Arab-Israeli War

What was the Arab-Israeli War?

Five Arab states invaded Israel.

When was the Arab-Israeli War?

May 1948-1949.

Who fought in the Arab-Israeli War?

Egypt, Syria, Transjordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Israel.

What happened in the first phase of the Arab-Israeli War?

There were several events in the first phase of the war which lasted May-June 1948.

• ❖ Israel struggled with few weapons and even less artillery. One in three Israeli troops had a weapon and they had just five field guns. The Arab nations had about 150 field guns.
• ❖ The army of Transjordan occupied the West Bank and Jerusalem.
• ❖ Iraqi forces invaded from the north of the country.
• ❖ Egyptian forces invaded from the south of the country.

When was Phase One of the Arab-Israeli War?

May-July 1948.

When was the truce for the Arab-Israeli War?

11th June 1948.

How did the UN do about the Arab-Israeli War?

The United Nations organised a truce that was to last a month.

How did Israel break the truce during the Arab-Israeli War?

Israel ignored the embargo on weapons and used US money from Zionist supporters to buy them from Czechoslovakia. It included 300,000 rifles, 4,500 machine guns, 47 million rounds of ammunition and 84 aeroplanes.

What happened in the second phase of the Arab-Israeli War?

In July 1948 Israeli forces broke the truce two days early. They occupied two of the Arab towns Lydda and Ramla in Tel Aviv. A second truce was arranged by the UN, it lasted three months.

When was Phase Two of the Arab-Israeli War?

July 1948.

What happened in the third phase of the Arab-Israeli War?

Israel surprised the Arabs by invading before the end of the truce. They captured Galilee and the Negev Desert. Then a series of armistice agreements were made with Transjordan, Egypt, Lebanon and Syria. Iraq refused to sign.

When was Phase Three of the Arab-Israeli War?

October 1948 to July 1949.

How did Israel win the Arab-Israeli War?

Against all odds Israel won the Arab-Israeli War in July 1949 for several reasons:

• ❖ The Arab nations only used 20-25,000 of their 35,000 troops as they underestimated Israel. This left Israel with a larger force especially as it grew to 108,000 by December 1948.
• ❖ Israeli forces had a lot of experience as they had helped the British forces in other wars.
• ❖ The first truce allowed Israel to buy much needed weapons.
• ❖ The Arab nations were uncoordinated in their approach compared to Israel who coordinated their troops as one.
• ❖ Israel was determined to not lose the state they had wanted so badly and for so long. This helped them to keep fighting.