe retaliation from Israel. This approach helped them gain support from some Israelis who favored peace.
The PLO and its leader, Yasser Arafat, also decided on a non-armed strategy. They hoped that negotiations would lead to an agreement with Israel. The First Intifada is often described as a "quiet revolution" because of its largely peaceful and non-violent nature.
A Shift Towards a Two-State Solution
The goals of the Intifada were shared through leaflets. These leaflets called for Israel to withdraw completely from the territories it had occupied since 1967. They also demanded an end to curfews and checkpoints.
Importantly, the leaflets asked Palestinians not to use weapons. They argued that military resistance would only lead to devastating responses from Israel. The uprising also called for the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. This was a significant change from earlier calls for the "liberation" of all of Palestine.
Other Important Events
Killing of Abu Jihad
On April 16, 1988, Abu Jihad, a leader of the PLO, was killed in Tunis. He was killed by an Israeli commando team. Israel believed he was the main organizer of the uprising. They hoped his death would weaken the Intifada.
Mass demonstrations and mourning followed in Gaza. During these events, Israeli forces raided two main mosques in Gaza. Worshippers were beaten and tear-gassed. Between 11 and 15 Palestinians were killed during the protests and riots that followed Abu Jihad's death.
In June 1988, the Arab League agreed to provide financial support for the Intifada. They confirmed this support again in 1989.
Temple Mount Incident in 1990
On October 8, 1990, 22 Palestinians were killed by Israeli police during an incident at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. This event led to an increase in violence. Palestinian attacks, including stabbings, became more frequent in Jerusalem and Gaza.
Outcomes and Reactions
Impact on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
The Intifada showed that Palestinians could act together and independently. This was a new development, as they had previously relied more on their leaders or neighboring Arab states. The uprising significantly changed the conflict. It helped lead to the Madrid Conference of 1991 and the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993.
The success of the Intifada encouraged Yasser Arafat and his followers to change their political goals. In November 1988, Arafat's group decided to recognize Israel's right to exist. They also accepted relevant UN resolutions and supported a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders.
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter noted that the Intifada's non-violent resistance was a classic example of people fighting for human rights. He believed it showed how non-violent action could help build peace.
Mubarak Awad, who founded the Palestinian Centre for the Study of Nonviolence, played a key role in promoting civil disobedience before the Intifada. Israel arrested and deported him in 1988 for encouraging a "civil uprising."
Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, a Palestinian politician, said the Intifada grew from local community groups in the 1970s. He also suggested that the violence of the occupation made groups like Hamas more extreme. He criticized the "militarization" of the later Second Intifada, which began in 2000.
Impact on Israel's Image
The Intifada challenged the idea of Jerusalem as a unified Israeli city. The uprising received a lot of international media attention. Israel's response was often criticized by news outlets and international organizations. The conflict also negatively affected Israel's tourism industry.
Jordan's Decision Regarding the West Bank
Jordan decided to cut its remaining administrative and financial ties to the West Bank. This happened because of the strong popular support for the PLO during the Intifada.
The "Iron Fist" policy, which involved harsh measures, did not stop the uprising. Israel's international image was also suffering. Jordan's decision to cut ties with the West Bank, along with the U.S. recognizing the PLO, pushed Israeli leaders like Yitzhak Rabin to seek an end to the violence through talks with the PLO.
Timeline of Palestinian Uprisings
See Also
- 1990 Temple Mount riots
- Second Intifada (2000–2005)
- 2014 Jerusalem unrest (2014)
- Israeli–Palestinian conflict (2015)
- Sumud (steadfastness)
- Palestinian nationalism
- List of modern conflicts in the Middle East
- Days of Rage: The Young Palestinians (1989) - documentary
- Cooperatives in the First Intifada
- Education during the First Intifada
- 1991–1992 Ramallah curfew
