Aftermath of the 1948-1949 war Flashcards
What was Al-Nakba / “the Catastrophe”
Effect on Palestinian Arabs
1947: 900,000 Arabs lived in regions in Israeli territor. Even areas meant to be Palestinian land was now taken by Israel, Egypt and Jordan.
Lead to 700,000 Palestinian refugees
Since 1949, Why do Arab Palestinians argue they have a right to return to their land?
-They did not leave their land voluntary, nor because they were told to by Arab leaders
-Israeli’s goal was a Israel without Palestine, they deliberately expelled Palestinians and had started doing this before the war started
-Israelis achieved their goal by violence, intimidation and causing panic
Since 1949, Why do Israelis argue that Arabs font have a right to return to their land
*Israel did not create the problem: the war was started
by the Arabs, who invaded Israeli territory.
- Palestinians were not forced to leave: they left
voluntarily or because they were told to go by Arab
leaders, who promised them a quick victory and a
triumphal return. - Palestinians were not permitted to return when the
war ended because they would have been a security
threat inside Israel.
*Israel accomodated 850,000 Jewish refugees so Arabs should do the same
*Arab states denied citizenship to Palestinian refugees (making it harder for them to travel or gets jobs) showing the welfare of Palestinians were not their main concern
Refugee status of Palestinian Arabs
100,000 middle-class palestinians flew before war began to USA or somewhere else in Middle East.
Rest were refugees in neighbouring Arab states
What were the two operations that showed rise of antisemitism in Arab countries after the war
Operation Magic Carpet: 47,000 Yemenite Jews rescued from Yemen after antisemetic riots
Operation Ezra and Nehemiah: 120,000 Jews airlifted to Israel from Iraq after Jewish population asked to leave & were bombed & zionism became a capital offense
How was the Israeli state strengthened after 1948-49 war?
-Aid to Israel
-Forging of a natural spirit
-Law of Return 1950
-Creation of IDF
What aid was given to israel after 1948-49 war?
-US gave $100mil in 1949 and further $200mil by 1960
-US refused to sell arms to Israel
-Reparation with Germany 1952: $849 million over 14 years as compensation for stolen Jewish property (unpopular as some saw it as forgiving Germany)
-Recieved support from private zionist supporters (film “Exodus” encouraged people to sympathise and donate)
-Eg de Rotschild donated $6 million
How was a “national spirit” forged in Israel
-Law of return 1950, Jews welcomed warmly
-All students taught Hebrew
-Communal farms/Kibbutz where community worked together
-Ancient Jewish history used to give people sense of unity and determination
-compulsory IDF service united diverse poeple
-Holocaust remembrance
-Fortress of Masada ( (now ceremonial) place where 960 jews kill themselves rather than submit to romans)
Law of return
1950
-1949 the population almost doubled from 1948 to 1.5 million due to Jewish immigrants from Europe or fleeing from Arab countries with prejudice or Holocaust survivors
-Law of return said any Jew in the world had right to return to Israel (religious leaders decided who was Jewish). Passes by Knesset (Israeli parliament
Creation of IDF
Haganah turned into Israeli Defence Force in 1948, shortly followed by Irgun & Lehi.
IDF has a small core of professional soldiers
1949 onwards: every non-Arab 18y/o male had to serve for 30 months and females for 18 months. Ex-conscripts expected to train 1month/year till 55 as reserves.
1952: 23% of government spending on defence
1956: increase to 35%
Bought weapons from France
Mossad (secret service) est. 1949
