The Middle East (1948–1959): Independence, Conflict, and Cold War Alignments

The era from 1948 to 1959 dramatically reshapes the political landscape of the Middle East, marked by the establishment of new states, the eruption of intense conflicts, and the region’s growing strategic importance amid Cold War rivalries. This period sees the founding of Israel, a surge in Arab nationalism, and major shifts in geopolitical alliances, all of which have profound long-term consequences.

Establishment of Israel and the Arab-Israeli Conflict

In 1947, the United Nations proposes partitioning British-mandated Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, igniting fierce Arab opposition. On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel declares independence, immediately triggering the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, as neighboring Arab states—including Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon—launch attacks aiming to prevent Israel's establishment.

Despite initial setbacks, Israel emerges victorious, expanding its territory beyond the original UN partition boundaries. Jordan takes control of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, while Egypt occupies the Gaza Strip. The conflict results in the mass displacement of over 700,000 Palestinian Arabs, marking the beginning of the Palestinian refugee crisis.

Armistice agreements in 1949 do not lead to peace; instead, a fragile ceasefire prevails. Tensions persist, shaping Arab-Israeli relations for decades.

Egypt and the Rise of Nasser

The early 1950s see a nationalist revolution in Egypt. In July 1952, a military coup led by Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser overthrows King Farouk, abolishing Egypt’s monarchy and establishing a republic in 1953. Nasser rapidly rises as Egypt's foremost leader, championing Arab nationalism, anti-imperialism, and economic reform.

In 1956, Nasser nationalizes the Suez Canal, previously controlled by British and French interests, to finance the construction of the Aswan High Dam. Britain, France, and Israel respond with the Suez Crisis (1956), launching a coordinated invasion to retake control. International pressure, particularly from the United States and Soviet Union, forces the invading powers to withdraw, dramatically elevating Nasser’s prestige as a symbol of Arab resistance against colonialism and Western interference.

Syria and Lebanon: Political Instability and Emerging Nationalism

In Syria, the early independence period is turbulent, with frequent military coups and shifting governments. Syrian politics become increasingly radicalized, influenced by Arab nationalism, socialism, and a growing alignment with the Soviet Union. In 1958, Syria briefly unites with Egypt to form the United Arab Republic (UAR) under Nasser’s leadership, reflecting widespread Arab nationalist aspirations. However, the union proves short-lived due to internal disagreements, eventually dissolving in 1961.

In contrast, Lebanon experiences relative stability in the early 1950s but faces rising internal tensions by the decade’s end. The influx of Palestinian refugees after 1948 alters Lebanon’s delicate sectarian balance, increasing internal strain. President Camille Chamoun’s pro-Western stance in the late 1950s triggers unrest, culminating in the 1958 Lebanese crisis. U.S. Marines intervene militarily to support Chamoun, stabilizing the situation temporarily but highlighting Lebanon’s vulnerability to regional and sectarian pressures.

Iraq: Monarchy, Revolution, and the Emergence of the Republic

Iraq initially remains a conservative monarchy closely aligned with Britain. However, growing dissatisfaction with economic inequalities, British influence, and the monarchy’s pro-Western policies lead to mounting nationalist agitation.

In July 1958, a military coup led by General Abd al-Karim Qasim overthrows the Hashemite monarchy, brutally killing King Faisal II and his family. Iraq becomes a republic under Qasim, who institutes land reform, expands social welfare, and distances Iraq from Western alliances. Although initially popular, Qasim faces fierce internal struggles between Arab nationalist factions (including Ba'athists) and communists, foreshadowing further turmoil.

Iran: Mossadegh, Oil Nationalization, and the 1953 Coup

Iran in the early 1950s is dominated by nationalist leader Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh, who in 1951 nationalizes the British-owned Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, sparking a severe international crisis. Britain and the United States, concerned by Mossadegh’s increasingly independent policies and potential Soviet influence, orchestrate a covert operation (Operation Ajax) in 1953, removing Mossadegh and reinstating Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s autocratic rule.

The Shah consolidates his power, aligning firmly with Western interests, especially the United States. Though initially stabilizing Iran’s economy and securing Western support, this event sows deep resentment, fueling anti-Western sentiment and laying groundwork for future revolutionary movements.

Turkey and NATO Membership

Amid increasing Cold War tensions, Turkey moves decisively toward the West, joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1952. This strategic alignment provides Turkey with military security and substantial U.S. economic aid. NATO membership firmly places Turkey as a critical Western ally bordering the Soviet Union, influencing regional dynamics significantly during the Cold War.

Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States: Rising Oil Revenues

The Arabian Peninsula experiences profound economic transformations during this era due to oil discoveries and exports. Saudi Arabia, under King Saud (1953–1964), rapidly expands infrastructure and development projects financed by burgeoning oil revenues. Saudi Arabia's geopolitical importance rises dramatically, becoming a key Western ally and an influential voice in Arab politics.

Smaller Gulf states such as Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain also benefit from increased oil revenues, transforming from impoverished sheikhdoms into wealthy states. These countries continue under British protection, maintaining traditional tribal governance structures but modernizing their economies rapidly.

