What happened
Israel has been seeking defensible borders since its rebirth nearly eight decades ago. The country's borders have been disputed and redrawn by war, with its neighbors refusing to recognize its existence. The British, who ruled over the region, had promised a national home for the Jewish people in the Ottoman region of Palestine, but their promises were vague and ultimately unfulfilled.
In 1920, a violent riot erupted in Jerusalem, and in the following years, the British created the country of Transjordan, now known as Jordan, in an attempt to appease Arab leaders. However, this move did not bring peace, and the borders of the Jewish national home continued to shrink. In 1948, the United Nations proposed dividing the mandate into two states, one Arab and one Jewish, but Arab leaders rejected the compromise, leading to the Arab-Israeli War.
Israel survived the war but was left with borders that made further conflict inevitable. The country was surrounded by enemies who sought to destroy it, and its neighbors refused to recognize its existence. Over the years, Israel has had to go on the offensive to defend itself, developing expertise in intelligence and special operations out of necessity.
In 1967, Israel launched a preemptive strike against its Arab neighbors, seizing key lands and gaining strategic depth. The country has since become a military superpower in the Middle East, with closer ties to the United States. Despite this, Israel's quest for defensible borders continues, with the country seeking to ensure its existence in a region where it is still not fully accepted.
