Part I Chronology
B. C.
1004 Approximate date of the founding of the ancient State of Israel.
586 Destruction of the first Jewish temple, built by Solomon, by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia and the “Babylonian Captivity” of the Jews.
538 Jews released from captivity by Cyrus the Great of the Achae- menian Empire of Persia. Cyrus assists Jews in reconstruction of the temple.
520-516 Completion of second temple.
168 Temple either completely destroyed or seriously damaged by earthquake.
37-34 Construction of third temple, or reconstruction of second temple, by Herod the Great.
A. D.
71-72 Temple and entire city of Jerusalem destroyed by order of Roman Emperor Titus. Construction of an entirely new city that is forbidden to the Jews. Beginning of the “diaspora.”
638 Surrender ofJerusalem to Muslims completes the conquest of Palestine.
683 Construction of the Dome of the Rock on Mount Zion (“Temple
Mount”) by Umayyad Caliph ‘Abd al-Malik.
1071 Saljuk Turks take Jerusalem and Holy Land.
1099 Capture of Jerusalem by the Crusaders and establishment of the “Kingdom ofJerusalem.”
1516 Ottoman Turkish conquest of Syria and Palestine by Selim the Grim. Entire Fertile Crescent absorbed into Ottoman Empire. Palestine created as “Sanjak ofJerusalem.”
1881 Assassination of Alexander II, “Tsar of all the Russians.” Organized riots (pogroms) break out against theJews on behalf of the Russian Orthodox Church. Pogroms spread westward into Central Europe.
1882 Leo Pinsker publishes pamphlet Auto-emancipation, calling for the creation of a “Jewish state somewhere on earth.” Beginning of first aliyah to Palestine.
1896 Publication of DerJudenstaat (“TheJewish State”) by Theodor Herzl.
1897 World Zionist Organization is created.
1897 First Zionist Congress held Basel, Switzerland, August 29-31.
Adoption of the “Basel Program.” Until his death seven years later Herzl attempts to obtain land in Palestine for Jews from Ottoman Sultan.1903 Seventh Zionist Congress held in Basel. Great Britain offers huge tract of land in highlands of British East Africa for Jewish national home, which is refused.
1904 Death of Theodor Herzl. Leadership of Zionist Organization passes into hands of David Wolffsohn.
1908 “Committee of Union and Progress” effects revolution against the Ottoman Government. Extreme Turkish nationalism and Ottomanism eliminates any possibility of Zionists obtaining land in Palestine by legal means.
1914 Outbreak ofWorld War I in Europe in August. Ottoman Empire enters conflict on side of Central Powers (Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire) in November.
1915 July 4-March 10, 1916, exchange often letters between Sharif ofTwo Holy Cities of Mecca and Medina and British Government— “Hussein—McMahon Correspondence.” Arabs promise military assistance to Great Britain in return for recognition of their independence.
1916 Exchange of notes between British, French, and Russian governments leads to “Sykes-Picot Agreement” May 6-9, in which the three states agree to divide Fertile Crescent among themselves. On November 2, Sharif Hussein proclaims himself “King of the Arab Countries.” Great Britain and France officially recognize him as “King of the Hijaz.”
1917 British war cabinet, hoping that rallying American Jews to Britain’s cause would help bring the United States into the war, and probably also keep Russia in the war, issues to Baron Rothschild a letter on November 2, known as the “Balfour Declaration.” Previously accepted by Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau of France and President Woodrow Wilson of United States.
1918 President Wilson delivers “Fourteen Points” speech before U.S. Congress on January 8. States that self-determination of peoples is one of the objectives of the war. Three days previously, on January 5, Prime Minister David Lloyd George of Great Britain makes a similar declaration.
On October 1, Arabs under command of Prince Feisal, son of King Hussein, enter Damascus Proclamation of “Arab Constitutional Government” over Syria and Palestine. Ottoman Turks surrender in the Near East on October 30. Publication of “Anglo-French Declaration on November 7.1919 Feisal-Weizmann correspondence. King-Crane Commission delivers its final recommendation concerning the Near East to President Wilson on August 28. Not published until 1922.
1920 San Remo Conference of Entente Powers (Great Britain, France, Italy, andJapan) establishes mandates for Great Britain over Palestine and Iraq, and France over Syria on April 25.
1921 Transjordan becomes separate entity; Abdullah established as emir, March.
1922 Issuance of “Churchill White Paper” in June as official British position regarding virtually unlimited Jewish immigration into Palestine. OnJuly 24, Palestine Mandate “officially as signed to Great Britain by Council of the League of Nations. U.S. Congress endorses “Balfour Declaration” by Public Resolution on September 21. Beginning of U.S. involvement in coming dispute.
