BIRTH OF ISRAEL

Question 1

CHRONOLOGY

Answer 1

Zionism 
Theodore Herzl
Balfour Declaration 
Inter-War period
Second World War and Post World War
Creation of Israel 1948
Arab- Islam Conflict

Question 2

Aliyah

Answer 2

I Aliyah(Russian Jews went to Palestine;not successful)
II Aliyah(settlers formed Kibbuts;national fund formed to buy Palestine)
III Aliyah(30,000 Jews from Eastern Europe immigrated to Palestine)
IV Aliyah(50,000 Jews from Poland immigrated)
V Aliyah (migration number reduced;but after 1933 increase in the number of immigration)

Question 3

Kibbuts

Answer 3

collective farm where the land, animals and everything is collectively owned; collective work

Question 4

Reason of inter-communal clash

Answer 4

During the V Aliyah, majority of people came from German and other western countries
highly educated who did not want to be involved in agriculture; went to the coastal region
Arabs were thrown out of their homes once the Jews purchased the house from them.

Question 5

Wailing Wall Incident(date)

Answer 5

1929

Question 6

Importance of the Wailing Wall

Answer 6

religiously important for both the Jews and the Arabs
Muslims: part of the Holy Sanctuary known as “Haram Al Shareef” that contains the dome of Rome and Al Aqsa Mosque; associated with Prophet Muhammad’s journey to heaven
Jews quotioned the rules and they tried to put up screens; British did not interfere
Since Jews were revolting, Arabs began to protest

Question 7

What led to the revolt

Answer 7

creation of landless class of people
widespread Arab fear that they might get replaced
Britain has certain obligation towards Arab

Question 8

Arab Revolt- year?

Answer 8

1936-1939

Question 9

Arab Revolt

Answer 9

starts with Arab robbing a bus and Haganah revolting against it
another Commission- Lord Peril-
Recommendations- British mandate; terminated
partition Palestine between
Arabs&and Jews
Arabs were against whereas Jews were happy but…
After the Arab revolt, Britain understood that they they needed help in order to fight in the Second World War
West Asia was very crucial for Britain because:
oil was found in various parts of West Asia
use air fields in West Asia.
called for an Anglo Arab Jewish Conference in 1939; but no outcome
impossible to make both parties happy so they decided to make the Arabs happy;Jews…
led to Commission known as the White Paper of 1939;Britain declares that it is not their decision whether they support the idea of Jewish national state; large scale restrictions on Jewish population
David Ben Gurion…
By that time, atrocities done by Hitler were coming out and people of Western Europe felt that they need to return to Palestine in order to save themselves
US role; initially not very active but once the war started, centre of Zionism moves from London to New York
Jews and Arab during the Second World War; Jews were part of the British army;British did not allow Arabs any support of political activities; not allowed the exiled leaders to come back
Britain loses its stand as a world power- Zionists- large scale migration; atrocities were publish to gain support from US

Question 10

Post- War Period- year?

Answer 10

1945-1948

Question 11

Post War Period

Answer 11

most crucial & active time
can be divided into 3 phases:
I Phase(1945-1947)(Jews were trying to put an end to British control)
II Phase(1947-1948)(phase of internal communal clashes)
III Phase(1948- Arab- Israeli War)
Jewish agency began to be aware that in order to establish Jewish national state; force overthrowing the British administration
Illegal groups-Irgun and Stern Gang- terrorist group-activities…
Stern Gang-killed Lord Moyne- external minister for the state of Middle East; known as ‘Lehi’
Irgun- bombed King David Hotel in 1946
although violent activities, many Jews felt that it was okay because the ultimate aim was the establishment of Jewish rule.
Britain’s condition after the Second World War;Jewish agency; US puts pressure to allow the enumeration of Jews
February 1947, referred into mandate United Nations
UN created “United Nation Special Committee on Palestine(UNSCOP)
Role of UNSCOP in Jerusalem…
came up with certain recommendations: termination of mandate system
granting independence to Palestine
3 member said that it has to be a federal state
8 members say that it had to be divided the Arabs and the Jews; idea was to create 2 separate states…
US President Trueman was a huge sympathiser for the Jews and he wanted to pass the resolution; passed with a majority vote of 33
formation of Arab League- 1947; becomes the voice of Palestine
internal communal clashes; Haganah and Irgun attacked the states and killed people; created Arab Palestine refugees
Britain did not want to get involved in the partition; no proper transfer of power either to Arab or Jews
David Ben Gurion declared the birth of Israel; both recognised by Russia and USSR

Question 12

Arab- Israeli War- year?

Answer 12

May 15, 1948- Jan 1949

Question 13

Arab- Israeli War- Reasons

Answer 13

Arab countries like Egypt, Syria, Transjordan, Lebanon and Iraq were under Arab League
With the first Arab- Israeli conflict, Arab loses a large chunk of territory
large scale disunity among the Arab countries; every country had their own agenda and interest in the Palestine issue
inter Arab conflicts were also there
Israel; Arabs; Syria & Iraq; Transjordan and Egypt-reason
USA, USSR & Britain supported Israel- reasons of each country

Question 14

Arab- Israeli War

Answer 14

Jews was in a life & death situation; war was to maintain & sustain their independence
Israeli army was well organised
First week of June, Arabs were thrown out of Palestine except in the eastern front of Jerusalem
UN tried to find a reason & a mediator was sent whose name was “Count Folke Bernadote”(SWEDEN) who proposed some plans but was killed by the stem gangs(proposal: Israel should allow the Arabs to go back to the village that was in the hands of the Jews
Another mediator “Ralph Bunche” was appointed
Arabs did not want to directly interact with the Israeli’s otherwise Israel will be recognised by the Arabs.
Proximity talks; Islands of Rhodes
Arab member, Israel members and
Ralph Bunche negotiates
not a peace treaty; merely a cease fire & Palestine was divided between Israel, Egypt and Transjordan
Israel: gained access to Gulf of Aqaba
Transjordan: Old city of Jerusalem and territories west of Jordan
Egypt: Gaza Strip
Netherlands: signed the Armistice in March 1949
war resulted in massive exodus of the Arabs from Palestine

Question 15

Suez War- year?

Answer 15

1956

Question 16

Suez War- Background?

Answer 16

Egypt on one side and Britain, France and Israel on the other side
resulted in a large scale change in British and French control in West Asia
control of Britain and French diminishing as a result of the Suez War; emergence of the USA as a prominent power in West Asia
affected the countries one by one; Egypt; Syria; Transjordan
Egyptian army officers came to know the weakness of the government; formed an association; Free Officers
In 1955, Gurrion comes back to power; fidayan attack and Israel retaliated with so much force that Egyptian headquarter in Gaza strip was completely destroyed
Nasser understood the real weakness of the Egyptian army; wanted more and more weapons.
Bandung Conference(path of neutrality); no one was willing to help
Nasser went into a secret deal with Czechoslovakia; in return of rice and cotton

Question 17

Free Officers

Answer 17

Executive leader: Gamal Abdul Nasser; most charismatic leader
Another important leader: Muhmmad Nequib
July 22-23, 1952 carried out the military coup which was called “Egyptian revolution”.
King Farood was forced to abdicate and was sent on exile
Executive Committee becomes “Revolutionary Command Council”
Nasser initially did not get much approval but later things began to change and he began to emerge as he leader of Pan- Arabism.
did not want to involve himself in the direct issues with Israel.
Meanwhile, David Ben Gurrion’s term got over and he was succeeded by Moshe; relationship between Egypt and Israel were good during his time.
Egypt would send fidaayi who would enter into Israel and do terrorist stuff; Israel would reciprocate in an interesting manner.