2. Week 4 – 1947 – 1948 Creation of the State of Israel

3. UN Partition Plan – 1947 Key points:

5. Between 1947 - 1948 Jewish acceptance of the plan –
some Zionists unhappy with the terms:
“The partition of the homeland is illegal. It will never be recognized. It will not bind the Jewish people. Jerusalem was and will for ever be our capital.” Menachem Begin – leader of the Irgun
Palestinians & Arab nations reject the plan – between November – May 1948 over 300,000 Arabs flee the soon-to-be state of Israel
Increased violence
massacres on both sides
April 1948: Irgun attack on Arab village of Deir Yassin, killing the inhabitants
Syrian and Iraqi soldiers arrive to support the Arabs
attacks on the roads to Jerusalem

6. State of Israel is declared – 14 May 1948

7. Reactions to the Declaration of the State of Israel.
Jewish
Palestinian
Surrounding Arab nations
International

8. 1948 War May 14,1948: Israel is officially formed
May 15, 1948: Israel attacked by six Arab nations
Approx. 750,000 Palestinians fled or were forced to leave
Over approx. 800,000 Jews in Arab countries also fled or were forced to leave for Israel
Israel After War: Jordan controls West Bank and Egypt controls Gaza Strip
Israel takes much of Palestine and West Jerusalem
East Jerusalem, including many religious sites taken by Jordan, who denied Israelis access

11. Perspectives Israelis Palestinians Creates state of Israel
War of Independence
Holocaust and other periods of violence against Jews throughout the past centuries might not have happened if there was a Jewish Homeland
They had no input
Nabka: “Catastrophe”
Land set aside for Palestinians now under control of Arab countries or Israel

12. Questions… IN SMALL GROUPS (1-4)
What were the key factors that led to the Creation of the State of Israel?

13. Next week’s focus & reading…
Aftermath of 1948 War, Suez Crisis & ‘Six Day War’
McAleavy’s text:
page 26
page 27 – 2nd Discussion point
pages 29-32
POV timeline through 1970 – highlighting key details