Creation of the State of Israel 1947 November 29

The United Nations approves a plan which partitions the western quarter of Palestine into a Jewish and Arab state, keeping the eastern three quarters of Palestine (now modern day Jordan) exclusively Arab. It was accepted by the Jews, but rejected by the Arabs.

1948 May 14

The State of Israel declares itself as an independent nation. Andrei Gromyko, the Soviet Union's UN ambassador, calls for the UN to accept Israel as a member state. The UN approves. The Third Jewish Commonwealth is born, and for the first time in 1,900 years the Jews have a free and independent homeland.

1948 May 15

The moment Israel is born, Syrian, Iraqi, and Egyptian troops invade Israel, publicly stating that they would destroy Israel and all Jews living in it. Israel, outnumbered and unprepared, triumphs. Religious Zionists proclaim that the miracle of Chanukah, "The many delivered into the hands of the few" is repeated. Despite the Arabs total refusal to recognize Israel, offer peace, or even negotiate, Israel unilaterally withdraws from most territories occupied during the war.

1948

Sadly, as a result of the war, over 600,000 Arab refugees and600,000 Jewish refugees are created. Jewish refugess from Arab lands find a home in Israel, but most Arab refugees are permanently detained by Arab nations in refugee camps.

1948 - 1949

Almost 250,000 Holocaust survivors make their way to Israel. "Operation Magic Carpet" brings thousands of Yemenite Jews to Israel. 1956 Arab terrorism against Israel from Egypt increases. Eventually Egypt blockades the Gulf of Aqaba, and closes the Suez canal to Israeli shipping. Egypt's Preside1nt Nassar calls for the destruction of Israel. Terrorism against Israel continues. In response to the closing of the canal, Israel, England, and France go to war and force Egypt to end the blockade of Aqaba, and once again open the canal to all nations. Once again, despite Egypt's refusal to recognize the State of Israel, Israel unilaterally withdraws from Egyptian territory.

1964

Creation of the Palestine Liberation Organization

1966

Shmuel Yosef Agnon(1888-1970) becomes the first Hebrew writer to win the Nobel Prize in literature. One of the central figures in modern Hebrew fiction, his works deal with the conflict between traditional Jewish life and the modern world, and attempt to recapture the fading traditions of the European shtetl (township).

1959 - 1967

Arab terrorists infiltrate Israel with approval of Egyptian and Jordanian governments. Jewish farms in northern Israel are constantly attacked by artillery from Syrian positions on the Golan Heights. The UN refuses to condemn the Arab attacks.

1967 May 17

Egyptian Preside1nt Nasser demands that the UN dismantle the UN Emergency force between Israel and Egypt. Incredibly, the UN complies, leaving Israel open to Egyptian attack.

1967 May 20

Nasser closes the strategic straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping. Arab nations now begin to encircle Israel with over 250,000 Arab troops, 2,000 tanks, and 700 fighter planes and bombers. Nassar and other Arab leaders call for the complete destruction of Israel and all the Jews living in it. The plan for nother Holocaust is evidenced by the motto "Push the Jews into the sea."

1967 June

Nasser states that Egypt is in a state of war with Israel. Egyptian troops group in the Sinai, ready to invade Israel.

1967 June 5-11

The Six Day War. The Israeli air force undertakes a pre-emptive strike against the air forces of Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, successfully destroying 391 planes on the ground and 60 more in the air. Israeli diplomats tell Jordan that they have no quarrel with Jordan, and that if they stay out of the war, Israel will not fight their army. King Hussein of Jordan is led by Egypt to believe that the Arabs will certainly prevail, and so Hussein orders the Jordanian army to attack.

1967 June 7

Israeli forces enter and reunify Jerusalem. The Israeli flag is raised over all Jerusalem at 10:15am. The Temple Mount and the Kotel (Western Wall) are again in Jewish hands after 1900 years of exile. By June 11 the Arab forces are routed, and Israel holds territory in the Golan, the West Bank, and all of the Sinai up to the Suez canal.

As the Jordanians withdraw from Jerusalem, they destroy every synagogue in the city with explosives. It is discovered that during the Jordanian occupation of Jerusalem, they had dug up Jewish graveyards, and used the tombstones to line latrines and build roads.

Israel offers a peace agreement to the Arabs, and offers to return all territory in exchange for a peace treaty. The Arabs reject Israel, refusing to negotiate, compromise, or even accept the existence of the Jewish state.

