1948 Arab-Israeli War: A History from Beginning to End

When the establishment of the State of Israel was announced on May 14, 1948, it seemed to many people that the new nation could not survive for long. The haste with which it was created meant that Israel lacked the infrastructure of government, and its armed forces consisted of little more than a handful of lightly armed former guerilla fighters. Ranged against it were some of the most powerful nations in the Arab world, including Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, and Syria.

On the day after the declaration of the creation of Israel, four armies from these neighboring states launched an invasion. The invading armies had tanks, combat aircraft, and heavy artillery. The Israel Defense Force lacked all these things; its forces were outnumbered and had barely enough rifles to equip its troops. No wonder that some Arab generals told their leaders that this wouldn’t be a war but a “parade without any risks.” Most people predicted that Israel would be defeated within two weeks.

But that wasn’t how it turned out. Israel not only survived its first war—it emerged stronger and with armed forces that proved themselves to be among the most capable in the world. This is the surprising story of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.