Reason Why Iran and Israel Are In Enimity With Each Other

Note: Before I begin, I would love to thank my teacher; Dr. James Ukeme, a lecturer of history and international studies, University of Nigeria Nsukka who helped me when I was making detailed research about the Conflict between Iran and Israel, I owe him a lot.

You may not believe this; but according to historical books and also from the words of my great Lecturer; Iran and Israel were what a normal human being might call "Good friends" as of thirty years ago; but since the Islamic Revolution of 1979 that occurred in Iran; Israel and Iran has been in enimity till this day; despite the two countries not sharing a border or having any territorial disputes.

In the wake of the past two decades of serious enimity between Israel and Iran has made many historians and and philosophers to find it hard to believe that the two countries that once patted each other on the back; are raising arms and banners of war against each other.

Every friendly relationship Iran had with Israel ceased to be in the year 1979, when Iran cut all her diplomatic ties with Israel (Although military corporation continued for several years as Iran, during that time, was locked in a fierce war with Iraq).

Even today, as the tensions continue to grow; with both sides threatening each other here and there; one can comfortably say that the two sides were not meant to be enemies.

Moreover, the Jews respects Iran a lot as it was the place where some of their people sought refuge 2000 years ago after their beloved city, Jerusalem was destroyed.

Following Israel's independence in 1948, where Iraq terrorized a good number of their Jewish citizens and many of Iraqi-jews were forced to flee to Israel; it was Iran that helped a good number of those Jews to escape to Israel.

Amongst one of Iran's friendly relationship with Israel was that it voted against the UN Partition Plan in 1947, and after the establishment of Israel, opposed it's acceptance as a member state into the organization. It was only in 1950 that Iran became the second Muslim-majority country after Turkey to give Israel the official recognition she needed; of which became open and official a day later.

To tell you the truth, Both countries wanted to be in a tight Relationship with each other for these different reasons; but in the case of Iran she needed Israel's friendship for this one major reason as Iran percieved Israel as some kind of medium or connection (via the American Jewish community) for gaining the sponsorship of the United States, which was then looking for allies in its Cold War with the Soviet Union (now Russia) at that point in time.

Fortunately for Iran; they got their wish and she provided surplus oil to USA during her Cold war with the Soviet Union; thus making itself a valuable Ally do US do not want to loose.

How the seed of discord started to grow between two good friends:

Within Iran, Muslim and secular forces were at odds with one of the issues being the demand of religious leaders like Ayotollah Khomeini who urged Iran to join the Arabs in fighting Israel.

Ayotallah Khomeini

Ayotallah seeing that his plans were not moving so well,he tried to stage a coup but it was unsuccessful and he was exiled to France.

Israel's founding Prime Minister then; David Ben-Gurion tried to sort issues out with the non Arab-enemies of his country's enemies. (These countries included Turkey, Iran, Ethiopia, as well as the maronite christians in Lebanon and the Kurds of Iran).

People would have whiched for things to move on smoothly with these two countries but it didn't as Ayotallah Khomeini, after returning to Iran from his exile branded Israel as country that is gradually turning Iran into an Israeli military base, stating that the Jews were milking all of Iran's resources dry and were also poke nosing a lot in Iran's political matters.

As if that was not enough, Ayotallah Khomeini went straight ahead to severe all relations Iran has with Israel and eventually turned the evacuated Israeli embassy in Iran over to the Palestine Liberation Organization (This Organization was an enemy to Israel's existence).

Ayotallah didn't stop there; he went on to brand Israel as the "Little Satan" of United States of America whom he also called the "Great Satan of the World". He also went forward to support terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah, Hamas and PLO against Iran; stating that the Jews were aggressors and thus do not deserve to live in the Middle East.

Israel realizing the danger Ayotallah Khomeini presented to their citizens decided to cut off all important ties with Iran and gradually, the two countries that were once "Brothers in Arms" now became the "Best Of Enemies".