Jordan: Consolidation under King Hussein

Jordan, having annexed the West Bank after the 1948 war, faces a significant Palestinian population and rising nationalist sentiment. King Hussein, ascending the throne in 1952, stabilizes his rule by balancing British and American support with domestic political reforms, carefully navigating regional tensions. Despite persistent challenges, Jordan emerges as a relatively stable monarchy in a volatile region.

Legacy of the Era (1948–1959)

The years between 1948 and 1959 leave an enduring legacy on Middle Eastern geopolitics. The establishment of Israel and subsequent Arab-Israeli conflict define regional hostilities for decades. The rise of assertive Arab nationalism, particularly under Nasser, reshapes political ideologies throughout the Arab world, challenging Western dominance. Iran’s pivotal 1953 coup plants seeds of future revolutionary upheaval, while oil wealth transforms the Arabian Peninsula into a global economic center. Amid Cold War dynamics, Turkey’s NATO membership and strategic alignments further polarize regional politics, embedding global tensions within local conflicts. The complex interplay of nationalism, colonial legacies, and superpower rivalry profoundly reshapes the Middle East, influencing regional and global politics for generations.

A nineteen-year-old Palestinian, frustrated by King 'Abdullah's hostility toward Palestinian nationalism, assassinates the Jordanian monarch on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem just before he enters the Mosque of 'Umar to pray on July 20, 1951.

Abdullah's sixteen-year-old grandson Hussein ibn-Talal (the future King Hussein) barely escapes injury (and is to continue 'Abdullah's policy of clandestine contact with Israel but, like his grandfather, will never feel politically strong enough to make a separate peace. The assassin and four others will be hanged for their part in the murder.)

Abdullah's son Talal succeeds him.

The Jordanian parliament declares King Talal mentally unfit to rule in August 1952.

He abdicates in favor of his eldest son, Hussein ibn-Talal, who is to be crowned king on his eighteenth birthday, May 2, 1953.

Hussein ibn-Talal assumes the kingship of Jordan on his eightenth birthday, May 2, 1953.

Jordan's relationship with Israel remains uneasy but tolerable, though bloody raids and acts of terrorism carried out by both sides add to the tension.

Jordan's involvement in the Palestinian question has led as much to a contest with Egypt over Jordan's future as it has to a struggle with Israel.

In particular, it has repeatedly forced Jordan to balance relations with and between various Arab nations, the Palestinians, and the West and Israel.

Thus, popular demonstrations, especially in the West Bank, and pressure from Egypt prevent King Hussein in 1955 from signing the U. S.-sponsored Baghdad Pact, a pro-Western mutual defense treaty that he has initiated between Great Britain, Turkey, Iran, and Iraq. (The history of Jordan after 1953 will be largely shaped by King Hussein's policies to secure his throne and to retain or regain the West Bank for the Hashemite dynasty.)

King Hussein, bowing to popular pressure and in a show of support for Egyptian efforts at pan-Arab leadership, in 1956 dismisses his British advisers, including Commander in Chief Glubb Pasha, and abrogates the Anglo-Jordanian treaty of 1946.

Members of the Jordanian National Guard, drawn mainly from the West Bank, attempt a coup in April 1957.

King Hussein, supported by loyal East Bank Bedouins, purges the legislature of Palestinian nationalists and extremists, bans political parties, and sets up a royal dictatorship to curb domestic unrest.

King Hussein, realizing the threat to his regime, turns to Great Britain and the United States for assistance.

Washington agrees to provide additional military and economic aid.

The British government, eager to see the pro-Western Hussein secure in Jordan, stations British paratroops in the country until late 1958.

As a result, anti-Hashimite Palestinians supported by Nasser make no further attempts to overthrow the monarchy.

The Middle East (1960–1971): Regional Transformations and the Rise of Oil Politics

The era from 1960 to 1971 is pivotal for the Middle East, characterized by intense geopolitical struggles, rapid economic transformations driven by oil wealth, shifting regional alliances, and critical developments in Arab nationalism, culminating in profound long-term consequences for the region and beyond.

The Formation of OPEC and the Era of Oil Politics

In 1960, five oil-exporting nations—Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela—form the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). This event marks a crucial turning point, as Middle Eastern nations begin asserting control over their natural resources and challenging Western dominance of oil markets. Initially, OPEC’s influence is modest, but the foundation laid during this era sets the stage for future global economic power shifts.

Oil wealth rapidly transforms the Arabian Peninsula. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates undergo significant modernization, investing in infrastructure, education, and healthcare. These states emerge as crucial economic hubs with growing international leverage.

Egypt under Nasser and Arab Nationalism

Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser remains the region's leading figure in the early 1960s, advocating pan-Arab nationalism, socialism, and anti-imperialism. His influence peaks with the establishment of the United Arab Republic (UAR), initially a union of Egypt and Syria (1958–1961). However, the union collapses in 1961 due to Syrian dissatisfaction with Egyptian dominance.

Nasser's regional prestige endures despite setbacks. He supports revolutionary movements throughout the Arab world, notably in Yemen, where Egyptian troops intervene in a prolonged and costly civil war (1962–1967). This drains Egypt's resources and contributes to future vulnerabilities.

