History of Israel

This article discusses the history of the modern State of Israel , from its inception in 1948 to the present. See also History of Palestine for history of the region from approximately 600 BCE to 1948 CE, and History of ancient Israel and Judah for prior history. See Zionism and Timeline of Zionism for issues pertaining the history of the Zionist movement.

Second Temple period Timeline Rabbinic period and the Middle Ages Modern era Timeline 1517–1948: Ottoman rule Old Yishuv Zionism Yishuv OETA British Mandate Balfour Declaration 1948–present : State of Israel years Independence Arab–Israeli conflict Iran–Israel proxy conflict By topic Demographics Judaism Leaders Warfare Zionism Jerusalem Related Jewish history Hebrew calendar Archaeology Museums Maps Travelogues Israel portal v t e The history of Israel encompasses the history of the Jews in the Land of Israel , as well as the history of the modern State of Israel . The area of modern Israel is small, about the size of Wales or half the size of Costa Rica , and is located roughly on the site of the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah except that these ancient kingdoms also included what is now the West Bank . It is the birthplace of the Hebrew language spoken in Israel, and of the Abrahamic religions . It contains sites sacred to Judaism , Christianity , Islam , Druze and Bahá'í Faith . Although coming under the sway of various empires and home to a variety of ethnicities, the Land of Israel was predominantly Jewish until the 3rd century. The area became increasingly Christian after the 3rd century and then largely Muslim some centuries following the 7th century conquest until the middle of the 20th century. It was a focal point of conflict between Christianity and Islam between 1096 and 1291, and from the end of the Crusades until the British conquest in 1917 was part of the Syrian province of first the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt and then (from 1517) the Ottoman Empire . In the late-19th century, persecution of Jews, particularly in Europe, led to the creation of the Zionist movement. Following the British conquest of Syria, the Balfour Declaration in World War I and the formation of the Mandate of Palestine , Aliyah (Jewish immigration to the Land of Israel ) increased and gave rise to Arab–Jewish tensions , and a collision of the Arab and Jewish nationalist movements. Israeli independence in 1948 was marked by massive migration of Jews from both Europe and the Muslim countries to Israel, and of Arabs from Israel leading to the extensive Arab–Israeli conflict . About 42% of the world's Jews live in Israel today, the largest Jewish community in the world. Since about 1970, the United States has become the principal ally of Israel . In 1979 an uneasy Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty was signed, based on the Camp David Accords . In 1993 Israel signed Oslo I Accord with the Palestine Liberation Organization and in 1994 Israel–Jordan Treaty of Peace was signed. Despite efforts to establish peace between Israel and Palestinians , many of whom live in Israel or in Israeli-occupied territories , the conflict continues to play a major role in Israeli and international political, social and economic life. The economy of Israel was initially primarily socialist and the country dominated by social democratic parties until the 1970s. Since then the Israeli economy has gradually moved to capitalism and a free market economy, partially retaining the social welfare system.

