Broad international consensus regarding the political and legal controversies of the Israeli-Palestinian Gaza conflict has been minimal at best. At worst, it has fueled the controversies created by the UN Fact-Finding Mission, through which both sides maintain their positions and justification for their actions. To obtain an opinion on this issue it is necessary to examine the historical context of the Gaza conflict. By identifying key legal and policy discrepancies, looking at the perspectives of those who defend Israeli actions and those who have strong criticism against such actions, we can grasp the complexity of the issue and make an assessment of the actions of both sides. In 2005, Israel withdrew its forces from the Gaza Strip, but did so with conditions imposed on the Palestinian authorities. It must put an end to terrorist tactics in and around Israeli territory. This seemed like a promising step toward Palestinian and Israeli peace until 2006, when the political group Hamas took power and declared that it would not recognize Israel's existence. He rejected the Oslo Accords and the Arab Peace Initiative and separated himself from negotiations with Israel. Since coming to power, Hamas has openly supported attacks on Israel. In 2007 Hamas' influence spread to the Gaza Strip, that same year Israel implemented a blockade that paralyzed Gaza's economic activity, raising political, ethical and moral questions in the international community. In early 2008, after numerous mortars and rockets were fired across the border into Israel, the air force and defense forces responded by killing many Palestinian civilians and militants. Israeli defense officials saw these attacks as a break by Hamas with the P...... middle of paper ... the conflicts were dealt with legally, although they were not respected by either side, which hinders the legitimacy of international authority. One of the main problems I have observed is the inability of the UN Security Council to attach certainty to all laws broken and to punish both sides. This lack of legal authority will continue to plague progress both at the political level and within the legal institutions used to address the situation. Resolution and absolution of the definitions and particles of these important issues are necessary to achieve lasting peace in the region and eventual coexistence. Works Cited Alan Dershowitz “The Case Against the Goldstone Report” “The UN Gaza Report: A Substantive Critique” Ambassador Dore Gold Noura Erakat “It's Not Wrong, It's Illegal” “UN Fact-Finding Mission” Richard Goldstone