Chapter 1: Birth of Israel

Question 1

Balfour Declaration

Answer 1

1917

Question 2

British Mandate

Answer 2

1923

Question 3

Zionist conference

Answer 3

1945

A conference held in London by Zionists demanding state of Israel in Palestine

Question 4

Irgun set up in…

Answer 4

1931

Question 5

Lehi (Stern Gang) set up in…

Answer 5

1940

Question 6

Haganah set up in…

Answer 6

1920s

Question 7

Britain limits the amount of Jewish refugees in Palestine (1,500 a month) as feared
a civil war in Palestine and Britain needed to stay on good terms with the Arab states (oil)

Answer 7

July 1945

Question 8

Jewish Insurgency:

Zionist organisations begin adopting violent methods e.g. blew up the Palestine railway
system in 153 places to disrupt British communications.
Haganah even borrowed ships and loaded them with European Jews and tried to get them to Palestine (very few were successful) but it attracted huge sympathy for Jews. Jews whilst damaging Britain’s reputation. (royal navy sent them back)
- Meanwhile the USA began to support the Zionist movement financially ($46 million) and US
-President Truman was pressurised to help holocaust survivors. He in turn pressurised Britain to allow more refugees in Palestine.

Answer 8

1945-47

Question 9

The deadliest act of anti-British terror was the bombing of the King David hotel in Jerusalem, which was housing the British army. Irgun placed explosives which destroyed the
southern wing, killing 91 people (including 28 Britain’s). Back home in Britain, the people
turned against the Mandate and did not understand why soldiers were still risking their lives
Troops became demoralised
The Mandate became more expensive to run-(hard to justify keeping 100,000 troops)

Answer 9

22nd July 1946

Question 10

UK government asked the United Nations (UN) to find a solution

Answer 10

February 1947

Question 11

UN set up the Special Committee on Palestine (UNSCOP) to find solutions

Answer 11

May 1947

Question 12

UN Resolution 181
Recommended partition into Jewish and Arab states
To be accepted 2/3 majority was needed
Western Europe, sympathy from Holocaust so would vote
European states follow USA- needed financial support
USA put pressure on smaller states-made promises of Economic aid/ threatened to withdraw aid
USSR-hopes Jewish state could be an ally in the Cold war

Answer 12

September 1947

Question 13

UN Resolution 181 was passed
USA and USSR voted in favour
British was against as they thought it was unfair to Arabs-and would lead to a civil war
The Jewish Agency officially accepted the resolution-but wanted more(Jerusalem)
Extremist Jews wanted Jerusalem
Palestinian Arabs were furious
Arab higher committee and Holy war Army were against (called for uprising)
Arab states voiced their objections The Arab league was set up.

Answer 13

29th November 1947

Question 14

Creation of the state of Israel by David-Ben-Gurion

Answer 14

On 14th May 1948

(same day the British mandate left)

Question 15

The Civil war:
-Spontaneous attacks by angry individuals and small groups
-Organised attacks by the Arab Higher committee and by the Arab Liberation Army-Palestinian volunteers as well as other Arabs from surrounding states
-Jews led by the Haganah, fought back, leading to Civil war
-By February 1948 around 100,000 Arabs had fled to neighbouring countries
-More followed after the Deir Yassin massacre

Answer 15

December 1947-May 1948

Question 16

Plan D (Dalet)

Answer 16

From March 1948, Palestinians were also forcibly expelled from their homes in many Israeli controlled areas. Some historians have called this an example of ethnic cleansing

Question 17

Deir Yassin
-Menachem Begin led the attack
-claimed it was justified because Arab fighters were using it as a base
-Raised awareness through media-details of the atrocity
-However, also panic-stricken Palestinians abandoned their villages and towns to flee to Arab-controlled territory. In fear of meeting the same fate

Answer 17

On 9th April 1948

Question 18

Arab-Israeli war

Answer 18

1948-49

Question 19

Al-Nabka

Answer 19

1948

Question 20

UNRWA (United Nations Relief Works Agency) - for Palestine

Answer 20

Created in December 1949

Question 21

Arab League
-originally 6 members-those who invaded Israel in 1948+ Saudi Arabia

Answer 21

Set up in 1945

Question 22

‘Year of Liberation’

For Israelis

Answer 22

1948

Question 23

David-Ben-Gurion created the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF)

Answer 23

On 28th May 1948

Question 24

The Law of Return
-Knesset passed the law, which gave any Jew in the world the right to Israeli citizenship

Answer 24

1950

Question 25

Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser became leader of Egypt

Answer 25

1954

Question 26

The Nationalisation of the Suez Canal

Answer 26

1956

Question 27

The Suez Crisis
-Israeli, British and French invasion of Egypt
-Based on the Sevres agreement

Answer 27

1956

-Britain and France were humiliated and lost influence with Arab countries (seen as allies with Israel)
-Nasser’s prestige in the Arab world increased
-It ensured Egypt would be an ally of the USSR
-The USSR paid for the building of the Aswan Dam
-USA’s role ensures USA became the most important Western power in the Middle East
-Arrival of 2 superpowers, USA and USSR
-UN troops in Gaza and on the Egyptian border increased Israel’s security
Israel’s ability to trade increased

Question 28

Sèvres agreement
-David-Ben-Gurion, and Moshe Dayan, head of IDF flew to France
-over 3 days the plan was devised
-Israel would attack Egypt
-Britain and France could then invade Egypt pretending to keep the peace (seize control of the Suez Canal)
-Israel would have improved security and trade
-Nasser would hopefully be overthrown

Answer 28

October 1956