The Aftermath of the 1948-1949 war (Arab-Israeli War)

Question 1

1. By the end of the Arab-Israeli war, what happened with the Palestinians proposed territory?
2. Who now had control over this land?

Answer 1

1. By the end of the war the Palestinians had ‘lost’ all the territory proposed by UN Resolution 181.
2. All those in previously Palestinian land were now living under Israeli, Egyptian or Jordanian control. Israel had now captured 50% of the proposed Palestinian land.

Question 2

Who now controlled the entire region of Galilee? What did this mean?

Answer 2

Israel controlled the entire region of Galilee which was fertile so allowed them to increase food production. It also meant the border with Lebanon was easier to defend

Question 3

1. Who now controlled the majority of the West Bank?
2. What did the increased territory in the West Bank mean for Israel?

Answer 3

1. Most of West Bank remained under control of Jordan including East Jerusalem.
2. Increased territory in the West Bank meant Israel now had direct access to Jerusalem, less likely Arabs could cut off supplies.

Question 4

Who now controlled the Negev Desert?

Answer 4

Nearly all the Negev Desert was now Israeli territory which made the border with Egypt easier to defend.

Question 5

Who now controlled the rest of Jerusalem?

Answer 5

The rest of Jerusalem was under Israeli control and declare the capital city of Israel.

Question 6

Who now controlled the New Gaza Strip?

Answer 6

The new Gaza strip remained under the control of Egypt.

Question 7

What was the Year 1948 known as?

Answer 7

The year 1948 is known as ‘al Nbka’ – ‘the catastrophe’ for Palestinians

Question 8

Why were there decreased number of Palestinians in their formerly proposed land?

Answer 8

Palestinians fled to escape the fighting, some were forcibly deported by Israeli soldiers. There were also horror stories about what had happened to Palestinian civilians – some of which may have been deliberately spread by Israelis to make people leave (e.g. Deir Yassin Massacre).

Question 9

1. Who gave, fleeing Palestinians, citizenship?
2. Where else did they emigrate to?
3. Some fleeing Palestinians joined what extremist group?

Answer 9

Only Jordan gave them citizenship. Some joined the Fedayeen who attacked Jews in Israel. Some emigrated to USA.

Question 10

How many Palestinians were refugees?

Answer 10

700,000 Palestinians were refugees, most in camps.

Question 11

In what area were most Palestinians living in refugee camps, as per UN Resolution 181?

Answer 11

Most Palestinians were living in refugee camps in the West Bank (controlled by Jordan) and the Gaza Strip (controlled by Egypt).

Question 11

How many Palestinian refugees were housed in the West Bank according to the information?

Answer 11

The West Bank housed the most Palestinian refugees, with a population of 280,000.

Question 12

Which country controlled the Gaza Strip during this period?

Answer 12

The Gaza Strip was controlled by Egypt.

Question 13

What was the approximate population of Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip?

Answer 13

Around 190,000 Palestinian refugees were crammed into the small strip of land known as the Gaza Strip.

Question 14

How did many Palestinians survive in the refugee camps, considering the challenging conditions?

Answer 14

Many Palestinians survived in the refugee camps by relying on aid provided by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), which was created in 1949.

Question 15

What was the stance of the Arab League regarding the citizenship of Palestinian Arab refugees?

Answer 15

The Arab League instructed its members to deny citizenship to Palestinian Arab refugees. The rationale behind this was to preserve their identity and protect the ‘Right to Return’—the idea that Arabs forced out of Israel had a right to return to their lands.

Question 16

Which country, contrary to the Arab League’s instruction, granted citizenship to all Palestinians?

Answer 16

Jordan ignored the instruction and granted citizenship to all Palestinians.

Question 17

What was Israel’s stance on the ‘Right to Return’ concept?

Answer 17

Israel disagreed with the ‘Right to Return,’ claiming that it would threaten their security.

Question 18

How did Israel respond to those attempting to return under the ‘Right to Return’ concept?

Answer 18

Anyone attempting to return under the ‘Right to Return’ was reportedly attacked by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

Question 19

Why was 1948 considered the ‘Year of Liberation’ for Israelis?

Answer 19

1948 was considered the ‘Year of Liberation’ for Israelis as it marked the establishment of the new country of Israel.

Question 20

What were some challenges faced by the new country of Israel in 1948?

Answer 20

Despite being the ‘Year of Liberation,’ Israel faced economic problems, was surrounded by hostile nations, and had the presence of refugee camps within its borders.

Question 21

What advantages did the new state of Israel have in terms of defense and resources?

Answer 21

The new state of Israel was easier to defend due to territorial changes, had access to additional fertile land for food supply, and had access to the city of Jerusalem.

Question 22

How was the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) formed during the war?

Answer 22

The IDF was created by integrating Irgun, Stern/Lehi, and Haganah during the war.

Question 23

Why was defense a significant priority for Israel during its early years?

Answer 23

Israel, surrounded by hostile countries, prioritized defense, allocating up to one-third of its governmental budget to the IDF.

Question 24

What was the composition of the IDF in terms of soldiers?

Answer 24

The IDF had a small number of professional soldiers at its core, supplemented by many conscripts. Conscription was introduced in 1949, requiring all Jewish men to serve for 30 months and Jewish women for 18 months after the age of 18.

