History 102SY The United States and the Middle East 1900 to the Present

Truman and the Establishment of Israel

In late 1940s US government, under President Harry S. Truman, played key role in bringing state of Israel into being, embittering Arab opinion in ways that remain relevant today

Since early 1920s Britain had mandate over Palestine

1930s—Nazi persecution caused increased European Jewish emigration to Palestine

1939—Britain issued White Paper Placed strict limits on numbers of Jews admitted to Palestine each year Regulated land sales in Palestine to Zionist institutions and individuals

David Ben-Gurion Zionists bitterly opposed White Paper, which appeared as refugee situation in Europe was growing increasingly dire

WWII: Nazi Holocaust generated enormous support for Zionist movement

During war center of gravity of Zionism shifted from Europe to US Biltmore Conference, 1942

Republican and Democratic National Conventions, 1944 US political establishment strongly supported establishing Jewish state in Palestine; pressured Britain to facilitate its creation

April 1945—Harry Truman became president following FDR’s death

In 1945 plight of Jewish “displaced persons” (DPs) was major international issue

—Zionist groups attacked British forces in Palestine and illegally smuggled Jewish refugees into Palestine

1946—Bombing of King David Hotel in Jerusalem

Early 1947—Britain announced it would pull out of Palestine in 1948, turning issue over to United Nations

Summer 1947—UN Special Commission recommended partion of Palestine into Jewish and Arab states

Zionists accepted partition plan; Arabs rejected it

Division within Truman administration Opposing partition: Secretary of State George Marshall and NEA Director Loy Henderson

Division within Truman administration Supporting partition: WH advisers Clark Clifford and David Niles

Truman decided to support partition

November 1947— UN General Assembly voted in favor of partition

1960

—UN partition vote sparked violence between Zionists and Palestinian Arabs

May 1948—Zionists declared independent state of Israel

Division within Truman administration Secretary of State George Marshall WH Counsel Clark Clifford

Truman immediately recognized Israel

Arab states went to war against new state

but Israeli army defeated them

... and took more territory than initially allotted to Jewish state

—750,000 Palestinians fled or were driven from homes in present-day Israel

Israel refused to permit repatriation of refugees

Atrocities by Zionists and Palestinian Arabs in 1948 Deir Yassin Kfar Etzion

Truman tried to get Israel to give back territory and take back some Palestinian refugees, but Israel refused and Truman gave up

Warren Austin

Truman tried to get Israel to give back territory and take back some Palestinian refugees, but Israel refused and Truman gave up