Historical Timeline

60,000 BC: Early Cultures, Emiran (60-40K BP), Ahmarian (46-42K BP)
23,000 BC: Last Glacial Maximum, Lavantine Aurignacian & Kebaran stone age cultures
13,000 BC: Natufian communities transition from hunter gatherer to permanent settlements, agriculture, domestication of animals and plants, and ritual burial. Pre-Proto-Semitic language.
10,000 BC: Jericho oldest permanent agricultural Natufian settlement
7000 BC: Megiddo early Yarmukian settlement along ancient trade routes
5000 BC: Chalcolithic Copper Age Levant region of Canaan was key passage between early Sumer and Egypt for traders and nomads, first metal processing.
3000 BC: Early Bronze Age settlements in Jerusalem, Gaza, Hebron, and Jaffa
2000 BC - 600 BC: both Jewish and Palestinian people have ancient common history in the region, as well as common Semitic tribal ancestry and languages, descending from mixing of Sumerians, Egyptians, Canaanites, Phoenicians, Philistines, Israelites, Ishmaelites, Arabs, and surrounding tribes during the Bronze Age and Iron Age, leading up to Assyrian and Babylonian empires conquering Kingdoms of Israel & Judah and Philistine City States 700-600 BC.

Abraham ~2000 BC (oral tradition memory, written in religious texts many centuries later, no archeological evidence after many decades of intensive excavations)

Born in Ur of the Chaldees city of Sumerian civilization of Mesopotamia region, current day south-central Iraq. Traveled with father and wife toward Canaan, but settled in Haran, current day southern Turkey north of Syria.
Genesis 12:1-3 “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
Traveled to Shechem in Canaan, near current day Nablus, and settled in Bethel, near current day Ramallah. Traveled to Egypt due to famine in Canaan, and later returned to Canaan.
Genesis 15:18-21 “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”
Ishmael first son with wife’s handmaiden Hagar, Isaac second son with wife Sarah. Ishmael and Hagar forced to leave by Abraham and Sarah, who then traveled to Mecca in Arabian desert and later built Kabba. 12 tribes of Ishmael descended from his 12 sons and 12 tribes of Israel descended form 12 sons of Jacob/Israel son of Isaac evolved over next ~1,000 years into many kingdoms until conquering by Assyrians and Babylonians.
Early Israelites: Moses in Egypt & Exodus (circa 1400 BC), Conquest of Canaan and Period of Judges (1300-1000 BC), Saul, David, and Solomon kings of Israel (1000-930 BC), Divided Kingdoms of Israel and Judah (931 BC). Reality was diverse tribal kingdoms.

600 BC - 1800: Long history of Persian, Hellenistic, Seleucid, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, and Ottoman empires, where despite the ongoing regional wars, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim indigenous peoples, as well as other groups, lived together during many peaceful periods.

Region was referred to as variations of the name Palestine by classical Greeks, Romans, Christian Byzantines and Medieval Arabs, and for more than 1500 yrs the term Palestine also had official administrative status. Peleset, Palashtu, Pilistu, Palaistinē, Palaestina, Philistia, Filastin, Plishtim.
Second Temple in Jerusalem after Babylonian exodus (535 BC), Torah written (450 BC), ‘Histories’ by Greek Herodotus makes first reference to ‘Palaistine’ as region between Phoenicia and Egypt (430 BC), Roman control of Palestine (63 BC), Christianity, Jewish Revolts against Roman rule (66-136), Muhammad (570-632), Quran written (655), Arab-Muslim expansion (632-750), Shia Sunni division (680) Hussein revolt with partisans of Ali (Shia Ali) in the east against current Sunni orthodox caliphate, Christian Crusader Period (1095-1291), Ayyubid & Mamluk Periods (1187-1516)

1800-1914: As the industrial revolution developed in Palestine, the region became a greater economic hub connected to other cities through trains and shipping. The power of Ottoman empire declined as British, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish empires compete for land, resources, and trade routes throughout Mediterranean, North Africa, Levant, and Arabia, leading up to WW1 and end of Ottoman empire. British and Zionist colonial organizations emerge to promote Jewish settlements and secure land in Palestine due in part to Russian and Eastern European pogroms forcing greater migration to Western Europe, US, and Palestine.

1844: ‘British and Foreign Society for promoting the Restoration of the Jewish Nation to Palestine’ formed to promote Jewish settlements in Palestine
1850: ‘British Society for the Promotion of Jewish Agricultural Labour in the Holy Land’
1881-1882: Russian pogroms and anti-Semitic attacks kill more than 40 Jews
1882: Rishon le Zion, first major Zionist settlement established in Palestine
1886: ‘Jewish Colonisation Association’ JCA starts facilitating mass emigration to Palestine
1896: Theodor Herzl publishes Judenstaat, calling for creation of Jewish state
1897: First Zionist Congress in Switzerland, first Zionist organization
1903-1906: Russian pogroms and anti-Semitic attacks kills more than 2,000 Jews
1910: Degania Alef, first kibbutz Jewish communal farming settlement

1914-1918: WW1, Brittan makes promises to both Jews and Arabs for homeland in Palestine in return for support in the war.

