History of Southwest Asia: Creation of Israel (SS7H2b)

​History of Southwest Asia: Creation of Israel

​(SS7H2b)

​by Susan Reed

​Flat Rock Middle School

​7th Grade

Multiple Choice

The main source of conflict in the Middle East between Israel and the Palestinians involves

• slavery.

• religion.

• communism

• oil rights.

​Explanation

The Israeli and Palestinian conflict in the Middle East involves mainly religious tensions.

​

Water and land rights are also major concerns, but communism and slavery are in no way a source of tension in the region.

​

Oil rights would be an issue only if the religious and political issues were settled.​

Multiple Choice

The formation of the state of Israel

• took place after the end of World War II.

• occurred prior to the end of World War II.

• was opposed by the president of the United States.

• was universally accepted by the nations of the world.

​Explanation

The formation of the state of Israel took place after the end of World War II.

​

World War II ended in 1945. The document signed by Harry Truman (U.S. 33rd President) is dated May 14, 1948.

​

After WWI, Jerusalem and the surrounding area were part of the British Mandate of Palestine, from whom Israel declared its independence in 1948.

Multiple Choice

Which part of the document makes it clear that the United States supports the formation of the state of Israel?

• "the de facto authority"

• "This government has been informed"

• "The United States recognizes"

• "a Jewish state has been proclaimed"

​"The United States recognizes the provisional government" shows that the US supported the formation of the state of Israel.

​Explanation

Multiple Choice

Many people around the world agreed with the formation of the state of Israel because of the events associated with

• D-Day.

• Pearl Harbor.

• the Holocaust.

• Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

​Explanation

Many people around the world agreed with the formation of the state of Israel because of the events associated with the Holocaust.

​

Persecuted in other areas of the world, many felt that a Jewish state was needed for the protection of the people.​

Multiple Choice

The conflict over space between Israel and Palestine is MOSTLY due to

• trade issues.

• racial issues.

• natural resources.

• religious issues.

​Explanation

​Religious issues are at the heart of the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

​

These groups have holy sites that they worry could fall under the control of the other side.

Multiple Choice

The political divisions and changes represented by this map are made more intense because of

• industrial rivalries.

• differences in religion.

• communist and capitalist tensions.

• competition for colonial territories.

​Explanation

The political divisions and changes represented by this map are inflamed because of differences in religion.

​

Palestinians, who were predominantly Muslim, felt betrayed by the nations of Europe that were primarily responsible for drawing the lines that created the state of Israel, a Jewish state.

​

These tensions are still very active today.​

Multiple Choice

Since the creation of Israel in 1948

• the nations of the Middle East have worked together peacefully.

• there have been ongoing conflicts between Israel and the Arab world.

• the United Nations has acted as the central government in the region.

• Israel has helped the nations in the region form democratic governments.

​Explanation

​Since the creation of Israel in 1948 there have been ongoing conflicts between Israel and the Arab world.

​

These conflicts are based not only on religious differences but also on issues of land ownership: Arabs believe Israel took their land to create their country, while Israelis believe the land was theirs to begin with.

Multiple Choice

What was the name of the political movement dedicated to establishing a Jewish homeland in Palestine?

• Zionism

• Anti-Semitism

• isolationism

• nationalism

​Explanation

​Zionism is the political movement dedicated to establishing a Jewish homeland in Palestine.

​

Theodor Herzl, who believed that the best way to avoid anti-Semitism in Europe was to create a separate Jewish state in Palestine, founded the movement.

Multiple Choice

Which territory was controlled by Great Britain in the years following World War I and lost land when the nation of Israel was created in 1948?

• Egypt

• Iran

• Iraq

• Palestine

​Explanation

Palestine was controlled by Great Britain in the years following WWI and lost territory when the nation of Israel was created in 1948.

​

Some 300,000 to 350,000 Palestinians caught up in the turmoil fled or were driven from their homes, and conflict over the territory is still prevalent today.​

Multiple Choice

After the formation of Israel on May 14, 1948, what was the reaction of surrounding Arab nations?

• The five surrounding nations immediately attacked Israel.

• Arab nations signed a peace treaty with the new nation of Israel.

• The Arab nations built up their militaries in preparation for an attack the following year.

• A coalition of Arab nations introduced the Partition Plan for Palestine to the United Nations.

​Explanation

After the formation of Israel on May 14, 1948, five surrounding nations immediately attacked the new nation, resulting in the Arab-Israeli War of 1948.​

Multiple Choice

In 1948, the state of Israel was formed to give which group of people a homeland?

• Christians

• Hindus

• Jewish

• Muslims

​Explanation

​Israel was formed to give Jewish people a homeland following WWII.

​

Declaring its independence in 1948, Israel's formation sparked conflict between Israel and Arab neighbors, which has continued to the present day.

Multiple Choice

Why was 1948 a pivotal year for the United States with regards to its involvement in the Middle East?

• The U.S. began drilling for oil in the Arabian Peninsula.

• The U.S. helped to break the Soviet blockade of the Suez Canal.

• The U.S. allied with Iraq in its ongoing war with the country of Iran.

• The U.S. was first to recognize the independence of the state of Israel.

​Explanation

​The U.S. was the first country to recognize the independence of the state of Israel.

​

Israel was created with the assistance of the United Nations following World War II. It was not without controversy and protest, but the United States set a policy early on of standing by Israel, a policy that stands to this day.

Multiple Choice

Excerpt from United Nations Resolution 181 (1948) Citizenship. Palestinian citizens residing in Palestine outside the City of Jerusalem, as well as Arabs and Jews who, not holding Palestinian citizenship, reside in Palestine outside the City of Jerusalem shall, upon the recognition of independence, become citizens of the State in which they are resident and enjoy full civil and political rights.

