Israel/Palestine

By TayahVanstone
  • 1210 BCE

    “Israel” first appears within the Egyptian Merneptah Stele

    “Israel” first appears near the end of the 13th century BC within the Egyptian Merneptah Stele, referring apparently to a people (rather than a place) inhabiting what was then “Canaan.”
  • 900 BCE

    Israel and Judah (Sister Kingdoms

    we find two sister kingdoms: Israel and Judah (the origin of the term “Jew”). According to the Bible, there had first been a monarchy comprising both, apparently also called “Israel.”
  • 722 BCE

    Kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Neo-Assyrian empire

    Kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Neo-Assyrian empire, centred in what’s now Iraq. As an ancient geographic term, “Israel” was no more.
  • 500 BCE

    Judah Overthrown

    Judah was overthrown. Its capital Jerusalem was sacked, the Jewish Temple destroyed and many of Judah’s inhabitants were exiled to Babylonia.
  • 450 BCE

    Judah's Exile Ends

    Following the exile’s end a little under 50 years later, the territory of the former kingdom of Judah served as the heart of Judaism for almost seven centuries
  • 70

    Jewish Temple Destroyed (again)

    Following the exile’s end a little under 50 years later, the territory of the former kingdom of Judah served as the heart of Judaism for almost seven centuries
  • 135

    Syria-Palestina Decreed: Roman Empire Expels Jews from Jerusalem

    In AD 135, following a failed Jewish revolt, Roman Emperor Hadrian expelled the Jews from Jerusalem and decreed that the city and surrounding territory be part of a larger entity called “Syria-Palestina.” “Palestina” took its name from the coastal territory of the ancient Philistines, enemies of the Israelites (ancestors of the Jews).
  • 650

    Arab Peoples Begin to Settle in 'Palestina'

    Subsequent to the Islamic conquest of the Middle East in the seventh century, Arab peoples began to settle in the former “Palestina.” Apart from about 90 years of Crusader domination, the land fell under Muslim control for just under 1,200 years. Although Jewish habitation never ceased, the population was overwhelmingly Arab.

  • Zionism Begins (Jews begin Immigrating)

    In the second half of the 19th century, the longstanding yearning of Jews in the Diaspora to return to the territory of their ancestors culminated in the nationalistic movement called Zionism. The cause was driven by rising hatred toward Jews in Europe and Russia. Immigrating Jews encountered a mostly Arab populace, who also considered it their ancestral homeland. At that time, the land comprised three administrative regions of the Ottoman empire, none of which was called “Palestine.”

  • The land came under British rule

  • Mandatory Palestine is created

    “Mandatory Palestine,” which also included the current state of Jordan, was created. Its Arab inhabitants saw themselves primarily not as “Palestinians” in the sense of a nation, but instead as Arabs living in Palestine (or rather, “Greater Syria”).

  • British strictly limited Jewish immigration.

    Zionist leaders in Mandatory Palestine strove hard to increase Jewish numbers to solidify claims to statehood but in 1939 the British strictly limited Jewish immigration.

  • Land is Partitioned into “Independent Arab and Jewish States.”

    Ultimately, the Zionist project succeeded because of global horror in response to the Holocaust. In November 1947, the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 181, partitioning the land into “Independent Arab and Jewish States.” The resolution met immediate Arab rejection. Palestinian militias attacked Jewish settlements.

  • Zionist leadership declared the founding of the state of Israel.

    On May 14, 1948, the Zionist leadership declared the founding of the state of Israel.

  • ‘The War of Independence’/Al-Nakba

    The new Jewish state was immediately invaded by the armies of several Arab countries, alongside Palestinian militants. By the time the fighting ended the next year, the Palestinians had lost almost four fifths of their United Nations allotment. Seven hundred thousand of them had been driven from their homes, with no right of return to the present day. For Jewish Israelis, it’s known as the “War of Independence.” For Palestinians, it was al-Nakba — “the Catastrophe.”

  • The Six Day War

    In the Six-Day War of June 1967, Israel repelled a true existential threat, routing a heavy Arab military force massed at its borders. Israel’s seizure of East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza during the war has left Palestinians under various forms of painful Israeli occupation or control. Throughout the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, many more Palestinians than Jewish Israelis have been killed and wounded,

  • Palestine: UN non-member observer status

    On Nov. 15, 1988, the Palestinian National Council issued a declaration of independence, recognized a month later by the UN General Assembly. Approximately three-quarters of the UN’s membership now accepts the statehood of Palestine, which has non-member observer status.
  • Period: to

    Palestinian Revolt

    Jewish Israelis have experienced two violent Palestinian Intifadas (1987–1993; 2001–2005), the second of which saw a wave of deadly suicide bombings and ambushes.
  • Period: to

    Failed Negotiations

    Since the 1990s, there have been several failed attempts to negotiate a two-state solution.
  • Period: to

    Palestinian Revolt

    Jewish Israelis have experienced two violent Palestinian Intifadas (1987–1993; 2001–2005), the second of which saw a wave of deadly suicide bombings and ambushes. In response, Israel erected its Security Barrier, which has essentially eliminated Palestinian terrorist attacks but added further to the pain of Palestinian civilians.