1948 Arab–Israeli

By: Carlos Rosete Jesica MoralezMaria Zaracay

The Beginnings of a War• It start because the Arabs were

worried about the incoming alien race to a land they inhabited for 1 000 years the British were stuck between the oil and strategic interests with the Palestinians and their promise to the Jews.

• As a result they put a ceiling on Jewish immigration but many Jews tried to immigrate illegally which caused bitter fighting between the two.

Tensions Rise• The creation of the two states

was accepted by the Jews while it was turned down by the Arabs

• “Nationalism, that is a greater force than any which drives us.”-Azzam Pasha Secretary General of the Arab League

• During the Voting of the partition to instate the two states the Arab League declared that if it was vote into effect they would go to war against the Jews as soon as the British left. The Partition was accepted

Plans for War• After the partition was accepted the

seven members of the Arab league met in Cairo to decide what would be done.

• They agreed to supply 10 000 rifles, 3 000 volunteers, and £1 000 000 to start an immediate beginning of guerilla operations against the Zionists in Palestine

• The leader of the Zionist army Ben-Gurion called an emergency meeting in Jerusalem and decided to use the war as a way to gain more land for the new Jewish state

Deir Yassin• April 1948 Jewish extremists

of Irgun and Stern groups massacred the inhabitants of Deir Yassin, a small village near Jerusalem

• Even though Ben-Gurion showed his shock of this event on TV and the Chief rabbi of Jerusalem excommunicated those who participated. This event elicited demands for vengeance and become a symbol of the homelessness of hundreds of thousands of Arab refugees

The Final Decision• After the carnage of Deir Yassin

Golda Meir was sent to the King Abjullah of Transjordan in a last ditch effort at peace

• The meeting ended in failure as the King could make no decisions on his own and the Zionists refused to postpone the creation of the Jewish state

• May 12: Ben-Gurion called a secret meeting of the National Council to decide what to do with the British mandate on the verge of expiring. By a vote of 6 out of 11 it was decided that the Jewish state would be declared immediately

United Nations Resolution 181:• Problem:

– Its not a solution to the problem if one side refuses to accept it

• Arab League: Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia

– Threaten war if partition went forward

– Decided they didn’t need diplomacy

» Would use military force and change Palestine to suit their needs

» In retrospect, not the brightest move

– Did not really agree on any war goals or aims, just that they would go to war.

Acceptance (But for What Purpose)

• May 14: at 4 p.m. two hours before the termination of the British mandate, Ben-Gurion announced the birth of Israel

• The delegates of the U.S and the Soviet Union shortly after declared that they recognized the new state

THE END The end