The establishment of the modern state of Israel in 1948 was primarily precipitated by the end of World War II and the Holocaust, which intensified global support for a Jewish homeland. The United Nations proposed a partition plan to create separate Jewish and Arab states in 1947, which Jewish leaders accepted but Arab leaders rejected. On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the independence of Israel, leading to immediate conflict with neighboring Arab states. This event marked a significant moment in Jewish history, reflecting long-standing aspirations for statehood while simultaneously igniting ongoing tensions and conflicts in the region that persist today.