Israel History Timeline

The history of Israel is deeply intertwined with the ancient and modern history of the Jewish people and the Middle East. Spanning millennia, Israel’s story involves periods of biblical kingdoms, foreign domination, exile, and eventual return to the land. From its early beginnings as the Kingdom of Israel and Judah to its destruction, the dispersion of Jews throughout the world, and the eventual creation of the modern State of Israel in 1948, the country has played a pivotal role in world history. The modern history of Israel includes the Arab-Israeli conflicts, the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and Israel’s development into a thriving, advanced nation. This timeline outlines key events in the history of Israel, from its ancient roots to its modern-day status as a leading nation in technology, science, and innovation.

Ancient Israel and Biblical Times (Before 1st Century CE)

The Patriarchs and Early Settlements (2000 BCE – 1200 BCE)

• 2000 BCE – 1500 BCE: According to biblical tradition, the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are the founders of the Jewish people. Abraham, originally from Ur in Mesopotamia, was commanded by God to travel to the land of Canaan, where his descendants would inherit the land. Jacob’s descendants, known as the Twelve Tribes of Israel, are seen as the forefathers of the Israelites.
• Late 1600s BCE: The Israelites were said to have migrated to Egypt during a famine. Their stay in Egypt lasted several centuries, culminating in their enslavement.

Exodus and Settlement of Canaan (1200 BCE – 1000 BCE)

• 13th Century BCE: Moses is credited with leading the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage in the biblical story of the Exodus. After wandering the desert for 40 years, the Israelites, under Joshua, began to conquer the land of Canaan.
• 1200 BCE – 1000 BCE: The period of the Judges marks the early governance of the Israelite tribes before the establishment of a unified monarchy. During this time, the Israelites coexisted with other peoples in the region, such as the Philistines, often engaging in conflict.

The United Monarchy: Saul, David, and Solomon (1000 BCE – 930 BCE)

• 1000 BCE: The first king of Israel, Saul, was anointed to lead the Israelite tribes. His reign was marked by continual warfare with the Philistines.
• 1000 BCE – 961 BCE: David, Saul’s successor, established Jerusalem as the capital of the United Kingdom of Israel. David expanded the kingdom, securing its borders and uniting the northern and southern tribes.
• 961 BCE – 922 BCE: Under Solomon, the kingdom reached its height. Solomon is credited with building the First Temple in Jerusalem, which became the spiritual and political center of the Jewish people. His reign brought wealth and stability through trade alliances.

The Divided Kingdom: Israel and Judah (930 BCE – 722 BCE)

• 930 BCE: After Solomon’s death, the kingdom split into two: the Kingdom of Israel in the north and the Kingdom of Judah in the south. The two kingdoms often experienced conflict with one another and neighboring states.
• 722 BCE: The Assyrian Empire conquered the northern Kingdom of Israel, exiling much of its population. This event marked the end of the Kingdom of Israel and the “Lost Tribes” of Israel.

The Kingdom of Judah and the Babylonian Exile (722 BCE – 538 BCE)

• 586 BCE: The Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar II, captured Jerusalem and destroyed the First Temple. The Babylonian Exile followed, during which the Jewish elite were deported to Babylon. This period is pivotal in Jewish history, as it saw the development of key religious texts and traditions.
• 538 BCE: The Persian Empire, under Cyrus the Great, conquered Babylon and allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem, marking the end of the exile. The construction of the Second Temple began shortly thereafter.

The Persian and Hellenistic Periods (538 BCE – 63 BCE)

The Persian Period (538 BCE – 332 BCE)

• 538 BCE – 332 BCE: Under Persian rule, the Jewish people were granted religious and administrative autonomy in Judah (known as Yehud). The Second Temple became the center of Jewish worship, and Jerusalem regained its importance as a spiritual hub.

Hellenistic Rule: Alexander the Great and the Seleucids (332 BCE – 167 BCE)

• 332 BCE: Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire, including Judah. After his death, the region came under the control of the Ptolemies (based in Egypt) and later the Seleucids (based in Syria).
• 167 BCE: The Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes attempted to forcibly Hellenize the Jewish population, banning key Jewish practices and desecrating the Second Temple. This sparked a major revolt.

