Arab- Israeli conflict

Question 1

What happened in May 1948 regarding the state of Israel?

Answer 1

David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the birth of the new state of Israel.

Question 2

Who invaded the day after the birth of the state of Israel?

Answer 2

Armed forces from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Transjordan and Egypt invaded.

Question 3

How many phases of fighting were there in Israel’s War of Independence?

Answer 3

Israel’s War of Independence consisted of three phases of fighting.

Question 4

During the first phase of fighting 15 May to 10th of June, what happened in the south of Israel?

Answer 4

An Egyptian army of 10,000 men crossed the border near the coast and attacked some isolated Jewish settlements.

Question 5

During the first phase of fighting 1948 war what happened in the North?

Answer 5

-Syrian, Iraqi and Lebanese troops crossed the border but were resisted by Jewish settlers and most of them were forced to withdraw.
-they lacked ammunition and were the least experienced Arab forces.

Question 6

what did King Adullah do during the first phase of 1948 war?

Answer 6

-moved Transjordan troops, his Arab Legion to defend the Old City.
-they wanted to gain control of Jerusalem and were the best trained Arab army.

Question 7

when was the ceasefire for the 1948 war?

Answer 7

-10 June 1948 the UN persuaded the warring parties to agree to a ceasefire.
-Jordan, Lebanon were open to peace talks but Egypt, Syria and Iraq were not.
-Egypt broke the truce and fighting broke out again

Question 8

what did Israel do during the UN ceasefire?

Answer 8

-secured fresh supplies of weapons from eastern Europe mainly from the Czechs.
-recruited more men and reorganised troops.

Question 9

what happened during the ceasefire which negatively effected the Arabs?

Answer 9

-Brits were unwilling to disobey the UN embargo on supplying weapons to the warring sides.
-before they had been the main supplies to Egypt, Jordan and Iraq.

Question 10

what was Israel’s priority during the second phase of fighting?

Answer 10

• widen the corridor leading to Jerusalem
  -successful but Arab Legion held the Old City

Question 11

what happened in the South and the North during the second phase of fighting?

Answer 11

-South, Israelis resisted further Egyptian advances in the Negev
-North, gained control of the whole Galilee region including land that had been Arab

Question 12

what happened during the second truce in September 1948?

Answer 12

-UN mediator Count Bernadotte from Sweden produced a peace plan gave more land to Israel in the North and land to Arab in the south and Jerusalem was an international city.
-was assassinated by the Stern Gang, which the Government then ordered the dissolution of the group.

Question 13

what happened during the third phase of fighting 15 Oct 1948 to 7 January 1949?

Answer 13

-Israel broke the second ceasefire and concentrated on beating the Egyptians in the South and remained control of the Negev
-withdrew from Egyptian territory due to pressure from US

Question 14

when was the final ceasefire arranged?

Answer 14

-January 1949.

Question 15

what percentage of land did Israel win in its war of independence?

Answer 15

-79% rather than the 55% allocated by the UN.

Question 16

how many refugees were there due to the Arab israeli 1948 war?

Answer 16

-over 700,000
-most ended up in Gaza or the West Bank.

Question 17

what consisted of the 3 armistice agreements with the Arab countries?

Answer 17

-Egypt, confirmed pre-war borders whilst Gaza came under Egypt military rule.
-Jordan, kept control of the West Bank due to Israel wanting to make peace with the King.
-Syria, Syria withdrew from territory and was a demilitarised zone.

Question 18

what did Israeli pass in 1950?

Answer 18

-passed a law of return which granted any Jew the right to become a citizen of Israel.
-within 4 years the population doubled

Question 19

what is the Zionist interpretation as to how the 1948 war was won?

Answer 19

-was a struggle between tiny Israel and big Arab coalition.
-Israel was fighting for its own survival and the Arab forces that were united in their aim of destroying Israel.
-Israel had far fewer weapons, fewer soldiers and was poorly equipped and yet against all odds won through heroic efforts.

Question 20

what was the revisionist interpretation as to how the 1948 war was won?

Answer 20

-Israel built up their army, they might have started small with 35,000 but they built it up to nearly 100,000 by December 1948.
-Israel were poorly equipped at the start but particularly during the first truce they gained access to much more equipment from Europe
-so the stronger side won.
-also had military advantages and about 25,000 Israelis had fought in the British Army in the second World War and gained experience.
-the only Arab force that was trained was the Arab Legion at 10,000 members
-Palestinian Arabs were not united in aims and tended to fight for their own interests little co-ordination and Egypt and Syria were suspicious of King Abdullah’s aims as he had a meeting with Palestine Jewish leader and led him to believe that he would not invade territory allocated to the new Jewish state.
-Abdullah made little effort to stop the Israelis seizing west Jerusalem and did not invade territory of the new Jewish state, and did not support Egyptian troops in the second and third phases of the war.

