The problem became too much for the British to keep controlled, they were unable to stop violence to them selves from some Jewish groups, and also the fear of a civil war between Jews and Arabs. In 1947 they handed the problem back to the United Nations as they were finding the whole thing just too difficult. The UN decided that they would introduce partition into the state to make it into two separate states, one Arab, one Jewish. On the day the partition was to be put into action – 15th May 1948 – Israel was attacked by Arab neighbours. Even though the Arab armies outnumbered the Israeli army. Israel won and became a more secure state. Seven thousand Palestinians fled Israel and caused a major refugee problem. Both Israelis and Palestinians disagreed over the reasons for this. The Palestinians blame an event that occurred before the war in Deir Yassin. They claim that on April the 9th, 1948 a Zionist force that included elements of the Irgun led by Menachem Begin; the stern gang and the mainstream haganah attacked a peaceful village belonging to Palestinian Arabs call Deir Yassin. They say they murdered 154 men, women and children, mutilating them in order to scare away the other Palestinians. It worked.
The Israelis claim that on May 14th, 1948 the British left and the Arab enemies invaded the country. Already by the time hundreds if not thousands of Palestine Arabs and left their homes already and become refuges as a result of the fighting that had taken place in the country. When the regular Arab armies joined the fighting the full-scale war was said to be ensued and the number of refuges swell. The refugees where thought to be the ones who perpetuated the aggression against the state of Israel. There is such a difference between the two explanations of what happened because both of the sides anted to be seen as the good innocent side that needed to be helped. So seeming innocent and hurt was a way for them to gain support.
After the war of 1948, Jewish immigration to Israel occurred in every country in Europe and beyond. This was because once the Palestinians left, there was much more room in Israel and Zionists have always-wanted to go back there. There were more economic opportunities and many Jews left neighbouring Arab countries where they were a minority to be a majority in Israel. Also it may have been seen as an opportunity for not only independence but also safety in the future. Also it may have been seen as a way to escape poverty from where they were previously from. The main pull factor was the “Law of Return” which was declared in 1950. This law stated that every Jew had the right to immigrate to Israel and only those deemed a threat to public or state security or acts against Judaism would be stopped from entering Israel. This basically guarantees to the Jews safety, which they’ve never had before and would attract Zionists and their long-term claim to the land. This would encourage Jews to go to Israel because it would become so easy to become a citizen there, where as it is less easy in other places.
Also the “nationality act” was passed, this stated that if one wanted to become and Israeli citizen then an Arab must prove that: he was born in the country, he has lived in the Israeli occupied territory three out of five years preceding the application, he is settled, or intends to settle permanently in the country, he has sufficient knowledge of the Hebrew language. . This caused much more tension with the Palestinians as they who have lived there before couldn’t go back unless they satisfied all those things. For an Arab knowledge of the Hebrew language is useless as it’s the language of the Jewish holy book and they could be denied even if they knew it, as “sufficient Hebrew” is made vague so the Israelis could deny those they do not want in the country. This act causes a lot of anger and hate from the Palestinians who once lived there especially as it’s designed to be prejudiced against them. It would defiantly make living in peace more difficult because the Arabs would feel discriminated against, as it’s harder for them to become citizens than the Jews.
In 1967, Israel fought the third of her major wars against her Arab neighbours. As a consequence of this war Israel took over the occupied territories of the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan Heights. Many Palestinians who has fled from Israel in 1948 now found them selves under Israeli rule. Other Palestinians fled to new or enlarged camps in Lebanon or Jordan. Palestinians would resent Israel taking over the occupied territories because they would be then under the control of the enemy, in that they would have to follow curfews, and have military presence. Also Palestine has now been taken over, making it less and less likely that the land will ever be brought back to them. Also Israel encourages the Jews to form in the occupied territories, which would make it even harder to gain the land back.
Through the taking of the occupied territories, the refugee position worsened. This was because the major part of the refugees from the war in 1948 had fled to the Gaza Strip and West Bank may not like coming under Israeli rule and so may flee to neighbouring countries like Lebanon or Jordan. This time the Palestinians played no part in this addition to the refugees and so they would have real reason to blame the Israelis for it.