ISRAEL & THE WARS SINCE 1948


1948-1949 WAR OF INDEPENDENCE

On May 14 1948 the State of Israel was proclaimed according to the UN partition plan (1947). Less than 24 hours later, the regular armies of Egypt, Trans-Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq invaded the country, forcing Israel to defend the sovereignty it had regained in its ancestral homeland. In what became known as Israel's War of Independence, the newly formed, poorly equipped Israel Defence Forces (IDF) repulsed the invaders in fierce intermittent fighting, which lasted some 15 months and claimed over 6,000 Israeli lives, nearly one percent of the country's Jewish population at the time.

During the first few months of 1949, direct negotiations were conducted under UN auspices between Israel and each of the invading countries (except Iraq which has refused to negotiate with Israel to date), resulting in armistice agreements which reflected the situation at the end of the fighting. Accordingly, the coastal plain, Galilee and the entire Negev were within Israel's sovereignty, Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) came under Jordanian rule, the Gaza Strip came under Egyptian administration, and the city of Jerusalem was divided, with Jordan controlling the eastern part, including the Old City, and Israel the western sector.

Israel was de facto in war with the neighboring countries and many of the borders and boundaries were just armistice lines, not final ones.


1956 SINAI CAMPAIGN

Constant provocations from the neighboring countries made Israel exposed to terror and actions of war. In 1956 Egypt entered into a military alliance with Jordan and Syria and they prevented Israeli and Israel-bound shipping from passing through the Suez Canal and the Straits of Tiran. This led to Israel contacting France and Great Britain, who together tried to open the traffic through the Suez Canal. Israel captured the entire Sinai Peninsula while France and Great Britain bombed Egyptian military bases.

After being pressured by the USA, Russia and the UN, the actions were stopped and Israel returned Sinai to Egypt. A UN Emergency Force was stationed along the Egypt – Israel border, serving as a buffer zone between Israel and Egypt.


1967 SIX - DAY WAR

In May 1967 the President of Egypt, Nasser, ordered the UN peacekeeping forces out of the Sinai and the Gaza Strip. Then he re-imposed the blockade of the Straits of Tiran, Israel’s only exit by sea in the south while agricultural settlements on the Golan Heights were bombarded by persistent Syrian artillery. Egypt, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan were mobilizing large number of troops toward the Israeli borders.

By that time Israel, too, mobilized and it looked as though they were heading toward a big war. Israeli intelligence received news that Egypt had moved the majority of their air force to a military base and that an attack was imminent.

When the Egyptians basically had already declared themselves the winner, Israel came and bombed their base and destroyed most of the Egyptian air force. Israel pleaded with Jordan not to enter into war against them, but they did, which led Israel to drive out the Jordanians from Jerusalem and the West Bank to the other side of the Jordan River.

At the end of the war the Syrians as well were driven away from the Golan Heights and during these six days Israel had won a grand victory, and captured the Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip from Egypt; the West Bank, Eastern Jerusalem and the Old City from Jordan and the Golan Heights from Syria.

One may wonder why the Arabs didn’t make an effort what so ever to establish the Arab State (Palestine) side by side with Israel during the 19 years that Israel was
not in control of these areas.


1973 YOM KIPPUR WAR

1973 Egypt and Syria wanted revenge for their defeat during the six-day war. The Arab nations hoped to win back the territories that were lost and Saudi Arabia provided with the funds for the war.

On Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), the holiest day of the Jewish year, Egypt and Syria launched a coordinated surprise assault against Israel (October 6 1973). Since it was Yom Kippur most Israeli soldiers were home on leave.

On the Day of Atonement people fast, even from their radio and TV which made it difficult to reach them with news of the outbreak of war and that all soldiers needed to head for their units at once.

The Egyptian army with 8000 troops crossed the Suez Canal and attacked Israel and their 436 troops. The Syrian army attacked the Golan Heights with 1100 tanks against Israel’s 157 tanks.

Israel decided to immediately evacuate the Golan Heights because they had no possibility to protect the population there.

Most Israeli bases along the Suez Canal fell into the Egyptian hands and Egyptian bomb planes bombed Israeli bases and positions. Syrian tanks moved into Israel and most of the Golan Heights was captured.

When the reservists arrived at the front they tried to halt the enemy’s advance. On October 8 the IDF (Israeli Defence Force) began to repulse the attackers in the north and the south. In the south Israel’s efforts failed with heavy casualties as a consequence but in the north the greater part of the Golan Heights was recaptured and the Syrians began to withdraw.

During the continuation of the war Israel held Syria away and drove back the Egyptian troops. At the end of the war Israel captured towns along the Suez Canal on the Egyptian side. The war ended October 25 with the UN Security Counsel’s decision of a cease fire.

The Yom Kippur War is the most serious war except from the War of Independence. Israel lost 3000 men and more than a thousand were wounded and maimed.

In 1979 Egypt entered into a peace agreement with Israel.
In 1994 Jordan entered into a peace agreement with Israel.