The Maccabean Revolt and the Hasmonean Dynasty (167 BCE – 63 BCE)

• 167 BCE – 160 BCE: The Maccabean Revolt, led by Judah Maccabee and his brothers, resulted in the successful expulsion of the Seleucids from Jerusalem. In 164 BCE, the Second Temple was rededicated, an event commemorated annually by the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.
• 140 BCE – 63 BCE: The Hasmonean Dynasty was established following the Maccabean victory, creating an independent Jewish kingdom. However, internal strife and external pressure weakened the Hasmonean state, leading to Roman intervention.

Roman and Byzantine Periods (63 BCE – 636 CE)

Roman Rule and the Herodian Kingdom (63 BCE – 70 CE)

• 63 BCE: The Roman general Pompey captured Jerusalem, bringing the region under Roman control. The Romans established the Herodian Kingdom as a client state, with Herod the Great (37 BCE – 4 BCE) ruling as king. Herod is known for his extensive building projects, including the expansion of the Second Temple.
• 4 BCE – 66 CE: After Herod’s death, his kingdom was divided among his sons, and Judea came under increasing Roman influence. Tensions between the Jewish population and the Roman authorities grew during this period.

The Great Jewish Revolt and the Destruction of the Second Temple (66 CE – 70 CE)

• 66 CE – 70 CE: The Great Jewish Revolt against Roman rule erupted, fueled by dissatisfaction with Roman governance and heavy taxation. In 70 CE, the Roman general Titus besieged Jerusalem, ultimately destroying the Second Temple, a pivotal moment in Jewish history that ended the centrality of Temple-based worship.

Bar Kokhba Revolt and Jewish Diaspora (132 CE – 135 CE)

• 132 CE – 135 CE: The Bar Kokhba Revolt, led by Simon Bar Kokhba, was a final Jewish attempt to rebel against Roman rule. After the revolt was crushed, the Romans renamed Jerusalem Aelia Capitolina and Judea Syria Palaestina to erase Jewish ties to the land. Jews were banned from Jerusalem, leading to a greater dispersion of Jews throughout the Roman Empire and the development of the Jewish Diaspora.

Byzantine Rule and Early Christianity (313 CE – 636 CE)

• 313 CE: The Roman Empire, under Constantine the Great, embraced Christianity. Jerusalem became an important Christian center, and churches were built, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
• 636 CE: Byzantine rule over the region ended with the arrival of the Rashidun Caliphate, marking the beginning of Islamic rule over the land of Israel.

Islamic Rule and the Crusades (636 CE – 1517 CE)

Early Islamic Rule and the Umayyad Caliphate (636 CE – 750 CE)

• 636 CE – 750 CE: The Islamic conquest of the region led to the integration of Jerusalem and surrounding areas into the Umayyad Caliphate. The Dome of the Rock was constructed in Jerusalem around 691 CE, and the city became a significant center for Islamic pilgrimage and administration.

The Abbasid Caliphate and Fatimid Rule (750 CE – 1099 CE)

• 750 CE – 1099 CE: Under the Abbasid Caliphate, the region was governed from Baghdad. Jerusalem continued to be an important religious and administrative city. In the 10th century, the Fatimid Caliphate took control of the area.

The Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem (1099 CE – 1187 CE)

• 1099 CE: The First Crusade resulted in the capture of Jerusalem by European Christian forces, who established the Kingdom of Jerusalem. This Christian kingdom lasted for nearly a century, though it was characterized by frequent conflicts with Muslim rulers.
• 1187 CE: The Muslim general Saladin recaptured Jerusalem after the Battle of Hattin, ending Crusader rule. Jerusalem remained under Muslim control, though the Crusaders launched several more campaigns in attempts to reclaim it.

