Arab-Israeli Conflict

Balfour Declaration

Nov 2, 1917

Jews have always dreamed of returning to Israel. During WW1 the British attempted to win the support of European Jews. So they issued the Balfour Decleration. The BD idea is to set up 'A national home' for the Jewish people in Palestine. Thus leading to a conflict between Arabs and Jewish nationalist.

Holocaust

May 25, 1941

Hitler with the help of the Nazi's committed a genocide of over 6 million people. He targeted Jews, Slavs, Romas, homosexuals, and the disabled. He took people from all over Europe. Sending them away to labor and death camps where many died from starvation, disease, being overworked, or harsh conditions. The young and sick were given no chance and sent straight to their death, Hitler called this the "Final Solution".

UN Partition

Jun 27, 1948

After WW2 the UN drew up a plan to divide Palestine into a Jewish and Arab state. Jews accepted but the Arabs rejected. Arabs started several wars but were defeated by Israel. However, these conflicts created refugee problems. 700,000 Palestinian Arabs fled their homes in Israeli, the UN set up camps to house them.

Six Day War

Jul 28, 1967

Israeli forces took over the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem, West Bank, Gaza Strip, and the Sinai Peninsula. 1973 came around and these nations attacked Israel on Yom Kippur. Arabs failed to regain the occupied territories, the government helped Jewish settlers build homes in these territories causing more fights with the Palestinians.

Yom Kippur War

Oct 19, 1973

Syria and Egypt launched a surprise attack on Israel-held lands to coincide with the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur. After initial losses, the Israelis regained nearly all of the territory they occupied during the six day war. Soon after the war, Saudi Arabia led a petroleum embargo against states that supported Israel. It caused steep rises in petrol prices and fuel shortages across the world.

Camp David Peace Awards

Sep 17, 1978

Egyptian President, Anwar Sadat, signed a peace treaty with Israel at Camp David, being the first Arab nation to recognize Israel. Arab nations were angered at Egypt for making peace with Israel.

Invasion of Lebanon

Jun 6, 1982

Invasion of Lebanon, taking the Israelis right up to and into Beirut.Yasser Arafat and his fighters were forced to depart for Tunisia. But the operation went wrong for Israel. It was condemned by the world. When Christian fighters massacred hundreds of Palestinian civilians as the Israeli army stood by, and it failed to make a political agreement with the Christians stick. It pulled back to an enclave north of their border.

Intifada

Dec 8, 1987

Violence, riots, general strikes, and civil disobedience campaigns by Palestinians spread across the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Israeli forces respond with tear gas, plastic bullets, and live ammunition. After the outbreak of the First Intifada, Shaikh Ahmed Yassin creates Hamas from the Gaza wing of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.