Question 25

How did Israel maintain a large reserve force for its defense?

Answer 25

All citizens had to undergo training for one month each year until they were 55, ensuring Israel had a substantial reserve force in case of war.

Question 26

When was the Israeli secret service, Mossad, established and for what purpose?

Answer 26

Mossad was established in 1949 to support Israel’s defense efforts.

Question 27

What was the significance of the Law of Return in 1950?

Answer 27

The Law of Return, enacted in 1950, granted any Jew worldwide the right to Israeli citizenship.

Question 28

How did the population of the new state of Israel change between 1948 and 1951?

Answer 28

In 1948, the new state of Israel had a relatively small population, but over the next three years, it nearly doubled to 1.5 million. This was largely due to the arrival of “New Jews” from various parts of the world.

Question 29

Where were many of the “New Jews” housed upon their arrival in Israel?

Answer 29

Many of the “New Jews” were housed in abandoned Palestinian areas.

Question 30

What contrast existed in terms of return policies between Jews and Palestinians during this period?

Answer 30

While the Law of Return facilitated the immigration of Jews, Palestinians were forbidden to return to certain areas.

Question 31

What were some economic challenges faced by Israel due to increased immigration in the early years?

Answer 31

Increased immigration led to economic problems as many new immigrants arrived with few belongings, requiring support from the new state. However, Israel had limited funds due to the recent war. Immigrants with little had to live in tent cities with poor conditions, leading to high unemployment.

Question 32

How did the division between “old” and “new” Jews manifest in Israeli society?

Answer 32

The “old” Jews dominated important positions in society, leading to the exclusion of the “new” Jews. This exclusion resulted in riots, such as the 1959 Haifa riots.

Question 33

What tactics did Israel employ to foster unity among its diverse population?

Answer 33

To create unity, Israel introduced the teaching of Hebrew to establish a national identity. Additionally, communal farms called Kibbutzim were established to encourage collaboration and shared work among the population.

Question 34

What challenges did Israelis face in terms of basic necessities during the early years of the state?

Answer 34

Israelis faced struggles with rationing for food, clothes, and furniture for many years. Unemployment was high due to Arab countries refusing to trade with Israel.

Question 35

How did the United States support Israel in the early years, especially in terms of financial aid?

Answer 35

The U.S. provided $300 million in food aid to support new immigrants in Israel. However, the U.S. refused to sell arms to Israel and withdrew $75 million in aid following IDF reprisal raids, such as the one in Qibya in 1953.

Question 36

How did American Jews contribute to supporting Israel during its early years?

Answer 36

American Jews and Jews from other parts of the world were supportive, with many individuals donating significant amounts of money. For example, Rothschild funded the construction of the Israeli Parliament (Knesset).

Question 37

How did Israel prevent complete economic collapse, and with whom did they make an agreement?

Answer 37

Israel averted economic collapse through a Reparation Agreement in 1952 with West Germany, which provided $845 million as compensation for Jewish property stolen by the Nazis.

Question 38

How would you describe Israel’s relations with its neighbors, especially Egypt, during the early years?

Answer 38

Israel’s relations with its neighbors, particularly Egypt, were poor. There was significant resentment in Egypt, exacerbated by the responsibility for a large number of Palestinian refugees who were now under Egypt’s care.

Question 39

How did the situation in the Gaza Strip contribute to increased tension in the region?

Answer 39

The Gaza Strip, controlled by Egypt, exacerbated tension by denying Palestinians citizenship to protect their ‘right to return.’ The economy in Gaza collapsed, leading to dependence on UN aid.

Question 40

What were the actions of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank that added to the conflict?

Answer 40

Many Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank conducted raids into Israel, known as Fedayeen, to collect belongings, take crops, or attack Israelis.

Question 41

How did the IDF respond to the Fedayeen raids, and what were the consequences?

Answer 41

The IDF carried out reprisal raids, resulting in the killing of Palestinians and damage to their new homes and possessions.

Question 42

How did the policies of Jordan and Egypt differ regarding the Fedayeen activities?

Answer 42

Jordan tightened its borders, resulting in fewer raids from the West Bank. However, Egypt did little to stop Fedayeen from entering Israel from the Gaza Strip.

Question 43

How did the Arab League respond economically to Israel’s existence?

Answer 43

The Arab League implemented a boycott on all trade with Israel and any foreign company engaged in trading with Israel.

Question 44

What was Egypt’s stance on the Fedayeen raids despite controlling Gaza?

Answer 44

Egypt, despite controlling Gaza, did nothing to stop the Fedayeen raids on Israel.

Question 45

What event further escalated tensions between Israel and Egypt?

Answer 45

Relations between Israel and Egypt worsened with the introduction of a new leader in Egypt, Nasser.

Question 46

How did Egypt use its control over the Suez Canal to impact Israel’s economy?

Answer 46

Egypt, through the Suez Canal, searched ships and confiscated items believed to be purchased at an Israeli port or destined for Israeli forces.

Question 47

What additional action did Egypt take, starting in 1951, to affect Israel’s economy and increase tensions?

Answer 47

Starting in 1951, Egypt also began stopping foreign ships heading towards Israel’s southern port, exacerbating Israel’s economic problems and intensifying tensions.