Israel/Palestine - 1948 warIsrael/Palestine - 1948 war

14th May 1948 State of 14th May 1948 State of Israel proclaimed Israel proclaimed

U.S. (Truman) and U.S.S.R. U.S. (Truman) and U.S.S.R. recognized new Israeli recognized new Israeli StateState

action condemned by action condemned by Arab LeagueArab League

Arab countries (Egypt, Arab countries (Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Transjordan) send forces Transjordan) send forces to Palestineto Palestine

but, few in number - but, few in number - approx. 23,000approx. 23,000

commander Abdullah, commander Abdullah, king of Transjordanking of Transjordan

Israeli Defense Forces Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) grew to 96, 000(IDF) grew to 96, 000

equipped with equipped with modern weapons; modern weapons; U.S. aircraftU.S. aircraft

highly motivated highly motivated -”Holocaust -”Holocaust syndrome”syndrome”

struggle based on struggle based on principle - end principle - end justifies the meansjustifies the means

Irgun reined in; U.N. Irgun reined in; U.N. mediator, Count mediator, Count Bernadotte Bernadotte assassinatedassassinated

Arab villages Arab villages terrorizedterrorized

Arab states - divided and Arab states - divided and weakweak

Abdullah had done deal Abdullah had done deal with Israelis (Golda Meir) with Israelis (Golda Meir) for control of West Bankfor control of West Bank

Egypt had unstabe Egypt had unstabe government; sought to government; sought to gain Palestinian landgain Palestinian land

Grand Mufti at odds with Grand Mufti at odds with Arab LeagueArab League

in first phase of war in first phase of war Israelis under pressureIsraelis under pressure

truces, first with Egypt in truces, first with Egypt in Feb. ’49, allowed Israeli Feb. ’49, allowed Israeli forces to regroupforces to regroup

second phase of warsecond phase of war

Arab morale collapsedArab morale collapsed

Israelis on offensiveIsraelis on offensive

captured three-captured three-quarters of lands quarters of lands granted Palestine by granted Palestine by U.N.U.N.

West Jerusalem taken West Jerusalem taken by Israelisby Israelis

Grand Mufti had Grand Mufti had proclaimed Palestinian proclaimed Palestinian statestate

truces - Egypt, Feb truces - Egypt, Feb ’49; Lebanon, Mar ’49; ’49; Lebanon, Mar ’49; Syria, July ‘49Syria, July ‘49

for Palestinians the for Palestinians the events of 1948-9 events of 1948-9 are known as Al are known as Al Nakba (the Nakba (the Disaster)Disaster)

70% of all 70% of all Palestinians Palestinians became refugees - became refugees - forced out of forced out of hundreds of hundreds of villages and townsvillages and towns

refugees dispersed refugees dispersed to surrounding to surrounding regions - Gaza, regions - Gaza, West Bank, West Bank, Lebanon, Lebanon, Transjordan and Transjordan and SyriaSyria

new State of Israelnew State of Israel

included 77% of land included 77% of land formerly granted by U.N. formerly granted by U.N. to Palestineto Palestine

21% larger than original 21% larger than original U.N. resolutionU.N. resolution

population - 717, 000 population - 717, 000 Jews; 165,000 Arabs - 1/5 Jews; 165,000 Arabs - 1/5 ChristianChristian

parliament - Knesset - Left parliament - Knesset - Left and Right-wing political and Right-wing political partiesparties

Labor Party’s Ben-Gurion Labor Party’s Ben-Gurion first Prime Ministerfirst Prime Minister

first president Chaim first president Chaim WeizmannWeizmann

military service military service compulsorycompulsory

IDF key IDF key institution in institution in statestate

Ben-Gurion Ben-Gurion dominated dominated politics during politics during first 15 yearsfirst 15 years

security; security; economic self-economic self-sufficiency; sufficiency; develop develop recources, recources, especially especially agriculture; agriculture; encourage encourage Jewish Jewish immigrationimmigration

1950 Law of Return 1950 Law of Return doubled Israel’s doubled Israel’s population by 1952population by 1952

some tensions some tensions between Ashkenazi between Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jewsand Sephardi Jews

housing shortageshousing shortages

economic boycott by economic boycott by Arab countriesArab countries

economic support economic support from Jewish groups in from Jewish groups in U.S. and Britain; West U.S. and Britain; West Germany also Germany also provided aid provided aid

