First Intifada

Many years ago, many people felt very sad.

In 1987, a big protest began. It started after a truck hit some cars. This made people very angry.

People did many things to show they were unhappy. They held big protests. Some people stayed home from work. They also stopped buying certain goods.

Many people threw stones at the army. The army used many soldiers to respond. This was a very hard time for everyone.

This time of protest lasted for several years. It ended when leaders met to talk. People worked hard to find a way forward.

The First Intifada was a large uprising. It began in December 1987. It took place in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Palestinians were unhappy with Israeli military rule. Many felt life was unfair. For years, Israel had controlled these lands. Many Palestinians worked in Israel every day. Others felt they were losing their land.

A truck crash in a refugee camp started the protest. The crash killed four Palestinian workers. This event made people very angry.

Palestinians used many ways to protest. They held large strikes. They stopped buying some goods. Some people threw stones at the army.

Israel sent about 80,000 soldiers to respond. This led to much violence. Many people were hurt or killed. Over six years, at least 1,087 Palestinians died. Many Israelis were also killed or injured.

The uprising lasted until 1991 or 1993. It ended after leaders met to talk about peace.

The First Intifada was a major uprising by Palestinian people. It took place in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. This movement involved many different types of protests. Some people used non-violent ways to show they were unhappy. Others used violent protests or riots. This period of unrest lasted from December 1987 until about 1991 or 1993. It was a very difficult time for everyone living in the area.

Many things caused the Palestinian people to feel frustrated. Israel had been in control of these lands since the 1967 war. Palestinians felt the military occupation was unfair and hard to live under. Many Palestinians worked in Israel every day to earn money. Some people also worried about losing their land to new settlements. There were also problems with finding good jobs after finishing college. These many pressures built up over many years.

A specific event in December 1987 helped start the uprising. In the Jabalia refugee camp, a truck hit several parked cars. This accident killed four Palestinian workers. Many Palestinians believed the crash was done on purpose. Israel said the crash was not intentional. This event acted as a spark for the larger movement. It turned local anger into a widespread rebellion.

Palestinians used several ways to protest the occupation. Some people held general strikes to stop work. Others chose to boycott Israeli products or refuse to pay taxes. Some people also used stones or other items against the army. In response, Israel sent about 80,000 soldiers to the area. This led to very high levels of violence. Many people on both sides were hurt or killed during these years.

Numbers from this time show how serious the conflict was. During the six years of the Intifada, at least 1,087 Palestinians were killed. This number included 240 children. Among Israelis, 100 civilians and 60 soldiers were killed. Many more people were injured during the fighting. The uprising eventually led to leaders meeting to talk about peace. This period changed how people thought about the region.

The First Intifada was a sustained uprising by Palestinian civilians and militants. It occurred in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, specifically the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. This movement involved a mix of violent and non-violent protests. It also included acts of civil disobedience, riots, and terrorist attacks. The uprising was a reaction to the Israeli military occupation. This occupation had been in place since the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. The period of unrest lasted from December 1987 until the Madrid Conference in 1991. Some historians mark its end with the 1993 Oslo Accords.

Several deep-seated issues fueled the Palestinian frustration. By the late 1980s, the occupation had lasted nearly twenty years. Over 40 percent of the Palestinian workforce traveled to Israel daily for jobs. Palestinians also faced rising population density and high unemployment. Even college graduates struggled to find work. Only one in eight degree-holders could find a job related to their studies. Additionally, the Jewish settler population in the West Bank grew quickly. It rose from 35,000 in 1984 to 64,000 in 1988. This growth created fears of a "de facto annexation" of the land.

Palestinians used various methods to resist the occupation. They engaged in civil disobedience through general strikes and boycotts. Some refused to work in Israeli settlements or buy Israeli products. Others refused to pay taxes or drive cars with Israeli licenses. At the same time, many protests turned violent. People threw stones and Molotov cocktails at the Israeli army. They also used graffiti and built barricades to block roads. These different tactics showed the many ways people expressed their anger.

The uprising began with a specific, tragic event in December 1987. In the Jabalia refugee camp, an Israeli truck driver collided with parked vehicles. This accident killed four Palestinian workers. Three of those workers were from the Jabalia camp. Many Palestinians believed the collision was a deliberate act. They felt it was a response to a previous killing of an Israeli in Gaza. Israel denied that the crash was intentional or coordinated. Regardless, this event acted as a catalyst for the mass rebellion.

Israel responded to the uprising with a large military presence. The country deployed approximately 80,000 soldiers to the territories. Israeli security forces used various countermeasures to manage the unrest. These included the use of live ammunition during riots. Human Rights Watch criticized the use of lethal force as disproportionate. After images showed soldiers beating adolescents with clubs, Israel began using semi-lethal plastic bullets. These military actions were part of a broader struggle for control.

The human cost of the First Intifada was very high. During the six-year period, the Israeli army killed at least 1,087 Palestinians. This total included 240 children. Among Israelis, 100 civilians and 60 soldiers were killed. Many militants operated outside the control of the Unofficial Local Underground Leadership (UNLU). There was also significant intra-Palestinian violence. An estimated 822 Palestinians were killed for being alleged Israeli collaborators. More than 1,400 Israeli civilians and 1,700 soldiers were injured during the conflict.

The Intifada had complex political connections. It was not just a struggle against the military occupation. Some historians, like Shlomo Ben-Ami, suggest it was also a rebellion against the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The PLO was seen by some as uncompromising. The uprising also involved different social groups. A new Palestinian elite emerged from the university system. This group was often more activist and confrontational. These internal and external pressures shaped the entire movement.