A Short Background To the Arab-Jew Conflict

Jews - responding to Hitler's systemic extermination of Jews of the west, there was a need to save themselves by creating a state in a land occupied by Arabs for centuries.

Arabs - were just emerging from western colonialism and rediscovering themselves their own national identities.

The two clashed and fought with deepest emotions, both believing in the will of God, morality, reason and law.

Farmers(agriculturists and artisans) have been encouraged by the Zionist movement, to settle in Palestine. Land was purchased by rich European Jews from the absent landlords (Turks not Arabs as the Ottomans were defeated only in 1918). By 1914 60,000 Russian & Polish Jews had arrived. All in, 100,000 acres of land had been purchased. There were 600,000 Palestinians living in Palestine. Zionist then pursuaded British to proclaim a national home for the Jewish. The British offered Uganda(now in Kenya). Though their leader, Herzl, was for it as a temporary measure, he died soon after at the age of 44 of a heart attack and pneumonia. The Zionists rejected the offer in 1904 as indeed they had other agenda.

British declared it's support for a jewish homeland in Palestine (Belfour Declaration) but was objected by native Palestinians more so with the increase in immigrants fleeing from the NAZI. By 1937, the Jewish population had increased to 400,000. The British were caught in between it's pledge to the Jews and Arab oil and strategic interest. Some ships had to be turned back e.g.Exodus where everyone were killed after returning to Germany. Many others arrived illegally thus fanning the Arabs' restiveness which erupted into bitter fighting in 1947. The UN's proposal on this issue was-partition- Jew get 55% of the land which were occupied by 58% Jews and Arabs get 45% of the land which had about 99% Arab occupation. Jerusalem to be held as trustee. Plan was not accepted by the Arabs.

US Position - Truman needed Jewish votes in 1948 election.

Russia's Position - Partitian was a way to rid British from Middle East, to play Arabs against Jews and keep US at arm's length.

So the fate of Zionism was in the hands of remote nations such as Liberia, Haiti,Phillippines and Ethiopia. Zionist persuaded US to pressure these nations. The resultant vote was 30:31 in favour of partition.

Violent clashes erupted.

Arab perception: To Preserve Palestine as a united independent state and therefore prevent the formation of of a Jewish state within Palestine.

Jewish perception:To avoid Arabs' menace, boundries should now NOT be limited to those assighed by UN. They could seize and hold by force of arms. The war will give them the right to what they want.

In April 1948, Jewish extremist massacred Deir Yassin, a small village near Jerusalem- this later became a stain on the conscience of the Jewish state. It elicit demands for revenge and retribution and it became the symbol of the homelessness of hundreds and thousands of Arab refugees. Mass exodus of terrified Arabs from Jewish controlled areas began.

May 14, before the end of British mandate in Middle East, the jews self proclaimed the State of Israel. Of course US and Russia recognised it soon after.

May 15, Egypt invaded from the South, Transjordan Arab Legion from the east and Syria and Lebanon from the north.

It is also necessary to note that the Jews construed that for imperialistic interests, however, in 1921 Great Britain reneged on the Belfour Declaration, lopped off 77 percent of the Land promised and set up the Arab Emirate of Transjordan. Then in 1922 the League of Nations gave Great Britain a Mandate to prepare the remaining 23 percent of Palestine for a Jewish National Home. But under French pressure, in 1923 the Golan Heights was ceded by the British to the French mandate of Syria.