Israel - A Brief History : Modern Era

World War I

1914, July 28^th – WW I began.

1914 – Ottoman Empire joined the Central Powers in WW I.

1918, November 11^th – WW I ended.

1920, August 10^th – Treaty of Sèvres signed between the Ottoman Empire and Allies.  Palestine placed under British mandate.

British Mandate

1917-1918 – During WWI, Palestine was governed by Occupied Enemy Territory Administration (OETA)

1920, July 1^st – Palestine governed under a civil administration

1923, September 29^th – British Mandate for Palestine came into effect.  The Mandate includes Palestine and Transjordan.

1946, May 25^th – Transjordan gain independence.   Officially called Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

1948, May 14^th – British Mandate ended

United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine

1947, November 29^th  - United Nations General Assembly recommended the adoption and implementation of the partition plan of Mandatory Palestine.

The United Nation Partition Plan for Palestine would, after the termination of the British Mandate, lead to the creation of independent Arab and Jewish states and the Special International Regime for the city of Jerusalem.  The Plan sought to address the conflicting objectives and claims of two competing movements : Arab nationalism and Jewish nationalism.

It was accepted by the Jewish  but rejected by leaders of the Arabs.

1947, November 30^th – Civil War started between Arabs and Jewish.

Independent State of Israel

1948, May 14^th – Declaration of Independence of State of Israel.

1948, May 15^th – First Arab-Israel War began with invasion of Arab States

1949 – Armistice Agreements signed between Israel and Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria.

The Armistice Agreements saw Israel had control of Galilee, Jezreel, Negev, West Jerusalem and the Costal Plain.  The Gaza Strip and West Bank were occupied by Egypt and Jordan respectively.

1949, May 11^th – Israel admitted as a member of the UN.

1967, June 5^th  – Third Arab-Israel War (Six-Day War) began with Israel bombing Egyptian air-fields.

Israel took control of West Bank (from Jordan), Gaza Strip (from Egypt), East Jerusalem, Golan Heights and the Sinai Peninsular.

West Bank remained under military occupation.  Gaza Strip remained independent of Israel.  Golan Heights and East Jerusalem occupied by Israel.  Sinai Peninsular has returned to Egypt in 1979 as part of Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty.

Today

Today’s State of Israel is divided into 6 administrative districts : Northern, Haifa, Center, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Southern.   Districts are further divided into 15 sub-districts.

East Jerusalem and Golan Heights considered part of Israel territory.  East Jerusalem has been included in the Jerusalem District as of 1967.  Golan Heights aligned into Northern District.

West Bank and Gaza Strip remained Israeli-occupied territories.  Israel control the airspace, territorial waters and border crossings.  Administration is under Palestinian Authority.