ARAB ISRAEL WAR - 1948-1949
December 5, 2007
Above: Map of Israel in 1948 - 1949
{mosimage}Civil war broke out in Palestine following the declaration of Partition by the United Nations. During its course, the Jews consolidated their control on their assigned part of Palestine. During this period some of Arabs of Palestine suddenly became refugees. Many left the Jewish areas of their own accord, some were encouraged to leave by other Arabs and some were coerced to leave by the Jews.
Above: picture of Soldier killed during the war
SIX-DAY WAR
December 5, 2007
Above: Map of Israel and neighboring Countries (click map to enlarge)
In 1967 war broke out between Israel and the combined forces of Egypt, Jordan and Syria. The latter group was aided by Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Algeria. Israel came out victorious. The war lasted for 132 hours and 30 minutes - that is a little less than six days. In two of the three fronts the duration was even shorter. Only on the Syrian front did the war last for six days.
Above: Israeli army advancing to Golan Heights (June 1967)
SUEZ WAR
December 5, 2007
The UN Security Council, in the middle of 1948 called upon Israel and Arab states to sit down to talks. Israel forced Egypt to agree by driving its army to El Arish in the Sinai. Britain, recalling an Anglo-Egyptian offered to help Egypt but the latter did not want to undergo this humiliation and agreed to talks at Rhodes. Ralph Bunche of the UN organized the conference with the warning that anybody not cooperating would be blamed for the breakdown. Another reason for his success was that he insisted on bilateral talks between Israel and each of the Arab states. For this he won the Nobel Peace prize.
