Israel's Independence Day

On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion proclaimed Israel's Declaration of Independence.

He said that the new State of Israel will "uphold the full social and political equality of all its citizens, without distinction of religion, or race."

Despite Ben-Gurion's promise, war broke out between Arab and Jew. Fearing the worst, the native Palestinian people panicked. They packed their bags, and fled their homes, their villages, expecting to return in days or months, never imagining that their move was permanent.

"More than 700,000 Palestinian Arabs fled or were expelled from their homes during the...