The conflict between Israelis and Palestinians over territorialism and the establishment of a Jewish land and that of “the Troubles” in Northern Ireland between the largely Catholic Nationalists and the majority Protestant Unionists have many key similarities. Both “Northern Ireland the State of Israel emerged out of war, the breakup of empires, and international agreements.”1 (ESEP 93)The main phase of both the Northern Ireland conflict and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict occurred around mid 1960s to late 1990s and both had similar grievances around territory and identity. Asymmetrical, sectarian disputes arose over inequalities in political power, access to economic resources, ethnic and cultural identity, and territory disputes. In Northern
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The beginnings of the Northern Ireland conflict stemmed from the Government of Ireland Act in 1920 that partitioned Southern Ireland and the six counties that make up Northern Ireland. Southern Ireland was under Home Rule by a parliament located in Belfast while the latter was under British jurisdiction. This division was purely a political act rather than one based on geography.”Ulster 's boundaries were drawn to ensure the creation of a Northern state with a decisive, in-built Protestant and Unionist majority.”4 (NI13) This mainly-unionist parliament and union-dominated citizenship led to systematic, institutional discrimination against the Catholics and Nationalists. In addition, a series of treaties around the 1920s also increased violence and led to the development of guerrilla wars of independence and an Irish Republican Army (IRA) campaign. These conflict escalated to levels of civil war, where “over 550 people, mainly Catholics.5 (BCFP152) The Special Powers Act passed in 1922, further granting the state with draconian “emergency” powers which led to the incarceration of 500 Catholics without trial later that year. The Union-dominated government relied on intimidation and the continued suppression of the Nationalist population, which eventually led to the working-class revolts. Student radicalism spread from the civil right movement in America to Europe, inspiring the catholic middle-class to seek redress and demand elementary human rights. The Unionist government 's decision to retaliate with force led the conflict to spread throughout the province, leading to widespread rioting. This campaign for equal rights led to the feeling that the unionist dominance of Northern Ireland was under threat
The beginnings of the Northern Ireland conflict stemmed from the Government of Ireland Act in 1920 that partitioned Southern Ireland and the six counties that make up Northern Ireland. Southern Ireland was under Home Rule by a parliament located in Belfast while the latter was under British jurisdiction. This division was purely a political act rather than one based on geography.”Ulster 's boundaries were drawn to ensure the creation of a Northern state with a decisive, in-built Protestant and Unionist majority.”4 (NI13) This mainly-unionist parliament and union-dominated citizenship led to systematic, institutional discrimination against the Catholics and Nationalists. In addition, a series of treaties around the 1920s also increased violence and led to the development of guerrilla wars of independence and an Irish Republican Army (IRA) campaign. These conflict escalated to levels of civil war, where “over 550 people, mainly Catholics.5 (BCFP152) The Special Powers Act passed in 1922, further granting the state with draconian “emergency” powers which led to the incarceration of 500 Catholics without trial later that year. The Union-dominated government relied on intimidation and the continued suppression of the Nationalist population, which eventually led to the working-class revolts. Student radicalism spread from the civil right movement in America to Europe, inspiring the catholic middle-class to seek redress and demand elementary human rights. The Unionist government 's decision to retaliate with force led the conflict to spread throughout the province, leading to widespread rioting. This campaign for equal rights led to the feeling that the unionist dominance of Northern Ireland was under threat