Why were many Arabs angered by the creation of Israel?
2 Answers
There were a number of reasons.
Explanation:
The creation of Israel in May 1948 by the UN was a consequence of many things both long term and short term. These included the historical aim of the Jewish people to have a homeland, as an objective of the Zionist movement formed at the end of the 20th century and as a consequence of World War 1 including the Balfour Declaration and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.
However what became Israel had been inhabited by Palestinian Arabs for centuries and they were also given commitments by the British government during World War 1 in return for local support in defeating the Turks.
The whole area saw major territorial upheaval after World War 1 as it was carved up. There is also religious cause. Jerusalem is the centre of three religions, Christianity, Islam and Judaism.
This is reflected in the conflict between Christians and Arabs going back to the Crusades. Therefore the creation of a Jewish state in territory occupied by Arabs met with hostility and immediate invasion on the creation of Israel.
Primarily the nature of the Islamic religion.
Explanation:
In traditional Islam there is no separation of powers, or religion from politics. Muhammad was not only the prophet of Islam he was the military and political leader. He and the later Caliphs functioned as the executive, legisitative and judicial branches. For a Muslim to live under the political control of a non muslim is an abomination.
The land of Israel , Palistine had been ruled and occupied by Islam since the 600s AD, with a 100 year gap when it was ruled by the Christian Crusaders. The land that is ruled by Islam become scared to Islam. That the land of Israel ,Palistine would be ruled by Jews was intolerable.
Think back El Quida was formed partially because the presence of American non muslim forces in the Gulf war was thought to have "polluted the scared land of Saudi Arabia. That Jews would rule Muslims in the scared land of of Palestine and Jerusalem was blasphemous to the Muslims. Death is the only way to purify blasphemy in the Muslim religion.
Jews and Christians had lived in the land called Israel and Palestine. for all the centuries of Muslim rule. As long as the Jews and Christians were willing to accept the superiority of the Islamic religion and Muslim people the Jews and Christians were allowed to live in the land with only occasional persecution as second class citizens with no political power or rule.
When the state of Israel was declared as an independent nation ruled not by Islam but Judism the Muslims were infuriated. The land had been ruled by the Jews then taken by the Romans, The Romans ousted by the Islamic Empire of the Caliphs Then by the Shitie Fatima Empire of Egypt , then the Seljuk Turks conquered by the Christian Crusades, who were evicted by the Kurds, The Kurds conquered by the Ottoman Turks, The local Arabs wanted to rule the land themselves.
Palestine as a nation had never existed. The Arabs were promised an independent nation occupying what is now Saudi Arabia , Israel, Jordan, Syria and Lebonan for their support of the Triple Ententee during World War I. The British had also promised part of this land to Jews under the Balfort Declaration, for Jewish support during World War I. That the United Nations gave half of the land of the Palestine Mandate to the despised Jews was a seen as a breach of the promises made to the Arab people.
