In 1947-1948, the USSR became one of the main allies of the Zionist project. This seems paradoxical, as Soviet ideology had considered Zionism "bourgeois nationalism" for decades.

The shift occurred in May 1947. The Soviet representative to the UN, Andrei Gromyko, stated that the Jews' desire for their own state was just, especially after the catastrophe they had experienced. On November 29, 1947, the USSR and its allies voted for UN Resolution No. 181, which called for the partition of Palestine into Jewish and Arab states. Without the votes of the Soviet bloc, the resolution would not have achieved the necessary two-thirds majority.

After the proclamation of Israel on May 14, 1948, Moscow recognized it de jure just three days later, being the first in the world to do so. The USA only recognized it de facto. Even more importantly was the military assistance. With the Kremlin's consent, Czechoslovakia supplied the young army with rifles, machine guns, and fighter planes, as well as trained pilots. These supplies played a significant role in the War of Independence. Tens of thousands of Jews were allowed to leave Eastern Europe for Israel, many of whom joined the army.
Stalin's calculation was pragmatic. He wanted to push Britain out of the Middle East and hoped that Israel, with its socialist parties and kibbutzim, would become an ally of the USSR.