Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel

The Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel is a document that announced the establishment of the independent and sovereign state (country) of Israel.

The term

This term describes the announcement of establishment of a Jewish state, named State of Israel. This State of Israel was established on 14 May 1948. In Hebrew language, Medinat Yisrael means the State of Israel. The British Mandate of Palestine was a part of the British Empire. This was the land where the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah had once been. The State of Israel covered more or less the same land.

Some persons call this as the beginning of "Third Jewish Commonwealth". The "First Jewish Commonwealth" ended with the destruction of Solomon's Temple, and the second with the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem two thousand years ago.

The declaration

On 29 November 1947, the United Nations had adopted a resolution. The resolution recommended the establishment of an Arab State and a Jewish State in Palestine. The resolution recommended taking steps to establish such a state.

On 12 May 1948, the Jewish national administration met at Tel Aviv Museum of Art. They had gathered to decide acceptance of an American proposal for a truce or to declare a new state of Israel. Six of the ten voting members supported declaration of a state of Israel. Two days later, on 14 May 1948, the Jewish National Council (Vaad Leumi) met at Tel Aviv. At mid night of 14 May 1948, a member of the Council read the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel.

The declaration followed a style generally seen in the United Nations documents. First few sentences stated the reasons for the declaration and the right of the Jews for an independent country. Then, the sentences gave the features and characteristics of the new Jewish state.

Quotes

A few quotes from the declaration:

...the Land of Israel, was the birthplace of the Jewish people. Here their spiritual, religious and political identity was shaped. Here they first attained to statehood, created cultural values of national and universal significance and gave to the world the eternal Book of Books.

After being forcibly exiled from their land, the people kept faith with it throughout their Dispersion and never ceased to pray and hope for their return to it and for the restoration in it of their political freedom.

Impelled by this historic and traditional attachment, Jews strove in every successive generation to re-establish themselves in their ancient homeland. In recent decades they returned in their masses.

The recognition

The United States, the Soviet Union, and many other major countries of the world accepted the state of Israel. Using terms of international law, these countries recognized the state of Israel. However, many Arab countries and countries of the Middle East opposed the establishment of Israel. They did not recognize the state of Israel as a sovereign state, that is, an independent country. Many countries of the world did not recognize Israel, but establish trading and other relations with it.

Declaration Of The Establishment Of The State Of Israel Media

SVG UN 1947 partition plan for Palestine
On the day of its proclamation, Eliahu Epstein wrote to Harry S. Truman that the state had been proclaimed "within the frontiers approved by the General Assembly of the United Nations in its Resolution of November 29, 1947".
A celebratory crowd outside the Tel Aviv Museum, located in 16 Rothschild Boulevard, to hear the Declaration
The invitation to the ceremony, dated 13 May 1948.
David Ben-Gurion declaring independence beneath a large portrait of Theodor Herzl, founder of modern Zionism
Ben Gurion (left) signing the Declaration of Independence held by Moshe Sharett
Independence Hall as it appeared in 2007

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