The event that has generated almost unbroken conflict in the Middle East since World War II was the United Nations' (U. N.) creation in 1948 of Israel out of part of Palestine. The Jewish state was given more than one-half the territory of Palestine. Israel, a modern European state created by the United Nations, fulfilled the hopes and aspirations of the Jewish Zionist movement. To Israel's Arab neighbors, however, it was an unacceptable foreign presence forcibly placed on their soil that had to be opposed.
As the Zionist movement's dream of a Palestinian homeland for Jews grew closer to reality during the 1930's, Syria was a
Leader in the Arab movement to support the local Palestinians and reject a fully independent Jewish state. Syria believed a Jewish state would be an obstacle to Arab unity and a potential threat to Syria.
Many Syrians joined the Arab revolt in Palestine during the late 1930's. As a member of the Arab League (established in 1945), Syria was the first member to carry out anti-Zionist measures. In 1947 Syria mobilized troops along the Palestinian border. One day after the establishment of the State of Israel in May, 1948, troops from Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq invaded Israel.
During the war Israel occupied additional Arab territory beyond that granted by the United Nations partition. The remaining parts of Palestine were taken over by Jordan and Egypt. One result of the creation of Israel was the mass emigration of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees from areas controlled by the new Jewish nation.
In 1949 Syria and Israel signed an armistice agreement but not a full peace treaty. This agreement could not prevent periodic armed clashes along the border, which finally led to war. Of all the Arab nations, Syria has been the most strongly anti-Israel. Since 1948 it has posed the greatest military threat to Israel. Israel, in turn, has treated Syria as a hostile foe. During the 1950's domestic instability and political radicalism, alliances with Arab countries, and fear of Israeli military action increased Syria's militant attitude toward Israel.
World History
