Jerusalem
Post photoBUILDING A STATE
It is not easy to build a new country. It is even harder to do it when everyone in the world seems to be against you.
That's what the Jewish People who built Israel faced. They wanted to make the Land of Israel the Jewish homeland. But it wasn't easy. Though many Jews came on aliyah, the British in charge of the Land of Israel did not want more Jews to come. They were afraid that if more Jews came, the Arab countries might get even more angry and not sell oil to the British.
Many Jews were able to sneak into the Land of Israel. But many others who tried were caught and put in jail. Some even drowned trying to get to Israel by boat.
In 1947, the United Nations met to talk about what to do with the Land of Israel. The United Nations is a place where the governments from almost every country in the world meet to talk about what to do. The United Nations decided that the Land of Israel (then called Palestine) should be cut in half. Half would be a state for the Jews. Half would be an Arab state. Jerusalem would stay with the United Nations.
The map below shows the United Nations' plan for two countries in Palestine (the Land of Israel). Jordan had already become its own country, even though it had been part of Palestine.
http://www.jajz-ed.org.il/100/maps/part.html
Although many Jews were sad that they would not have some of the Land of Israel, they were happy that they would finally have a state of their own. Other people would, of course, be able to live there. But, Jews would have a place where they could live and be free. They were ready to declare the birth of Israel!
The Arabs, though, were not happy. Arab soldiers started attacking Jewish People. When Israel was finally born on the 5th of Iyyar- May 14th, 1948, every Arab country attacked little Israel. Israel, with only about 700,000 Jews, was attacked by Arab armies from countries with millions and millions of people.
Even though the Arabs had more guns, planes, and soldiers, Israel managed to win the war. However, half of Jerusalem was taken over by Jordan. They destroyed Jewish synagogues and sent all Jews away.
Even after Israel won the war, it was not easy. Often there was not enough food. Many countries would not sell things to Israel. But, for the first time in almost 2,000 years every Jew in the world had a place they could go to live as free Jews and to be in their own land.
That's why so many Jews came on aliyah.
Arab
countries continued to try to fight Israel. In 1956 and again in 1967
there were wars. In 1967, Israel won a war in only six days (That's why it
is called the Six Day War.)! 
In
that war, Israel won all of Jerusalem. Jews
would soon be able not only to pray freely at the Kotel, they would be able to
live in the entire Holy City. 
In 1973, Egypt attacked Israel on Yom Kippur. Though thousands of Jews died, Israel again survived.
Since then, there have been other battles. Many people in the world still do not think Israel should be a country. They still do not think that Jews should have a state of their own.
However, even though it has been hard, Israel has grown into a strong and beautiful country. It has a democratic (free) government and a strong economy. Over 4,000,000 Jews live in Israel. All kinds of Jews have come together to be one country. That does not mean that they always agree. But, there is a Jewish State in the Land of Milk and Honey!
WEB-SEARCH
Try to find out....
What was the first country to recognize the new State of Israel?
Where was the Israeli Declaration of Independence signed?
If Israel had been created with only the land given to it by the United Nations, how much would have been desert?
Where do many people give money to help Israelis?
ADVANCED: Find a map of what Israel looked like after the 1967 war.
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