(This post was originally published during the 2008 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, but it includes broader resources on the conflict and is regularly updated, including the 2021 conflict. Explainers about what’s happening in 2021 are located at the bottom of this post. ADDENDUM: Now, materials for the 2023 conflict can also be found at the bottom)

I’m emphasizing the quotation marks surrounding the word “Best” in the title of this post.   In light of what is happening in Gaza and Israel right now, and its potential for even greater violence, I thought I would begin to put together some resources that would be handy when we go back to school in a week.

I’ll certainly be adding more to this list as time goes on, but at least it’s a start.

It’s not that easy finding good material out there that’s accessible to English Language Learners, which is a requirement for anything to be included in a “The Best…” list or, in fact, for pretty much anything that I post about here. I’m hopeful of finding better, and more up-to-date, resources as time goes on. It’s especially difficult to find accessible materials that provide some kind of historical context for the conflict.  It’s complexity, and its potential for controversy, probably doesn’t make it that attractive a subject for many of the usual “current events” providers of content to younger readers.

You might also be interested in  The Best Posts & Articles On How To Teach “Controversial” Topics.

Here are my picks for The “Best” Resources For Learning About the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (not in order of preference):

The CBBC Newsround has some materials very accessible to English Language Learners, though some are out-of-date. The resources are about what is happening now as well as what has happened in the past

The Peace Research Institute In The Middle East (PRIME) is an organization comprised of Israelis and Palestinians who have developed high school materials on the Middle East that are used in both communities.  As a Newsweek article explains, each page is divided into three: the Palestinian and Israeli narratives and a third section left blank for the pupil to fill in. “The idea is not to legitimize or accept the other’s narrative but to recognize it..”

All the PRIME materials can be freely downloaded from their site. They are far too advanced for English Language Learners, but the idea can used with modified materials about the Middle East conflict.  In fact, I think it would be fairly easy to do so with some of the resources already on this list.

Locked In Gaza is a New York Times slideshow and Growing Up In Gaza is a Times’ video.

The BBC has a good map of the Israeli and Palestinian “territory.”

Changing map of Israel and the Palestinian territories is from The Guardian.

Challenges in Defining an Israeli-Palestinian Border is an interactive from The New York Times.

Interactive: Gaza, life under siege is from Al Jazeera.

11 crucial facts to understand the Israel-Gaza crisis is from Vox.


The Crisis In Gaza
is an interactive from The Washington Post.

 

2021 Conflict Resources:

Israel-Gaza violence: The conflict explained is from The BBC.

Explainer: How did the latest Israeli-Palestinian crisis emerge? is from NBC News.

Israel-Palestine crisis explained: why has the violence escalated again? – video is from The Guardian.

Teaching About the Current Conflict in Gaza and Israel is from The NY Times Learning Network.

 

2023 Conflict:

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict: A chronology is from The Washington Post.

What is the Gaza Strip? Who controls it? Here’s what to know is from NBC News.

Hamas has launched an unprecedented attack against Israel. Here’s what to know is from CNN.

What is Hamas, and why did it attack Israel now? is from The Washington Post.

How to Talk About the Israel-Hamas War: Resources for Educators is from Ed Week.

Processing Attacks in Israel and the Outbreak of War in the Region is from Facing History.

What is Hamas? What to know about the group behind the deadliest attack in Israel in decades is from NBC News.

“MAP EXPLAINER: THE GAZA STRIP”

Teaching About the Israel-Hamas War is from The NY Times Learning Network.

My students asked if I was ‘Team Israeli’ or ‘Team Palestinian.’ Here’s what I said. is from Chalkbeat.

The Israel-Gaza war: News literacy lessons is from The Washington Post.

Gaza: the history of an embattled territory is an interactive from The Financial Times.

Students Are Bringing Up the Israel-Hamas War in Class. Here’s How Teachers Are Responding is from Ed Week.

Six maps explain the boundaries of Israel and Palestinian territories is from The Washington Post.

How Teachers Can Talk About The Israel/Hamas Conflict is from The Hechinger Report.

Centering Humanity While Following News of the Israel-Hamas War is from Facing History.

Addressing Islamophobia and Anti-Semitism in K–12 Schools is from Edutopia.

As tensions flare over Israel-Hamas war, NYC to train educators on having ‘difficult conversations’ is from Chalkbeat.

New Resources for Teaching About the Israel-Hamas War is from The NY Times Learning Network.

Mapped: how Gaza war led to violence spreading around the Middle East is from The Guardian.

 

The Road to 1948 is from The NY Times.

I’m very interested in getting feedback and additional suggestions.  Please leave them in the comments section of this post.

If you found this post useful, you might want to look at previous “The Best…” lists and also consider subscribing to this blog for free.