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Writer's pictureNir Topper

"A state with no borders"Sounds like a metaphor

Does Israel have borders?

 

May, 1948: At the Declaration of the State, David Ben Gurion (1st Prime Minister of Israel) announced:

"… ACCORDINGLY WE, MEMBERS OF THE PEOPLE'S COUNCIL….ARE HERE ASSEMBLED ON THE DAY OF THE TERMINATION OF THE BRITISH MANDATE OVER ERETZ-ISRAEL AND, BY VIRTUE OF OUR NATURAL AND HISTORIC RIGHT AND ON THE STRENGTH OF THE RESOLUTION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY, HEREBY DECLARE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JEWISH STATE IN ERETZ-ISRAEL, TO BE KNOWN AS THE STATE OF ISRAEL."

If we take David Ben Gurion seriously, and we should (!), the borders of the newborn state were supposed to be, as described in the 1947 UN resolution (maps below).

BUT, the New-Israel's neighbors did not recognized at the establishment of the Jewish State and did not accept the UN Partition as program for the borders between them and the State of Israel. Immediately after the declaration of the establishment of the State of Israel (Ben Gurion, May 1948), a war began between Israel and its neighbors.

So, no borders yet, in May 1948, even though the state was already announced!

 

1949: The war was over. Ceasefire lines were signed between Israel and its neighbors. (These Ceasefire lines are the famous "The Green Line"). Still, no borders in 1949! Just Ceasefire lines.

 

1979: Peace treaty b/w Israel and Egypt was signed (the 1st peace agreement Israel had with one of its neighbors!). The State of Israel made its 1st international border. YAY!

(a map below)

 

1994: Peace treaty b/w Israel and Jordan was signed. 2nd border for Israel!

 

That's it for now (Dec. 2023). Two International agreed borders for the State of Israel: with Egypt & Jordan. With the other neighbors Syria, Lebanon and the Palestinian Authority (West Bank) Israel still doesn't have agreed borders. Not yet, maybe in the future.

 

"A state with no borders"; Sounds like a metaphor.

After reading the above, I hope these maps are a bit more understandable (it is very confusing!!!).




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