Title: The Situation: ArabIsraeli conflict 19489
1The SituationArab-Israeli conflict 1948-9
2Review the Situation
- By 1947, considerable immigration of Jewish
peoples (Zionists) fleeing persecution in Europe
were in search of a new homeland, known as
Palestine. - This did not sit well with local Palestinian
population of Muslim Arabs, so bloody clashes
ensued. - The British rulers of Palestine wanted the Arabs
to keep the peace, but this only led to more
disagreement between all three groups.
3Behind the Scenes
- 1947 - "I told the Jews that if they were willing
to furnish me with five hundred thousand men to
carry on a war with the Arabs, we could do what
they are suggesting in the Resolution favoring a
state - otherwise we will have to negotiate
awhile. I want to make the whole world safe for
the Jews. Therefore, I don't feel like going to
war for Palestine." - 1948 The Jews are so emotional, and the Arabs
are so difficult to talk with that it is almost
impossible to get anything done. The British
have, of course, been exceedingly uncooperative.
.. The Zionists, of course, have expected a big
stick approach on our part, and naturally have
been disappointed when we can't do that."
President Harry S. Truman
http//www.mideastweb.org/us_supportforstate.htm
4Partition Plan Poor in Palestine
- The United Nations Partition Plan (1947) was
meant to stop the fighting in Palestine. The Jews
were to get c.55 of the land, and the Arabs,
45. - Naturally the Palestinian Arabs rejected it out
of hand. - The Jewish - leader Ben-Gurion -gave it a
cautious welcome. - All sides knew, however, that the British rule
was coming to an end. Their Mandate
(permission) to rule only lasted until May15
1948. - The time bomb was a ticking
5BOOM!!
- Anti-Jewish protests, Jewish shops were looted,
and Jewish people attacked. - May 14, 1948 The Prime Minister Ben Gurion
declared the Independence of Israel,only one day
before the end of the mandate, and in a climate
of fear and violence. - He quickly unites the Jews in the fight for their
state.
6Response to Israels Independence
- Israel was quickly recognized by the USA and
Russia. - Dont forget, the US was in a cold war with USSR
and the fight against communism was increased. - Both were becoming increasingly reliant on oil,
and were competing for political power in the
world.
7The Arab Response
- Arab League countries declared war on the new
Israel immediately. Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Jordan
and Lebanon all planned invasions. - The idea was to crush Israel before it could
become established. - They were trained and equipped by the British.
- The U.S. imposed an arms embargo on both states,
in hopes of avoiding bloodshed.
81948 Arab Invasion plans of Israel ( in red.)
From Lebanon and Syria
From Transjordan and Iraq
From Egypt
9The Israeli Defense
- With not a single cannon or tank, Israel quickly
had to equip her soldiers. - Relying on smuggled weapons from Czechoslavikia,
all armed units- Zionist, or otherwise combined
into one force, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). - The Israelis relied on what they had learned in
WWII and from helping the British army. Their
military technology by 1949 was superior to the
Arabs. - But before this happened the Israelis relied on
sheer enthusiasm and - superior military intelligence. Israel won the
air war, for example, by better strategy, rather
than better technology.
10The Arab Offensive.
- It was a disaster for the Arabic nations. The
Israeli forces were far stronger than any of them
expected. - Many Jews had fought in World War II and they had
reasonable weaponry-mostly also from World war
II. - The Jewish army also greatly increased in size,
whereas the Arab forces grew only slowly and were
controlled separately.
11Strength in Numbers
- Israeli Forces 1948
- Initial strength - 29,677
- 4 June40,825
- 17 July63,586
- 7 October88,033
- 28 October92,275
- 2 December106,900
- 23 December107,652
- 30 December108,300
- Arab forces 1948
- July 40,000
- October 55,000
- January 60,000
12The Avia S-199 Israels first fighter plane.
World War II experts may recognize it- it is,
ironically, the old German Messerschmitt BF 109
which was now used by Israel to fight its old
enemy the Spitfire- now being flown by the
Egyptians. Israel also managed to buy some
Spitfires too!
Spitfire Irony in the Sky.
13Israeli children today still make models of their
nations first plane.
14Old military equipment. This gun was pre-World
War One vintage.
15Arab soldiers firing on an Israeli settlement.
16Motorised weaponry.
17The End Result
- Only the Jordanians and the Egyptians made any
real gains. The Jordanians grabbed East Jerusalem
and the West Bank land. The Egyptians gained a
strip of coast-line called the Gaza strip. - Elsewhere the Arabic forces were all pushed back.
- 1949 the United Nations declared a cease-fire
- Israel signed armistice agreements with all the
Arab states. - Israel had expanded by another 25!
18Israel
West Bank-Jordanian
Gaza Strip-Egyptian
19Nakba disaster
- Up to ¾ of a million Arab Palestinians lost their
homes in the war and fled South or East. - Massive refugee camps sprang up and conditions
were horrific. - These camps proved ideal places for Arab
resistance movements to begin recruiting members.
20Palestinian Arab refugees. The seeds of years
of future discontent ?
21More refugees..
- Meanwhile Jewish people fled in the opposite
directions- into Israel or back to Europe, or
even to the USA. - Israels population doubled as Arabic states all
expelled their Jewish population.
22Fuel for the Future
- For now, Israel had won her right to exist.
- The Arab league had to think again before
challenging this right. - Palestinians who had lost homes were a strong
voice of protest against the new state. - Ben Gurion was a national hero.