1924 By Anglo-American Convention United States accept British mandate over Palestine.
1930 Issuance of “Passfield White Paper.” Publication of public letter from British Prime Minister Ramsay McDonald to Chaim Weizmann in The Times to elucidate “White Paper” (“McDonald Letter”). Shaw Commission Report. Hope-Simpson Report. British issue Passfield White Paper limiting Jewish immigration into and Jewish land purchases in Palestine.
1936 General strike by Palestinian Arabs against British mandate and Zionist program from April to October.
1937 June22—publicationofPeelCommissionReportrecommending partitioning of Palestine. Woodhead Commission appointed January in 1938 to put partition into effect. Government finds partitioning “impracticable.”
1939 London Conference in attempt to find solution fails. Publication
of “1939 White Paper” on May 17, recognizing impossibility of partition and placing limit on further Jewish immigration and land purchases and proposing establish men of independent Palestinian state at end of ten years.
Rejected by both Jews and Arabs as not going far enough to meet their respective, and opposing, demands. Outbreak of World War II on September 3.1942 Biltmore Program promulgated, May.
1945 Formation of League of Arab States on March 22. Germany and Austria surrender on May 7.
1946 Recommendations of the Anglo-American Commission of Inquiry signed on April 20 call for future single state in Palestine. Until hostilities cease, territory is to remain under mandate or given over in trusteeship to United Nations. Joint six-member committee formed by United States and Great Britain to examine recommendations of Commission results in “Grady-Morrison Plan,” which supports the concept of a single state. Conference on Palestine convened in London on September 10 between British, Arab, and Zionist leaders.
1947 London talks recognized as complete failure, February 14. In letter to secretary-general of United Nations, April 2, Britain announces decision to surrender mandate over Palestine. On November 29, U.N. General Assembly passes Resolution 181 (II) calling for partitioning of Palestine into three states: Jewish, Arab, and an internationalized Jerusalem by a vote of thirty-three to thirteen with ten abstentions.
1948 Proclamation of State of Israel May 14, immediately recognized by President Harry Truman. British mandate over Palestine officially ends on May 15 with withdrawal of troops. May 15 outbreak of first Arab-Israeli war lasting until July 1949. Israel occupies new section of Jerusalem. Beginning of Palestine refugee problem with hundreds of thousands fleeing conflict.
1949 Israel admitted into membership of United Nations. General Assembly establishes United Nations Relief and Works Agency to assist destitute Arab Palestinian refugees. King Abdallah of Jordan annexes the West Bank and EastJerusalem in December. Ratified by Jordanian Parliament in April 1950.
1956 President Jamal ‘abd al-Nasir of Egypt nationalizes Suez Canal
on July 26.
Israel, France, and Great Britain attack Egypt leading to “Suez War.”1964 Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) founded in Jerusalem
on June 2 with adoption of Palestinian National Covenant and Constitution. Israel’s National Water carrier begins operation; crisis erupts over Jordan waters.
1965 Fatah is established and launches its first attack against Israel on January 1.
1967 “Six Day War” of June leads to Israeli capture of old city of Jerusalem and territories in West Bank. U.N. Security Council passes Resolution 242.
1973 “Yom Kippur War,” October, leads to Israeli capture of Syrian Golan Heights, West Bank from Jordan and Gaza Strip from Egypt
1974 PLO granted “Observer Status” in U.N. General Assembly.
1975 Israeli-Egyptian Agreement signed in September for withdrawal of forces from Sinai Peninsula and establishment of American observers along the cease-fire line (“Sinai I” and “Sinai II”).
1978 “Camp David Accord” signed September 17 between President Jimmy Carter of the United States, President Anwar al-Sadat of Egypt, and Prime Minister Menachem Begin of Israel. Arab summit in Baghdad on November 5 denounces Camp David Accords and criticizes Egypt.
1979 Peace treaty between Egypt and Israel signed in Washington, D.C., on March 26. March 31 “Baghdad Resolution” of Islamic Conference leads to isolation of Egypt from most other Arab countries. President al-Sadat assassinated.
1980 European Community leaders issue “Venice Declaration” as basis for peace.
1981 Crown Prince Fahd of Saudi Arabia enunciates “Fahd Peace Plan” on August 8. Adopted by other Arab states as “Fez Declaration.”