1915-1916: Hussein-McMahon Correspondence, agreements for Arab homeland including Palestine in exchange for fighting against Ottomans.
1916: The Sykes-Picot Agreement, British & French secret agreement to limit Arab Kingdom territory and carve up remaining regions into new states of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, proposes Palestine as International zone.
1917: The Balfour Declaration, from British minister calls for Jewish homeland
1918: Anglo-French Proclamation to former Ottoman Empire, calls for liberation of indigenous Arab peoples of the former empire and establishing free elected governments.

1918-1920: Russian Pogroms during revolution and civil war kills more than 250,000 Jews
1920-1948: British Mandate signed in April 1920. After the war, British is openly biased toward a Jewish Zionist state at the expense of the Arab population, greatly facilitating and accelerating the settler movement in Palestine, violently repressing protests, and fueling frustrations and conflict from majority Arab population, leading up to Nakba, and founding of State of Israel.
1920: Nebi Musa Riots, April, Jerusalem and other areas, religious festival led to violent protests and clashes and causalities on both sides, 5 Jews killed, 4 Arabs killed
1920: Haganah, June, early paramilitary units formed to defend Jewish settlements from Arab attacks, reorganized as the core of Israel Defense Forces in 1948.
1921: Jaffa Riots, 47 Jews killed, 48 Arabs killed
1923: British Mandate in effect 9/29/1923, 100 years and 7 days before 10/07/23
1924: Palestine Jewish Colonization Association PICA by Edmond James de Rothschild
1929: Al Buraq Uprising, first mass protests against increased Jewish migration. 100s of Jews and Arabs killed and wounded in attacks against each other, quelled by British forces. Haganah becomes a much larger organization involving most the Jewish population.
1930s: greater Jewish immigration, open Arab rebellion against Jews and British, continued attacks by Jewish Haganah and Irgun militia through the decade.
1931: Irgun Zionist terrorist militia group founded, more offensive offshoot of Haganah
1935: Izz ad-Din al Qassam leader of Palestinian fighters against Jewish and British targets killed 11/20 after British manhunt
1936: Jaffa Riots, April, 14 Jews killed, 2 Arabs killed
1936: Labor General Strike, escalating violence coinciding with peak in Jewish immigration (up to 30% of population from 5% in 1915), and retaliation for killing of al-Qassam leads to general strike from April-October, Arab Higher Committee formed April, demanding Arab independence and national government, and end to open-ended Jewish immigration policy.
1936-1939: Arab Revolt violent clashes erupt into full violent insurrection by end of 1936 and lasting until 1939, British declare martial law and dissolve Arab Higher Committee. 100s of Jews killed, and over 5,000 Arabs killed, over 5,000 Arabs arrested, over 15,000 Arabs wounded.
1937: Peel Commission, early British plan to partition territory between Jews and Arabs.
1937: Irgun bombing attack on British police station in Jerusalem
1938: Zionist terrorist bombings kill 68 Palestinians, at markets and bus stations
1939: British peak violence against Arabs, conducting executions, assassinations, infiltrations, setting up Islamic national clubs to infiltrate villages, targeted watch lists, disarming of Arab communities, all Arab revolt elements are crushed or fled to other countries.
1939: British White Paper, calls for Jewish national home, but restricts immigration/territory, also calls to establish independent Palestinian state within 10yrs, where Arabs and Jews share government, no partition.
1939-1945: WW2, many Jews involved with British war, receiving military training, continued protest and frustration by Jews over limitations on Jewish migration to Palestine.
1941-1945: Holocaust by Nazi Germany systematically murders 6 million Jews, around 2/3rds of Europe’s Jewish population.
1940s: Village Files Project, Jewish intelligence card index system survey of all Palestinian lands, villages, and peoples, what kind of assets, how many guns, how many men/women/children.
1942: Biltmore Declaration, Zionist conference in New York, Ben Gurion and Weitzman. shift to US as primary supporter of Zionism instead of Brittan. Condemns British limits on immigration, and call for Jewish commonwealth in all of Palestine and a more expansionist vision.
1940: Lehi, Stern Gang, Zionist terrorist militia group founded, split from Irgun.
1943: Lebanese Independence from French mandate
1944: World Jewish Conference, in New Jersey, calls to establish Jewish commonwealth
1944: Lord Moyne assassination by Lehi in Cairo, was representative of British policy, known for opposition to unrestricted Jewish immigration to Palestine.
1945: US Truman calls for Jewish immigration to Palestine.
1946: King David Hotel explosion in Jerusalem by Irgun, kills 91. Jewish militia and terrorists continue escalating attacks against British. British begin process of withdrawal from Palestine.
1947: more explosions and killings of British by Jewish paramilitaries. kidnapping and execution of British soldiers, truck explosions at British police stations, decision to end British Mandate in Palestine and hand over to UN.
1947 November: UN Israel-Palestine partition plan resolution 181 on 11/29, date becomes annual ‘International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People’. Jewish people owned ~6% of land but were partitioned 56% of land.
1948

