The War of Independence

On 15 May 5708 the armies of Egypt, Transjordan, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon crossed the borders. The Jewish side had some 30,000 fighters, almost no artillery, aircraft or tanks; weapons were bought secretly in Czechoslovakia and flown in at night.

Jerusalem was the hardest front. The city was besieged: the road through Bab el-Wad was under fire and water was rationed. Convoys broke through at heavy cost until the 'Burma Road' was carved by hand through the hills. On 4 Iyar Gush Etzion fell and the defenders of Kfar Etzion were shot after surrendering. On 19 Iyar (28 May) the Jewish Quarter of the Old City capitulated; its residents were expelled and 58 synagogues, including the great Hurva of Rabbi Yehuda HeChasid, were blown up. Jerusalem stayed divided for nineteen years, and until 5727 no Jew could approach the Western Wall.

By July 5709 armistice agreements had been signed with four countries. Israel held more territory than the UN plan had allotted, but had lost the Old City, Gush Etzion and all of Judea and Samaria. Six thousand three hundred and seventy-three people were killed — about one percent of the population.