How did Israel's declaration of independence in 1948 lead to ongoing Arab- Israeli tensions today?
1 Answer
It was part of an ongoing process.
Explanation:
Even before Israel came into being in 1948, there were Arab-Israeli tensions. This part of the world, Palestine, had been given to Britain as a League of Nations mandate at the end of World War 1.
The British had made commitments to both the Palestinian Arabs and the Jewish community in return for support during World War 1.
During the inter war period tension mounted between the two communities and between they and the British. This was exacerbated by the Nazi persecution of the Jews and the desire by Jews to seek sanctuary in Palestine.
When the UN took over after World War 2 they partitioned Palestine into two states one for the Jews, Israel, and one for the Arabs, Palestine.
The Palestinians and their Arab neighbours immediately attacked Israel with disastrous consequences. The Palestinians lost nearly all their land.
To conclude the tensions were already there and subsequent conflicts in 56, 67 and 73 reflected this. What the first Arab-Israeli war specifically contributed to the tensions was the creation of the Palestinian refugee problem and the need for a solution to this issue.
