MAY 11 • 2023 | 17
Europe who are anxious to begin life anew in
the Yishuv.
”
In the aftermath of WWII and the
Holocaust, the Zionist cause became an
urgent matter. Despite restrictions imposed
by the British government on Jewish
immigration to Eretz Yisrael, its population
steadily increased.
Many serious disagreements and conflicts
occurred between Jews and British Mandate
Palestine authorities as Jews became
increasingly anxious to establish a nation.
Some Jewish groups were extremely resistive
and there was some bloodshed between them
and British authorities. Nevertheless, Jewish
leaders such as David Ben-Gurion, Chaim
Weizmann and many others strove to create a
nation amidst the chaos.
Finally, almost 30 years after the Balfour
Declaration, the United Kingdom announced
its decision to quit Mandate Palestine in 1948.
Just prior to British withdrawal, in November
1947, the United Nations agreed upon a
partition plan that would give both Jews
and Arabs areas of settlement. But the Arab
nations surrounding Eretz Yisrael refused
to accept the new plan. Many Arabs were
anti-Jewish and viewed Jews as intruders,
despite the legal purchase of land by Jewish
immigrants.
A NATION IS BORN
On May 14, 1948, the British pulled out of
Palestine, and David Ben-Gurion declared the
State of Israel. Ben-Gurion was a visionary,
and he became the first prime minister of
the new nation. Ben-Gurion opined that,
“In Israel, in order to be a realist, you must
believe in miracles.
”
The declaration of the State of Israel was
celebrated by Jews around the world. There
were joyous gatherings in Israel. Rallies were
held in Detroit to commemorate the occasion,
and many Jewish Detroiters sent financial
and material support to the nascent state. The
Jewish Chronicle and Jewish News joined the
celebration. But the pure joy was short-lived.
On the same day that Israel declared
its independence, the armies of Egypt,
Transjordan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq
immediately attacked. They outnumbered
Israelis by about 10-1. Israel’s War of
Independence was a brutal affair, lasting over
a year, but Israel emerged the victor.
Once established as a new nation, Israel’s
survival was not guaranteed. It has been said
that Israel lives in a rough neighborhood.
Arab nations surrounding the new nation
hoped to wipe Israel from the map. Losing a
war would mean the end of Israel as a nation
and, likely, another mass killing of Jews.
There were internal political and economic
challenges for Israel along with the existential
external threat.
Israel has endured numerous attacks
and acts of terrorism since it declared
independence, but two major wars were
critical for its survival. In 1967, threatened
by the massing of Egyptian and Syrian
armed forces on its border, Israel was
the first to strike, defeating Egypt, Syria
and Jordan in six days. In the famous
“Six-Day War,
” Israeli paratroopers also
reunited Jerusalem with Israel. The city had
previously been controlled by Jordan.
In 1973, Egypt and Syria struck first on
Yom Kippur. After near-disastrous opening
battles, Israel eventually prevailed but not
before serious Israeli Defense Forces (IDF)
casualties. Finally, peace treaties were
signed with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in
1994.
Despite those pacts, Israel today is still
facing hostile nations on its borders and
security remains a prime issue. The Israeli
Defense Forces are Israel’s citizen armed forces
charged with protecting the nation. Young
Jewish Americans, known as “Lone Soldiers,
”
have done their part to protect Israel. They
have served and still serve in the IDF.
“IN ISRAEL, IN ORDER TO BE A REALIST,
YOU MUST BELIEVE IN MIRACLES.”
— David Ben-Gurion
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