Israel’s History 1917 to 2001

1516 – 1917 A.D.

The Ottoman Turks rule most of the Middle East including what will become the State of Israel (See Map # 1)

“Palestine” is a desolate land with almost no people or agriculture

Among the many descriptions of Palestine's desolation prior to the Zionist immigration: ". . . a desolate country whose soil is rich enough, but is given over wholly to weeds - a silent mournful expanse . . . A desolation is here that not even imagination can grace with the pomp of life and action . . . We never saw a human being on the whole route . . . There was hardly a tree or a shrub anywhere. Even the olive and the cactus, those fast friends of a worthless soil, had almost deserted the country:" Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad, or The New Pilgrim's Progress (1869).

1914 – 1917 A.D.

Ottoman Empire sides with the Axis Powers during WWI and is defeated by the Allied Powers and its land is reproportioned by the Allies

November 2nd, 1917

The Belfor Declaration signed guaranteeing a Jewish a homeland in Palestine. 

"His Majesty's Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country."

1920-1946

British Mandate for Palestine Gives the Jews all the modern land of Israel, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip & all of the country of Jordan (See Map #2)

1946

In 1946 the British divide the land given to Israel into Palestine (Jewish) & Transjordan (Arab)  thus creating an independent Palestine-Arab state east of the Jordan River. (See Map #3)

November 29, 1947

The General Assembly of the United Nations in its true Anti-Jewish fashion voted with a 2/3 majority to partition western Palestine into a Jewish (56 %) and an Arab (44%) state. The Jews accepted the partition under force but the Arabs rejected it. (See Map #4)

May 14, 1948

On May 14, 1948 the British mandate of Palestine ended and the Jews declared itself the new State of Israel. Minutes later the United States Recognize the new state’s right to exist.

May 15, 1948

One day after it’s statehood is declared, the Arab League (armies from Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, and a token force from Saudi Arabia) invaded Israel. (See Map #5)

The Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin Al Husseini stated, "I declare a holy war, my Moslem brothers! Murder the Jews! Murder them all

April thru December, 1948

Arab leaders ask approximately 100,000 – 600,000 Palestinian Arabs to leave Israel with a promise that when Israel is destroyed they would return

Approximately 600,000 Jews are driven from Arab countries and seek refuge in Israel

1949

After loosing the war they started all of the Arab countries except Saudi Arabia sign armistice agreements with Israel thus setting the boundaries of Israel until 1967 (See Map #6)

1951-1956

Palestinian Arab terrorist groups, called "Fedayeen", began systematic raids against the Israeli civilian population. Between 1949 and 1956, 1,300 Israelis were killed and wounded by Arab terrorists (See Map # 7)

July 26, 1956

Egypt nationalizes of the International controlled Suez Canal – Israel, France & England Invade the Sinai and takes back the Cannel.

March 16, 1957

Israel withdraws troops from the Sinai and Gaza strip after receiving international reassurances that Israel's vital waterways would remain open. Egypt never does comply and the U.N. remained silent (See Map # 8)

1967

May 18, 1967 - Egypt expelled the U.N. Peacekeeping forces from Israel's borders.

May 25, 1967 – Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Saudi Arabia moved their troops to Israel's borders. (See Map # 9)

May 26, 1967 - President Nasser of Egypt declared, "Our basic goal is the destruction of Israel.

June 5th 1967 – Israel decides to launch a pre-emptive attack on the massive Egyptian forces aimed at her. (See Map # 10)

June 6, 1967 – Jordan attacks Israel from the west while Syria Begins shelling from the Golan Heights destroying 205 houses, 175 acres of orchards and 75 acres of grain

June 8, 1967 - Israeli forces take the West Bank & Jerusalem from Jordan

June 9, 1967 - Israel captures the Golan Heights from Syria and completes its takeover of the Sinai & Gaza from Egypt thus setting the new borders of Israel until 1974 (See Map # 11)

1970

The PLO tries to overthrow the Jordanian government and are expelled from Jordan and move their base or operation to Lebanon.

October 6, 1973

Egyptian & Syrian forces attack Israel on Yom Kippur (The Jewish most holy day) and almost come close to defeating the unprepared Israeli forces. Within a month, Israel and regained all of its territory and a cease fire agreement was signed. About 2,700 Israeli soldiers and 8,500 Arab soldiers died in the month long war.

1976

Syria invades Lebanon declaring it was protecting it but in reality they were annexing it as a base from which to train terrorists groups. Terrorist groups like the PLO & Hezbollah with the help of Syria begin shelling Israel’s northern border towns

1978

Egypt (Anwar Sadat), and Israel, (Menahem Beigin), signed the Camp David agreement

1979

Egypt & Israel sign a Peace Treaty.

1982

Israel withdrawals from the Sinai Peninsula.

 Israel invades Lebanon to set up a 4 mile buffer zone between themselves and the terrorist groups backed by Syria. The PLO was expelled from Lebanon to Tunis

1987

The First Intifadeh is began in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank but the PLO

1993

Israel & PLO sign the Oslo Declaration of Principles.

1994

Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty.

1995

Israel & PLO sign the Oslo Interim Agreement.

September 28, 2000

The Second Intifadeh is began in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank but the PLO

2001

The U.N. in typical Anti-Semitic fashion tries to declare that Zionism is Racism