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Over the years, the conflict between Israel and Palestine has had multiple processes and dimensions. To compare and contrast the Israeli and Palestinian narratives regarding the 1948 war, first of all, we need to understand the traditional and emerging actors, ideas, disputes, and complexities in the conflict. Therefore, before comparing the narratives, we will mention two subjects: Zionism and settler colonialism. Zionism and Zionist thought, contrary to popular belief, are not rooted in Jewish history and culture. It is a relatively new movement that is part of the larger phenomenon of modern nationalism. Also, like many national movements and perspectives, it represents an innovative tendency with regard to tradition. Understanding Zionist thought and Zionist movements will help us compare and contrast this conflict better. Some scholars even say that Zionism and Zionist expansionism have been the result of Arab-Israeli wars. Before going into details about the 1948 War and regarding narratives, we also need to mention settler-colonial movements. Because in the case of Zionism, the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine meant that the Palestinian Arab population, whose ancestors had inhabited the region for hundreds of years, was forcibly removed from their homes and given no choice but to leave. On the other hand, the father of Zionist thought, Theodor Herzl, wanted to create a Jewish state in Palestine through negotiations with the Ottoman Empire. However, following the failure of these negotiations and the rise of British control over Palestine in the aftermath of World War I, the Zionist strategy shifted toward settler colonization. Jewish immigrants began to arrive in Palestine in greater numbers at the turn of the 20th century. They quickly established agricultural colonies and began purchasing land from absentee landlords. After the Balfour Declaration of 1917, in which the British government expressed its support for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, this process picked up speed and gained momentum. In fact, before the Balfour Declaration, the Zionist movement struggled to create colonial projects in Palestine, especially between 1882 and 1920. However, after the foundation of the Jewish National Fund and Jewish Labour Movement, Jews aimed at closing the market off to Palestinian Arabs. Relations between Arab Palestinians and Jews were normal when Arabs used to work at farms, even though Jews bought the lands. However, after Arabs were taken away from their jobs, the colonization of Palestine had an effect on all aspects of Palestinian society, starting with the peasantry (fallahin) and working its way up. The natural consequence of these events led to the establishment of the Arab Executive. This executive came together to defend the rights of Palestinians and condemn Zionist policy and Jewish immigration into Palestine. But this executive failed to defend the rights of Palestinian Arabs on the land. Afterwards, British mandates were withdrawn from the land and a UN partition plan was established. Hence, the Jews in Tel Aviv established an independent Israel. Right after that, the Arab League declared war against Israel.

The Zionist narrative sees the war as a necessary struggle for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, also framed as a story of national liberation and the return of the Jewish people to their ancestral homeland. In addition, Israelis begin the story with the attack on a Jewish bus near Lydda; therefore, this war, from their perspective, was started by Arabs, and they are only using their self-defense right. In many readings, it is also said that the Jews were few in number against the Arabs but superior technologically, morally, and spiritually. So for them, it was a struggle between “little but clever David” and “Giant but inefficient Goliath”. But some scholars also say that this was an exaggerated story. The size of the Israeli army, both troops and men, was not too “little” than Arabs. On the other hand, the Palestinian narrative views the 1948 war as a tragic event that resulted in dispossession and displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. For Palestinians this war was a catastrophic event also called “nakba”. To the Palestinian people, the entire Zionist project was an act of aggression, and they were victims. But Mordechai Bar-On once said;“Can a Jew born in Palestine in 1928 believe that evil is inherent in his entire existence simply because he was born in Palestine not in Germany.”

So Jews were evil in Palestine but victims in Germany? From the Jewish perspective, it is commonly argued that they are not inherently evil. The Palestinians on the other hand, refused the argument of “there is no Palestinian people there has never been”. People who support this argument point to historical and cultural ties between Palestine and neighboring Arab countries. They say that Palestinians are just part of a larger Arab population and don’t have a unique national identity. They also point out that there was no such thing as a Palestinian state or people before the 20th century.

In conclusion, the aforementioned discussion highlights the distinct perspectives on the war presented in both narratives, a divergence that is readily comprehensible. For Jewish people, it is a form of self-defense against Arab onslaughts. Also, it is a necessary struggle for the establishment and maintainability of the Jewish homeland. In contrast, for the Palestinian narrative, it is an unwarranted event and also a “nakba,” which displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. So from their perspectives and the perspective of the 1948 War, it looks quite compelling to have a bridgeable narrative. Reaching a bridgeable narrative between Israelis and Palestinians regarding the 1948 War is a significant challenge, yet it is not impossible. In order to have a bridgeable view of a fair and lasting peace in the region, both sides will have to recognize and deal with the legitimate claims and problems of the other, and they will also have to work toward a shared vision of a peaceful and prosperous future for everyone.