Pearson Edexcel · GCSE · History

    Course version: 1HI0 · Version from Sept 2016

    Key topic 1: The birth of the state of Israel, 1945–63 - 2 Aftermath of…

    Full specification wording

    Option P5: Key topic 1: The birth of the state of Israel, 1945–63 - 2 Aftermath of the 1948–49 war: Israel’s relations with Egypt.

    Following the 1948–49 war, Israel’s relations with Egypt were characterised by intense hostility.

    Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 1HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .

    • Point 3 of 3
    • 4 key terms

    Study notes

    From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    The idea

    Following the 1948–49 war, Israel’s relations with Egypt were characterised by intense hostility. Although an armistice was signed in 1949, a formal peace treaty was never established. Egypt, controlling the Gaza Strip, permitted Palestinian Fedayeen (guerrillas) to launch cross-border raids into Israeli territory, attacking civilian and military targets. In response, Israel conducted severe military reprisal operations against Egyptian positions, escalating the cycle of violence. Furthermore, Egypt maintained an economic blockade, denying Israeli ships access to the Suez Canal and the Straits of Tiran, which severely restricted Israel's trade. This persistent state of belligerence laid the groundwork for future conflicts, notably the 1956 Suez Crisis.

    What earns the marks

    • Describe the nature of the border clashes, specifically the Fedayeen raids from Egyptian-controlled Gaza.
    • Explain Israel's policy of military reprisals in response to cross-border attacks.
    • Identify the economic measures taken by Egypt against Israel, such as blocking the Suez Canal and Straits of Tiran.
    • Analyse how the lack of a formal peace treaty contributed to ongoing tensions between the two nations.

    Common mistakes and how to put them right

    • Stating that Egypt and Israel signed a peace treaty in 1949.

      Put it right by clarifying they only signed an armistice agreement, leaving them technically at war.

    • Confusing the Fedayeen with the regular Egyptian army.

      Put it right by explaining the Fedayeen were Palestinian guerrillas, though often supported by Egypt.

    • Overlooking the economic blockade.

      Put it right by including Egypt's closure of the Suez Canal and Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping as a key source of tension.

    Exam tips

    • Use the term 'Fedayeen' when discussing the cross-border raids to demonstrate specific historical knowledge.
    • Clearly link the border skirmishes and economic blockades to the build-up of tension that eventually caused the 1956 Suez Crisis.
    • Remember to mention that Egypt's control of the Gaza Strip provided a direct launchpad for attacks against Israel.

    Try the lesson

    The start of the Option P5: Key topic 1: The birth of the state of Israel, 1945–63 - 2 Aftermath of the 1948–49 war: Israel’s relations with Egypt. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    Have a go first

    In the early 1950s, which group frequently crossed the border from Egyptian-controlled Gaza to launch attacks inside Israel?

    Listen

    Following the 1948–49 war, Israel’s relations with Egypt were characterised by intense hostility. Although an armistice was signed in 1949, a formal peace treaty was never established. Egypt, controlling the Gaza Strip, permitted Palestinian Fedayeen (guerrillas) to launch cross-border raids into Israeli territory, attacking civilian and military targets. In response, Israel conducted severe military reprisal operations against Egyptian positions, escalating the cycle of violence. Furthermore, Egypt maintained an economic blockade, denying Israeli ships access to the Suez Canal and the Straits of Tiran, which severely restricted Israel's trade. This persistent state of belligerence laid the groundwork for future conflicts, notably the 1956 Suez Crisis. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Describe the nature of the border clashes, specifically the Fedayeen raids from Egyptian-controlled Gaza. Explain Israel's policy of military reprisals in response to cross-border attacks. Identify the economic measures taken by Egypt against Israel, such as blocking the Suez Canal and Straits of Tiran. Analyse how the lack of a formal peace treaty contributed to ongoing tensions between the two nations. A common slip: Stating that Egypt and Israel signed a peace treaty in 1949. Instead, clarifying they only signed an armistice agreement, leaving them technically at war. Exam tip: Use the term 'Fedayeen' when discussing the cross-border raids to demonstrate specific historical knowledge.

    See it

    A flowchart beginning with the 1948–49 war, leading to the armistice signed in 1949 and then to the absence of a formal peace treaty. From that point three strands emerge. First, Egypt controls the Gaza Strip, from which Palestinian Fedayeen launch cross-border raids; these lead to Israeli military reprisals, and an arrow loops back from the reprisals to the raids, showing the escalating cycle of violence. Second, Egypt maintains an economic blockade, which denies Israeli ships access to the Suez Canal and the Straits of Tiran. Third, the situation is described as a persistent state of belligerence, which leads to the groundwork for the 1956 Suez Crisis.
    This shows how the 1949 armistice without a peace treaty led to Fedayeen raids, Israeli reprisals and Egypt's economic blockade, building towards the 1956 Suez Crisis.

    Key words

    Say what each word means before you turn the card.

    Fedayeen

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Armistice

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Economic blockade

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Military reprisals

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    See every definition
    Fedayeen
    Palestinian guerrillas permitted by Egypt, which controlled the Gaza Strip, to launch cross-border raids into Israeli territory.
    Armistice
    An agreement signed in 1949, although a formal peace treaty was never established between Israel and Egypt.
    Economic blockade
    A measure maintained by Egypt, denying Israeli ships access to the Suez Canal and the Straits of Tiran, which severely restricted Israel's trade.
    Military reprisals
    Severe operations conducted by Israel against Egyptian positions in response to cross-border attacks, escalating the cycle of violence.

    Label the diagram

    Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

    The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A flowchart beginning with the 1948–49 war, leading to the armistice signed in 1949 and then to the absence of a formal peace treaty. From that point three strands emerge. First, Egypt controls the Gaza Strip, from which Palestinian Fedayeen launch cross-border raids; these lead to Israeli military reprisals, and an arrow loops back from the reprisals to the raids, showing the escalating cycle of violence. Second, Egypt maintains an economic blockade, which denies Israeli ships access to the Suez Canal and the Straits of Tiran. Third, the situation is described as a persistent state of belligerence, which leads to the groundwork for the 1956 Suez Crisis.

    • 1Box 1

    • 2Box 2

    • 3Box 3

    0 of 3 labelled

    There is more to this lesson

    The full lesson goes on to check your understanding and help you earn the marks. Create a free account to carry on, with your progress saved.

    Carry on with the full lesson

    A week of Premium from your first lesson · Then the free plan continues · No card, no charge

    Test your understanding of Option P5: Key topic 1: The birth of the state of Israel, 1945–63 - 2 Aftermath of the 1948–49 war: Israel’s relations with Egypt.

    Active recall beats re-reading. Take an instant quiz now to test what you’ve learned and lock it into long-term memory.

    Take topic quiz

    A week of Premium from your first lesson · Then the free plan continues · No card, no charge

    Start free

    Cookies on MasteryMind

    Essential cookies keep you signed in.

    Analytics and advertising cookies stay off unless you accept.

    Read our Privacy Policy.