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Jews begin immigrating to Palestine
Beginning in 1882, Jews began immigrating to Palestine. Palestinians became afraid that the Jews were coming to rule Palestine and kick them off their land. -
Britain signs the Balfour Declaration
This said that the British people supported the establishment of a National Home for the Jewish people in Palestine. The Palestinian population, which made up 85% of the region, was against this declaration. The Zionist Jews supported it. -
Arab Revolt Begins
As Jewish immigration continued, tensions between Arabs and Jews increased. This resulted in a conflict called the Arab Revolt that lasted 3 years. About 5,000 Arabs and about 400 Jews were killed. -
United Nations Partition of Palestine
The United Nations voted to divide, or partition, Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state. The Jews rejoiced that a state had been created for them and named it Israel. The Palestinian Arabs were furious that their homeland had been divided. -
Arab troops attack Israel
Arab troops from Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia invaded Palestine and attacked Israel. By the end of 1948, Israel had captured most of the land in Palestine and over 900,000 Palestinian Arabs fled and became homeless. -
The Conflict Continues
This conflict between Palestinians and Jews still continues in the region. They continue to fight over land, borders, Jerusalem, and historic hatred. -
Gaza Strip and West Bank
Most of the conflict occurs in two areas, called the Gaza Strip and West Bank. The two groups fight over who controls these areas. Since 1987, nearly 8,000 Palestinians and over 1,500 Israelis have died.