The Arab-Israeli Conflict and the Six-Day War (1967)

Tensions between Israel and its Arab neighbors escalate dramatically throughout the 1960s. A critical flashpoint occurs in June 1967 with the Six-Day War, when Israel launches preemptive strikes against Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, following months of escalating rhetoric and troop mobilizations.

The outcome is a resounding Israeli victory, dramatically altering the region’s geopolitical map. Israel captures the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip from Egypt, the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan, and the strategic Golan Heights from Syria. This devastating defeat deeply wounds Arab nationalism, humiliating Nasser and shaking Arab confidence.

In the war's aftermath, hundreds of thousands of additional Palestinian refugees are displaced. The occupied territories become focal points of bitter disputes, setting the stage for future conflicts and prolonged occupation.

Palestinian Nationalism and the Rise of the PLO

Following the 1967 war, Palestinian identity and resistance to Israeli occupation intensify. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), founded in 1964 as a political body representing Palestinians, rapidly evolves into a prominent militant organization under Yasser Arafat’s leadership by 1969. Palestinian guerrilla operations against Israel increase significantly, particularly from bases in Jordan and Lebanon, drawing these countries deeper into regional conflict.

In Jordan, tensions between Palestinian guerrillas and King Hussein’s government culminate in the Black September crisis of 1970. Jordanian forces violently suppress Palestinian factions, resulting in thousands of deaths and driving the PLO leadership to relocate to Lebanon, further destabilizing that nation.

Syria and Iraq: Radical Regimes and Ba’athist Rule

In Syria, instability following the collapse of the UAR leads to several coups, culminating in the seizure of power by the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party in 1963. By 1970, Defense Minister Hafez al-Assad consolidates his power through a military coup, establishing an authoritarian regime marked by socialist economic policies, repression of dissent, and strategic alignment with the Soviet Union.

In Iraq, instability persists throughout the 1960s. A Ba’athist-led coup in 1968 brings Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr and his deputy, Saddam Hussein, to power. The new Iraqi government pursues extensive modernization and social reform but also establishes a fiercely authoritarian system, marked by brutal suppression of opposition and increased militarization.

Iran and the Shah’s Modernization

In Iran, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi launches ambitious economic and social reforms, known as the White Revolution (1963), aimed at rapid modernization, land redistribution, and industrialization. While the reforms stimulate economic growth and infrastructure development, they alienate religious leaders and large segments of Iranian society who view them as overly secular, authoritarian, and westernizing. Opposition to the Shah grows, planting seeds for future unrest.

Lebanon: Fragile Balance and Rising Tensions

Lebanon, traditionally viewed as a stable commercial center, becomes increasingly volatile as Palestinian refugees and PLO factions settle within its borders. By the late 1960s, Lebanese politics grow dangerously polarized, as Christians and Muslims diverge sharply over the Palestinian presence. Although full-scale conflict does not erupt until later, the foundations of Lebanon's subsequent civil strife are firmly laid during this period.

Turkey and Cyprus: Regional Conflict

Turkey, a strategic NATO member, experiences economic growth and stability under military-backed governments in the 1960s, but tensions with neighboring Greece escalate dramatically over Cyprus. Inter-communal violence on the island intensifies between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, leading to increased regional instability and setting the stage for future Turkish intervention in Cyprus (1974).

Gulf States and British Withdrawal

Britain, weakened economically and politically by World War II and subsequent global commitments, announces its intention to withdraw military and political oversight from the Persian Gulf by 1971. This sparks anxiety among small Gulf sheikhdoms previously protected by British treaties. In response, the states of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, and Fujairah establish the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in December 1971. Qatar and Bahrain opt for independence, becoming fully sovereign states in 1971. These new nations rapidly use burgeoning oil revenues to modernize and diversify their economies.

Oman’s Internal Conflict and Modernization

Oman experiences severe internal tensions during this period. Sultan Said bin Taimur’s repressive rule and resistance to modernization lead to significant unrest, notably the prolonged Dhofar Rebellion (1965–1975). In 1970, Sultan Said is overthrown by his British-backed son, Qaboos bin Said, who immediately embarks on a modernization program, ending Oman’s isolation and seeking regional cooperation and stability.

Legacy of the Era (1960–1971)

The period from 1960 to 1971 profoundly reshapes the Middle East. The Six-Day War significantly alters regional geopolitics, embedding long-lasting Arab-Israeli conflicts and the Palestinian issue deeply within regional and global politics. OPEC’s formation and increased oil wealth dramatically enhance the global influence of Middle Eastern states. Meanwhile, the emergence of authoritarian regimes in Syria and Iraq, the Shah’s modernization in Iran, and internal turmoil in Lebanon and Oman highlight the region's complexity and instability. These developments set the stage for intensified future conflicts, regional power shifts, and enduring strategic rivalries, profoundly influencing Middle Eastern politics into the twenty-first century.

King Hussein responds to the IDF attack on As-Samu by attempting to stop the passage of Syrian-based Palestinian guerrillas coming through Jordan into Israel, and he eventually breaks off diplomatic ties with Syria.