The Aftermath of Wars a Close Look at Israel Greece and Egypt

War in Egypt, Israel, and Greece

How have wars impacted societies in Israel, Egypt, and Greece? This paper delves into those topics.

Israel

Not long after the United Nations approved allowing the State of Israel to come into fruition in 1948, Arab neighbors attacked Israel and tried to destroy the newly established Jewish nation. Egypt, Syria and other forces from nearby squeezed the borders of Israel in an apparent attempt to wipe Israel out. But the Israeli army pushed back on several fronts and by January, 1949, Israel had reclaimed all the lands from the attackers, and had regained the lands that the United Nations had originally agreed to grant to Israel (Swift Maps).

Meanwhile, in 1967, the Jewish state was just 19 years old but it was facing a serious military challenge from Egypt. According to the BBC, the "Voice of the Arabs," Egyptian strong man Gamal Abdul Nasser's radio station, bellowed strong warnings, including this announcement by Egyptian spokesman Ahmed Said:

"We have nothing for Israel except war -- comprehensive war -- marching against its gangs, destroying and putting an end to the whole Zionist existence ... every one of the

100 million Arabs has been living for the past 19 years on one hope -- to live to die on the day that Israel is liquidated"

(BBC, 2007).

The war did in fact begin and Egypt paid a huge price when Israeli warplanes destroyed the entire Egyptian air force on the ground; it was June 5, 1967. In fact it is called the "Six day war" because in six days, Israel's armed forces crushed the armies of Egypt, Jordan and Syria (BBC). That battle created 250,000 Palestinians refugees and 100,000 Syrian refugees, and when victory was achieved and announced, "Israeli civilians, who had never been told how strong Israel was, believed they had escaped a terrible fate" (BBC).

How did the war impact the State of Israel? For one important thing, Israel became an occupier; Israel occupied the Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip from Egypt; it occupied the Golan Heights from Syria; and the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan (BBC).

Egypt

Following the Six Day War, the United Nations Security Council demanded that Israel withdraw from the regions it had occupied, but Israel refused, and decided to "permanently annex East Jerusalem and set up military administrations in the occupied territories." Israel did, however, offer to return the occupied territories, if there was an Arab resolution to recognize Israel's right to exist, and assurances against future attacks upon Israel. The Arab allies refused to agree to these terms, but Egypt " ... would eventually negotiate and make peace with Israel" (history.com).

So the aftermath of the Six Day War for Egypt -- years later -- meant eventually adding to the Egyptian state; notwithstanding the brutal war, they got the Sinai Peninsula back after agreeing to offer "full diplomatic recognition of Israel" (history.com). Another Arab-Israeli war in 1973 further put pressure the stubborn factions in the Middle East to put down the weapons and make peace before far more damage is done.

In fact in September 1978, U.S. President Jimmy Carter negotiated a deal between Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat; the negotiations took place at Camp David (pbs).

Twice the talks nearly broke down after 11 days of hard negotiations, but Carter persisted and both leaders eventually agree to a peace settlement, which meant that the Israelis would give the Sinai territory back to Egypt in return for diplomatic recognition, access to the Suez Canal, and a restricted policy vis-a-vis Egyptian forces on Israel's border. Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in bringing peace to Egypt and Israel. Clearly there has been a substantial change between Israel and Egypt subsequent to the wars they fought, which led to an eventual peace deal arranged at Camp David, Maryland (pbs).

Greece

While World War II was going on, there was a civil war brewing in Greece. The Greek's democratic institution, the Greek Parliament, was dissolved in 1936 by General Loannis Metaxas, who declared himself the dictator of Greece (Global Security). This crated organized resistance created in part by the Greek Communist Party and the National Liberation Front (ELAS); by 1943, in the midst of WWII, there were 60,000 fighters going up against the dictator. By 1944, the resistance in Greece allied with the British; and on October 12, 1944, the Nazis were driven out of Greece.