▁the ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁Arab – Is ra eli ▁War ▁which ▁immediately ▁followed , ▁the ▁arm ies ▁of ▁Egypt , ▁Sy ria , ▁Trans j ord an , ▁Leb anon , ▁Ira q , ▁and ▁Sa udi ▁Arab ia ▁interven ed ▁and ▁were ▁defeated ▁by ▁Israel . ▁About ▁ 8 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁Palest ini ans ▁fled ▁from ▁areas ▁an nex ed ▁by ▁Israel ▁and ▁became ▁refuge es ▁in ▁neighbour ing ▁countries , ▁thus ▁creating ▁the ▁" Pal est in ian ▁problem ", ▁which ▁has ▁trouble d ▁the ▁region ▁ever ▁since . ▁Appro xim ately ▁two - third s ▁of ▁ 7 5 8 , 0 0 0 – 8 6 6 , 0 0 0 ▁of ▁the ▁Jews ▁exp elled ▁or ▁who ▁fled ▁from ▁Arab ▁lands ▁after ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁were ▁absor bed ▁and ▁natural ized ▁by ▁the ▁State ▁of ▁Israel . ▁ ▁On ▁August ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁Cy pr us ▁gained ▁its ▁independence ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom . ▁Arch bishop ▁Mak arios ▁III , ▁a ▁char ism atic ▁religious ▁and ▁political ▁leader , ▁was ▁elected ▁its ▁first ▁independent ▁president , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁it ▁became ▁the ▁ 9 9 th ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Nations . ▁ ▁Modern ▁states ▁ ▁The ▁modern ▁Middle ▁East ▁was ▁sh aped ▁by ▁three ▁things : ▁departure ▁of ▁European ▁powers , ▁the ▁found ing ▁of ▁Israel , ▁and ▁the ▁growing ▁importance ▁of ▁the ▁oil ▁industry . ▁These ▁develop