History of ancient Israel and Judah as well as modern Israel Second Temple period Timeline Rabbinic period and the Middle Ages Modern era Timeline 1517–1948: Ottoman rule Old Yishuv Zionism Yishuv OETA British Mandate Balfour Declaration 1948–present : State of Israel years Independence Arab–Israeli conflict Iran–Israel proxy conflict By topic Demographics Judaism Leaders Warfare Zionism Jerusalem Related Jewish history Hebrew calendar Archaeology Museums Maps Travelogues Israel portal v t e The Land of Israel , also known as the Holy Land or Palestine , is the birthplace of the Jewish people , the place where the final form of the Hebrew Bible is thought to have been compiled, and the birthplace of Judaism and Christianity . It contains sites sacred to Judaism , Samaritanism , Christianity , Islam , Druze and the Bahá'í Faith . The region has come under the sway of various empires and, as a result, has hosted a wide variety of ethnicities. However, the land was predominantly Jewish (who are themselves an outgrowth of the earlier Canaanites ) from roughly 1,000 years before the Common Era (BCE) until the 3rd century of the Common Era (CE) . The adoption of Christianity by the Roman Empire in the 4th century led to a Greco-Roman Christian majority which lasted not just until the 7th century when the area was conquered by the Arab Muslim Empires , but for another full six centuries. It gradually became predominantly Muslim after the end of the Crusader period (1099-1291), during which it was the focal point of conflict between Christianity and Islam. From the 13th century it was mainly Muslim with Arabic as the dominant language and was first part of the Syrian province of the Mamluk Sultanate and after 1516 part of the Ottoman Empire until the British conquest in 1917-18 . A Jewish national movement, Zionism , emerged in the late-19th century (partially in response to growing antisemitism ), as part of which Aliyah (Jewish return from diaspora ) increased. During World War I , the British government publicly committed to create a Jewish National Home and was granted a Mandate to rule Palestine by the League of Nations for this purpose. A rival Arab nationalism also claimed rights over the former Ottoman territories and sought to prevent Jewish migration into Palestine, leading to growing Arab–Jewish tensions . Israeli independence in 1948 was accompanied by an exodus of Arabs from Israel, the Arab–Israeli conflict and a subsequent Jewish exodus from Arab and Muslim countries to Israel. About 43% of the world's Jews live in Israel today, the largest Jewish community in the world. Since about 1970, the United States has become the principal ally of Israel . In 1979, an uneasy Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty was signed, based on the Camp David Accords . In 1993, Israel signed Oslo I Accord with the Palestine Liberation Organization , followed by establishment of the Palestinian National Authority and in 1994 Israel–Jordan peace treaty was signed. Despite efforts to finalize the peace agreement , the conflict continues to play a major role in Israeli and international political, social and economic life. The economy of Israel was initially primarily democratic socialist and the country dominated by social democratic parties until the 1970s. Since then the Israeli economy has gradually moved to capitalism and a free market economy, partially retaining the social welfare system. The Chosen Few: How Education Shaped Jewish History, 70–1492", by Botticini and Eckstein, Chapter 1, especially page 17, Princeton 2012 "Declaration of Establishment of State of Israel" .

Second Temple period Timeline Rabbinic period and the Middle Ages Modern era Timeline 1517–1948: Ottoman rule Old Yishuv Zionism Yishuv OETA British Mandate Balfour Declaration 1948–present : State of Israel years Independence Arab–Israeli conflict Iran–Israel proxy conflict By topic Demographics Judaism Leaders Warfare Zionism Jerusalem Related Jewish history Hebrew calendar Archaeology Museums Maps Travelogues Israel portal v t e The history of Israel covers an area of the Southern Levant also known as Canaan , Palestine or the Holy Land , which is the geographical location of the modern states of Israel and Palestine . From a prehistory as part of the critical Levantine corridor , which witnessed waves of early humans out of Africa, to the emergence of Natufian culture c. 10th millennium BCE, the region entered the Bronze Age c. 2,000 BCE with the development of Canaanite civilization, before being vassalized by Egypt in the Late Bronze Age . In the Iron Age , the kingdoms of Israel and Judah were established, entities that were central to the origins of the Jewish and Samaritan peoples as well as the Abrahamic faith tradition . This has given rise to Judaism , Samaritanism , Christianity , Islam , Druzism , Baha'ism , and a variety of other religious movements. Throughout the course of human history, the Land of Israel has come under the sway or control of various polities, and as a result, it has historically hosted a wide variety of ethnic groups. In the following centuries, the Assyrian , Babylonian , and Persian Empires conquered the region. The Ptolemies and the Seleucids vied for control over the region during the Hellenistic period . However, with