Palestine & Israel

The founder of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions argued that occupation is a system, and that only a strategy aimed at the whole system could end it. His thinking has travelled a long way since.

Once a fringe idea, the call for a single democratic state between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean now features in mainstream debate. Where did it come from, and what are its critics' objections?

Is it legitimate to compare the violence of occupation with the violence of attacks on civilians? The argument, made by Israeli activists like Jeff Halper, still divides opinion sharply.

Mohammed Rashid, known as Khaled Salam, controlled much of the Palestinian Authority's commercial wealth in the Arafat years. The story of that money became a story about accountability.

Why do some movements turn to attacks on civilians while others choose nonviolent struggle? The Palestinian experience offers evidence for both, and a clear verdict on which path wins more support.

In June 2007 Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip after days of fighting with Fatah. The split that followed still defines Palestinian politics.

For almost three years, the Palestinian leader was confined to his battered compound in Ramallah. His isolation shaped the end of his life and the succession that followed.

Since 2008, activists have repeatedly sailed toward Gaza to challenge the blockade. Israel has stopped every flotilla, and the 2010 raid on the Mavi Marmara still shapes the debate.

In July 2011, hundreds of activists tried to fly into Israel on their way to the West Bank. The 'flytilla' ended with detentions and deportations, and a debate about who controls access to the Palestinian territories.

Every autumn, Israeli and international volunteers join Palestinian farmers in their olive groves, hoping their presence will deter attacks by settlers.

In the autumn of 2004, Israel launched its largest operation in Gaza since the start of the second intifada. Its name, and its toll, drew bitter criticism.

In May 2004 Israeli forces swept into Rafah in southern Gaza to destroy smuggling tunnels. Hundreds of homes were demolished. A year on, families were still asking why.