1948: Nakba, mass forced displacement and killings of Palestinians throughout more than 500 villages. ~7-15K ~1% killed, 700-800K+ ~60%+ displaced, ~1.3m total population before the war. 80% of Palestinian land seized by Israel after war. Refers to ongoing displacement and massacres that occurred before and after 1948 peak violence.
1948 January: Semiramis Hotel in Jerusalem bombed by Haganah, kills more than 20, Jaffa Gate barrel bomb kills 20 Arabs.
1948 February: Qisarya Massacre by Haganah occupies, terrorizes, and destroys village displacing ~20,000 people. Sa’sa Massacre kills 60 Arabs in their homes.
1948 March: Plan Dalet, plan to annex all of Palestine for Jews and expel all Arab populations. Al-Husayniyya Massacre by Haganah kills more then 30 women in children.
1948 April: Deir Yassin Massacre, over 100 Palestinians killed and village destroyed by Irgun and Lehi fighters, Hadassah Medical Convoy Massacre, 78 Jews killed by Arab legion.
1948 May: Ein al Zeitun Massacre 5/1 by Israel, Kfar Etzion Massacre 5/13 by Arab legion, Abu Shusha Massacre by Israel 5/13. Jewish call to draft and vote on Independence 5/12.
1948 May: Israeli Declaration of Independence 5/14, End of British Mandate 5/14, Arab-Israel War starts 5/15 to prevent Israel as a unilateral state and resist the partition plan.
1948 May: Tantura Massacre by Israel, 200+ villagers killed after surrendering.
1948 July: Lydda Massacre by Israel, bombing and occupation of the city already packed with refugees from other villages, orders to shoot anyone “seen on the streets”, more than 400 civilians killed, 170 prisoners killed in mosque, 20-50 Palestinians kept to dig the graves in which they were then shot, ~70,000 people expelled from city in ‘Lydda Death March’ where refugees walked for days with no water and likely led to another 500-1,000 deaths.
1948 September: Folke Bernadotte Assassination, Swedish diplomat working for peace agreement killed by Lehi in motorcade ambush in Jerusalem.
1948 October: Al-Dawayima Massacre 10/29 by Israel, Safsaf Massacre 10/29 by Israel, Saliha Massacre 10/30 by Israel, Eilabun Massacre 10/30 by Israel, Hula Massacre 10/31 by Israel, Al-Mawasi Massacre 11/2 by Israel.
1948 December: New Palestine Party letter signed by Albert Einstein & Hannah Arendt to New York Times protesting Zionist Irgun “Freedom Party” leader Menachem Begin visit to US. Menachem founded Likud party in 1973, and became 6th Prime Minister in 1977.

“Among the most disturbing political phenomena of our times is the emergence in the newly created state of Israel of the "Freedom Party" (Tnuat Haherut), a political party closely akin in its organization, methods, political philosophy and social appeal to the Nazi and Fascist parties. It was formed out of the membership and following of the former Irgun Zvai Leumi, a terrorist, right-wing, chauvinist organization in Palestine.”

1948 December: UN Genocide Convention 12/9, defines genocide as acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, including killing members of the group, causing them serious bodily or mental harm, imposing living conditions intended to destroy the group, preventing births, and forcibly transferring children out of the group.
1948 December: UN resolution 194 12/11, affirming right of return for Palestinian refugees.

