Two peoples, one land Special series from Seattle Times Understanding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict The Israelis and Palestinians continue a long and bitter fight for control of the land Abraham is said to have been given by God. They rely on force, aid from stronger nations and persuasive arguments that tell why each has a rightful claim to the land, and why the other does not. Shared roots in ancient times It's called the Holy Land, its ancient history dear to the world's three main monotheistic religions Graphic | The journeys of Abraham and Moses Routes taken by Abraham, the founder of Judaism, and Moses, a leader of the Israelites, into what is now Israel and the West Bank. The revolts: Zionism and Arab nationalism In all the talk of ancient hatreds and religious feuds, it is easy to lose sight of this basic fact: The concepts for states of Palestine and Israel as we now understand them are younger than even the concept of America. World War I maneuvering The political maneuvering by the Allies surrounding the breakup of the Ottoman Empire after World War I set the tone for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict throughout the 20th century. The endless wars: Modern strife in the Holy Land The war of 1948 gave birth to Israel and cemented the psychology of distrust and anger that plagues Arab-Israeli relations to this day. Graphic | Wars and changing borders Maps, from 1948 to 1973 Three barriers to Israeli-Palestinian peace Jerusalem. Palestinian refugees. The Jewish settlements. Graphic | Profiles of two peoples Israeli and Palestinian demographics Graphic | Two economies Main economic indicators for Israel and the Palestinian territories of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, 2002 The Palestinian Authority Arafat has been widely criticized for running an organization that is bloated, corrupt and not very effective. History of the peace process In September 1978, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin began 12 days of unprecedented talks at Camp David, Md., under the guidance of President Carter. Israel from 2000 B.C. to latest conflict Timeline Graphic | Imposed boundaries Middle Eastern borders after the fall of the Ottoman Empire following World War I and afterward A snapshot of the current leaders Two protagonists in the conflict, Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, have fought each other since the 1940s. For more info Recommended books and Web sites Middle East discussion guide These questions and activities are designed to help teachers and parents better explore the contents of this special report and use it in discussions about the conflict in the Middle East.

Today, the Israelis and Palestinians - whose dominant religious roots both trace to Abraham - continue a long and bitter fight for control of the area. Both groups rely on force, aid from stronger nations and persuasive arguments that tell why each has a rightful claim to the land, and why the other does not.

These arguments encompass a range of thorny issues: religion, history, politics and national identity. Here's a look at those issues, and how the children of Abraham came to be locked in a violent dispute that has become this era's most intractable conflict.