While the United States did not formally create the modern-day nation of Israel, the support Israel received from President Harry S. Truman certainly helped form the country.
During and after World War II, Palestine was under British control. After the mass execution of Jews in Europe, several European Jews were left homeless, seeking a place to call home. An exodus of Jews took place, where Jews from all over the world began to re-enter the Promised Land. Such measures became inevitable as nations such as the U.S., Australia, South Africa, and others limited the number of refugees entering their countries.
Historians point out the potential impact of Texan J. Frank Norris, a Baptist pastor who wrote Truman on the matter.
In one letter, Norris penned to Truman, “expressing his concerns and opinion on the future of the Jews and Palestine.”[1] He wrote:
The Lord God Almighty in Genesis the 17th Chapter, specifically states that the title to Palestine is given not to Ishmael, the ancestor of the Arabs, but to Isaac and his seed forever… thirteen hundred years ago followers of Muhammad with fire and sword robbed the land from the Jews.[2]
Norris aimed to persuade the president that the Jews were the legitimate owners of Palestine. Interestingly, such correspondence occurred within a year of Israel becoming recognized as a formal country, with the U.S. and Soviet Union being a few of the first nations to recognize their sovereignty. All this took place when the British Empire was becoming increasingly criticized for its treatment of fleeing Jews.
On October 7th, 1947, President Truman responded to Norris, “I am most grateful for your thoughtful letter of October second. I deeply appreciate having the benefit of this expression of your views because I know that you have given long and extensive study to the Jewish Palestinian question.”[3]
Being a Baptist, Truman faced the dilemma of addressing the Jewish Problem. May 12, 1948 marked the creation of a Jewish government with the issuance of a declaration of independence. Truman released the following statement:
This Government has been informed that a Jewish state has been proclaimed in Palestine, and recognition has been requested by the provisional government thereof. The United States recognizes the provisional government as the de facto authority of the new State of Israel.[4]
Theologians and historians continue to analyze the impact of Norris and Truman. Was the creation of Israel supported for eschatological reasons? Or perhaps democracy? Opinions differ, but the facts remain that the U.S. government, and notably Harry S. Truman, played an important hand in the re-creation of Israel.
[1] J. Frank Norris, “Letter to President Truman” (letter, October 2, 1947), http://fundamentalbaptistsermons.net/JFRANKNORRIS/Norris-Truman.html (accessed May 19, 2017).
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Harry S. Truman, “Telegraph on Israel” (telegraph, May 14, 1948), http://www.ngu.edu/library-databases.php (accessed October 8, 2024).
