Student Activity
Recognition of Israel

• Build a time line tracing the history of Palestine and Israel.

• Look at the press release that Truman signed that authorized the recognition of Israel. Then answer these questions:

  1. What kind of document is this?
  2. Who wrote this document?
  3. Whom is the document addressed to?
  4. What does “de jure” mean?
  5. What does “de facto” mean?
  6. Does the date on the document have historical significance?
  7. Does the message the document delivers have historical significance?
  8. Do you think that the document was top secret? Why or why not?
  

• Write your own newspaper article or news report for the national nightly news regarding this press release and Truman’s decision to recognize Israel. How you would report the news? What angle would you pursue? Who would you interview? What visual images would you include in the newscast?

• Have the class review the documents regarding the complex issue of recognizing Israel. Look at the history of Palestine, the United Nations proposal, Truman’s friendship with Eddie Jacobson, and the world climate after World War II. What would have happened if Truman would have not recognized Israel? What would the world climate be like if Palestine would have been divided into two nations as in the UN proposition. Would the peace process even be necessary if Truman would have not conceded to Israel?

• The refugees of country “X” have just liberated a province of one of the African nations. The new provincial government has sent a letter to the United States government wanting recognition of the newly liberated province as a legitimate nation. Do you recognize this new country? What protocol do you follow? How will other African Nations respond? What will the United Nations do? What is the country’s historical background? What are the religious and political beliefs held by the people of this new country? What are the qualities of the leaders of the political parties in question? Are there residents of the United States who have ties to country “X”? Would there be pressure from this section of the population to recognize the new government? Tackle these questions and others that a government must wrestle with in recognizing a new country and government?

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