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Creation of Israel
After World War I, Britain was given control over the mandate Palestine and was urged to make an Israel state in Palestine in sympathy of the horrors endured by the Jews during the Holocaust. Control of the mandate was given to the UN, and the UN proposed to divide Palestine into a Jewish and Arab state. While Jewish leaders accepted the proposition, Arab leaders rejected it, so when Israel was declared independent, Arab countries Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Transjordan, and Iraq invaded Israel. -
Six-Day War
After continued Arab-Israeli conflict, Israel sensed an Arab attack after Egyptian troops moved into the Sinai Peninsula and closed off the Gulf of Aqaba. Israel decided to attack first with a surprise air strike on Egypt, Syria, and Jordan, and quickly finishing them off with Israel's troops on the ground. Due to their fast acting, Israel gained control of the Golan Heights, Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, West Bank, and East Jerusalem. -
Yom Kippur War
After losing their territory from the Six-Day War, Egypt and Syria attempted to win their territory back by attacking Israel in a surprise attack on a Jewish holiday starting the Yom Kippur War. Israel's leader, Golda Meir, was not fully prepared for the attack and Israel lost some ground, but with the help of the U.S., Israel was able to push back Egypt and Syria's forces concluding the war in a cease-fire after just weeks of fighting. -
Camp David Accords
Egypt's president, Anwar Sadat, sought to make peace with Israel by negotiating with Israel's prime minister, Menachem Begin. After months of negotiating without coming to an agreement, U.S. president, Jimmy Carter, invited both Sadat and Begin to Camp David in the United States to oversee an agreement. After twelve days, both Sadat and Begin agreed on the Camp David Accords that made Egypt recognize Israel’s independence, and gave Egypt the Sinai Peninsula in return. -
Intifada Rebellions
The Palestinian Liberation Organization pledged to take over Israel and replace it with a Palestinian State, as many Palestinian Arabs did not like being controlled by Israel and wanted their freedom. A rebellion called the intifada began after years of guerilla attacks and did not stop until the early 1990s. When a second intifada began around September 28, 2000, Israel decided to withdraw from parts of the West Bank and Gaza, yet fighting continued for years afterward.