1949 July: Green Line Armistice Agreements, Israel controls 80% of Palestine, more than original UN plan, Palestinian refugees not allowed to return home and their properties were confiscated by Jewish settlers. Jordan control of West Bank, Egypt control of Gaza.
1949 December: MOSSAD Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations, Israeli foreign spy agency responsible for collecting intelligence and conducting secret espionage operations. Implicated in assassinations of military or political enemies in many countries.
1950-51: Baghdad Bombings, Avi Shlaim’s book ‘Three Worlds’ claims at least some of the bombings were false flag attacks orchestrated by Mossad to influence Iraqi Jews to emigrate to Israel. Israel denies involvement.
1953: Qibya Massacre, led by Ariel Sharon, 69 Palestinian villagers killed, 2/3rds women and children, Israel claims was response to grenade attack that killed Israeli woman and 2 children.
1954: Lavon Affair, failed Israeli false flag terrorist attack to bomb British targets in Egypt to blame on Muslim Brotherhood and Communists.
1956: Qalqiya, Kafr Qasim, & Khan Younis Massacres by Israeli.
1956: Suez War Tripartite Aggression. Israel invades Sinai with British and French support to overthrow Egyptian President who had nationalized canal.
1959: Fatah Palestinian National Liberation Movement, founded by Yasser Arafat.
1964: PLO Palestinian Liberation Organization, umbrella organization for various Palestinian groups, engaged in diplomatic efforts and armed struggle.
1967: Israel Nukes, acquires and begins mass producing nuclear weapons.
1967: Six Day War, in June, provocations by Egypt in Sinai led to Israeli surprise preemptive attack 6/5, led to quick Israeli military control of the region and full occupation of West Bank and Gaza, as well as Sinai and Golan Heights displacing many Palestinians, known as Naksa.
1967: USS Liberty reconnaissance ship attacked by Israel 6/8 with unmarked jets, rockets, cannons, napalm, machine guns, and torpedo boats off coast of Sinai, kills 34 and injured 172 US sailors, even though Israel controlled region and had reconnaissance planes above Liberty and identified as an American ship before attack. Liberty was only ship in area and in international waters. Second wave attack launched 5 torpedoes and 1 hit kills 25, specific distress signals jammed, communication equipment and lifeboats destroyed. Covered up by US President Johnson and DOD.
1967: PFLP Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, secular left wing Marxist resistance founded by George Habash and Wadie Haddad.
1967: Khartoum Resolutions, agreement of Arab leaders, end of August, The 3 Noes: no peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel, no negotiations with it, and insistence on the rights of the Palestinian people in their own country.”
1967: UN Resolution 242, 11/22, calls for a “just and lasting peace in the Middle East”; Israeli withdrawal from territories occupied during the war; acknowledgement of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence of each State and their right to live in peace within secure recognized boundaries, and achieving just settlement to the refugee problem.
1969: DFLP Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, split from PFLP founded by Nayef Hawatmeh, emphasizing more moderate and diplomatic solutions alongside armed struggle.
1970: Avivim School Buss Massacre 5/22 by PFLP kills 12 including 9 children. Dawson’s Field Hijacking 9/6 by PFLP of 4 airplanes, taken to Jordan and Egypt, hostages released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, PLO moves headquarters to Lebanon.
1972: Lod Airport Massacre 5/30 by PFLP when 3 recruits from Japanese Red Army communist group kill 26, including 17 US citizens from Puerto Rico, in airport waiting areas with grenades and assault rifles concealed in violin cases.
1972: Ghassan Kanafani Assassination 7/8 in Beirut by Mossad car bomb, retaliation for Lod Airport shooting. He was a novelist who became spokesman for PFLP and editor for Al-Hadaf weekly magazine.
1972: Munich Massacre, 9/5 summer Olympics in West Germany, 8 Palestinian militants takes 9 hostages and demanded release of 234 Palestinian hostages, hostages were killed along with 5 of the attackers. Lufthansa 615 Hijacking 10/29 led to release of other 3 attackers. Israeli Mossad Operation Bayonet and Operation Wrath of God to assassinate anyone accused of being involved with attacks in Italy, France, Cyprus, and Lebanon.
1973: Yom Kippur War, escalation of continued conflict from 1967, focused near Suez with Egypt, and Golan with Syria.
1973: Mujama al Islamiya, charity established in Gaza by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, a near-blind quadriplegic who grew up in Gazan refugee camp, offered social, medical, and financial support to Gazans, recognized by Israel in 1979 allowing Mujama to set up Islamic University in Gaza and building of mosques, clubs, schools, and library in Gaza. Later evolved into Hamas militant group in 1987 during First Intifada, while using the university and charities for recruiting, stashing weapons, and staging attacks against Israel.
1975-1990 Lebanon Civil War, multi-decade sectarian conflicts between Muslims and Christians, Palestinians, Lebanese, Syrians, and Israel fueled in part by changing demographics from influx of Palestinian refugees.
1974-1978: Kiryat Shmona Massacre (PFLP) kills 18 including 8 children, Ma’alot Massacre (DFLP) takes 115 hostages including 105 children, 25 hostages killed including 22 children, Zion Square Massacre (PLO) store bomb killed 15 civilians, Coastal Road massacre (PLO) bus hijacking kills 38 civilians including 13 children.
1977: Likud Party Manifesto “The right of the Jewish people to the land of Israel is eternal and indisputable… therefore, Judea and Samaria will not be handed to any foreign administration; between the Sea and the Jordan there will only be Israeli sovereignty.”
1978-1982: Camp David Accords in 1978 with Carter, Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty in 1979, Egypt recognizes Israel, Israel final withdrawal of Sinai in 1982.
1979-1980: Palestinian National Council Election. Fatah, Yasser Arafat, won majority of seats, also seats won by Palestinian National Front, including PFLP & DFLP.
1979: Iranian Islamic Revolution, overthrow of Reza Shah monarch by Ayatollah Khomeini
1981: PIJ Palestinian Islamic Jihad, founded by Fathi Shaqaqi. Israeli Brig. Gen Yitzhak Segev later discloses to NY Times he was given budget for funding Palestinian Islamists as counterweight to the PLO and Communists, and told to give Islamists preferential treatment over the PLO. “the military government gives to the mosques.”
1982: Lebanon War Operation Peace for Galilee, 6/6, Israeli re-invasion of southern Lebanon as retaliation for PLO attacks, major fighting between Israel and Syrian forces, bombing of Beirut Airport by Israel.