the establishment of the Hasmonean dynasty , the local Jewish population maintained independence for a century before being incorporated into the Roman Republic . As a result of the Jewish-Roman Wars in the 1st and 2nd centuries CE, many Jews were killed, displaced or sold into slavery. Following the advent of Christianity, which was adopted by the Greco-Roman world under the influence of the Roman Empire , the region's demographics shifted towards newfound Christians , who replaced Jews as the majority of the population by the 4th century. However, shortly after Islam was consolidated across the Arabian Peninsula under Muhammad , Byzantine Christian rule over the Land of Israel was superseded by the Arab conquest of the Levant in the 7th century. From the 11th century to the 13th century, the Land of Israel became the centre for intermittent religious wars between Christian and Muslim armies as part of the Crusades . In the 13th century, the Land of Israel became subject to the Mongol invasions and conquests , though these were locally routed by the Mamluk Sultanate , under whose rule it remained until the 16th century. The Mamluks were eventually defeated by the Ottoman Empire , and the region became an Ottoman province until the 20th century. The late 19th century saw the widespread consolidation of a Jewish nationalist movement known as Zionism , as part of which aliyah (Jewish return to the Land of Israel from the diaspora ) increased. During World War I , the Sinai and Palestine campaign of the Allies led to the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire . Britain was granted control of the region by League of Nations mandate , in what became known as Mandatory Palestine . The British government publicly committed itself to the creation of a Jewish homeland . Arab nationalism opposed this design, asserting Arab rights over the former Ottoman territories and seeking to prevent Jewish migration. As a result, Arab–Jewish tensions grew in the succeeding decades of British administration. In 1948, the Israeli Declaration of Independence sparked the 1948 Arab–Israeli War , which resulted in the 1948 Palestinian expulsion and flight and subsequently led to waves of Jewish emigration from other parts of the Middle East . Today, approximately 43 percent of the global Jewish population resides in Israel. In 1979, the Egypt–Israel peace treaty was signed, based on the Camp David Accords . In 1993, Israel signed the Oslo I Accord with the Palestine Liberation Organization , which was followed by the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority . In 1994, the Israel–Jordan peace treaty was signed. Despite efforts to finalize the peace agreement , the conflict continues to play a major role in Israeli and international political, social, and economic life. Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites" Facts On File, Incorporated (2009). Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Africa and the Middle East . "The people of the Kingdom of Israel and the ethnic and religious group known as the Jewish people that descended from them have been subjected to a number of forced migrations in their history" Harry Ostrer MD (2012). Legacy: A Genetic History of the Jewish People . In the broader sense of the term, a Jew is any person belonging to the worldwide group that constitutes, through descent or conversion, a continuation of the ancient Jewish people, who were themselves descendants of the Hebrews of the Old Testament. The named reference Mor, M. 2016. P471 was invoked but never defined (see the help page ).

Visual History of Israel by Arthur Szyk , 1948 Second Temple period Timeline Rabbinic period and the Middle Ages Modern era Timeline 1517–1948: Ottoman rule Old Yishuv Zionism Yishuv OETA British Mandate Balfour Declaration 1948–present : State of Israel years Independence Arab–Israeli conflict Iran–Israel proxy conflict By topic Demographics Judaism Leaders Warfare Zionism Jerusalem Related Jewish history Hebrew calendar Archaeology Museums Maps Travelogues Israel portal v t e The history of Israel covers an area of the Southern Levant also known as Canaan , Palestine , or the Holy Land , which is the geographical location of the modern states of Israel and Palestine . From a prehistory as part of the critical Levantine corridor , which witnessed waves of early humans out of Africa, to the emergence of Natufian culture c. 10th millennium BCE, the region entered the Bronze Age c. 2,000 BCE with the development of Canaanite civilization, before being vassalized by Egypt in the Late Bronze Age . In the Iron Age , the kingdoms of Israel and Judah were established, entities that were central to the origins of the Jewish and Samaritan peoples as well as the Abrahamic faith tradition . This has given rise to Judaism , Samaritanism , Christianity , Islam , Druzism , Baha'ism , and a variety of other religious movements. Throughout the course of human history, the Land of Israel has seen many conflicts and come under the sway or control of various polities and, as a result, it has historically hosted a wide variety of ethnic groups. In the following centuries, the Assyrian , Babylonian , Achaemenid , and Macedonian empires conquered the region. The Ptolemies and the Seleucids vied for