What Was the 1948 Arab–Israeli War?

Supplementary Content by Mawqif

The 1948 Arab–Israeli War was the first major military conflict between the newly declared State of Israel and several neighboring Arab states. The war took place between 1947 and 1949 and followed the end of British rule in Palestine. It began after the United Nations proposed the 1947 Partition Plan, which recommended dividing the British Mandate of Palestine into two states, one Jewish and one Arab, with Jerusalem under international administration. Jewish leaders accepted the proposal, while most Arab leaders rejected it, arguing that the plan did not fairly represent the region’s Arab majority at the time.


Following the UN vote in November 1947, fighting broke out between Jewish and Arab communities in Palestine. This phase of the conflict, often referred to as the civil war period, lasted until May 1948. During this time, armed groups such as the Jewish Haganah and various Palestinian Arab militias fought for control of territory, roads, and cities. Violence spread across the region, affecting major cities including Jerusalem, Haifa, and Jaffa, as well as numerous towns and villages.


On May 14, 1948, Jewish leadership declared the establishment of the State of Israel, shortly before Britain officially ended its mandate over Palestine. The following day, Egypt, Jordan (then Transjordan), Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon sent military forces into the territory, marking the beginning of the interstate phase of the war. These armies fought Israeli forces across multiple fronts, including the Negev desert, the Galilee region, and areas surrounding Jerusalem.


The war ended in 1949 with a series of armistice agreements between Israel and its neighboring countries. As a result of the conflict, Israel controlled about 78% of the territory of former Mandatory Palestine, more than what had been allocated under the original UN partition plan. The West Bank came under Jordanian control, while the Gaza Strip was administered by Egypt.


The war had major humanitarian consequences. During the conflict, approximately 700,000 Palestinians were displaced from their homes in what became Israel. At the same time, in the years following the war, hundreds of thousands of Jews migrated to Israel, including many who left or were expelled from countries across the Middle East and North Africa. These population movements reshaped the demographics and politics of the region.


The 1948 war is known by different names depending on historical perspective. In Israel, it is often called the War of Independence, marking the creation of the Israeli state. In Arab countries and among Palestinians, it is closely associated with Al-Nakba (“the catastrophe”), referring to the displacement of Palestinian communities. The war established political borders and disputes that continue to influence the modern Israeli–Palestinian conflict and wider Middle Eastern geopolitics.


Bibliography:



  • “1948 Arab–Israeli War.” Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Arab-Israeli-wars

  • “1948 Palestine War.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1948_Palestine_war

  • “UN Partition Plan for Palestine.” United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. https://www.un.org/unispal/document/auto-insert-185393/

  • “Arab–Israeli War of 1948.” Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/arab-israeli-war

  • “Palestine Refugees.” United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). https://www.unrwa.org/palestine-refugees