The decision behind the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 was multifaceted and rooted in historical, political, and social factors. The Zionist movement, which sought to establish a homeland for the Jewish people, gained momentum in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, fueled by anti-Semitic persecution and the desire for self-determination. Following the horrors of the Holocaust, the Jewish senate pushed for their own land.
UN Partition Plan
In 1947, the United Nations voted to partition Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, leading to the establishment of Israel on May 14, 1948. However, this decision was met with controversy and resistance from Arab nations, who rejected the partition plan and viewed the creation of Israel as illegitimate. The surrounding Arab states, including Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq, immediately declared war on Israel in an attempt to prevent its formation.
The early reactions to the establishment of Israel varied widely among different countries and regions. The United States, under President Harry Truman, recognized Israel just minutes after its declaration of independence, signaling strong support for the new state. Later in time, President John F. Kennedy spoke about Israel, saying “Israel was not created in order to disappear – Israel will endure and flourish. It is the child of hope and the home of the brave. It can neither be broken by adversity nor demoralized by success. It carries the shield of democracy and it honors the sword of freedom.” Other Western nations, including the United Kingdom and France, also recognized Israel diplomatically. However, many Arab and Muslim-majority countries vehemently opposed Israel’s existence, leading to decades of conflict and hostility in the region.
Why did the Jewish want the land in Palestine?
A member of the House of Lords asked Chaim Weizmann, “Why do you Jews insist on Palestine when there are so many undeveloped countries you could settle in more conveniently?” Weizmann said: “That is like my asking you why you drove twenty miles to visit your mother last Sunday when there are so many old ladies living on your street.”
“I said, ‘Mr. Balfour, if you were offered Paris instead of London, would you take it?’…He looked surprised. He said: ‘But London is our own!’ I said, ‘Jerusalem was our own when London was a marsh.’ He said, ‘That’s true.’”
Israel’s first President, Chaim Weizmann on why Palestine was so important to him and the Jewish people.
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/chaim-weizmann-quotes-on-israel-and-judaism#google_vignette
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