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Period: to
1917 to Present
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Balfour Declaration
Issued by the British governement, this promised that a homeland for Jews would be created in Palestine. Arabs viewed Zionism, the migration of Jewish people here, as imperialism while the Jews saw it as a return to tradition. -
Zionism Swells
Zionism was at its height in the 1930's and 1940's as Jews endured Nazi persecution in Europe. Arabs opposed the amount of Jews that were coming to Palestine and forced Britian to restrict admission. This caused Jews to anger and fight back. -
Britain Gives Up Palestine
After fighting Jewish guerilla groups for years, Britian announces that it is releasing Palestine from it's mandate and passing it's future to the UN. -
Partition of Palestine
The UN approves a plan to divide Palestine in order to placate Jews and Arabs. Jews would take the new State of Israel, while Arabs would be given the West Bank and Gaza Strip. -
Arab Neighbors Attack
When five Arab countries rejected the existence of Israel, the launched an attack on the new state. They failed in seizing the whole thing, but the West Bank went to Jordan and Egypt took the Gaza Strip, with Israel absorbing small slivers of each. The war caused many Palestinians to flee to other Arab nations. -
Suez Crisis
When Egypt's president, Nassar, nationalized the Suez Canal, they closed it to Isreal. This prompted Israel, France and Britain too invade Egypt. This was met with resistance from the US and the USSR. France ultimately failed in removing Nassar from power and controlling the canal, but Isreal did reach some of their goals. -
Six Day War
Israel defeats Egypt, Jordan and Syria in just six days, coming out of the war with new territory: The Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula, West Bank and the Golan Heights were now part of Israel. -
Yom Kippur War
Egypt and Syria attack Israel in suprise on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. Isreal rebelled and maintianed the Sinai Peninsula. -
Camp David Accords
Egyptian President Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Begin meet with US President Carter in talks that establish peace between the rivals in exchange for Israel returning the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt. The agreement was the first step in the right direction.