Using the information shown here, which statement BEST explains the reason for this resolution?

• Palestine was given new lands after the creation of a new Jewish nation of Israel.

• At the end of World War I, the Ottoman empire was divided into a Jewish and Arab nation.

• As a result of the Holocaust, a Jewish nation named Israel was created from land in Palestine.

• At the end of World War I the Jewish people were forced to give up some of the land in Israel to the Palestinians.

​Explanation

​Using the excerpt, the statement that BEST explains the reason for this resolution is As a result of the Holocaust, a Jewish nation named Israel was created from land in Palestine.

​

The countries in the United Nations recognized the need for the Jewish people to govern their own state and have a homeland. The land of Palestine was divided between the Jewish people and the Arab Palestinians. There continues to be fighting over their boundaries.

Multiple Choice

As a result of the Holocaust during World War II, the United Nations designated a Jewish homeland that became what country?

• Iran

• Israel

• Jerusalem

• Palestine

​Explanation

​As a result of the Holocaust during World War II, the United Nations designated a Jewish homeland that became the country of Israel.

​

After suffering the loss of over six million Jewish people, it was important that Jewish people have a nation-state that they could govern and protect.

​

Jewish people consider Israel to be their homeland according to the Torah. Palestinians were living in that region and have been fighting over territory in Israel since 1945.

Multiple Choice

Which of these was the biggest influence in the United Nations to recognize Israel as a nation-state in 1948?

• World War I

• the Holocaust

• discovery of oil

• Middle East crisis

​Explanation

​The Holocaust was the biggest influence in the United Nations declaring Israel to be a nation-state in 1948.

​

United Nations wanted to designate a Jewish homeland after the Jewish people had lost millions of lives in the Holocaust implemented by Adolf Hitler during World War II.

Multiple Choice

Which BEST explains why Israel became a nation-state in Palestine after 1948?

• After the Ottoman empire was dismantled after World War I a new Jewish nation-state was created.

• The United Nations decided that Jewish people needed a homeland after six million Jews were killed during the Holocaust.

• Palestine was divided into two nation-states to be occupied by the Soviet Union and the United States after World War II.

• Fears that Palestine was becoming a communist state led the United States into creating Israel as a democratic country in the Middle East.

​Explanation

​The statement that BEST explains why Israel became a nation-state in Palestine after 1948 is the United Nations decided that Jewish people needed a homeland after six million Jews were killed during the Holocaust.

​

After suffering persecution for thousands of years the Jewish people had been advocating for a homeland prior to World War II. They felt that Israel had been their original homeland and was their "promised land" according to the Torah.

​

This has led to tensions between Israel and the neighboring countries as a result of Palestine having to share this territory.

Multiple Select

Choose the three terms that MOST refer to the Holocaust.

• D-Day

• anti-Semitism

• Final Solution

• Nuremberg Laws

• Treaty of Versailles

​Explanation

​The terms anti-Semitism, Final Solution, and Nuremberg Laws relate directly to the Holocaust. The

​

Treaty of Versailles ended World War I.

D-Day refers to the invasion of France by Allied forces in June of 1944

Multiple Select

Choose all of the terms that MOST refer to the creation of the modern state of Israel.

• 1948

• 1957

• Zionism

• partition

• Treaty of Paris

​Explanation

​The correct terms:

1948- the year of Israel's founding

Zionism- the movement to establish a Jewish homeland

partition- the division of existing lands for the creation of Israel

​

​1957 & Treaty of Paris do not refer to the creation of Israel.

Multiple Select

Choose all the items that reflect elements of Zionism.

• nationalism

• Westernization

• state of Israel

• Europeanization

• political ideology

​Explanation

​Zionism is a political ideology stemming from Jewish nationalism that believes the state of Israel belongs to the Jews.

Multiple Select

Choose all the responses that illustrate how the Holocaust contributed to the formation of Israel.

• The atrocities of the Holocaust spotlighted the need for the Jews to have a land to call their own.

• The Jewish population took refuge during World War II in Israel, and as a result it was natural to establish a homeland there.

• The Jewish population fought for and won the land of Israel during the war, and as a result wanted to establish it as the official Jewish state.

• The Holocaust was the last battle of World War II that the Jews won and as a result were able to establish a claim to Israel.

• Reparations from the Holocaust provided by West Germany provided resources for the state of Israel.

​Explanation

​The atrocities of the Holocaust spotlighted the need for the Jews to have a land to call their own. Following the war the reparations from the Holocaust provided by West Germany provided resources for the state of Israel.

​

​(Please note: reparations from WW2 owed by West Germany is NOT in the 7th grade standards.)

Multiple Select

Choose all the responses that illustrate how the connection to the land of Israel for Jews contributed to the formation of the state.

• The Jewish people base their claim to the land on the idea that God promised the land to the patriarch Abraham.

• The Jewish population took refuge during World War II in Israel as a result it was natural to establish a homeland there.

• The Jewish population fought for and won the land of Israel during the war and as a result wanted to establish it as the official Jewish state.

• The atrocities of the Holocaust spotlighted the need for the Jews to have a land to call their own.

• The Jews feel they have a historical connection to the land spanning back several thousand years.

​Explanation

​The Jews feel they have a historical connection to the land spanning back several thousand years. The history and religion of the Jews originated in the Land of Israel.

​

The Jewish people base their claim to the land on the idea that God promised the land to the patriarch Abraham. Ties to Israel have been maintained since.