A Brief Timeline of Palestine

Here, we present the series of events that led to what we now know of modern-day Palestine. May this brief record hold as a reminder to future generations, so that they know that some conflicts are not at all complicated.

 

1882
A major Zionist settlement, RISHON LE ZION is established in PALESTINE.

 

1885
The term “Zionist” is coined.

 

1896
DER JUDENSTAAT was written by THEODOR HERZL. Calling for the creation of a Jewish State.

 

1897
The first Zionist congress is held in SWITZERLAND. Soon after, the first Zionist organisation is founded. 

 

1907
Zionist leader CHAIM WEIZMANN steps foot into Palestine for the first time.

 

1908
NAJIB NASSAR, a Palestinian writer publishes the AL-KARMEL newspaper, opposing Zionist colonisation.

 

1915
Zionist British Cabinet Member HERBERT SAMUEL writes the future of PALESTINE, a secret memorandum calling on his cabinet colleagues to support a Zionist settlement in Palestine. 

 

1916
SYKES-PICOT SECRET AGREEMENT is signed. An agreement to divide the MIDDLE EAST for THE FRENCH and BRITISH. 

 

1917
The BALFOUR DECLARATION is introduced. BRITAIN promises a “Jewish national home” on Arab lands. 

 

1919
WASHINGTON sent the KING-CRANE COMMISSION to PALESTINE for surveys and investigations about the future of PALESTINE

 

1922
THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS approves the BRITISH MANDATE for PALESTINE and its purpose of helping establish a Jewish Homeland

 

1929
AL-BURAQ UPRISING takes place. The first mass protest against increased Jewish immigration to PALESTINE

 

1933
Mass protest against Jewish immigration to PALESTINE

 

1935
IZZ AD-DIN AL-QASSAM, a revolutionary leader in  PALESTINE, is murdered by BRITISH FORCES

 

1937
PEEL COMMISSION recommends the partition of PALESTINE and removing Palestinians from lands allocated to a Jewish state

 

1938
General strike in PALESTINE for 6 months to protest Jewish immigration

 

1939
BRITISH smashes the three-year-long ARAB REVOLT

Armed Zionist group, IRGUN, begins attacking Palestinians

 

1942
Zionist conference is held at BILTMORE HOTEL in NEW YORK CITY. Solidifying US-ZIONIST relations

 

1946
IRGUN bombs THE KING DAVID HOTEL in JERUSALEM. Murdering 91 people

 

1947
UN adopts RESOLUTION 181, a partition plan for PALESTINE. Palestinians reject it

 

1948
The year of the Nakbah. Over 80% of Palestinians were expelled from their homes and approximately 80% of Palestinian land seized by ISRAEL.

• JANUARY – ARMED ZIONIST GROUP, HAGANAH, BOMBS THE SEMIRAMIS HOTEL IN JERUSALEM . MORE THAN 20 PEOPLE ARE KILLED

• FEBRUARY – ZIONIST FORCES ATTACK THE VILLAGE OF QISARYA NEAR HAIFA, AN EARLY EXAMPLE OF ETHNIC CLEANSING
• APRIL – STERN GANG AND IRGUN FORCES MASSACRE PALESTINIANS IN THE VILLAGE OF DAYR YASSIN, NEAR JERUSALEM
• MAY – THE STATE OF ISRAEL IS CREATED, SPARKING REGIONAL CONFLICT. THE US AND SOVIET UNION RECOGNISE ISRAEL IMMEDIATELY
• AUGUST – STERN GANG ASSASSINATES FOLKE BERNADOTTE, A SWEDISH DIPLOMAT AND THE UN-APPOINTED MEDIATOR IN PALESTINE (Bernadotte was a known hero who rescued 31,000 Jews from German concentration camps)
• DECEMBER – UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY PASSES RESOLUTION 194, AFFIRMING THE RIGHT OF RETURN OF PALESTINIAN REFUGEES

 

