My perception, Google if you want sources
If you disagree, feel free to comment.
According to the Bible, Abraham w Family came to the current state of Israel
after leaving Southern Mesopotania.
Long time after, Jacob (Israel) had 12 sons, forming the 12 Jewish Tribes.
One of them, Joseph, was kidnapped and sold as a slave to Egypt by envious brothers.
(Also mentioned in the Qur'aan, although story differs)
where he became a vice-roy. Later he accepted his family.
Jews ended up as slaves, until one baby boy was adopted by an
Egyptian Princess. The boy, Moses, led by God, managed to extricate
the Jews from Egypt, and they wandered in Sinai for 40 years,
to get rid of the "slave-mindedness".
Led by Joshua, the Jewish Tribes conquered the current state of Israel
including the West Bank , where they ruled for approximately 600 years,
during which time the first temple was built by Salomon.
This period end by the Assyrian conquest.
They are later deported to Babylon, but are allowed to return ~60 years later by Cyrus.
They are ruled by Persians, then Greeks, until the Maccabees revolt 167 BC.
The kingdom is conquered by the Romans 63BC (Pompejus).
Herod the Great, King of the Jews, but vassal of Rome build the Second Temple.
Jesus Christ is born and dies on the Cross, with followers creating the Christian Religion.
Jews revolt in 66AD, and after the end of the revolt, the Romans banned the Jewish religion,
and a lot of Jews were sold as slaves, others fled abroad, a lot to Egypt,
creating the Jewish Diaspora. Israel was renamed to "Syria Palaestina"
by the Romans.
A lot of others fled to Western Europe, where they were persecuted
mainly because they were considered responsible for the death of Jesus Christ.
Constantine the Great, make Christianity the preferred Religion of the Roman Empire.
~600-700, Muhammed creates Islam.
Muslims conquered the area from the East Romans, the Byzantians.
Jews and Christians were allowed to keep their religion,
under the Dhimmi Apartheid system. Jerusalem is named Al-Quds.
The Al-Aqsa mosque is built in the Jerusalem Temple Area to celebrate
Muhammeds "Nocturnal Journey"
Due to persecutions of Christian Pilgrims, the Crusades occur.
Crusaders considers Jews no better than Muslims, so a lot of Jews
got killed, especially after the conquest of Jerusalem.
The Kingdom of Jerusalem lasts from 1099 to 1187.
Saladin then reconquers Jerusalem, and later makes an agreement with
Richard the Lionheart, for decent treatment of Pilgrims.
A brief period from 1229 to 1244, Jerusalem is under Christian rule,
following the 6th Crusade, but are then sacked by Tartars, which are in
turn driven out by Mameluks a few year later.
1517, the Ottoman Turks conquer the area from the Mameluks.
Jerusalem remains under Turkish rule until the end of the WWI.
Jews form around 30-50% of the inhabitants.
At the end of the 19th century, the Zionism movement arises,
with Theodor Herzls book "Der Judenstaat" as a basis.
This book argues that the anti-semitism cannot be curbed in Europe
so a Jewish State must be created. The first Zionist World Congress
establish the goal to be a homeland in Palestine.
Jews start to emigrate to Palestine in larger numbers
Great Britain supports the Zionist Movement through the Balfour Declaration.
"His Majesty's government view with favour the establishment in Palestine
of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their
best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object,
it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may
prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing
non-Jewish communities in Palestine,
or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country"
Great Britain rules Palestine under a mandate after WW1.
Jews emigrate to Palestine in even greater numbers. Initially welcomed
by some Arabs, including king Faisal, others disagree.
Significant purchases of land from rich Arab landowners, causes
current farmers, previously leasing from the said landowners to have
to move out, causing a lot of tension and an Arab revolt vs the British.
There is also significant fighting between Jews and Arabs.
Great Britain responds by severely curtailing Jewish Immigration,
but individual British help Jew immigration.
Some Jews like the Stern-Gang and Irgun respond by Terrorist attack vs the British.
After the War, Great Britain had enough, and decided to leave Palestine.
They recommend splitting it up in an Arab and an Israeli part with
Jerusalem as a separate entity.
When the vote goes through in the UN General Assembly, Britain abstains.
Israel declares their Independence, and the next day they are attacked
by all the surrounding Arab State, and a lot of Palestinians flee (710k)
reason beeing debated, some claim Arab States recommended them to leave
to allow the Arab armies to clean up. Others that they were scared by
Jewish Terrorist attacks. They are not allowed back after Israel wins.
Jordan annexes what remains of the British mandate, and no Palestinian state
is thus created.
About 850k Jews flee Arab states to Israel after the war.
No peace after the war, with multiple skirmishes occuring.
1956, Nasser unilaterally assumes control over the Suez-Canal, and
is subsuquently attacked by Israel. "Peace forces" from France and Great Britain
intervene and take control over the Suez-Canal.
They actually work in a master plan with Israel.
United States steps in with direct threats vs Great Britain, including
threating terminating Great Britains war loans immediately, thus bankrupcying
Great Britain, if they do not pull back.
Great Britain, France retreats with tails behind legs, and Israel retreats back to 1948 borders.
