Israel’s victory in the War of Independence, which began on May 15, 1948 and lasted for 10 months, is unprecedented in the annals of military history. This is due, on the one hand, to the incredible courage, ingenuity, and sacrifice of our leaders and fighters, who gave it all to succeed, and mainly to Divine intervention that, battle after battle, miracle after miracle, made it possible.
To understand it better, it is important to remember the following.
ISRAELI ARMY vs ARAB ARMIES
On the day that Israel declared its independence, British troops who had been there since 1922, left Israel. Immediately afterward, that same night of May 15, the Arab armies launched an attack to destroy the newborn state of Israel. The Arabs had absolutely everything in their favor, politically and militarily. Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, and Jordan had become independent states a few years earlier, and both England and France had sold weapons to them so that they could have an organized army. Israel, on the other hand, was on its way to becoming an independent State. And no country was supporting the Jewish state. Moreover: England, France, and the United States had declared a strict weapon embargo that prohibited the entire world from selling weapons of any kind to Israel.
At the beginning of the armed conflict, the difference between the military power of Israel and that of the unified Arab armies could not be more unequal.
For example.
The Arabs had 50 tanks. Israel had 1.
The Arabs had 200 artillery vehicles. Israel had 2.
The Arabs had 140 cannons. Israel had 5.
But the most important difference was in the air force. The Arab armies had 60 attack aircraft and 14 transport aircraft. Israel, at the start of the battle, did not have one single plane.
THE LOGIC OF WAR
Before continuing, I would like to stop here and reflect for a few seconds. First of all, it is completely understandable that the Arabs launched a full-force attack against Israel because the chances of destroying Israel, with their absolute military advantage, were 100%. It is also understandable that the Arabs themselves broadcasted by radio to all Palestinians living in Israel –who were not taking an active part in the war– to leave Israel. Assuring them that they would return very soon when the short war was over, and the Jews were “thrown into the sea” (a euphemism for: “murdered”). Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians left Israel. In this way, the Arab countries created the “Palestinian refugee problem” for which they never took charge, and to this day, they continue to blame Israel.
WHO IS NOT RELIGIOUS?
What is indeed inconceivable is that being aware of Israel’s military inferiority, the Jewish leaders made the decision to declare the Independence of Medinat Israel, having been warned of the imminent Arab attack. This decision made absolutely no sense, either from a military point of view or from a logical point of view. Looking at the numbers, it was a suicidal act! Although there is another possibility. An idea that might be viewed as mystical… Every Jew, even a secular Jew, has a “nitzotz”, a “hidden” spark of Emuna. A Divine connection, perhaps, an unconscious one, that is always there, latent, dormant, but lit, like a boiler’s pilot. And at critical moments, perhaps in matters of life and death, this spark ignites the Jewish soul and . I believe that David Ben Gurion and all the “seemingly secular” Israeli leaders of that time, had an epiphany, or a moment of Divine Inspiration when they decided to declare the establishment of the State of Israel. A spark that ignited their Jewish faith and led them to act like Nachshon Ben Aminadab, the man enter into the sea, and when the water reached his nostrils, he continued “knowing” that the sea was going to open up for him. Israel’s leaders (miraculously, if you will) relied on a miracle that “had to happen”. And in the end, it happened.
I can’t find a better explanation.
THE DARKEST HOUR
The entire world was certain that Israel’s defeat was a matter of days, or perhaps a few weeks. And they were not very wrong. During the first four weeks, the Arab armies advanced significantly and reached Ashdod, 30 kilometers south of Tel-Aviv. From Ashdod, they reached Hebron and thus they divided the Negev from the rest of the country.
The powerful Jordanian legion, which had been trained by the British, managed to besiege Jerusalem from all sides. A frontal attack was imminent. Jordanians also captured Lod and the airport (today, Ben Gurion International) and were approaching Tel-Aviv from the east.
Iraqi forces had attacked the Shomron and were approaching the cities of Petach Tikva and Hadera, en route to Tel-Aviv.
The Syrians came from the north and were encircling the city of Tiberia. Together with Lebanon’s military forces, they were isolating the northern Galil from the rest of Israel. Their final destination was Tel-Aviv.
All efforts by the newly created Israeli Army to defend Jerusalem from Jordanians or to repel Egyptian, Syrian, or Iraqi forces failed.
During the first weeks of the war since May 15, 1948, all predictions about Israel’s brutal defeat were fulfilled. Despite the sacrifice and bravery of our soldiers, the military superiority of the Arab armies was insuperable. There was no way for the Israeli forces to withstand the enemy’s attacks for even a few more days…. it seemed that the end was imminent.
And then, the first great miracle of this war occurred. It was June 11, Sivan 4, 1948.