Question 21

how did the Arab states feel about their 1948 loss to Israel?

Answer 21

-stung and humiliated they were bitterly Anti-Western.
-suspected that USA had bullied the UN into creating Israel and the western powers would use it as a base to keep a close eye on the Arab states

Question 22

what was the relationship like between Israel and Syria?

Answer 22

-poor
-Israelis tried to force Arab out of villages in the demilitarised zone along their border and instead develop Jewish settlements.
-frequent incidents of shelling from both sides

Question 23

what was the relationship like between Israel and Jordan?

Answer 23

-similar tension along the border.
-many refugees who were determined to return to Palestine and every time they crossed the border their were acts of retaliation from the Israelis and they targeted Arab villages
Oct 1953 after an Israeli women and 2 kids were killed the Israeli forces attacked the Jordan village Qibya blowing up 45 houses and killing more than 50 of the inhabitants most of which were women and children.

Question 24

what was the relationship like between Israel and Egypt?

Answer 24

-most frequent killings occurred on the border.
-300,000 Palestinians in the narrow coastal area of Gaza and were set on returning to their homes so there were frequent raids into Israel some carried out by Palestinian fighters or Fedayeen but mainly by unarmed fighters who just wanted to visit relatives or reclaim items.

Question 25

what is the Suez canal and why was Nasser angry?

Answer 25

-allows Britain to quickly transfer oil
-Britain had 70,000 troops stationed there and this was intolerable to many Egyptians, it was a sign of British imperalism

Question 26

who was Nasser?

Answer 26

-young officer who came from a poor background and became leader of Egypt after Naguib, when the Free Officers decided to overthrow the Government and did so in July 1952 and Nasser became president in 1954

Question 27

what did Israel do to Egypt in February 1955?

Answer 27

-wanted to hit back at Egypt for encouraging Palestinian raids and teach Nasser a lesson.
-so they attacked and destroyed Egyptian army headquarters in Gaza and killed 35 soldiers.
-this was humiliating for Nasser and began to train Fedayeen Guerrillas to attack Israel.

Question 28

what did Nasser do in 1955 and 1956 which upset the West?

Answer 28

-Czech arms deal to be able to stop Israeli attacks, Nasser had approached the US who did not give them arms.
-1956 recognised communist China

Question 29

what happened to Egypt as a result of the Czech arms deal?

Answer 29

-Britain and the US decided to cancel the loans given to Egypt for the building of the Aswan Dam

Question 30

how and when did Nasser nationalise the Suez?

Answer 30

-26th of July 1956 announced to crowds in Egypt that it was their canal and they would use the profits to fund the Aswan Dam.

Question 31

what did Britain and France do in retaliation to the nationalisation of the Suez?

Answer 31

-had secret meetings with Israel to plot Nassers downfall
-France also had extra reasoning as they accused him of sending weapons and other aid to support the Algerians in their fight for independence against France.
-24th Oct France and Britain met with Ben Gurion who wanted to end the Egyptian raids from Gaza and stop the Egyptian blockade of the Tiran Straits

Question 32

what did Israel, France and Britain decide?

Answer 32

-that Israel would attack Egypt and then Britain and France would be ‘forced’ to intervene and call the combatants to withdraw from the Canal area

Question 33

what were the events of the suez war?

Answer 33

-29 Oct 1956 Israeli forces invaded Egypt, then Britain and France ordered withdrawal, Israel agreed Egypt didn’t
-31 Oct west bombed Egyptian air fields and destroyed most of the air force.
-5 Nov western troops landed at Port Said and advanced along the canal, Egypt responded by sinking ships filled with concrete.

Question 34

why did Britain and France withdraw from the suez?

Answer 34

-UN condemned their actions and halted oil supplies to the west, Nov 6 declared a ceasefire and a UN emergency force was sent to supervise.
-USA condemned the action and were furious and believed it would lose the support of Arab states at a time when the USA was keen to prevent any extension of soviet influence.
-they threatened to cut off financial supply to Britain which would have ruined the economy and the soviets threatened military forces

Question 35

how did the suez war make Nasser a hero?

Answer 35

-he had stood up to Britain and France and gained complete control of the Suez.