The years following the harsh realities of World War II provided a glimpse into the vision shared by the founders of Israel. The Jewish Holocaust survivors, deeply impacted by the actions of the Nazi regime, sought a new life away from Europe. Some of the survivors were considered refugees, while others had the means and wanted to start anew in their native land.
The amalgamation of scenarios and ideas created the bedrock of the statehood of Israel. While the new nation’s leaders had a series of objectives toward their Jewish nation, there were a series of challenges throughout the middle and latter portion of the 1940s.
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The United Nations recognized Israel’s request for an independently governed nation in 1948, but true statehood did not occur for another year.
The primary reason for the delay was the outward attacks from adjacent Arab nations in 1948, immediately after the U.N. gave its decree. Had Israel not been able to withstand the militant forces from adjacent countries and religions, statehood would not have followed, regardless of what U.N. officials had to say on the matter.
The battle that ensued after the U.N.’s decree did not come without a cost.
According to the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, nearly one-fifth of the Jewish persons occupying what would become Israel lost their lives during the 15-month battle.
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When Israel officially gained independence — U.N. intervention toward peace agreements assisted in the effort — the nation did face other challenges, including economic issues.
The Israelis had minimal financial resources at the onset of independence, and the accelerated spending on armed forces continued to deplete funds. In time, the nation received financial assistance from a number of countries, including the U.S., in addition to German reparations.
Financial assistance from outside countries essentially built Israel from the ground up. Funds went toward housing, establishing a national airline, building infrastructure and creating a telecommunications system.
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