Intifada

The term Intifada (Arabic: انتفاضة), meaning “uprising” or “shaking off,” refers to a series of Palestinian popular movements against Israeli occupation and control of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The word has come to symbolise the collective struggle of the Palestinian people for independence, national recognition, and the end of Israeli military rule. There have been two major intifadas — the First Intifada (1987–1993) and the Second Intifada (2000–2005) — each distinct in its causes, methods, and consequences.

Historical Context

The intifadas arose against the backdrop of long-standing grievances related to Israeli occupation, settlement expansion, economic deprivation, and political marginalisation. Following Israel’s victory in the Six-Day War (1967), it occupied the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, areas that Palestinians sought for a future state. Over the ensuing decades, Israeli settlements expanded, and military control tightened, creating growing frustration among Palestinians.
By the mid-1980s, disillusionment with Arab governments and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO)—then based in exile—contributed to a widespread sense of political stagnation. This atmosphere of discontent provided fertile ground for mass resistance within the occupied territories themselves, leading to the eruption of the First Intifada in late 1987.

The First Intifada (1987–1993)

Origins

The First Intifada began on 9 December 1987 in the Jabalia refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, following an incident in which an Israeli military vehicle collided with a Palestinian car, killing four Palestinians. The deaths triggered widespread protests that quickly spread throughout Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.
Although the immediate cause was local, the uprising was the product of decades of occupation, economic hardship, and national frustration. It marked a shift from armed struggle conducted by exiled groups to grassroots mobilisation within the occupied territories.

Nature of the Uprising

The First Intifada was characterised by civil resistance rather than organised warfare. Its tactics included:

• Mass demonstrations and strikes across cities and refugee camps.
• Boycotts of Israeli products and institutions.
• Refusal to pay taxes to Israeli authorities.
• Graffiti, leaflets, and underground newspapers to spread political messages.
• Stone-throwing by Palestinian youth against Israeli soldiers and vehicles, a defining image of the uprising.

The uprising was largely spontaneous and locally organised, coordinated through a network of popular committees representing various sectors of Palestinian society.

Israeli Response

Israel responded with a combination of military suppression and administrative measures. Curfews, mass arrests, and house demolitions were common. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) were accused of using excessive force, leading to thousands of casualties. According to human rights reports, over 1,000 Palestinians were killed, and tens of thousands were injured or detained during the uprising.

Political Outcomes

The First Intifada reshaped the political landscape of the Palestinian struggle:

• It revived international attention to the Palestinian issue, portraying it as a popular struggle for liberation rather than terrorism.
• It pressured the PLO, then in Tunisia, to engage in peace efforts, leading to its recognition of Israel in 1988.
• It paved the way for the Madrid Peace Conference (1991) and the subsequent Oslo Accords (1993), in which Israel and the PLO formally recognised each other.

The Oslo process resulted in the creation of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and limited self-rule in parts of the West Bank and Gaza, but it did not resolve the core issues of occupation, settlements, or statehood.

The Second Intifada (2000–2005)

Origins

The Second Intifada, also known as the Al-Aqsa Intifada, began in September 2000 after Ariel Sharon, then the leader of Israel’s opposition Likud Party, visited the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount in Jerusalem, a site sacred to both Muslims and Jews. The visit was perceived by Palestinians as a provocation, igniting protests that quickly escalated into widespread violence.
However, the deeper causes lay in the collapse of the Oslo peace process, continued Israeli settlement expansion, and Palestinian frustration with the lack of tangible progress toward statehood.

Nature of the Uprising

Unlike the First Intifada, the Second Intifada was more violent and militarised, involving armed confrontations, bombings, and full-scale Israeli military operations.
Palestinian militant groups such as Hamas, Fatah’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, and Islamic Jihad engaged in suicide bombings and attacks targeting Israeli civilians and security personnel. Israel responded with overwhelming force, including airstrikes, incursions, and targeted assassinations of militant leaders.
Major events during the Second Intifada included:

• The Battle of Jenin (2002): A major Israeli offensive against Palestinian militants.
• Operation Defensive Shield (2002): Large-scale reoccupation of West Bank cities by Israeli forces.
• Construction of the West Bank Barrier, justified by Israel as a security measure but condemned internationally as a form of annexation.

Casualties and Humanitarian Impact

The Second Intifada was far deadlier than the first:

• Over 3,000 Palestinians and about 1,000 Israelis were killed.
• Thousands more were injured, and widespread infrastructure destruction occurred.
• The Palestinian economy suffered catastrophic losses due to closures, curfews, and the destruction of property.

Political Consequences

The Second Intifada marked the collapse of the Oslo framework and deepened the divide between Israelis and Palestinians. Its key consequences included:

• The rise of Israeli unilateralism, exemplified by Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza in 2005 under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
• The strengthening of Hamas, which positioned itself as a resistance alternative to the perceived corruption and inefficacy of the Palestinian Authority.
• The death of Yasser Arafat (2004), which left a leadership vacuum within the Palestinian movement.
• Increased security measures and restrictions on Palestinians, including the expansion of checkpoints and the separation barrier.

Broader Significance

Both intifadas had far-reaching effects on the political, social, and psychological fabric of Israeli and Palestinian societies.

• For Palestinians, the uprisings symbolised resilience and collective identity in the face of occupation, though they also brought immense suffering and division.
• For Israelis, the violence reinforced security concerns and scepticism toward peace negotiations.

The intifadas also influenced regional and international diplomacy, compelling the world to re-engage with the Palestinian question while exposing the limitations of military and political solutions.

Legacy and Continuing Relevance

The legacy of the intifadas continues to shape the Israeli–Palestinian conflict today. The First Intifada demonstrated the effectiveness of civil resistance and mass mobilisation, while the Second underscored the devastating costs of militarisation.
Subsequent Palestinian protests and confrontations, such as the Gaza border demonstrations (2018–2019) and periodic clashes in Jerusalem and the West Bank, are often described as potential “third intifadas,” reflecting the enduring volatility of the situation.
Despite decades of negotiation, the core issues—occupation, settlements, borders, refugees, and the status of Jerusalem—remain unresolved. The intifadas thus stand as both expressions of Palestinian resistance and reminders of the persistent failure to achieve a just and lasting peace.