Complex sentence: Upheaval dominated Syrian politics from independence through the late 1960s: in 1948, Syria was involved in the Arab-Israeli War, aligning with the other local Arab states who were attempting to prevent the establishment of the State of Israel.
Split into simpler sentences: Upheaval dominated Syrian politics from independence through the late 1960s. In 1948, Syria was involved in the Arab-Israeli War, aligning with the other local Arab states attempting to prevent the establishment of the State of Israel.