Israel declared sovereignty on May 14, 1948. One day later, armies from Lebanon, Syria, Transjordan, Egypt, and Iraq invaded. With only 600,000 people in the infant nation, Israel not only survived, but in 1949 began armistice negotiations that ensured the existence of the Jewish state.

Sir Martin Gilbert, prolific author and host of A&E's Jerusalem, narrates this gripping account of Israel's first difficult years. Overflowing with rare footage, photographs, and interviews with those involved in the War of Independence, the documentary captures a pivotal point in modern history. The extraordinary filming of Bernard Beecham, a British soldier, depicts the reality of the fledgling nation when all efforts were devoted towards war.

Israel: Birth Of A Nation is the saga of a country won by courage and determination - and of a people finally returned to the land from which they came.