In 1948, Israel was officially declared an independent state. However, the nation has always been at odds with Palestine, both before and after independence.
It was the head of the Jewish Agency, David Ben Gurion, who announced the establishment of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948. On November 29, 1947, the United Nations voted to divide British-mandated Palestine into two separate Arab and Jewish states. However, the Arab states did not intend to confirm the move. The conflict of interests thus led to a war with Israel after the creation of the state.
The war lasted for eight long months. During these challenging times, Israel expanded its territory granted by the United Nations when more than 760,000 Palestinians fled. The West Bank, together with East Jerusalem, was occupied by Jordan, while the coastal strip of Gaza was occupied by Egypt.
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What was Israel like before 1948?
The year 1948 is important in the history of Israel because the nation was created that year. However, Israel’s history is as old as the early Iron Age.
The Hebrew Bible expresses the origin of Israel, according to scholars. This means that the origin of Israel can be traced back to the time of Abraham, who is considered the father of both Islam and Judaism.
The term Israel is derived from Jacob, Abraham’s grandson. The Hebrew God renamed Jacob “Israel” in the Bible.
Abraham’s descendants, it is believed, were enslaved by the Egyptians for years and years before settling in Canaan.
Canaan is actually an area that is roughly the area of today’s Israel.
According to several historians, King David ruled the region around 1000 BC. Furthermore, historians say that it was his son, King Solomon, who built the first holy temple in Jerusalem.
Many records also show the formation of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel after the region was divided into two kingdoms in about 931 BC.
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Israel region
The northern kingdom of Israel was attacked and destroyed by the Assyrians around 722 BC. Kr. On the other hand, Jerusalem was conquered by the Babylonians. The first temple was destroyed in 568 BC. However, the second temple appeared around 516 BC.
Then came a multitude of groups that occupied and ruled the present day land of Israel. These groups are Greeks, Arabs, Romans, Fatimids, Egyptians, Persians, Seljuk Turks, Islamists, Crusaders, Mamluks and others.
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The fall of the Ottoman Empire
Today’s Israel was ruled by the Ottoman Empire from 1517 to 1917. The empire also conquered and ruled much of western Asia.
However, in 1918, the Ottoman Empire fell. Next was the end of World War I, and both events changed the fate of the geopolitical landscape of West Asia.
Arthur James Balfour, then British Foreign Secretary, sent a letter of intent in 1917 showing support for the establishment of a Jewish homeland.
With the fall of the Ottoman Empire, Great Britain takes control of the region, and takes control of Palestine. Then, in 1947, Israel became an independent state.
Tensions between Arab Muslims and Jews
Some conflicts arising from history are not easily resolved. In fact, sometimes that hatred continues to grow. Jews and Arab Muslims share a difficult relationship from history, and this harshness still exists in their relationships. According to historians, one thing both groups have in common is that both groups have inhabited the region for eons, both consider it a sacred place.
The holy city of Jerusalem is considered holy by both Jews and Muslims. The area has the Temple Mount which houses sacred monuments such as the Dome of the Rock, the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Wailing Wall.
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Source: HIS Education