1982: Siege of Beirut including US and French troops, from 6/14 to August, ended with Multinational Force in Lebanon agreement for 14,000 PLO combatants to be evacuated, PLO moves headquarters to Tunisia, formal end of the war.
1982: Hezbollah founded, Iran backed Shia Muslim militant group to fight Israeli invasion of Lebanon and US and Israeli imperialism.
1982: Sabra & Shantila Massacre, in Beirut, committed by Lebanese Christian Phalangist militias supported and authorized by Israel and Ariel Sharon, killing 500-3,500 Palestinian and Lebanese civilians, IDF had Palestinian camp surrounded and suspected 3,000 Palestinian terrorists were hiding there and didn’t take any steps to stop atrocities they knew were occurring.

1982: Operation Salt Fish, later renamed Operation Goldfish, Ariel Sharon creates Mossad task force to assassinate Arafat.
1985: Operation Wooden Leg, Israeli fighter jet airstrike destroying PLO headquarters in Tunisia, killing 47, in retaliation for ongoing PLO attacks and recent Larnaca yacht killings in Cyprus.
1986: Hannibal Directive, IDF secret policy introduced after a number of abductions of soldiers in Lebanon and subsequent prisoner exchanges, to prevent the taking of hostages by all means even at price of striking their own.
1987-1993: First Intifada, protest and revolt of continued occupation and settlement expansion, 200 Israelis killed, 1,300 Palestinians killed and thousands wounded.

1987: HAMAS, Islamic Resistance Movement, founded by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, including running schools, hospitals, charities and other social programs before developing Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades militant wing. Received early support and funding from Israel.
1988: Khalil al-Wazir Assassination, co founder of Fatah and top aide to Arafat, killed by Israeli Mossad commando raid at his home in Tunis, immediately led to escalation of violent protests in Palestine.
1988: Palestinian Declaration of Independence 11/15. Jordan surrenders claims in favor of claims by PLO, Arafat denounces violence, recognizes Israel, recognizes UN resolution 242.
1989: Hamas founder Sheik Ahmed Yassin arrested and sentenced to life in prison.
1991: Madrid Peace Conference.

