1948: Three Votes That Made Israel - Prof. Martin Kramer
Israel’s 70th anniversary is an opportunity to revisit three crucial decisions taken by vote by Israel’s leaders that determined the fundamental character of the Jewish state. The first, the May 1948 vote in the proto-cabinet to declare independence; the second, the September 1948 cabinet vote not to occupy the West Bank; and the third, the December 1949 cabinet vote to make Jerusalem Israel’s capital. None of these votes was unanimous, all of them were highly contested, and two were very close. In this lecture, Martin Kramer will examine the debate around each decision, the drama of the votes, and their far-reaching consequences for Israel.
Dr. Martin Kramer is chair of the Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies Department at Shalem College, where he previously served as its inaugural president. Currently a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, he earned his undergraduate and doctoral degrees in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton University.