At the end of November 1947, in connection with the approaching expiration of the British Mandate, issued three years earlier by the League of Nations, a confrontation between Jewish and Arab paramilitary forces intensified in Palestine, striving by all means to seize the largest possible part of the territory and establish control over internal communications. The military conflict that erupted as a result of this was the beginning of the first Arab-Israeli war, which lasted until July 1949.
Aggravation of previous contradictions
Despite the fact that the impetus for the start of the armed conflict was a very definite event - the withdrawal of British troops from Palestine, the true reason for the first Arab-Israeli war lies in the centuries-old struggle of the Jews for the right to dispose of the territory of their historical homeland. Since the mid-30s, that is, long before the end of the mandate of the League of Nations, there has been a confrontation between Arabs and Jews, which was in the nature of a sluggish war and did not take on a larger scale thanks to the control carried out by peacekeeping forces.
However, due to the approaching deadline for the withdrawal of British troops, the actions of the warring parties intensified, especially since at that time the British, preparing for their return home, practically did not intervene in the events taking place. The current situation served as an impetus to the start of the first stage of the Arab-Israeli war, which began even before the Jewish state was officially proclaimed (this happened on May 14, 1948).
How did the conflict flare up?
The beginning of the first Arab-Israeli war was manifested in the confrontation between irregular armed formations, exposed both on one and the other side. Jewish troops were represented by units bearing the names Irgun, Lehi and Hagan (this name was subsequently assigned to all the armed forces of the country), and the Arabs - the Army of the Holy War and the Liberation Army.
This first stage of the war, which, according to historians, lasted until mid-May 1948, was characterized by the fact that Jews were mainly limited to retaliatory hostilities, not trying to take the initiative in their hands. However, after independence, the first Arab-Israeli war entered a new phase when the question arose of taking control of the entire territory of Palestine allocated according to the UN decision.
The balance of power of opponents
Regarding the size of the Jewish army in the years of the first Arab-Israeli war, there is no extremely accurate data, since at different stages it changed due to replenishment by civilians and volunteers from other countries. However, it is believed that in November 1947, that is, at the beginning of active hostilities, the Hagan reached 15-17 thousand people. In addition, about 20 thousand city dwellers took up arms, of which a militia was composed. He was soon joined by members of several mass youth organizations and nearly a thousand employees of the auxiliary police, a structure formerly subordinate to the British authorities.
These data refer to the initial phase of the first Arab-Israeli war. By May next year, the size of the Jewish army increased significantly and, according to historians, amounted to 50 thousand people, which was almost five times the number of Arabs, on the side of which volunteers who arrived in Palestine from the countries of the Muslim world also fought.
Challenges facing the warring armies
What specific goals did the warring parties pursue during the initial period of the first Arab-Israeli war? Briefly, they can be reduced to the following tasks. The Arabs tried by all means to cut off Jerusalem from the coastal part of the country, which was the main part of the Jewish settlements. To do this, they blocked the road leading to the capital. Jews fiercely resisted them, but could not achieve full success.
Nevertheless, communication between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem was carried out through armed convoys, with battles breaking through the enemy screen. In addition, Arabs everywhere tried to strike at the settlements in which the Jewish population lived. However, thanks to the operational actions of Hagana, most of their attacks were successfully repulsed.
The task facing the Israelis was somewhat simplified due to the fact that the commanders of the opposing armed forces - the Holy War Army and the Arab Liberation Army, being in constant disagreement, did not want to coordinate their actions, which significantly reduced the combat potential of the forces under their control.
Invasion of the United Arab Armed Forces
The second phase of the war began in May 1948 after the declaration of independence of Israel. At the same time, military units of the five Arab armies invaded Palestinian territory. Their goal was the complete destruction of Israel, which had just gained independence, and the formation of a single Palestinian state with an ethnically mixed population.
This action was planned in advance, and began on the night of May 15, 1948. At that time, the numerical superiority was already on the side of the Arabs. The composition of their armies then totaled up to 50 thousand people, while the personnel of Haganah did not exceed 40-42 thousand people, which included women and adolescents. In addition, the Israelis felt an acute shortage of weapons and ammunition. It is known that at the time of the invasion of the combined Arab forces, only 20 thousand rifles, 10 thousand machine guns (mainly handicrafts) and 15,000 machine guns were at the disposal of the Jews. Thus, all the defenders of Israel did not have enough weapons.
The main areas of impact
From the first days of the intervention, the Arabs launched from the air massive bombing attacks on Israeli cities and individual agricultural communes called kibbutzim. However, the direction of their main blow was Jerusalem, the struggle for which became a priority for the entire military campaign. At the end of May 1948, the forces of the "Arab Legion" broke the resistance of the defenders of the Old City, after which this vast quarter was looted and burned. Nevertheless, West Jerusalem remained under Jewish control.
By early summer, the interventionists managed to block the road connecting the capital with Tel Aviv and capture a strategically important fort in the Ayalon Valley. Over the next months, the forces of the Arab coalition conducted constant attacks on almost all vital facilities, including the oil pipeline that passed through the territory of Northern Galilee. They were largely helped by the support given to the units of Hagan by pilots from Europe, who, having experience of World War II, wished to fight on the side of the Israelis.
The end of hostilities
In the second half of July 1948, as a result of stubborn battles, the Israeli army managed to secure a significant advantage in the main areas of hostilities. Despite the fact that none of the warring parties wished to make any concessions, over the following months, until the onset of the new 1949, the end of the first Arab-Israeli war was largely predetermined by two cease-fires aimed at finding ways out of conflict.
Finally, in January, after the Jews were able to completely take control of the Jerusalem road, as well as large territories adjacent to the city from the south and north, negotiations were held between representatives of the warring parties. They were held under the auspices of the UN and ended with the signing of a ceasefire.
The results of the first Arab-Israeli war
As a result of the active opposition exerted by the Israeli armed forces to the armies of the Arab states, about half of the territory of Palestine was under the control of the Jews. The rest of it, including the areas of East Jerusalem, until 1967 was divided between Transjordan and Egypt.
In the eyes of the international community, Israel has established itself as a state capable of asserting its rights with arms in its hands. Many countries then expressed their support to him, including the Soviet Union. In the first Arab-Israeli war, Jews received, through the mediation of Czechoslovakia and with the approval of Stalin, a significant amount of weapons released into the USSR, which played a role in the outcome of the hostilities.