How did the Arab-Israeli War start? The war started because five Arab nations have decided to invade Israel. The invasion was the consequence of an announcement made by the United States. The U.S recognized the independence of Israel on May the 14th, 1948.
The Partition Resolution (it is also called Resolution 181) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. The resolution concerned the important religious area surrounding Jerusalem and the United Nations had an international control over it.
The Arabs denied the arrangement and the United States tried to find the middle ground between the Arabs and Jews in the Middle East, trying to make the two countries negotiate. Unfortunately, the resolution only brought even more tension between the Jewish people and the Arab groups from Palestine. Fights and attacks have started and the Jewish settlements, cities and armed forces were threatened. The Arabs tried to prevent the Jews to gain control over the territory that belonged to them based on the Partition Plan. But the Jews were prepared for the attacks. On a military level, Israel was prepared and well equipped. The Israel navy and army was made out of experienced soldiers in combat; they were recovering after World War Two. Israel also had three B-17 bombers.
The Jewish forces were represented by the underground militia. The underground organized military force that represented the Jews in Palestine was called the Haganah. There were also other two groups that weren`t as organized as Haganah, but they, too protected the Jews. The groups were the Irgun and LEHI.
The attacks grew stronger when the Arabs launched an air attack on Tel Aviv. The Israelis fought back and resisted the air attack. The United Nations managed two cease-fires during this war, but the fighting still went on till 1949. An armistice line was formed between Israel and its neighbors (Lebanon, Egypt, Syria and Transjordan). The armistice lasted for some time, until 1967. The United States didn’t want to get involved in this conflict directly but it was also worried that the Arab-Israeli War would affect the power balance between the Soviet Union and the U.S. The aftermath of this war meant the displacement of many Palestinian Arabs. Israel was considered victorious (although this victory cost the country more than 6.000 lives) and it expanded its territory thanks to the Partition Resolution given by the United Nations. But all of this was achieved at the expense of the Arabs that lived in these areas.