control over the region during the Hellenistic period . However, with the establishment of the Hasmonean dynasty , the local Jewish population maintained independence for a century before being incorporated into the Roman Republic . As a result of the Jewish–Roman wars in the 1st and 2nd centuries CE, many Jews were killed, displaced or sold into slavery. Following the advent of Christianity, which was adopted by the Greco-Roman world under the influence of the Roman Empire , the region's demographics shifted towards newfound Christians , who replaced Jews as the majority of the population by the 4th century. However, shortly after Islam was consolidated across the Arabian Peninsula under Muhammad in the 7th century, Byzantine Christian rule over the Land of Israel was superseded in the Muslim conquest of the Levant by the Rashidun Caliphate , to later be ruled by the Umayyad , Abbasid , and Fatimid caliphates, before being conquered by the Seljuks in the 1070s. Throughout the 12th and much of the 13th century, the Land of Israel became the centre for intermittent religious wars between European Christian and Muslim armies as part of the Crusades , with the Kingdom of Jerusalem being almost entirely overrun by Saladin 's Ayyubids late in the 12th century, although the Crusaders managed to first expand from their remaining outposts, and then hang on to their constantly decreasing territories for another century. In the 13th century, the Land of Israel became subject to Mongol conquest , though this was stopped by the Mamluk Sultanate , under whose rule it remained until the 16th century. The Mamluks were eventually defeated by the Ottoman Empire , and the region became an Ottoman province until the early 20th century. The late 19th century saw the rise of a Jewish nationalist movement in Europe known as Zionism , as part of which aliyah (Jewish immigration to the Land of Israel from the diaspora ) increased. During World War I , the Sinai and Palestine campaign of the Allies led to the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire . Britain was granted control of the region by League of Nations mandate , in what became known as Mandatory Palestine . The British government had publicly committed itself to the creation of a Jewish homeland in the 1917 Balfour declaration . Palestinian Arabs opposed this design, asserting their rights over the former Ottoman territories and seeking to prevent Jewish immigration. As a result, Arab–Jewish tensions grew in the succeeding decades of British administration. In late 1947, the United Nations voted for the partition of Mandate Palestine and the creation of a Jewish and an Arab state on its territory; the Jews accepted the plan, while the Arabs rejected it. A civil war ensued, won by the Jews. In May 1948, the Israeli Declaration of Independence sparked the 1948 War in which Israel repelled the invading armies of the neighbouring states. It resulted in the 1948 Palestinian expulsion and flight and subsequently led to waves of Jewish emigration from other parts of the Middle East . Today, approximately 43 percent of the global Jewish population resides in Israel. In 1979, the Egypt–Israel peace treaty was signed, based on the Camp David Accords . In 1993, Israel signed the Oslo I Accord with the Palestine Liberation Organization , which was followed by the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority . In 1994, the Israel–Jordan peace treaty was signed. Despite efforts to finalize a peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians , the conflict continues to play a major role in Israeli and international political, social, and economic life. Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites" Facts On File, Incorporated (2009). Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Africa and the Middle East . "The people of the Kingdom of Israel and the ethnic and religious group known as the Jewish people that descended from them have been subjected to a number of forced migrations in their history" Harry Ostrer MD (2012). Legacy: A Genetic History of the Jewish People . In the broader sense of the term, a Jew is any person belonging to the worldwide group that constitutes, through descent or conversion, a continuation of the ancient Jewish people, who were themselves descendants of the Hebrews of the Old Testament. The Second Jewish Revolt . Land confiscation in Judaea was part of the suppression of the revolt policy of the Romans and punishment for the rebels. But the very claim that the sikarikon laws were annulled for settlement purposes seems to indicate that Jews continued to reside in Judaea even after the Second Revolt. There is no doubt that this area suffered the severest damage from the suppression of the revolt. Settlements in Judaea, such as Herodion and Bethar, had already been destroyed during the course of the revolt, and Jews were expelled from the districts of Gophna, Herodion, and Aqraba. However, it should not be claimed that the region of Judaea was completely destroyed. Jews continued to live in areas such as Lod (Lydda), south of the Hebron Mountain, and the coastal regions. In other areas of the Land of Israel that did not have any direct connection with the Second Revolt, no settlement changes can be identified as resulting from it.