# The State of Israel

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-state-of-israel/58329>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 17, 2001, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-state-of-israel/58329 "2001-03-17T02:53:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![M.Peterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ccd318/32.png) [@M.Peterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/M.Peterson)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2001, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-state-of-israel/58329/1 "2001-03-17T02:53:52Z")

</div>

Dear Cecil:

```
While assuming that you're no Madeleine Albright (let's hope for your sake you have more going for you in the looks department) or Colin Powell (probably lacking something in the way of "commanding presence") I'd still be very interested to know your view of the modern state of Israel. I know that it was created by the United Nations in 1948, but what instigated the decision to do so, how was it enforced, and what was the justification for creating one group of displaced persons (the Palestinians) in order to create a homeland for another group of displaced persons ( the Jews)?
```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2001, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-state-of-israel/58329/2 "2001-03-17T03:05:41Z")

</div>

Hi, **M Peterson** , welcome to the board. Cecil generally doesn’t answer things posted in this forum, but I think you’ll find some good information in the following previous GQ threads:

[Palestinian-Israeli Crisis](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=41832)

[Reparations to Israel](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=11810)

And these interesting Great Debates threads:

[US allied with Israel, WHY?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=44549)

[How do you justify Israel’s existence, anyway?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=31694)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2001, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-state-of-israel/58329/3 "2001-03-17T07:57:54Z")

</div>

You might also check out the book _A Peace To End All Peace_ by David Fromkin, which is a diplomatic history of the Middle East from the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after WWI to the formation of Israel.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2001, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-state-of-israel/58329/4 "2001-03-18T10:51:44Z")

</div>

WOOHOO! Finally a chance to use this smiley: ;j

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![M.Peterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ccd318/32.png) [@M.Peterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/M.Peterson)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2001, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-state-of-israel/58329/5 "2001-03-18T22:51:59Z")

</div>

Thanks for the information. I’ll check it out.