Since becoming a state in 1948, Israel’s enemies have continually attempted to defeat and discredit the Jewish State using any tactics that stick. For example, they’ve tried to undermine Israel economically with the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and diplomatically with the 1975 UN Zionism Is Racism resolution. In addition, they sought to weaken Israel in the “court” of public opinion by spreading lies about the creation of the Jewish State in 1948. These persistent efforts to distort Israel’s history have gained traction, shaping global narratives in harmful ways.
Below are five lies about the founding of Israel that have become mainstream and are significantly impacting global opinion about Israel’s right to exist today.
1. Israel attacked the Arab nations in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
In 1947, the United Nations voted to partition the area then known as the Mandate of Palestine into two states: one Jewish and one Arab. The Jewish community accepted this plan and began measures to declare statehood, but the Arab world rejected it and began preparing for war. The day after Israel declared its independence on May 14, 1948, five Arab countries responded by launching a war to destroy the newborn state with the declared aim of eradicating it. Israel did not initiate this conflict but was obliged to defend its existence, integrity, and population. Casualties and displacement of people during the battle were not part of Israel’s design or intent to destroy the Palestinian people; rather, they were the results of armed conflict. Israel’s military response has always been defensive against Arab aggression. This is why Israel’s military is named the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
2. Arab countries invaded Israel because Israel expelled Palestinian Arabs.
During the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, what Israel calls its War of Independence, between 550,000 and 700,000 Palestinian Arabs living in areas under Israel’s newly established sovereignty were displaced. Most left voluntarily or at the urging of invading Arab armies that advised them to flee and promised their return after victory in a few short weeks. Many never left “Palestine” but traveled a few miles to the other side of the fighting. Others crossed over into bordering Arab nations with the same language and ethnicity. Once the fighting ended and armistice lines were drawn, it became difficult, if not impossible, to return to their homes, and sadly, instead of being welcomed by their Arab brethren, they were put into refugee camps, where many remain to this day. Israel did not expel Palestinian Arabs.
3. The Jewish people illegally took the land of Israel in 1948.
After Israel accepted the UN Partition Plan and declared statehood, Israel was recognized by the United Nations and, in 1949, was admitted as a full voting member by majority vote to the international body. This recognition by the United Nations placed a stamp of approval upon Israel’s founding and accepted the new Jewish State into the governing organization. Israel’s founding was legal and accepted by the international community as such.
4. There were no Jews in the land of Israel prior to 1948.
Israel’s enemies use this lie to back their claim that the Jewish people are “colonizers” of the land—they have replaced another indigenous people and culture. However, the Jewish people’s connection to the land dates back some 4,000 years when, according to the Bible, God bequeathed it to the Jewish people through an unconditional covenant with Abraham. The Bible also records the Israelites’ settlement of the land and the establishment of the Davidic Kingdom there. Even though over the next 3,000 years the Jewish people suffered two exiles, there was always a Jewish presence in the land, though sometimes small. It’s a thousand-year-old historical, genealogical, and archaeological fact: the Jewish people are indigenous to the land of Israel.
5. Israel’s establishment was a “catastrophe” (Nakba) for the Palestinians.
The State of Israel was established with the intent to exist alongside an Arab state in Mandatory Palestine. However, the Arabs’ refusal to accept the Partition Plan and their declaration of war resulted in the refugee problem. The Nakba was entirely their own doing and not the result of any action, inaction, or injustice by Israel. Conversely, if the Arabs had also declared statehood and pursued peace with the neighboring Jewish State, they would have significantly benefited and even become one of the most prosperous and free states in the Arab world.
Since 1948, Israel’s story has been twisted and manipulated in countless ways to delegitimize the Jewish State. These lies are not just historical debates—they shape international attitudes today. The spread of false narratives fuels anti-Israel sentiment on college campuses, in political arenas, and across social media.
This disinformation war is also tied to broader political agendas. By painting Israel as an illegitimate state or an aggressor, opponents seek to justify violence against Israelis and undermine peace efforts. Anti-Israel campaigns with the goal of isolating Israel diplomatically and economically thrive on these falsifications. Yet, when truth is clearly presented, the lies crumble. Israel is not an occupying power that emerged out of nowhere in 1948. It is the homeland of the Jewish people, who have been continuously tied to the land for millennia, and is legally recognized by the international community.
This battle is not only about Israel’s past but also its future. If left unchecked, these lies will deteriorate support for Israel’s right to exist. Unfortunately, for countless people who don’t know the Bible or history, these and other lies about the birth of the State of Israel in 1948 and what happened immediately after have become their truth.
As Christians, we must not remain silent; we must commit to learning the facts about Israel ourselves—and be bold in teaching others.
This article was originally published on February 1, 2024, at: https://icejusa.org/2024/02/01/lies-about-israel/
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Luke Franzen