1973 October 6 - 24

The Yom Kippur War. Syria launches a surprise attack against Israel and invades the Golan Heights at the same time as Egypt attacks Israeli forces in the Sinai. They are joined by forces from Morocco, Iraq, and Jordan. Syria attacks civilians and farming villages. Israeli forces recover from initial disarray, and soon force out the invading Arab armies. Henry Kissinger helps negotiate a cease fire agreement. Israel unilaterally withdraws from Egyptian territory near Cairo and from Syrian territory near Syria, but holds onto the Sinai and Golan Heights. The Arab nations refuse to recognize the State of Israel.

1978 September 18

At Camp David, near Washington D.C., Israel and Egypt sign a comprehensive peace treaty, The Camp David Accord, which included the withdrawal of Israel from the Sinai.

1979 - 1983

Operation Elijah: Rescue of Ethiopian Jewry.

1981

Heavily armed forces of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) occupy and control large areas of Southern Lebanon. Terrorism against Israel increases. The PLO attacks Israel with rockets and artillery, and kills many thousands of Lebanese citizens. Due to continued civil war since 1975, Lebanon has no effective central government, and is powerless to stop the PLO. The UN refuses to condemn or stop the PLO.

1982 June - December

The Lebanon War. Israel invades Southern Lebanon, to drive out the PLO. At first, a few Lebanese welcome the Israelis, but as the occupation grows from weeks to months, popular resentment against Israel grows. Israeli citizens are also unhappy with the war, as losses are heavy, and the goals are not clear. Within six months after the war begins, Israel withdraws from Lebanon, but leaves troops behind in a ten mile wide security zone along the Israeli-Lebanese border. With their allies, the South Lebanon Army, Israel hopes to prevent future assaults.

1984

Operation Moses: Rescue of more Ethiopian Jewry.

1985

Operation Joshua: Further rescue of Ethiopian Jewry.

1987

In response to the continued Israeli administration of the West Bank and Gaza, Palestinians begin the Intifada (uprising); Israel counters the increasing terrorism with strong military and police resistance, but fails to end the fighting. The conflict continues until 1991.

1990

The Soviet Union finally opens its doors to the three million Soviet Jews who had been held as virtual prisoners within their own country. Hundreds of thousands of Soviet Jews choose to leave the Soviet Union and move to Israel.

1990-91

Iraq invades Kuwait, triggering a war between Iraq and Allied United Nations forces. Israel is hit by 30 Scud missiles from Iraq

1991

Operation Solomon: Rescue of the remainder of Ethiopian Jewry in a stunning twenty four hour airlift.

1991 October 30

The Madrid Peace Conference opens in Spain, sponsored by the United States and the Soviet Union.

Sept. 13, 1993

Israel and PLO sign peace treaty. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat shares historic handshake with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin at the White House. Both parties mutually recognize each other. Israel grants the Palestinians limited but increasing political autonomy, paving the way for continuous peace talks.

Oct. 26, 1994

Israel and Jordan sign an official peace treaty. Israel cedes a small amount of contested land to Jordan, and the countries open official diplomatic relations, with open borders and free trade.

Dec. 10, 1994

Arafat, Rabin and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres share Nobel Peace Prize.

November 4th, 1995

Israeli Prime Minister Yitchak Rabin is assassinated by a right-wing ultra-religious Jew who hopes to end the peace process. Shimon Peres (Labor) takes over as Prime Minister

Jan. 20, 1996

First Palestinian elections. Arafat elected preside1nt.

1996

Shimon Peres loses election to Benyamin (Bibi) Netanyahu (Likud party). Less than 1% of the popular vote determines the election. Many credit Netanyahu victory to public outrage over numerous Arab bus suicide bombings in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

1999

Ehud Barak defeats Benyamin Netanyahu in National Elections. Economic stagnation, high unemployment and political infighting in Netanyahus Party (Likud) lead to Barak's victory. Both Barak's party (Labor) and Netanyahus party (Likud) lose large number of seats in the Israeli parliament (Knesset) to smaller parties.

Religious party, Shas, becomes third largest party in Parliament with 17 seats. There are more Religious parliament members than ever before. The government is dependent on small parties to form a ruling coalition. Israeli political system is more fragmented than ever as Barak's party has to incorporate Rightist parties in order to form a coalition.

The world community continues to pressure tiny Israel to retreat from her ancient homeland.

Oct./Nov. 1999

Brings together Israeli Orthodox Settlers (Shuva Israel) with American Bible Believing Christians (For The Sake Of Zion) to carry out the vision of building specialized absorption centers for new immigrants and low cost housing to settle one million Jews in the hills of Judea and Samaria. This will establish the eternal Jewish presence on the land given by G-d to Abraham and his seed for all eternity.