Israel Signs Final Armistice Agreement, Ending 1948 War
Syria becomes the last Arab state to sign armistice with Israel, formally ending the first Arab-Israeli war with significant territorial changes.
With Syria’s signing of an armistice agreement today, the 1948 Arab-Israeli War has formally concluded, leaving Israel in control of 78% of former Mandatory Palestine—significantly more than the 55% allocated in the original UN Partition Plan.
The series of armistice agreements, mediated by UN diplomat Ralph Bunche, began with Egypt in February, followed by Lebanon in March, Jordan in April, and finally Syria. These agreements establish armistice lines—not permanent borders—that reflect the military positions at the cessation of hostilities.
Territorial Outcomes
Israel has emerged from its war of independence controlling approximately 20,700 square kilometers, compared to the 14,100 allocated by the UN. Key territorial changes include:
- The Galilee region, originally assigned to the Arab state, is now under Israeli control
- The Negev desert remains largely within Israel
- West Jerusalem is under Israeli control, while Jordan holds East Jerusalem
- The coastal plain from Haifa to Tel Aviv is consolidated under Israel
The Palestinian Catastrophe
For Palestinians, the war’s outcome represents what they call the “Nakba” (catastrophe). An estimated 750,000 Palestinians—about 80% of the Arab population in what became Israel—are now refugees. Major Palestinian cities like Jaffa, Haifa, and Acre have lost most of their Arab populations.
Jordan has annexed the West Bank, while Egypt administers the Gaza Strip. No independent Palestinian state has emerged from the conflict, leaving Palestinian national aspirations unfulfilled.
Regional Implications
The armistice agreements explicitly state they are not peace treaties and do not prejudice final territorial settlements. All parties maintain that the armistice lines are temporary, suggesting future conflicts are likely.
The refugee crisis looms as the most intractable issue. Arab states insist on implementation of UN Resolution 194’s right of return, while Israel refuses to allow large-scale refugee return, citing security concerns and the need to maintain a Jewish majority.
As the dust settles on this first round of Arab-Israeli conflict, the fundamental issues remain unresolved, setting the stage for decades of continued confrontation.