Israel's Impact Flashcards
What was the Balfour Declaration? How does it relate to the Middle East in the late 1940s?
Written in 1917, it essentially transferred rule of the middle-eastern region known as Palestine to the British Empire as a temporary national home for Jewish people
It was set to expire in 1948, therefore no direct rule from Great Britain
What did the UN chose to do and when? Which two countries requested this action?
In 1947, the UN developed a plan to partition Palestine with Jewish and Arabic zones - neither side was happy with this decision
The US and Britain had requested this decision
Why was Truman pressured to support the UN’s choice of partitioning Palestine? By who specifically?
In the run-up to his 1948 election, Jewish voters were important to Truman
Clark Clifford - a key advisor of Truman - pushed him to stand firmly for the partition to win those extra votes
What were the arguments against endorsing the UN partition of Palestine by other members in the government to Truman? (2 examples)
It would antagonize Arab states
It would jeopardize American access to oil in the Middle East
How and when did the prime minister of Israel proclaim the nationhood?
May 14th 1948, Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion struck the speaker’s table - ‘The name of our state shall be Israel’
When did Truman recognise Israel as a legitimate Jewish State?
May 14th 1948, just 11 minutes after the new nation was proclaimed
What were the implications of Truman recognising Israel as a legitimate Jewish state? (3 examples)
America now had a solid ally within the Middle East
Creating more conflict within an already tumultuous region (Arab-Israeli War)
Continuation of the 1948 Nakba - the ethnic cleanse of 750,000 Palestinians from their home land
What happened on the 15th May, 1948, a day after Ben-Gurion’s proclamation and Truman’s recognition?
Neighbouring Arab states (e.g. Egypt) order invasions on Israel sparking the first Arab-Israeli war
Who offered Truman a gift during his visit to the USA on the 25th May, 1948?
Israel’s president Chaim Weizmann gifts Truman a Torah as a ‘thank you’ for recognising Israel as a legitimate Jewish State
