The Creation Of Israel

EQ: Why was Israel created in 1948?

4 Main Reasons

• History• Zionism • Anti-Semitism• Holocaust

1. Historical tie to the land

• Jews owned land before Christ• Hard times: series of takeovers• Romans destroyed temple in

Jerusalem in 70 AD and Jewish people scattered across Europe

2. Zionism• Movement to create a Jewish

homeland began in late 1800s as a result of anti-semitism

• Wasn’t big until WWI • 1917 Balfour declaration: Britain

promised a home for the Jews in Palestine

• 1920s Jews began to move to Palestine

• Arabs not happy that Jews are coming onto their land fuels Anti-Jew Arab nationalism

• World didn’t pay attention because didn’t think Britain would keep promise to the Jews

http://sabbah.biz/mt/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Balfour_portrait_and_declaration.JPG

3. Anti-Semitism• Jews were culturally different

from the Europeans• Differed in religion • Europeans saw them as

“outsiders”, tended to live apart from others to keep culture and laws kept them from having same rights

• 19th century (1800s) Jews began to enter into society, gave up things for more rights

• People envious of Jewish success

• Blamed Jews in hard times• Hard economic times in 1870s• Darwin’s theory of survival of

fittest fueled hate• Anti-semitism not just in

Germany

4. Holocaust• After WWII and the Holocaust,

Zionism was a huge movement• World felt guilt over Holocaust• Jews go to Palestine, don’t want

to go back to Europe• Britain didn’t want to get too

involved between Jews and Arabs

• Soviet Union and US help- Jews get land on coast, Palestinians inland

• 1948- Israel

Conflict continues over land…• Conflict continues in mid east• Fight 3 major wars in Israel over

land, water and religion• Palestinians mad that Israelis

take more land. Israel controls Gaza Strip and West Bank. Palestinians want them out.

• Palestinians fled after Israel created. Flee to surrounding countries

• Terrorist groups want violence

Conflict continues over water…• Water scarce• Lots of people, limited water• Water from aquifers and Jordan

River, these in Palestinian area• Pump water from Sea of Galilee• Both sides want enough water

for their people

Conflict over Jerusalem….• Both Jews and Arabs claim

Jerusalem• Site of Jewish temple, only west

wall remains• Also site of Al-Aqsa mosque- 3rd

holiest site in Islam

• Benjamin Netanyahu

• Israel’s Prime Minister

• Mahmoud Abbas• ( Abu Mazen )• Palestinian

President

• Talks continue today