1949

• FEBRUARY to MARCH – TRUCE SIGNED BETWEEN ISRAEL AND NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES: LEBANON, SYRIA, JORDAN AND EGYPT
• DECEMBER – UN ESTABLISHES UNRWA AS AN AGENCY FOR PALESTINIAN REFUGEES

 

1950
JORDAN continues administrative control of the WEST BANK

 

1956
ISRAEL massacres Palestinians in the villages of QALQILYA, KUFR QASSEM, and KHAN YOUNIS

 

1964
THE PALESTINIAN LIBERATION ORGANISATION(PLO) is formed in CAIRO

 

1966
ISRAEL massacres Palestinians in the village of AS-SAMU’

 

1967
ISRAEL OCCUPIES THE REST OF HISTORIC PALESTINE, INCLUDING THE GAZA STRIP AND THE WEST BANK, AS WELL AS THE SYRIAN GOLAN HEIGHTS AND THE EGYPTIAN SINAI

THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL PASSES RESOLUTION 242 CALLING ON ISRAEL TO WITHDRAW FROM TERRITORIES IT OCCUPIED IN 1967

 

1968
The year Israelis began building settlements in the WEST BANK and GAZA STRIP. Israeli settlers were allowed to carry weapons and are protected by the IDF

 

1970
ISRAEL attacks Palestinian freedom fighters during “BLACK SEPTEMBER” in JORDAN

 

1973
THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL passes RESOLUTION 338 following THE OCTOBER WAR, calling for a ceasefire and, once again, for ISRAEL to withdraw from territories it occupied in 1967

 

1974
THE ARAB LEAGUE recognises THE PLO as the sole, legitimate representative body of the Palestinian people

 

1976
ISRAEL steals thousands of hectares of Palestinian land from Palestinian citizens. Mass protests were organised but brutally ended. The incident is now called “LAND DAY” and is commemorated yearly

 

1978
EGYPT and ISRAEL sign the CAMP DAVID ACCORDS

 

1982
ISRAEL invades LEBANON

UN INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SOLIDARITY WITH THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE assigned

 

1987
The first INTIFADA launched in the occupied Palestinian territory

 

1988
THE PLO accepts UN RESOLUTIONS 242 and 338, recognising the state of ISRAEL

 

1991
THE MADRID PEACE CONFERENCE ends with no significant result

 

1992
More multilateral talks take place, but PALESTINE is no closer to statehood

 

1993
The year secret negotiations for the OSLO ACCORDS began. This became a turning point in history, giving hope for peace. But for others, the accords were evident that true peace is impossible

THE PLO and ISRAEL sign THE DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES ON INTERIM SELF-GOVERNMENT ARRANGEMENTS (OSLO I)

 

1995
THE PLO and ISRAEL sign an Interim Agreement granting Palestinians some autonomy in certain parts of THE WEST BANK and GAZA STRIP (OSLO II)

 

1997
THE PLO and ISRAEL sign an agreement that requires Israeli forces to partially withdraw from HEBRON

 

2000
THE PLO and ISRAEL renew final status negotiations at THE CAMP DAVID II SUMMIT

 

2002
ISRAEL reoccupies Palestinian cities in THE WEST BANK as a response to THE SECOND INTIFADA

 

2004
YASSER ARAFAT, leader of THE PLO dies (rumors that he was assassinated continue to this day)

 

2005
ISRAEL conducts its “Disengagement” from GAZA

 

2006
War breaks out between ISRAEL and HEZBOLLAH in LEBANON

 

2008
ISRAEL attacks THE GAZA STRIP (OPERATION CAST LEAD)

Peace activists on two boats drop anchor in GAZA, breaking the Israeli blockade

 

2012
ISRAEL attacks GAZA once more (OPERATION PILLAR OF DEFENSE)

 

2014
ISRAEL launches its biggest assault on GAZA since 1967 (OPERATION PROTECTIVE EDGE)

(Today, an active genocide is taking place in GAZA. Time will tell if the West Bank and GAZA strip will fall under Israel’s already bloodied hands.)