Question 1

David Ben-Gurion was the first prime minister of Israel.

Accepted Answer

David Ben-Gurion was the first prime minister of Israel from 1948-1954 and again from 1955-1963.

Question 2

The rise of Palestinian nationalism was largely a response to Zionist settlement.

Accepted Answer

The arrival of Jewish immigrants to Palestine prompted Palestinian Arabs to develop national consciousness and pursue their own national identity and self-determination.

Question 3

The British consistently backed the Jews over the Palestinian Arabs.

Accepted Answer

The British mandate in Palestine involved complex and shifting policies, at times supporting Jewish immigration and at others restricting it, while also trying to manage Arab opposition, leading to a fluctuating stance rather than consistent backing of one side.

Question 4

The Black Letter of 1931 confirmed Arabs' belief in the ability of Zionist pressure groups to influence the decisions of the British government.

Accepted Answer

The Black Letter of 1931, which limited Jewish immigration to Palestine, was seen by many Arabs as evidence that Zionist pressure groups could sway the British government's decisions.

Question 5

After visiting Palestine in 1947, the United Nations Special Committee on Palestine (UNSCOP) unanimously recommended that British control of the mandate should continue, as the territory was not yet prepared for independence.

Accepted Answer

After visiting Palestine in 1947, the United Nations Special Committee on Palestine (UNSCOP) recommended that British control of the mandate should end and the territory should be partitioned into separate Jewish and Arab states.

Question 6

The __________________ claims to the same territory inhabited by Palestinian Arabs lies at the root of the conflict over Palestine.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The __________________ claims to the same territory...

Question 7

In his book _____________, Herzl posits that the existence of a Jewish nationality and the absence of a Jewish state made the Jews aliens in the lands in which they lived.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In his book _____________, Herzl posits that...

Question 8

By the late 1930s, representatives from the __________________ played an important role in the deliberations of the World Zionist Organization, and private contributions from this country made up a significant portion of the funds donated to the Zionist cause.

Accepted Answer

The answer of By the late 1930s, representatives from the...

Question 9

The __________________ was the Jewish community in Palestine before the establishment of modern Israel.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The __________________ was the Jewish community in...

Question 10

On May 15, 1948, units from the armies of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Transjordan, and __________________ invaded Israel.

Accepted Answer

The answer of On May 15, 1948, units from the...

Question 11

Briefly describe the premise on which the mandate for Palestine was founded. Who were the parties involved? What were their conflicting interests?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Briefly describe the premise on which the...

Question 12

Describe the organizational prowess (or lack thereof) of the Arab and Jewish communities in Palestine in the 1920s/1930s.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the organizational prowess (or lack thereof)...

Question 13

Describe the three phases in the postwar period that brought the state of Israel into being.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the three phases in the postwar...

Question 14

Explain what Charles Smith means when he writes of the 1947 two-state solution vote, "Whatever the nature of the Zionist accomplishment in Palestine, the victory at the United Nations was essentially won in the United States."

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain what Charles Smith means when he...

Question 15

Describe some of the factors leading to an Arab defeat in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe some of the factors leading to...

Question 16

Identify and explain the significance of the Balfour Declaration.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify and explain the significance of the...

Question 17

Briefly explain the relationship between Great Britain and the Zionist leadership in Palestine during World War II.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Briefly explain the relationship between Great Britain...

Question 18

How were the conditions Western European Jews faced during the nineteenth century different than those experienced by Jews in Eastern Europe? What effects did this have on the development of Zionism?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How were the conditions Western European Jews...

Question 19

Identify and explain the significance of what Arabs commonly refer as the "Black Letter"?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify and explain the significance of what...

Question 20

Narratives of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War often depict Israel as a defenseless, newborn state facing off against the onslaught of a combined Arab army. How well does this reflect the reality of the conflict? Explain.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Narratives of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War often...

Quiz 13: The Palestine Mandate and the Birth of the State of Israel