by George Ivanov

Created on: June 23, 2008   Last Updated: June 25, 2008

In the aftermath of the Second World War and the Holocaust, which claimed millions of innocent lives, the Great Powers saw fit to create a state that would be home to the world's Jewish population. Above all, a geostrategic interest lay in inaugurating the state of Israel, because during the war, the Middle East was favored towards Germany, and a balance of strategic interest needed to be reached, in case a repetition of such a massive conflict occurred again.

The territory, on which Israel was created, was known simply as Palestine until 1948. Curiously, the original name given to it was Syria Palestina, named so by the Romans around 2000 years previously. After its inception in that year, an exodus of Jews from Europe and elsewhere in the world aimed at making the new country their home. In a historical perspective, the Jewish people have nearly always been incorporated as part of the population of other countries, where the predominant culture, religion and nationality were different from their own. To say Jewish people are not a nation would be a foolish observation, as it is not true, but saying that statehood is a historical precedent for them, is more realistic.
America's support of the inauguration of Israel was fast and unyielding, and it backs the existence of the state to this day. However, behind the slogans of democracy, equality and freedom lie the cold calculations of a superpower, intent on protecting its global interests. I have mentioned it before, and I will say again, that the United States does have a leading role in world affairs, and consequently, its attachment to Israel is purely of geostrategic interests, not sentimentality.

The fight between Israel and its Arab neighbours started almost immediately following its inception as an independent nation-state. The mandate of Britain on governing Palestine ended in 1948, and was replaced by a leadership, headed by the United Nations. The first war was a disagreement over having two states, one Israeli, and one Arab in the area, against having a single Arab state, incorporation a Jewish minority. As a result, the first Arab-Israeli war commenced, resulting in Israel's victory.

This opening conflict was also the precursor to the Suez Crisis that happened in the summer of 1956, when Gamal Nasser made a bid to nationalize the Suez Canal, in order to decrease British influence in the country. Desperate to regain control of the vital waterway, Britain entered on a secret military pact with France and

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