IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS) Volume 16, Issue 2 (Sep. - Oct. 2013), PP 109-117 e-ISSN: 2279-0837, p-ISSN: 2279-0845. www.Iosrjournals.Org www.iosrjournals.org 109 | Page Geopolitical Conflicts: The Case of Israeli – Palestinian Conflict (1947 – 2012) Ajinde Oluwashakin, Ph.D Political Science and International Relations Department, College of Business and Social Sciences, Landmark University, P.M.B 1001, Omu-Aran ,Kwara State, Nigeria. Abstract: In current history, as in the past, many international conflicts could be explained in terms of geopolitical factors. While geopolitical conflicts are raging in several parts of the world, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been most significant since the emergence of the modern state of Israel in 1948, resulting from the November 29, 1947 United Nations Resolution 181 adopted for two states creation in Palestine: one Arab, one Jewish. While the Jewish state came into being, the Arab one has remained a confounding issue. Why has the Palestinian state not been actualized? The paper argues that in last sixty-five years, efforts made to actualize the creation of a Palestinian state have suffered unnecessary paralysis due largely to socio-psychological perceptions and diplomatic conundrum between the two sides. The November 29, 2012 UN General Assembly resolution upgrading the Palestinian Authority from UN “observer” to “non-state member observer” status was a significant diplomatic achievement for the Palestinians, but laced with political landmines. But a Palestinian state can be actualized if certain impediments are removed, with honesty of purpose on both sides and the third party mediators. I. Introduction Geopolitics is all about the interplay of geography and politics, and how it helps to explain conflict in international politics and, in a broader sense, International Relations. Perceptions and the effect of geography on human development are the two basic assumptions underlying geopolitics. A nation‘s location on the face of the earth is a profound factor that affects its vital national interests, particularly its survival. This is the case of Israelis and Palestinians, and many other states in the world. Who owns the land or can claim autochthony? Because of the anarchic nature of world politics, it remains a difficult, if not impossible; task to resolve many international conflicts. However, the United Nations (UN) exists, playing the role, to a large extent, of a ―world government‖, or a mediator in international disputes. Thus, the 1947 UN General Assembly Resolution 181 was adopted as an instrument for two-state creation in Palestine: one Arab, one Jewish. This Resolution 181 led to the declaration and establishment of a state of Israel in May 1948; but the provision of the Resolution was rejected by the Arabs, which aborted the establishment of a state of Palestine during the same period. But the 2012 UN General Assembly resolution upgraded the Palestinian Authority from observer to non-state observer status, which was significant diplomatic achievement for the Palestinians in the last six-five years of struggle. To what extent has this resolved or confounded the problem? How can the socio-psychological perceptions and diplomatic conundrum between the two parties be resolved, and in turn bring a relative peace to the age long conflict? Or, at a minimum move the peace process forward toward actualizing a Palestinian state? The paper is structured into five parts; with part one constituting this introduction. Part two appraises the historical and conceptual background; part three analyses both the 1947 and 2012 UN resolutions; part four examines resolving the conflict beyond the two-state solution basis, and the conclusion. Historical and Conceptual Background Mesopotamia was, once the heartland of what is now known as the Middle East, where patriarch Abraham migrated to a territory previously populated by the Cannanites, Hittites, Jebusites, Philistines, among others. Ancient empires such as the Assyrian, Babylonian, Phoenitcian and Persian shaped the early Middle East and began its historicity (Lieberman, 2007). Foreign invaders, notably the Greeks, Mongols, and Romans, particularly the Romans played a role in the current crisis in the Middle East, especially the Israel-Palestine conflict. Between 68AD and 73AD, Jewish resistance against Roman rule resulted in ruthless crushing of the Jews and destruction of Jerusalem. Another revolt was again ruthlessly crushed in 131-135 AD. Emperor Hadrian (117-135) reconstructed Jerusalem as a Roman city and renamed it AeliaCapitolia and a temple of Jupiter was built on the original Temple site built by Solomon. More significantly, ―the land of Israel was renamed Palestine in honor of the Philistines who had occupied only five cities on the Mediterranean seaboard, including Gaza (Irene Princewill, 2006). More than honoring the Philistines, the Romans wanted to shame and humiliate the Jews and futuristically to create the current intractable problem for Israel.