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Contrary to what is commonly believed, the problems between Arabs and Israelis in the Palestine region have not existed for centuries. Instead the conflict between the two groups began in the early part of the 20th Century when large numbers of European Jews legally immigrated to the region and was exacerbated when a partition creating the country of Israel occurred after World War 2.
The Arab countries in the region were totally opposed to the creation of Israel as a separate state. As the result of armed conflict regarding this issue, Israel significantly expanded its original boundaries. In addition, it has "occupied" three regions - the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and the Golan Heights - since 1968. While not claiming permanent sovereignity over these regions, Israel has established permanent settlements in these areas.
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