Hitler’s rise to power and the holocaust caused a mass exodus of Jews. It also increased their desire for their own country. There was an increased influx of Jewish refugees into the region. Jewish Arabs were willing to sell their land but got increasingly worried of the possibility of being reduced to minority population in the region.
By 1947, the region comprised of Jewish population who had established self governing institutions such as Jewish agency and armed militias who were trained by British to fight for them in World War II. With the end of World War II, Britain took the question of Palestine to United Nations. In 1947, United Nations proposed a two state solution –Arab state Palestine and Jewish state Israel. While Jewish leaders accepted the proposal, the Arab leaders called it unfair and rejected the proposal.
With the withdrawal of Britain, Jewish leaders declared the creation of independent Israel. In opposition to this unilateral declaration the Arab faces attached Israel.
Surprisingly, Israel defeated the combined Arab coalition forces (of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq) in the 1948 war. Along with West Jerusalem, Israel captured 23% more territories than what had been proposed by the UNGA plan. Egyptian military took control of Gaza strip. Jordan took control of the West Jerusalem and West Bank.
The conflict triggered significant demographic change in the region with Palestinian Arabs fleeing the region. They become Palestinian refugees in what they refer to as Al-Nakba (“The Catastrophe”). It was also alleged that Israelis indulged in ethnic clearing during the conflict.
Arab and Israeli forces once again clashed in 1967 in what came to be called as the six day war. Israel launched a pre- emptive attack on Egypt and Jordan destroying their air fleet while still on ground. The Israeli victory was overwhelming. Israel wrested control of Gaza strip and Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, Golan Heights from Syria and West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan.
East Jerusalem was subsequently annexed but is not recognized by United Nations. East Jerusalem comprises predominantly Palestinian population who has been deciding voting rights by Israel.