““Green Line” - Green Line” - armistice line of 1949armistice line of 1949

Palestinian DiasporaPalestinian Diaspora

Palestine no longer on map Palestine no longer on map of Middle Eastof Middle East

West Bank under Jordanian West Bank under Jordanian control; Gaza under Egyptian control; Gaza under Egyptian administration; Jerusalem administration; Jerusalem divideddivided

in Israel Palestinians in Israel Palestinians accounted for 15% of accounted for 15% of population/ citizenspopulation/ citizens

suffered discrimination - suffered discrimination - limitation on travel; military limitation on travel; military control; not accepted in control; not accepted in political parties; fewer political parties; fewer economic resourceseconomic resources

regarded as traitors by other regarded as traitors by other ArabsArabs

the Campsthe Camps

Palestinian Palestinian refugees were refugees were settled in camps settled in camps in the West Bank; in the West Bank; Syria, Lebanon, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and GazaJordan and Gaza

kept alive dream kept alive dream of return to their of return to their homelandhomeland

exile and exile and conditions in conditions in camps fed sense camps fed sense of grievance and of grievance and anti-Israel hatredanti-Israel hatred

conditions in camps conditions in camps often grimoften grim

better in Lebanon, than better in Lebanon, than in Gazain Gaza

King Abdullah of Jordan King Abdullah of Jordan pursued a policy of pursued a policy of “Jordanization” for the “Jordanization” for the Palestinians living in his Palestinians living in his kingdomkingdom

Palestinian nationalist Palestinian nationalist organizations and media organizations and media were bannedwere banned

no represenatation in no represenatation in consultative parliamentconsultative parliament

West Bank - policy of West Bank - policy of Jordanization not Jordanization not successfulsuccessful

population increase; lack population increase; lack of leadership; better off, of leadership; better off, educated lefteducated left

100,000 left between 100,000 left between 1950 and 19541950 and 1954

Arab neglect of Arab neglect of Palestinian causePalestinian cause

dream of returning to the dream of returning to the ‘Lost Garden of Palestine’‘Lost Garden of Palestine’

need for new Palestinian need for new Palestinian nationalism to recover nationalism to recover landslands

problems with Arab problems with Arab nationalism in the nationalism in the 1950’s - new Arab 1950’s - new Arab states often unstable states often unstable and pursued national and pursued national interestsinterests

Cold War impact on Cold War impact on Middle East - Soviet Middle East - Soviet Union’s anti-imperialism Union’s anti-imperialism supported Arab supported Arab nationalismnationalism

U.S. and Britain long U.S. and Britain long involvement in region - involvement in region - oil interests, Saudi oil interests, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Gulf StatesArabia, Iraq, Gulf States

U.S. under Truman and U.S. under Truman and Eisenhower - strong Eisenhower - strong commitment to Israel commitment to Israel and its defenseand its defense

Syria post-1946Syria post-1946

U.S. concern that U.S. concern that Syria would fall under Syria would fall under communist influence communist influence and threaten oil linkand threaten oil link

March 1949 CIA coup; March 1949 CIA coup; further coups followedfurther coups followed

new strongly anti-new strongly anti-Western party Western party emerged in Syrian emerged in Syrian politics - Baath partypolitics - Baath party

tensions along tensions along demilitarized zone demilitarized zone with Israelwith Israel

Lebanon - maintained Lebanon - maintained a somewhat pro-a somewhat pro-Western policyWestern policy

Palestinian refugees Palestinian refugees destabilizing elementdestabilizing element

Jordan - Abdullah (‘the Jordan - Abdullah (‘the dog who sold dog who sold Palestine to the Palestine to the Zionists’) was Zionists’) was assassinated; his son assassinated; his son Hussein became new Hussein became new rulerruler

Iraq - political Iraq - political instability and failed instability and failed policies of Faisal IIpolicies of Faisal II

Egypt post-1948Egypt post-1948

corrupt king - Faroukcorrupt king - Farouk

government government challenged by challenged by Muslim BrotherhoodMuslim Brotherhood

Egyptian hostility Egyptian hostility towards British towards British military presence in military presence in Suez Canal ZoneSuez Canal Zone

guerrilla attacks on guerrilla attacks on BritishBritish

coup led by Colonel coup led by Colonel Nasser overthrew Nasser overthrew Farouk in July, 1952Farouk in July, 1952