1993-1995 Oslo Accords, both sides recognize each other, Israel agrees to begin withdrawing settlements and transferring authority to PLO. Gaza-Jericho Agreement (1994), Oslo II (1995), but leads to further settlements and further segmentation of Palestinian lands in West Bank.
1993: Alliance of Palestinian Forces agreement between 10 nationalist, leftist, and Islamic political factions that rejected Oslo principles and Arafat/PLO as representative of the Palestinian people. 8 groups previously with PLO, including PFLP and DFLP, along with Hamas and PIJ, each faction with 2 seats.
1994: Baruch Goldstein Massacre at Cave of Patriarchs in Hebron. Zionist terrorist wearing military uniform opens fire on 800 Palestinians praying in mosque, killing 29. Heavily influenced further militarism of Hamas tactics.
1995: Beit Lid Massacre (PIJ) suicide attack kills 21 Israeli solders.
1995: PM Yitzhak Rabin Assassination by Jewish right wing extremist in Tel Aviv as retaliation for supporting Oslo Accords with Arafat. Huge nightly rallies organized by Likud and other right wing groups during the year featured depictions of Rabin in a Nazi uniform, in crosshairs of a gun, as well as burning effigies. Netanyahu emerged as face of anti-Oslo protests and had led mock funeral procession with a coffin and noose at an anti-Rabin rally where protesters chanted “Death to Rabin”.
1996: Palestinian General Election, Arafat wins President and Fatah wins majority of seats.
1996: Jaffa Road Bus Bombing (Hamas) suicide attacks in Jerusalem, first bus in February killing 17 civilians and 9 soldiers, second bus in March killing 16 civilians and 3 soldiers.
1997: Ben-Yehuda Street Massacre (Hamas) 3 suicide bombers kill 16 Israelis in Jerusalem, including three 14yr old girls, and injures more than 160.
1997: Attempt Mossad assassination of Hamas leader Khaled Mashal in Jordan, sprayed in ear with toxin, Jordan arrests Mossad agents, demands antidote in exchange for the agents. Fallout leads to release of Hamas founder Sheik Yassin.
2000: Camp David Summit with Clinton, Barak, and Arafat, proposes Palestinian control over 91% of West Bank and parts of Jerusalem plus land swap compensation for remaining 9%.
2000-2005: Second Intifada, frustration with peace process, excessive use of force at initial protests, and Sharon visit with 1,000 troops to Temple Mount triggers violent protests, 1,100 Israelis killed, 5,000 Palestinians killed. Sbarro Restaurant Massacre (Hamas), Dolphinarium Disco Massacre (Hamas), Hebrew University Bombing (Hamas), Bat Mitzvah Massacre (Fatah), Yeshivat Beit Yisrael Massacre (Fatah), Cafe Moment Bombing (Hamas), Passover Massacre (Hamas), Kiryat Menachem Massacre (Hamas), Tel-Aviv Bus Station Bombing (Fatah), Shmuel HaNavi Bus Bombing (Hamas).
2001: Abu Ali Mustafa Assassination, PFLP General Secretary, killed 8/27 by apache helicopter rockets through his office windows in West Bank. PFLP militant wing takes his name.
2001: Arafat says in interview with Italian newspaper, "We are doing everything possible to stop the violence. But Hamas is a creature of Israel which, at the time of Prime Minister Shamir gave them money and more than 700 institutions, among them schools, universities and mosques. Even Rabin ended up admitting it, when I charged him with it, in the presence of Mubarak.”
2002: Israeli Separation Wall begins construction. Eventually 708km, twice length of Green Line, 85% running as much as 18km inside West Bank.
2003: Rachel Corrie US citizen crushed to death by IDF bulldozer 3/16 in Rafah Gaza protecting Palestinian homes that were being demolished.
2003: Israeli Cabinet Vote to Expel Arafat 9/11, “Recent days’ events have proven again that Yasser Arafat is a complete obstacle to any process of reconciliation. Israel will act to remove this obstacle in the manner, at the time, and in the ways that will be decided on separately.” Vice PM Ehud Olmert 9/15 "Arafat can no longer be a factor in what happens here. Expulsion is certainly one of the options, killing is also one of the options.”
2004: Sheikh Ahmed Yassin Assassination, founder of Hamas, killed by Hellfire missile 3/22.
2004: Days of Rage, IDF ‘Days of Penitence’ 17-day ground invasion of Gaza in Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, and Jabalia refugee camps to attack Palestinian resistance fighters and prevent rocket launches, killing 130 Palestinians. 9/26-10/16
2004: Yasser Arafat Assassination, suddenly became ill starting 10/12, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, admitted to hospital near Paris on 10/29, acute renal failure and coma on 11/3, died on 11/11. Doctors described as massive haemorrhagic cerebrovascular accident, though underlying infection unknown. Evidence suggests possibility of Polonium poisoning. Israel had attempted many failed assassinations of Arafat over the last 30 years.
2005: Gaza Disengagement, Israeli PM Ariel Sharon unilaterally removes 21 Gaza settlements, due to demographic ‘concerns’, to stall peace process, and to further split PLO in West Bank and Hamas in Gaza.

Sharon's chief of staff "The significance of the disengagement plan is the freezing of the peace process.... When you freeze that process, you prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state and you prevent a discussion on the refugees, the borders and Jerusalem. Disengagement supplies the amount of formaldehyde that is necessary so there will not be a political process with the Palestinians.”

2005: Palestinian Presidential Election, Fatah Mahmoud Abbas becomes President.
2006 Palestinian Legislative Election, Hamas wins majority of seats in council, leads to Hamas control of Gaza, and Fatah control of West Bank.
2006: Israel-Hezbollah War in Lebanon.
2006-2022 continued Israeli attacks in Gaza and West Bank, ongoing airstrikes as well as major ground operations.

2006: Operation Summer Rains, ~5 months in Gaza, after Gilad Shalit taken hostage, Israeli solder eventually exchanged for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners, ~400 Palestinians killed.
2008: Operation Hot Winter, 4 days in Gaza in response to Hamas rocket attacks; Operation Cast Lead, 23 days in Gaza in response to Hamas rocket attacks, ~1,400 Palestinians killed.
2012: Operation Pillar of Defense, 8 days in Gaza in response to Hamas rocket attacks, ~160 Palestinians killed.
2014: Operation Protective Edge, 49 days in Gaza in response to Hamas rocket attacks, ~2,100 Palestinians killed, 60 Israeli soldiers killed; Operation Brothers Keeper, 75 days in West Bank; Operation Protective Edge renewed violence after original ceasefire.
2018-2019: Operation Protective Edge escalations of violence in Gaza.
2021: Operation Guardian of the Walls, 11 days in Gaza triggered by ongoing clashes, ~250 Palestinians killed.

