Second Intifada

Lore & Background

The Second Intifada, also called the Al-Aqsa Intifada, was a major Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation that began in 2000. It started with civilian protests in Jerusalem and areas within Israel proper, but quickly escalated into a prolonged period of intense violence across Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. The unrest is widely linked to the failure of the 2000 Camp David Summit, which had been expected to produce a final peace agreement. A key trigger was a provocative visit by Israeli politician Ariel Sharon to the Temple Mount in September 2000. Though the visit itself was peaceful, it sparked protests and riots. Israeli police responded with rubber bullets, live ammunition, and tear gas, killing at least 47 Palestinian protesters within the first five days. In those early days, the Israeli military fired approximately one million rounds of ammunition. A defining characteristic of the uprising was a series of suicide bombings by Palestinian militant groups; after March 2001, about 138 such attacks targeted Israeli civilians. Israeli forces conducted gunfights, targeted killings, tank attacks, and airstrikes, while Palestinians used gunfights, stone-throwing, and rocket attacks. The violence resulted in an estimated 3,000 Palestinian deaths, 1,000 Israeli deaths, and 64 foreign nationals killed. The uprising ended with the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit of 2005, where Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon agreed to de-escalate, reaffirmed the 2003 "roadmap for peace," and arranged for the release of 900 Palestinian prisoners and a withdrawal of Israeli troops from re-occupied parts of the West Bank.

Reader's Guide

Its legacy includes deep mutual distrust and ongoing debates over the causes and conduct of the violence. The uprising began as civilian protests in Jerusalem and areas inside Israel, triggered by the failure of the 2000 Camp David Summit and a provocative visit by Israeli politician Ariel Sharon to the Temple Mount. Israeli security forces responded with extreme violence, killing at least 47 Palestinian protesters within five days and firing one million rounds of ammunition in the first days. The conflict escalated into a prolonged period of heightened violence across Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, featuring Palestinian suicide bombings—approximately 138 after March 2001—targeting Israeli civilians, alongside Israeli gunfights, targeted killings, tank attacks, and airstrikes. Palestinians also used stone-throwing and rocket attacks. The violence resulted in roughly 3,000 Palestinian deaths, 1,000 Israeli deaths, and 64 foreign nationals killed. The uprising ended with the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit of 2005, where Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Sharon agreed to de-escalate, reaffirmed the Quartet’s roadmap for peace, and Sharon agreed to release 900 Palestinian prisoners and withdraw Israeli troops from re-occupied parts of the West Bank. The term “Intifada” means “shaking off” in Arabic, referring to a revolt against Israeli occupation, while “Al-Aqsa Intifada” references the mosque compound on the Temple Mount. Some Israelis call it the “Oslo War,” blaming concessions from the Oslo Accords, or “Arafat’s War,” while others cite disproportionate Israeli response to unarmed protests as the cause of escalation.

Did You Know?

• The Second Intifada is also known as the Al-Aqsa Intifada, referring to the mosque compound on the Temple Mount.
• Within the first five days of the uprising, Israeli forces killed at least 47 Palestinian protesters.