American Academy Lecture at Einstein Forum

The 1948 Arab-Israeli War in the Eyes of the World

In this talk, spring 2026 Academy fellow Derek Penslar discusses the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and the attention it attracted, from the highest levels of international society to state governments, transnational NGOs, journalism, and public opinion. Palestine and the emerging state of Israel functioned as both a mirror and a magnifier. Israel’s establishment and the Palestinian Nakba were interpreted through countries’ specific interests, histories, and cultures. These events also elicited tremendous passion. Palestine’s mirroring and magnifying effects did not originate in 1948, but the events of that year drastically augmented them, and the patterns of global reaction remain with us to this today.

Moderator: Stephen Holmes, Walter E. Meyer Professor of Law, New York University School of Law; Richard C. Holbrooke Fellow, spring 2026

For information, please visit:
https://www.einsteinforum.de/veranstaltungen/the-1948-arab-israeli-war-in-the-eyes-of-the-world/