PLO is formed 1964 and started attacking Israel until 1993, accepting key UN resolutions.
1967, Nasser forms a coalition with Syria with the openly stated goal of
crushing Israel. Israel responds with a premptive attack, and occupies
the Golan Heights, West Bank, Gaza and Sinai.
Israel annexes Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, which is not recognized
outside Israel.
Israel divides the West Bank into territories and start the first settlements
to allow early defense postures, later significant numbers of Jews settles
in the West Bank and Gaza. Territories are seized using among other things
the Ottoman Land Code of 1958. The legality has been critizised by B'tselem
1970, Palestinians start hi-jacking civilian airliners.
1972, Israeli athletes are brutally murdered by Palestinians during
the Munich Olympics. This is followed by an Israeli assassination
campaign all over Middle East and Europe. Killing the wrong guy
in Norway, puts a stop to that campaign, but has been followed by others.
1973, Egypt and Syria, makes a surprise attack, and Egypt is initially
highly successful, achieving limited goals. Syria fails miserably,
and is routed. In an attempt to relieve Syria, Egypt advances past
its SAM umbrella and gets plastered.
US, initially providing massive support to Israel tells Israel
to halt. Soviet threats of sending multiple airborne divisions
to the help of Syria is also an influence.
American Influence in Egypt starts to grow as a result.
Anwar Sadat flies to Israel, and makes a Peace Agreement with
the former member of Irgun, now Prime Minister, Menachim Begin.
He is assassinated by the Muslim Brotherhood.
1982 Invasion of Lebanon, which drives out PLO.
Israel later leaves Lebanon, after Hezbollah attacks.
Later fights inconclusive war with Hezbollah, after Israeli Soldier
is abducted. Hezbollah claims win, Israeli for sure doesn't.
Clear loser is Lebanon, and Hezbollah has kept a low profile since then.
Jordan cedes its claim on the West Bank in 1988.
They normalize the relations with Israel in 1994.
Under the Oslo Accords, a plan for Israel leaving parts of West Bank/Gaza
is formulated, and PLO recognizes Israel.
The result leaves both parties disappointed.
Yitshak Rabin is assassinated by an Israeli terrorist.
Next election, Benjamin Netanyahu, the current prime minister
is elected the first time. Netanyahus brother was killed
while trying to save Israeli hostages during the Entebbe Raid.
In 2000, President Clinton invites Yassir Arafat and Ehud Barak to Camp David,
and this is as close to a peace agreement, there has been.
Agreement falls apart mainly on rights for all Palestinian refugees
to return. Israel is prepared to allow a maximum of 100,000.
Status of East Jerusalem is also hotly debated and security issues.
Some claim Yassir Arafat was afraid to be assassinated if he accepted
that not all Palestinians were allowed to return.
Shortly afterwards, Ariel Sharon provokes Palestinians, by
making a visit to the Temple Mound, fueling off the Second Intifada.
Suicide attacks vs civilians soon make Ariel Sharon the next prime minister.
Suicide attacks are finally stopped by a wall which is built partly
on the West Bank (to protect settlements). The legality of the
wall has been questioned by many international authorities.
The Israeli Supreme Court forced the wall to be rerouted,
but deemed the wall itself legal.
2005 Israel approves the Disengagement plan for Gaza, which
results in all settlers forced to leave, and their homes are demolished.
After Israel's withdrawal, the Palestinians were given control over the Gaza Strip,
except for the borders, the airspace and the territorial waters
While International Law does not define Gaza as occupied, the UN
has not updated the status accordingly and formally views Gaza as occupied.
Following the disengagement, Hamas is elected as the Palestinian Government
which is followed by a Civil War, which results in PLO losing all influence.
Neither EU nor United States accepts relations with Hamas, unless they fullfil
three basic demands:
* A Palestinian state must recognize the state of Israel without
prejudging what various grievances or claims are appropriate,
* Abide by previous diplomatic agreements, and
* Renounce violence as a means of achieving goals
Hamas has so far not fulfilled these demands.
During skirmishes between Israel and Palestinians, the IDF soldier Gilad Shalit
is captured, and kept as a hostage and is a thorn for many years.
Palestinians fire missiles vs Israel, mostly non-Hamas, but seen by Israel
as with Hamas consent. Israel uses artillery to fire at Gaza.
After beach-visitors are killed by what is suspected to be Israeli artillery
Hamas withdraws formally from the cease-fire. This is quickly followed
by the Israeli Blockade, which last until today.
A plan for similar disengagement from West Bank is abolished for security
reasons, and a pro-settler government (headed by Netanyahu) is again elected
with fanatical settler party beeing a member.
Since then a steady flow of missiles has rained over Israel, and
Israel precision air attacks, targeting high level Hamas & other orgs.
Multiple accusations of war crimes, and crimes vs humanity from both sides
has occured. The Ships to Gaza affair.
Occasionally it has escalated to hot war, with the Palestinian
goal of getting rid of the blockade as a condition,
but always ending in a non-conditional cease-fire.
Hamas has not allowed new elections to occur, but now they are supposed to happen.
And there we are now.