2009: Avner Cohen, former Israeli religious affairs official involved in Gaza for 2 decades tells Wall Street Journal “Hamas, to my great regret, is Israel’s creation”, had written official report to superiors in mid 1980s warning them “I suggest focusing our efforts on finding ways to break up this monster before this reality jumps in our face.”
2010: Mahmoud al-Mabhouh Assassination co-founder of Hamas al-Qassam Brigades, drugged and electrocuted in Dubai hotel room by Mossad.
2010: Gaza Freedom Flotilla, 5/31 six civilian ships with 10,000 tons humanitarian aid and construction materials attempt to break blockade of Gaza Strip, IDF raids the ships, killing 9 activists and wounding dozens on largest ship Mavi Marmara which had over 600 passengers.
2011: Nakba Law, Fundamentals of Finance amendment, authorizes withholding funds from institutions treating Independence Day as day of mourning, denying the existence of the State of Israel as a Jewish State, or incitement of racism.
2012: UN Resolution 67/19 upgrades State of Palestine from ‘observer entity’ to ‘non-member observer state’ 11/29
2014: Palestinian National Unity Government, agreement between Fatah and Hamas.
2015: Bezalel Smotrich, future defense minister in 2023, says in video “the Palestinian Authority is a burden, and Hamas in an asset”
2015: 35 Israelis killed, 174 Palestinians killed. 50 IDF incursions in Gaza, Hamas firing rockets into populated areas of Israel but no causalities.
2016: 14 Israelis killed, 109 Palestinians killed, including those who allegedly carried out attacks.
2016: Israel Expulsion Law, allows 3/4 majority MKs to oust any serving MK on the grounds (1) denial of the existence of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state; (2) incitement to racism; and (3) support for armed struggle of an enemy state or a terrorist organization against Israel.
2017: Jerusalem as Capital of Israel recognized by US Trump, condemned by 14 of 15 UN members but vetoed by US.
2017: Decisive Plan by Bezalel Smotrich, calls for complete control of West bank and Gaza, end of two state options, forcing Palestinians to live in Jewish state or emigrate or be killed.
2018: US embassy opens in Jerusalem 5/14, Netanyahu Likud Resolution passes instructing legislators to pursue full unilateral annexation of west bank through accelerated settlement and military oversight.
2018: Great March of Return, peaceful demonstrations at Gaza border fence, partly sparked by US embassy move to Jerusalem, with marches every Friday until end of 2019 by 10s of thousands of Gazans, More than 300 Palestinians killed and over 29,000 injured including many women and children shot by Israeli snipers across the fence.
2018: Israeli Basic Law passed 7/19, “The right to exercise national self-determination in the State of Israel is unique to the Jewish people”, “state views Jewish settlement as a national value and will labor to encourage and promote its establishment and development”, and “Hebrew is the language of the state”.
2018: Suitcases of $15 Million in Cash for Hamas from Qatar allowed into Gaza by Israel, Netanyahu quoted in Likud meeting in early 2019 saying “Anyone who wants to thwart the establishment of a Palestinian state has to support bolstering Hamas and transferring money to Hamas … This is part of our strategy – to isolate the Palestinians in Gaza from the Palestinians in the West Bank.” PA had reduced its payments to Hamas due to heavy sanctions, cash transfers permitted by Israel allowed Hamas to remain in power, preventing negotiations with PA. Gazan authorities say a total of $90 million is to be distributed in six monthly installments. Funding was condemned by Israeli political opponents on left and right as well as PA, though Netanyahu said that when “you take leadership measures, there’s always a price. If you can’t pay the price, you can’t lead, I can pay the price.” https://www.france24.com/en/20181111-netanyahu-defends-qatari-cash-infusion-gaza-0
2019: US Trump recognized Israeli annexation of occupied Golan Heights, in March. US becomes first and only other country besides Israel to recognize Golan as Israeli territory.
2019: Galit Distal-Atbaryan, future Likud information minister, writes 5/5 “Netanyahu wants Hamas on its feet and he is ready to pay an almost inconceivable price for it, half the country is paralyzed, children and parents in post-trauma, houses blown up, people are killed … and Netanyahu, in a kind of outrageous, almost unimaginable restraint, does not do the easiest thing: getting the IDF to overthrow the organization.” “If Hamas collapses, Mahmoud Abbas may control the strip. If he controls it, there will be voices from the left that will encourage negotiations and a political solution and a Palestinian state, also in the West Bank … This is the real reason why Netanyahu does not eliminate the Hamas leader, everything else is bullshit.”
2019: Gershon Hocahen, Israeli major general and associate of Netanyahu, says in TV interview “We need to tell the truth” “Netanyahu’s strategy is to prevent the option of two states, so he is turning Hamas into his closest partner. Openly Hamas is an enemy. Covertly, it’s an ally.”
2019: Netanyahu Indicted for fraud and accepting bribes, forced to relinquish ministry positions other than PM, trial began 5/24/20.
