---
title: "Second Intifada | Intro to Judaism"
description: "Second Intifada: the 2000 to 2005 Palestinian uprising after stalled peace talks, reshaping Israeli-Palestinian relations in Intro to Judaism."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/introduction-to-judaism/key-terms/second-intifada"
type: "key-term"
subject: "Intro to Judaism"
unit: "Unit 14"
---

# Second Intifada | Intro to Judaism

## Definition

The Second Intifada was a Palestinian uprising from 2000 to about 2005 marked by protests, violence, and Israeli military response. In Intro to Judaism, it shows how modern Israel and Jewish identity are tied to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

## What It Is

The Second Intifada is the name for the Palestinian uprising that began in 2000 and lasted into the mid-2000s. In Intro to Judaism, it appears as a major turning point in the modern history of Israel, because it shows how the conflict over land, security, and self-determination stayed unresolved long after Israel’s founding.

You may also see it called the Al-Aqsa Intifada. The word intifada means an uprising or shaking off, and this one began after years of frustration with the peace process, continued Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, and a growing sense that negotiations were not producing a final settlement. Ariel Sharon’s visit to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem became the immediate flashpoint, but the deeper causes were political and historical.

What made the Second Intifada different from earlier protest waves was its scale and the shift toward armed attacks and harsh military responses. Early demonstrations and civil unrest quickly gave way to shootings, bombings, raids, curfews, and increased casualties on both sides. For a Judaism course, that matters because the conflict is not only about state politics. It also shapes how many Jews think about safety, sovereignty, Zionism, and the meaning of Israel as a homeland.

The Palestinian Authority had a complicated position during the uprising. Some leaders tried to control violence and keep negotiations alive, while other factions supported resistance or acted independently. That mix makes the Second Intifada a useful case for seeing how one conflict can include many actors, not just two simple sides.

By the end of the uprising, trust between Israelis and Palestinians had dropped even further. Israel increased security measures, including barriers and tighter controls, while peace efforts lost momentum. In an Intro to Judaism class, the Second Intifada often comes up as part of the story of modern Jewish life, because it shows how Judaism, Jewish peoplehood, and the state of Israel intersect with ongoing conflict and debate.

## Why It Matters

The Second Intifada matters in Intro to Judaism because it helps explain why the modern discussion of Israel is so emotionally charged in Jewish communities. It is not just a political event from the news. It sits inside a larger course theme: how Zionism, the establishment of Israel, and later conflict shaped Jewish identity in the 20th and 21st centuries.

This term also helps you connect history to lived experience. When a class talks about Jewish identity, the role of Israel, or contemporary Jewish ethics, the Second Intifada is one of the events that changed how many Jews, Israelis, and Palestinians talk about security, peace, and coexistence. It pushed the conflict into daily life through travel restrictions, fear of attacks, and increased separation.

It also gives you a way to trace cause and effect. If a reading mentions the Oslo Accords, stalled negotiations, or later Israeli security policy, the Second Intifada is often the bridge between those ideas and the current situation. Knowing it keeps the timeline clear and helps you avoid treating the conflict as frozen in one moment.

In discussion, this term can also open up careful conversations about how historical memory works. People do not remember the conflict in the same way, and the Second Intifada is one of the events that deepened those different narratives.

## Connections

### Zionism

Zionism is the broader movement behind Jewish self-determination and the creation of Israel. The Second Intifada shows what happened after that state already existed, when the question shifted from founding a homeland to securing it and negotiating its borders. It helps you see how Zionism did not end in 1948, but continued to shape debate.

### Oslo Accords

The Oslo Accords are the peace process background you need before the Second Intifada makes sense. The uprising grew out of disappointment that Oslo had not produced a final settlement or better daily life. If you are reading about the collapse of peace hopes in the early 2000s, Oslo is usually the earlier chapter.

### [First Intifada](/introduction-to-judaism/key-terms/first-intifada)

The First Intifada and Second Intifada are related but not the same. The first is usually remembered as more centered on civil resistance, while the second escalated into far more intense armed conflict and casualties. Comparing them helps you see how protest can change form when negotiations stall and anger grows.

### [Six-Day War](/introduction-to-judaism/key-terms/six-day-war)

The Six-Day War matters because it helped create the territorial and political conditions that later fueled the conflict. Israeli control over the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem after 1967 became part of the background for both peace talks and uprising. The Second Intifada is easier to understand when you know that history.

## On the AP Exam

A quiz or essay question may ask you to place the Second Intifada on a timeline of modern Israeli and Palestinian history, or to explain why peace negotiations broke down. You might be given a passage about Sharon’s Temple Mount visit, a chart of casualties, or a discussion of Israeli security responses and asked to connect it to broader themes in Judaism and Zionism.

A strong answer does more than name the event. It explains the trigger, the deeper causes, and one or two consequences, such as increased security measures or renewed division between communities. In discussion posts, you may also be asked to compare the Second Intifada with the First Intifada or relate it to the Oslo peace process.

## Second Intifada vs First Intifada

These are easy to mix up because both were Palestinian uprisings against Israeli control. The First Intifada began in the late 1980s and is often associated with grassroots protest and civil resistance, while the Second Intifada began in 2000 and became much more violent. If a question mentions the collapse of peace talks or Ariel Sharon, it is the Second Intifada.

## Key Takeaways

- The Second Intifada was a Palestinian uprising that began in 2000 and lasted into the mid-2000s.
- In Intro to Judaism, it belongs to the modern history of Israel and the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
- Its immediate flashpoint was Ariel Sharon’s visit to the Temple Mount, but the deeper causes were long-term political frustrations.
- The uprising escalated from protest into armed conflict, which changed security policy and public trust on both sides.
- You should think of it as part of the story of how Israel, Zionism, and Jewish identity continue to intersect with conflict and peace efforts.

## FAQs

### What is the Second Intifada in Intro to Judaism?

It is the Palestinian uprising that began in 2000 and lasted until about 2005. In Intro to Judaism, it is studied as part of modern Israeli history and the continuing conflict that shapes Jewish identity, politics, and views of Israel.

### Why did the Second Intifada start?

It started with deep frustration over stalled peace negotiations, continued occupation, and the failure of the peace process to produce a final settlement. Ariel Sharon’s visit to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem became the immediate spark, but the conflict had been building for years.

### How is the Second Intifada different from the First Intifada?

The First Intifada is often described as more centered on protests and civil resistance, while the Second Intifada involved much more armed violence and heavier casualties. That difference matters when you compare how the conflict changed over time.

### Why does the Second Intifada matter in a Judaism course?

It shows how modern Jewish identity is tied to Israel’s history and to the unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Many class discussions about Zionism, security, and ethics use the Second Intifada as a real example of how history shapes present-day Jewish life.

## Related Study Guides

- [14.1 The Rise of Zionism and the Establishment of Israel](/introduction-to-judaism/unit-14/rise-zionism-establishment-israel/study-guide/WN5FdppMX2FOkP98)

## About This Document

Canonical Fiveable pages are available as Markdown at the same path plus `.md`.

- [llms.txt](https://fiveable.me/llms.txt): index of Fiveable's sections and URL patterns
- [llms-full.txt](https://fiveable.me/llms-full.txt): complete subject and unit listing
- [MCP server](https://fiveable.me/mcp): call Fiveable as tools instead of fetching pages (`https://fiveable.me/api/mcp`)
- [MCP server for AP teachers](https://fiveable.me/mcp/teachers): a teacher's classes, assignments and AP-rubric grading (`https://fiveable.me/api/mcp/teacher`)

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