- The British government publishes the Balfour Declaration, which expresses support for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine.
1920-22:
- Great Britain's League of Nations mandate over Palestine officially begins, and the British begin to open the door for Jewish immigration to Palestine, creating tension between Jews and Arabs in Palestine.
1930s:
- In response to rising anti-Semitism in Europe and the Holocaust during the Second World War, Jewish immigration to Palestine increases dramatically, leading to further tension and violence between Jews and Arabs.
1948:
- The United Nations General Assembly passes Resolution 181, recommending the partition of British-mandated Palestine into an Arab and a Jewish state. The resolution is accepted by the Jewish Agency but rejected by the Arab leadership and some countries in the region.
May 14, 1948:
- David Ben-Gurion declares independence for the State of Israel, a de facto declaration of Israeli sovereignty.
1948-1949:
- The 1948 Arab-Israeli War begins. Arab states—including Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon—invade the newly proclaimed state of Israel. Although the Israeli military is significantly outnumbered, it is able to successfully defend the state’s borders and gains control of additional territories.
1949:
- Armistice agreements mark the end of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and establish the Green Line, which demarcates the borders of Israel and the Palestinian territories.
1967:
- The Six-Day War begins between Israel and its Arab neighbors—Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. Israel takes control of the Gaza Strip, the West Bank (occupied by Jordan since 1948), and the Sinai Peninsula (occupied by Egypt since 1956), as well as East Jerusalem, which is annexed to Israel.
1973:
- The Yom Kippur War—also known as the Arab-Israeli War or the October War—begins with surprise attacks on Israeli positions by Egypt and Syria. Israel regains the territory lost at the beginning of the war, and the war ends in a stalemate.
1987-1993:
- The First Intifada, a wave of Palestinian protests, unrest, and violence, takes place in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, seeking an end to Israeli occupation.
1993:
- The Oslo Accords, signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), initiate the Oslo peace process and create the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) as the governing body for the Palestinian population in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
2000-2005:
- The Second Intifada, another wave of Palestinian protests, unrest, and violence, takes place in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories.
2005:
- Israel unilaterally withdraws from the Gaza Strip, forcibly removing all Israeli settlers and dismantling all Israeli military installations in the area.
2006-2007:
- Hamas wins a majority of seats in the Palestinian Authority's parliamentary elections and forms a government. The United States, the European Union, and Israel refuse to recognize the new government.
2007:
- The Battle of Gaza, also known as the Hamas takeover, begins, resulting in Hamas taking control of the Gaza Strip and the Fatah party retaining control of the West Bank.
2014:
- The Gaza War, also known as Operation Protective Edge, begins between Israel and Hamas, ending in a ceasefire after 50 days.
2017:
- President Trump announces the United States' recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and says that the U.S. Embassy will be moved there. The decision is condemned by the Palestinians and the international community, leading to increased tensions and demonstrations in the region.