If the state of Israel had existed during the Nazi Holocaust...?

Question

Would it had made a difference? How?

Answer 1

Hitler's first solution was simply the deportation of all Jews to some other country. When no other country would take them, he decided to exterminate them instead. If Israel was around at that stage, the Jews would still be alive. In the next stage, many many Jews attempted to flee from the Nazis and were turned away from various countries, including the US. If Israel was around at that stage, many would have been saved. After the holocaust Jews attempted to return to their homes, which during the war had been taken over by others. Instead of accepting the Jews back, those locals initiated pogroms and mass violence and even more Jews were killed. If Israel was around at that stage as home for those displaced Jews, many Jews would have been saved.
Israel would have changed a lot.

Answer 2

It might have. One of the major problems during the Holocaust was the unwillingness of Western nations to take in Jewish refugees thus dooming them to possible death in Europe.
If Israel had existed they would take on those refugees.

On the other hand, the Nazis would have likely targeted Israel thus putting the Jews there at risk. As was the case, many were worried the British Mandate Palestine would be attacked by the Nazis would were in North Africa.

Answer 3

Many, many Jews tried to escape during WW2. Some managed. Many didn't. They had nowhere to go and plenty countries simply closed their doors and refused to let any more in.

Before Israel, Jews were forever dependent upon the goodwill of other nations, which left us terribly, terribly vulnerable as a religious group - the proof of this is in the numerous times that Jews have been treated badly in countries where they've lived, and also been expelled.

If Israel had existed during WW2, then Jews would have had a sanctuary. Also the Israeli army NEVER would have allowed the Nazis to slaughter so many Jews. It is fact that the British, for example, KNEW about the concentration camps: Anthony Eden made reference to them in parliament. They could have bombed the railway lines leading to the camps. But they chose not to.

Having Israel makes a massive difference today also, for those of us living in the diaspora. I've spoken to many older people who remember what it was like before Israel was established, and they say the sense of vulnerability was horrible; a common remark made to Jews was 'Go back where you came from'.

Now we have Israel; she represents security. Even for those of us who don't live there, Israel is vital.

Answer 4

The Jews would have had a safe haven. The only escape routes they had were underground to countries that would not accept them otherwise. Even the US with its Statue of Liberty refused to raise the quota of immigrants and required Jews to wait 7 or 8 years for admittance. You can read about one famous incident here:
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/stlouis.html
.

Answer 5

Had Israel existed during WWII, there would have been another mini-front out in the middle east. The Arabs, in real-life who were allied to Hitler would have certainly attacked Israel due to close similarities of Islam with Nazism. The Muslim countries would have tried to crush Israel to please Hitler, so he might throw them a bone or two. Of course, as usual, Israel would have wiped the floor with the Arab armies. When the Arabs, who always seem to suffer from poor leadership and major incomptenence issues (face it guys, you aren't Napoleon or Alexander, your military doctrine isn't too great to say the least) were crushed in a swift desert campaign: Israel, would have probably moved south-west, now unchecked by a destroyed Egyptian influence in the Sinai, to halt the Nazi advance from Egypt. Together with the British forces under Montgomery, the Israelis would have pushed the Germans out of Africa, for they were literally fighting for their lives. In real-life Jewish units fought under Montgomery in the desert campaogn and in the now-famed battle of el-alamein. In real-life, in much of n. africa, muslim arabs fought in the wehrmact with Rommel's forces. Had Israel also operated in Europe at the same time, hitler would have had to face another tenacious enemy. hitler had vast weapons resources and men but was an inherently poor military leader (if u don't believe me, look at the battle of the bulge and stalingrad).

Answer 6

The war in Africa would have taken on a larger amount of troops!

Answer 7

if grandmother had wheels she'd be a bus