-
Zionist Movement Founded
The Zionist movement was founded in response to the worsening persecution of European Jews
and out of the desire to join the community of modern nation-states that defined Europe.
Thousands of Jews began immigrating to Palestine, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire. -
Britain gains control of Palestine
As a result of World War I, Britain wins control over the area of Palestine from the Ottoman
Empire. The area becomes known as British-mandate Palestine. [A
mandate
is an authorization
to govern over conquered territory
].
From 1918 to 1948, Britain governs over the Jews and
Arabs living in this territory. -
Britain gives up Jordan
Britain gives the area of British-mandate Palestine east of the Jordan River to Emir Abdullah, to
form the Hashemite Kingdom of TransJordan. This area is now known as the country of Jordan.
The first major intercommunal violence of the mandate period erupts along the Jaffa-Tel Aviv
border on May Day, leaving scores of Jews and Arabs dead. -
violence erupts in jerusalem
The second major intercommunal violence erupts in Jerusalem, spreading throughout the country,
particularly in Hebron, where sixty-seven Jews are killed. -
U.N recommends splitting Palestine into two parts
The General Assembly of the United Nations recommended the partition of British-mandate
Palestine into two separate states, one for Jews and one for Arabs. Fighting breaks out soon
thereafter, as all the surrounding Arab states rejected the partition plan. -
Zionists proclaim the state of Israel
In May, Zionist leaders proclaimed the state of Israel. Fighting breaks out between the newly
declared state of Israel and its Arab neighbors as British troops are leaving the country. -
Jordan establishes control over the West Bank
Jordan establishes control over the West Bank
with the tacit agreement of Israel and Egypt
establishes control of the Gaza Strip. Control of Jerusalem is split between Israel in the west and
Jordan in the east. -
422 Palestinian national figures meet in Jerusalem
Following an Arab League decision, 422 Palestinian national figures meet in Jerusalem under the
chairmanship of Ahmad Shuqeiri, who founded the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and
laid down the structure of the Palestine National Council (PNC), the PLO Executive Committee,
the National Fund and the Palestine Liberation Army (PLA). The meeting also approved a
Palestinian national covenant and basic law -
Ramadan/Yom Kippur war
Egypt and Syria organize a surprise attack on Israeli forces in the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan
Heights on the day of the Jewish fast of Yom Kippur and the Muslim month of Ramadan, in
which the annual fast is performed. The war lasted for 3 weeks, ending on October 22 on the
Syrian front and October 26 on the Egyptian front -
The Arab League declares the P.L.O. the sole spokesman for the Palestinian Arabs.
The Arab League declares the P.L.O. the sole spokesman for the Palestinian Arabs. -
the first “ Land Day ”
In what has become an annual event, the first
“
Land Day
”
protests by Palestinian citizens of Israel
erupt to protest Government confiscations of Palestinian land and other discrimination in access
to land and housing. -
Israeli commandos rescue 98 Israeli and Jewish hostages
Israeli commandos rescue 98 Israeli and Jewish hostages in Entebbe, Uganda, held by Palestinians
who hijacked an Air France Airbus. -
Camp David accords
President Anwar Sadat of Egypt, Prime Minister Menachem Begin of Israel and President Jimmy
Carter of the United States sign the Camp David accords. Israel agrees to hand back the Sinai
Peninsula to Egypt in return for peace and normalization. This was significant because it was the
first time an Arab country signed a peace treaty with Israel and thus accepted the state
’
s existence.
Signing the Camp David accord made Sadat unpopular among many Egyptians as well as Arabs
living outside Egypt. -
Israel invades Lebanon
Israel invades Lebanon and establishes a
“
security zone
”
in Southern Lebanon in order to block
Hezbollah
(a Lebanese Shi
’
a Muslim group whose name means
“
Party of God
”
in Arabic)
forces
from staging attacks on Northern Israeli communities from Lebanon. The Israeli Army reaches
Beirut and succeeds in driving out Yasser Arafat
’
s Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
Arafat moves his organization to Tunisia
. -
uprising begins in gaza
A Palestinian
Intifada
[
“
uprising
”
in Arabic] begins in the West Bank and Gaza. -
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat condemns all forms of terrorism and recognizes the state of Israel.
