1949 Armistice Agreements

In 1949, in separate ceasefire agreements signed with Jordan , Syria and Egypt , Israel expanded its portion of the former British Mandate by more than 50%, at the expense of the Arab areas and/or those invaded by these outside powers.

The border came to be known as the "Green Line". Israel occupied about 70% of the mandatory Palestine, with the Gaza Strip and West Bank in Egyptian and Jordanian hands respectively, and Syria retaining the Golan Heights .

Approximately 700,000 Arabs fled their homes in the Jewish area, rather than face the perceived risks involved during and after being placed under a Jewish state--despite the fact that Israel had publicly declared that any Arab minority would have equal legal status with any Jewish population. A fraction of these people were expelled, although not under the explicit direction of the nascent Israeli government.

In addition, more than 800,000 Jewish people were expelled from the Arab areas surrounding Israel. This process included large deportations, and the seizure of land owned by the Jews of East Jerusalem and Hebron, and by other major Jewish landowners. Some of these Jews were expelled as a result of anti-Zionist opinion following the war and others were encouraged by Israel to resettle, but a large majority was forced out by anti-Jewish sentiment in the Arab areas and countries. (It should be noted, this process continued in later decades in some countries.)

Arab refugees settling in the West Bank were deliberately prevented from making permanent residences in the West Bank by the Jordanian government, which had seized control of the area after the war. It is not generally agreed, though it may yet turn out to be the case, that the Jordanian government deliberately sought to create a refugee crisis in hopes of undermining the future State of Israel.

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