After the British announced they were giving part of their Middle Eastern posssessions to Israel, and Israel declared its statehood in 1948, the surrounding Arab states invaded. Now I find that a bit hard to interpret as "Israel starting the war". I'd say the Arabs started it with an invasion of Israeli territory. There UN lines of partition. The Arab armies violated those lines.
Before Israel declared statehood, they began a campaign of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in 1947. The Arab armies intervened and put a stop to much of that. It's particularly noteworthy that they did not ever invade Israeli territory.
The 1956 war is more complicated. Egypt wanted control of the Suez Canal. The Canal was legally owned by France and Britain, who considered Egyptian expropriation nothing but theft. The Egyptians had already blocked Israeli use of the Straits of Tiran, its only outlet to the Red Sea, and an act of war under international law. All 3 nations decided to go war with Egypt. The US, for reasons, connected with the Cold War, forced an end to the conflict. Israel regained use of the Straits of Tiran.
The international community pulled financing from an Egyptian project (Aswan Dam), so Egypt closed the Suez in response. There were legal questions about this action, and Egypt volunteered to take the case to international court. Israel chose instead to attack Egypt militarily.
In 1956, Israel, had endured years of shelling of Israeli territory by Syria- -an act of war by itself. In 1956 tensions heightened and Egypt once more closed the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping- -again, an act of war. The Arab states bordering Israeli started massing their armies along the Israeli. Border. Israel had no intention of being a sitting target and struck first, destroying the Arab air forces. Without air cover, the Arab ground forces were sitting ducks and quickly defeated.
Obviously, you meant 1967, not 1956. Closing the Straits of Tiran was an issue Egypt agreed to settle through legal channels. Given Israel 1956 assault on Egypt, and given Israel's refusal following the 1956 war to have international monitors on its border, Egypt assumed Israel was going to attack. Egypt prepared for the attack. Israel attacked and won.
You are absolutely, unquestionably wrong about Israel starting the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The Arabs attacked first and there is no question of this. Yom Kippur is a major Jewish religious holiday for which ALL work and activity that is not absolutely essential stops. The Arabs picked this time, figuring they could could get a jump on the Israelis. They almost did. They Israelis were on the verge of retreat and likely loss of the war when President Nixon ordered an aerial resupply of Israel that turned the tide back in their favor. They went on to win the war.
Egypt did not attack Israel in 1973. They attacked Israeli troops that were illegally occupying Egyptian land. Before attacking, they made a full peace treaty offer to Israel, and Israel recognized the offer as genuine but rejected it.
You could make a strong case that Israel was attacked in 1948, since Israel did not in any way provoke the Arab countries. But, since these countries were intervening to halt ethnic cleansing, it's hardly a case I'd want to be associated with. For the other wars, there is no case.
Tom |
