- Palestinians call it as al-Aqsa Intifada or uprising.
- Uprising started – Sept 28, 2000
- With Ariel Sharon’s, then an Israeli’s opposition leader, visit to the al-Aqsa Mosque compound | + 1000 Israeli troops.
- For Palestinians, Sharon, then Israel’s defence minister, was responsible for 1982 Sabra and Shatila incident in 1982.
- Sabra and Shatila – Palestinian refugee camp in West Beirut, Lebanon
- Palestinians say thousands of the refugees were killed by the right-wing Christian Phalange militia | and were aided by Israeli troops | who surrounded the refugee camp.
- For Palestinians, Sharon’s was a provocative visit | intended to show Israel’s domination over what Palestinians considered their Holy Site.
- Protests began, and soon turned into Second Intifada | was much more violent than the first Intifada.
- Led by Hamas, its suicide bombing missions and rocket attacks inside Israel.
- Fatalities – Palestinians – around 5000 | including 1200+ children | 250+ women.
- Fatalities – Israelis – 1000+.
- Feb 2005 – Sharm el-Sheikh Summit | led again to some temporary peace in the region.
- Sept 11, 2005 – Israel removes its flag flying over Gaza Strip since 1967.
- Removed first Jewish settlers, followed by troop withdrawal.
- Full control shifted to the Palestinian Authority.