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat condemns all forms of terrorism and recognizes the state of Israel.
U.S. President Ronald Reagan authorizes the U.S. to enter into a
“
substantive dialogue
”
with the
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Israel remains hostile to P.L.O -
The Madrid Peace Conference takes place in Madrid, Spain.
The Madrid Peace Conference takes place in Madrid, Spain. The conference includes delegations
from Israel, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, and the Palestinians. The Madrid conference marks
the first time most of the Arab parties (except for Egypt) and Israel sat down at a table together.
The conference is organized along
bi-lateral
[
involving or participated in by two nations
]
lines as
well as
multilateral [
participated in by more than two nations
]
lines -
Secret talks between Israeli and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) negotiators begin.
Secret talks between Israeli and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) negotiators begin in
Oslo, Norway. -
Israel and the PLO reach the “Cairo Agreement,”
In May, Israel and the PLO reach the “Cairo Agreement,” which included an Israeli military withdrawal from about 60% of the Gaza Strip (Jewish settlements and their environs are excluded) and the West Bank town of Jericho. -
Hamas suicide bomb attacks kills 57 Israelis
A series of Hamas suicide bomb attacks kills 57 Israelis. Shimon Peres suspends negotiations with Syria. Hamas is an Islamist political group founded in 1988 that opposes Israel and rejects the Oslo peace process and other negotiations. Hamas is not an abbreviation but a nickname, and comes from the Arabic for “zeal.” The full name is Harakatu Mujawamati Islamiya, or Islamic Resistance Movement. -
Likud candidate Binyamin Netanyahu wins the election for prime minister
In May, Likud candidate Binyamin Netanyahu wins the election for prime minister, defeating incumbent Shimon Peres, of the Labor party. Netanyahu had campaigned against the Labor party’s approach to the peace process, promising that he would provide “Peace with Security.” Yet in September, violence claims the lives of 61 Arabs and 15 Israeli soldiers over Israel’s opening of an archaeological tunnel site close to Muslim shrines in Jerusalem. -
Ariel Sharon, the leader of Likud [Israel’s right-wing political party], visits the Temple Mount
In this atmosphere of stalemate and recrimination, on September 28, 2000 Ariel Sharon, the leader of Likud [Israel’s right-wing political party], visits the Temple Mount, known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif (“Noble Sanctuary”) with 1,000 Israeli soldiers. A Palestinian protest of Sharon’s visit turns violent and sparks demonstrations and violence that have continued until today. -
Ariel Sharon is elected as Prime Minister of Israel
Likud Party (Israel’s right wing) candidate Ariel Sharon is elected as Prime Minister of Israel, beating Ehud Barak by more than 20 percentage points. Sharotn campaigned on the platform of “Peace with Security,” and promised that he would take a different approach to the Palestinian conflict than the Oslo Peace Process approach. Palestinians are long-time critics of Ariel Sharon because of his role in Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon, and his support of Israel’s settlement activity. -
the Israeli security cabinet votes to give the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) a broader license to target Palestinian terrorists
on July 4, 2001, the Israeli security cabinet votes to give the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) a broader license to target Palestinian terrorists. Formerly, the IDF was only permitted to assassinate terrorists actually on their way to committing an attack. The new guidelines allow the IDF to act against known terrorists even if they are not on the verge of committing an attack. -
in retaliation for a Jerusalem suicide bombing on the previous day, Israeli warplanes fire missiles at and level the headquarters of the Palestinian police
On August 10th, in retaliation for a Jerusalem suicide bombing on the previous day, Israeli warplanes fire missiles at and level the headquarters of the Palestinian police in the West Bank city of Ramallah. The militant Islamist group Hamas claimed responsibility for the bombing. Israeli Special Forces also seize the offices of the Palestine Liberation Organization at Orient House in East Jerusalem. -
Israel unilaterally withdraws from the area of Lebanon
On May 23, 2000, Israel unilaterally withdraws from the area of Lebanon it was occupying since 1982. And in July, a peace summit between Palestinian and Israeli leaders and negotiators at Camp David ends deadlocked over competing claims to Jerusalem and the issue of Palestinians refugees. Palestinians and Israelis accused each other of not being willing to make the compromises necessary for an agreement.
