May 25 – Independence for Israel
My timing is a little off – the day was May 14, 1948. The British lowered the Union Jack over Jerusalem, releasing the territory and war was on. The Arabs and Jews began a fight for territory that would only last for six days. The Jews were desperately under prepared for this and the United States begged them to try for a truce and not declare themselves a nation, but they went forward with their plans.
After World War 2 ended, thousands of Jews fled to Palestine from Europe. Britain found itself in a constant battle with the Jews as they tried to stop the influx of immigrants and gathered them into detention camps. Finally, in 1947, Britain gave up – there was no way to establish a solution that would work for both the Arabs and the Jews in Palestine. The brand new United Nations came up with a Partition Plan for the small country, splitting it in half and declaring Jerusalem an international city. While the Jews accepted this plan, the Arabs rejected it. A three-day strike was proclaimed by the Arabs and Jewish targets were hit.
Soon, however, the Jews went on the offensive, the Palestinian Arab economy collapsed, 250,000 Arabs left the country and on May 14, 1948, the day before the British Mandate expired, Israel declared itself a nation. On May 15, five Arab countries – Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq declared war on this brand new nation and attacked.
A year later, a cease-fire was declared. Jordan annexed the West Bank and east Jerusalem, Egypt controlled the West Bank and on May 11, 1949, Israel was accepted as a member of the United Nations.
Survivors of the Holocaust and Jews from Muslim nations flooded into Israel and between 1948 and 1958, the population exploded from 800,000 to two million. The little nation became an international force.
The creation of Israel as a nation impacted world politics and Christianity. With the relocation of Jews back to their homeland, it seemed as if things were being set in place by God for the final days of mankind on earth. While we don’t know what God’s timing is, praying for peace in Israel is a hope for the Jews and Christians alike as we look towards Jesus’ reign.
My timing is a little off – the day was May 14, 1948. The British lowered the Union Jack over Jerusalem, releasing the territory and war was on. The Arabs and Jews began a fight for territory that would only last for six days. The Jews were desperately under prepared for this and the United States begged them to try for a truce and not declare themselves a nation, but they went forward with their plans.
After World War 2 ended, thousands of Jews fled to Palestine from Europe. Britain found itself in a constant battle with the Jews as they tried to stop the influx of immigrants and gathered them into detention camps. Finally, in 1947, Britain gave up – there was no way to establish a solution that would work for both the Arabs and the Jews in Palestine. The brand new United Nations came up with a Partition Plan for the small country, splitting it in half and declaring Jerusalem an international city. While the Jews accepted this plan, the Arabs rejected it. A three-day strike was proclaimed by the Arabs and Jewish targets were hit.
Soon, however, the Jews went on the offensive, the Palestinian Arab economy collapsed, 250,000 Arabs left the country and on May 14, 1948, the day before the British Mandate expired, Israel declared itself a nation. On May 15, five Arab countries – Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq declared war on this brand new nation and attacked.
A year later, a cease-fire was declared. Jordan annexed the West Bank and east Jerusalem, Egypt controlled the West Bank and on May 11, 1949, Israel was accepted as a member of the United Nations.
Survivors of the Holocaust and Jews from Muslim nations flooded into Israel and between 1948 and 1958, the population exploded from 800,000 to two million. The little nation became an international force.
The creation of Israel as a nation impacted world politics and Christianity. With the relocation of Jews back to their homeland, it seemed as if things were being set in place by God for the final days of mankind on earth. While we don’t know what God’s timing is, praying for peace in Israel is a hope for the Jews and Christians alike as we look towards Jesus’ reign.
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