Documentary examining the the events leading up to the Israeli war of Independence in 1949, its continuing impact on Arab/Israeli relations and the implications for the Middle East peace process. Sixty years ago Israel established itself in the wake of the British Mandate of Palestine. For the Palestinians, expelled from their homes in the process, the Israeli War of Independence is still known as The Catastrophe (al-Nakba). Jeremy Bowen, the BBC's Middle East editor examines the events leading up to the conflict, the war itself and the lasting legacy for the Middle East.
On May 14 1948, the British Mandate for Palestine expired, and the newly conceived State of Israel declared its independence from Palestinian authorities. This documentary details how the aftermath of this monumental event continues to colour relations between Arabs and Israeli Jews, and discusses its implications for the Middle East peace process...