76: Israel

 

76 years ago today (May 14, 1948) Israel became an independent country.

From 1920 to 1948 Israel (then called Mandatory Palestine) was occupied and governed by the United Kingdom which was heavily Anti-Semitic favoring the Arabs over the Jews (before, during and after the Holocaust of World War 2 – even forcing Holocaust Survivors to return to the Displaced Persons Camps in defeated Germany instead of being allowed into either the UK or Israel.

The British Government was so Anti—Jewish that they gave all their weapons and Military Equipment in and around Israel to the Arabs so that the moment the Jews declared their Independence the Arabs inside Israel and surrounding Israel all 3 sides would be able to defeat (and destroy the new Jewish State.)

Despite the British and the Arabs the Jews organized themselves (creating Secret Armies and getting whatever weapons and equipment they could get from anywhere in the World.)

Within minutes of David Ben-Gurion, the Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization, the Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, and soon to be first Prime Minister of Israel (1948-1953, 1955-1963) declared Israel’s Independence on May 14, 1948 the Arab League (Egypt, Jordan, the Palestinians, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and Saudi Arabia) attacked Israel with 12,000 British-trained and supplied Soldiers against Israel’s 10,000 self-trained and poorly supplied Soldiers.

By the end of Israel’s War for Independence in 1949 the Arabs sent in 65,500 Soldiers and Israel was able to get 117,500 Soldiers (Men and Women including Holocaust Survivors going from the boat right into battle.)

The Israelis were attacked from the land (on all sides), by sea and by air all at once.

15,000 Arab Soldiers were killed during the War and 25,000 were wounded during the War.

4,000 Israeli Soldiers were killed and 2,373 Israeli Civilians were killed during the War.

The United States was one of the first Countries to Officially Recognize Israel as an Independent Country on May 14, 1948.

Most of the Muslim and Arab Countries around the World in 1948 called for the Official Destruction of Israel and the death of the Jews (in their Constitutions and National Laws.)

Jews living in these Muslim and Arab Countries for Centuries were forced to flee their homes or be killed. Most went to Israel. This shows that these Muslim and Arab Countries hate Jews in general and not simply Jews in Israel.

As of 2024 Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Brunei, Comoros, Djibouti, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya,

Malaysia, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen do now allow Israeli Citizens into their Countries and do not let Foreigners (Non-Israelis) that have Israeli Passport Stamps in their Passport to enter their Country.

The Citizens of these Muslim and Arab Countries are allowed to call for the “Death of America” or “Death to the Jews” but if these same Citizens try to call for equal and basic Civil Rights at home they are beaten and killed.

Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since being elected into power in 2006, Officially Calls for the Destruction of Israel and the Murder of all Jews and Christians-  all Non-Muslims.)

Here is an example of the differences between Israel and the Palestinian Territories of the West Bank and Gaza (past and present):

 

From 1948-1967 Gaza was ruled by Egypt.

From 1948-1967 East Jerusalem and the West Bank was ruled by Jordan.

The Egyptians, the Jordanians and the Palestinians forbade Jews to visit their Holy Sites in those places.

 

From 1967-2005 Israel ruled all of Gaza and the West Bank.

The Israelis allowed Jews, Christians and Muslims to enter these places – especially to visit their Holy Sites.

 

From 2005-Present Day: Hamas has ruled Gaza.

Hamas refuses Jews and Christians to visit their Holy Sites or to express their Religion openly.

 

From 2005-Present Day: The Palestinian Authority has ruled the West Bank.

The Palestinian Authority refuses Jews (and Christian Israelis) to visit their Holy Sites.

 

From 1967-Present Day: Israel has ruled all of Jerusalem.

The Israelis allow Muslims, Jews and Christians to visit their Holy Sites.

 

Clearly Israel is the only Democracy in the Middle East and while it has some faults, like all Countries do, they still work to respect all Religions while the Palestinians (Hamas and the Palestinian Authority) don’t respect Jews or Christians.  

Not only have I studied about Israel and the Middle East, but I have been to Israel, the West Bank, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.