1982 Israeli invasion and occupation of southern Lebanon begins June 5. PLO withdraws from Lebanon under U.S. sponsorship.
1987 Uprising (Intifada) of Palestinians in West Bank and Gaza Strip, which Israeli army attempts to suppress with “iron fist” policy without success.
1988 HAMAS is created in the Gaza Strip, February.
Palestinian National Council declares independent State of Palestine in West Bank and Gaza Strip on November 15. In statement issued December 15, Yasser Arafat, Chairman of the PLO Executive Committee, explicitly recognizes Israel’s right to exist. By Resolution 43/177, December 15, U.N. General Assembly acknowledges the proclamation of the State of Palestine. On December 16, United States opens talks with PLO at its headquarters in Tunis.1989 Egypt readmitted to the Arab League on May 22. European Community issues Madrid statement on June 27. U.S. Secretary of State James Baker suggests five-point plan in October.
1990 President Bush calls off talks with PLO on June 20. On August
2, Iraqi troops invade neighboring Kuwait. That evening, in an emergency session, the Security Council passes the first of a series of twelve resolutions calling for withdrawal of Iraq and establishing an international military force to implement decisions. PLO leader Yasser Arafat and large numbers of Palestinians declare support for Saddam Hussein, president of Iraq. On October 8, aJewish fundamentalist group, “Faithful of the Temple Mount,” marches on al-Aqsa Mosque to symbolically place a stone for rebuilding of Jewish Temple, although forbidden by Israeli Supreme Court. Muslims gathered to prevent action begin throwing stones at marchers. Israeli police shoot at demonstrators with live ammunition, killing seventeen to twenty, wounding approximately 150. Security Council, October 12, passes Resolution 672 condemning Israel for use of excessive force. Resolution denounced by Israeli government.
1991 International force of twenty-eight nations begins action against Iraq to force withdrawal from Kuwait, January 16. On February 28, truce implemented when Iraq agrees to comply with all Security Council resolutions. President Bush announces time propitious to settle disputes in Near East, including Arab-Israeli conflict. On March 5, Secretary of State James Baker begins lengthy series of talks with leaders. During summit meeting in Moscow Presidents Bush and Gorbachev of Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) announce on July 31 to jointly sponsor Arab-Israeli peace conference to begin October 10. Israeli government and PLO agree to participate, August 4.
1992 Yitzhak Rabin forms coalition government in Israel, July.
1993 Secret negotiations between Israel and PLO in Oslo, Norway, in the spring. Israel launches Operation Accountability in Lebanon, July. Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles (DOP) signed in Washington, D.C., on September 13. Israel and Jordan sign a Common Agenda for negotiations on September 14. The Conference to Support Middle East Peace (the Donors Conference) meets in Washington on October 1. Israel and the PLO open talks in Egypt on implementation of the DOP on October 13.
1994 Oslo Declaration issued in Oslo, Norway, on September 13. In December, at the end of a two-day summit meeting in Alexandria, Egypt, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd, and Syrian President Hafez al-Assad issue a joint statement expressing support for “Syria’s valid demand for a full Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights as a condition to a peace treaty with Israel.”
1996 Palestinian National Authority is established on January 20, and Yasser Arafat becomes its first president.
1997 Hebron Accords are signed by Israel and Palestine. The agreement calls for Israelis withdrawal from Hebron and the West Bank while Palestine commits to revise the Palestinian national charter and fight terrorism.
2000 On May 22, Israel withdraws all troops from Lebanon under Ehud Barak’s orders. On July 25, President Bill Clinton, Ehud Barak, and Yasser Arafat meet for Camp David II Summit. In September, Ariel Sharon visits Haram al-Sharif, sparking protests and riots. This marks the beginning of the second Intifada.
2002 Israel implements Operation Defensive Shield wherein the Israeli Defence Forces entered into the West Bank and Gaza in search of weapons and terrorists. At the same time, Israel surrounded Ramallah and sieged Arafat’s compound for five weeks.
The Arab League’s Peace Initiative.
2006 Following the January 25 election for the Palestinian National Auth-ority’s legislature, Hamas won a majority of the seats in the government. The outbreak of the July War between Lebanon and Israel begins after Hezbollah fires rockets into Israel and Israel responds.
2007 Tensions that had been building between Fatah and Hamas since the 2006 elections turns into armed conflict in June. The fighting results in Hamas taking control of Gaza and the dissolution of the Unity party that had been formed between Fatah and Hamas.
2008 Launching of the Annapolis Initiative.
The attack on Gaza.