2020: US Trump Peace Plan, in January proposes greater annexation of Israeli territory, small segmented regions controlled by Palestinian state with tunnel between Gaza and West Bank, no capital in Jerusalem, requires total Palestinian disarmament and to abandon all international legal action against Israel or the US, also Netanyahu calls for annexation of Jordan Valley and all settlements in West Bank which is about 30% of all West Bank, “Deal of the Century”. rejected by all Palestinians and UN and pretty much everyone else, including Israelis who don’t want any Palestinian state.
2020: Abraham Accords, UAE and Bahrain agree to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel in return for Israel announcing suspension of additional annexation of West Bank proposed in Trump plan, Morocco joins in return for US recognizing Moroccan annexation of Saharan territory, and Sudan joins agreement on January 6th 2021 in return US removing Sudan from state terror sponsor list and $1.2 billion loan to clear debt with World Bank. Still no resolution of Palestinian state issue.
2021: Violent outbreak in May between Hamas and Israel led to at least 256 Palestinians killed including 66 children and 1,000s injured, and 13 Israelis killed including 2 children. fighting ended after 11 days with Egypt mediated ceasefire, but restarted in June. In 2021, ~350 Palestinians killed, including 217 civilians and 71 children.
2021: Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid says he does not intend to allow Qatari Cash to be channeled directly to Hamas, as was policy under former PM Netanyahu since 2018.
2022: Shireen Abu Akleh, Palestinian-American US citizen and Al Jazeera journalist for 25 years was murdered on 5/11 by Israeli sniper while wearing blue clearly marked press vest while covering Jenin raid. IDF lied and tried to blame Palestinians before later apologizing and admitting there was “high possibility” she was “accidentally” killed by them. IDF also attacked her funeral causing pallbearers to drop her coffin while arresting people in the procession.
2022: Over 200 Palestinians were killed in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, including 174 civilians and 43 children. 21 Israelis killed. Between 2015 and 2022, UN attributed over 8,700 child casualties to Israeli forces.
2022: 37th Cabinet of Israel formed in December after Netanyahu’s 6th win as prime minister, the most far right in Israeli history, allies with nationalist parties to form coalition which couldn’t be formed in prior year elections. establishes paramilitary National Guard led by Kahanist terrorist Itamar Ben-Gvir, and makes right wing Zionist extremist Bezalel Smotrich Minister of Finance and Defense.
2023: Israeli Judicial Reforms, measures to limit power of Supreme Court, giving Netanyahu controlled Knesset almost total control of government, leading to largest Israeli Anti-Reform Protests after first part of reforms passed which continued from January through September. Elephant in the Room letter on 8/9 with more than 1,500 signatories including renown Israeli historians and politicians claims goal of Reforms are to annex more land and ethnically cleanse all territories of Palestinians and directly characterized occupation as a regime of apartheid.
2023: Over 230 Palestinians and 29 Israelis killed, and the ‘deadliest year’ for Palestinian children by September. In the 15 years since 2008, over 6,500 Palestinians killed including more than 1,400 children, and 300 Israelis killed including 40 children.
2023: Former Mossad director Tamir Pardo 9/6 says Israel is enforcing an apartheid system in the West Bank. “There is an apartheid state here. In a territory where two people are judged under two legal systems, that is an apartheid state.” warning of choice between formalizing Jewish minority rule over disenfranchised Palestinians, or allowing them to vote and potentially end the Zionist dream of a Jewish homeland in historic Palestine.
2023: Operation Al-Aqsa Flood (Hamas) 10/7 attack by land air and sea, in response to Gaza blockade, continued occupation, and provocations at al-Aqsa Mosque, firing at least 5,000 rockets into Israel, and around 2,500 fighters crossing through 10 breaches in the security fence, disabling security systems and overrunning nearby military bases. More fighters and civilians continue crossing fence over several hours with no IDF response, looting, taking ~250 hostages, and mass killing of unarmed Israeli civilians at nearby kibbutzim and music festival.

1,139 Israelis killed including 373 security forces, 695 Israeli civilians, and 71 foreigners, about 5,000 wounded Israelis. 36 children killed, 13 under 12 years old. At least 27 hostages killed between their home and the fence, likely by IDF apache helicopter gunfire that destroyed at least 70 vehicles near fence, and 12 hostages killed in Kibbutz Beri under IDF gunfire and tank shelling of buildings. A number of other bodies recovered where circumstances are unclear.

Operation Swords of Iron Israel immediately launches war to end Hamas forever, total siege and constant bombing of Gaza, resulting in mass killing of more than 30,000 Palestinians, 12,000 children, 58,000+ injured, 1.92 million displaced in Gaza, as well as 320 killed and over 5,000 arrested in West Bank by the end of December.

Year in Gaza