Fact Check: Israel didn’t exist before WWII

Fact Check: "Israel didn’t exist before WWII"

What We Know

The claim that "Israel didn’t exist before WWII" is misleading. The historical context of Israel dates back thousands of years. The region known today as Israel has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with evidence of early human activity dating back to 1.5 million years ago (History of Israel - Wikipedia). The area has been known as Canaan, Palestine, and the Holy Land, and it has a complex history involving various civilizations and peoples, including the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah established during the Iron Age (History of Israel - Wikipedia).

In the modern context, the movement for a Jewish homeland in Palestine gained momentum in the late 19th century with the rise of Zionism. This movement was a response to widespread anti-Semitism in Europe and sought to establish a national home for the Jewish people in their ancestral land (Creation of Israel, 1948 - Office of the Historian). By the time World War II began, there was already a significant Jewish population in Palestine, and the British government had issued the Balfour Declaration in 1917, which supported the establishment of a Jewish national home in Palestine (History of Israel - Wikipedia).

Analysis

The assertion that Israel did not exist before WWII ignores both the historical presence of Jewish communities in the region and the political developments leading up to the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. The Jewish population in Palestine was actively engaged in the social and political life of the region long before WWII, participating in various movements and conflicts, including World War I and the British Mandate period (Creation of Israel, 1948 - Office of the Historian).

Moreover, the United Nations proposed a partition plan in 1947, which aimed to create separate Jewish and Arab states in Palestine. This plan was accepted by Jewish leaders but rejected by Arab leaders, leading to conflict and the eventual declaration of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948 (History of Israel - Wikipedia). Therefore, while the formal State of Israel was established after WWII, the historical and cultural foundations of Jewish presence in the region predate the war by centuries.

The sources used in this analysis are reliable, with the Wikipedia entry providing a comprehensive overview of the history of Israel and the Office of the Historian detailing the political developments surrounding the creation of the state. Both are well-regarded for their factual accuracy and thoroughness.

Conclusion

The claim that "Israel didn’t exist before WWII" is False. While the modern State of Israel was officially established in 1948, the historical roots of Jewish presence in the region extend back thousands of years, and significant Jewish communities existed in Palestine prior to World War II. The political movements leading to the establishment of Israel were already in motion long before the war, making the claim inaccurate.