Mamluk and Early Ottoman Periods (1291 CE – 1517 CE)

• 1291 CE – 1517 CE: The region came under the control of the Mamluk Sultanate, based in Egypt. The Mamluks controlled Jerusalem and the surrounding areas until the arrival of the Ottoman Empire in 1517.

Ottoman Rule and the Jewish Return (1517 CE – 1917 CE)

Ottoman Empire and Jewish Communities (1517 CE – 1800s)

• 1517 CE – 1917 CE: The Ottoman Empire controlled the region for 400 years. During this time, the Jewish population in the land of Israel (Palestine) remained small but steadily grew, particularly in cities such as Safed, Jerusalem, Hebron, and Tiberias.
• 16th Century: Safed became a center of Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah), attracting Jewish scholars and thinkers, including Rabbi Isaac Luria.

The Zionist Movement and Jewish Immigration (Late 19th Century – Early 20th Century)

• Late 1800s: The rise of Zionism, a political movement advocating for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, was sparked by European anti-Semitism and the writings of Theodor Herzl, who convened the First Zionist Congress in 1897.
• 1882 – 1903: The First Aliyah, a wave of Jewish immigration to Palestine, began, with Jewish settlers establishing agricultural communities such as Petah Tikva and Rishon LeZion.

The British Mandate and the Creation of Israel (1917 – 1948)

The British Mandate and the Balfour Declaration (1917 – 1939)

• 1917: During World War I, the Balfour Declaration was issued by the British government, expressing support for the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine.
• 1920: Following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire, the League of Nations granted Britain the Mandate for Palestine, giving Britain control over the region. The mandate incorporated the Balfour Declaration’s support for a Jewish homeland, sparking tensions between Jews and Arabs.
• 1936 – 1939: Arab opposition to Jewish immigration and land purchases led to the Arab Revolt against British rule and Jewish settlement. The British government responded with the White Paper of 1939, which limited Jewish immigration and land purchases.

The Holocaust and Jewish Refugees (1939 – 1945)

• 1939 – 1945: The Holocaust during World War II resulted in the murder of six million Jews by Nazi Germany. The Holocaust significantly increased international support for the establishment of a Jewish state as a refuge for survivors.

The UN Partition Plan and the War of Independence (1947 – 1948)

• 1947: The United Nations proposed the UN Partition Plan, which called for the division of Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem under international control. The Jewish leadership accepted the plan, but Arab leaders rejected it.
• May 14, 1948: David Ben-Gurion declared the establishment of the State of Israel. Immediately following the declaration, the surrounding Arab states invaded Israel, sparking the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
• 1949: The war ended with armistice agreements, and Israel expanded its territory beyond the boundaries set by the UN Partition Plan. The war also led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Arabs, a central issue in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Modern Israel (1948 – Present)

Early Statehood and Immigration (1948 – 1967)

• 1948 – 1950s: Israel absorbed large numbers of Jewish refugees and immigrants, including Holocaust survivors and Jews expelled from Arab countries. The Law of Return was enacted, granting Jews the right to immigrate to Israel.
• 1956: Israel participated in the Suez Crisis, alongside Britain and France, in response to Egypt’s nationalization of the Suez Canal.

The Six-Day War and Its Aftermath (1967 – 1973)

• 1967: In the Six-Day War, Israel captured the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights, and the Sinai Peninsula. The war dramatically altered the political landscape of the Middle East, and Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza became a central issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
• 1973: The Yom Kippur War saw a surprise attack on Israel by Egypt and Syria. While Israel eventually repelled the attacks, the war highlighted Israel’s vulnerability and led to shifts in Israeli policy.

Peace Treaties and Continued Conflict (1979 – 2000s)

• 1979: Israel signed a peace treaty with Egypt, returning the Sinai Peninsula to Egyptian control and marking the first peace agreement between Israel and an Arab country.
• 1987 – 1993: The First Intifada, a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation, broke out in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, leading to increased violence and international efforts to resolve the conflict.
• 1993: The Oslo Accords were signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), creating a framework for peace and the establishment of the Palestinian Authority. However, final status issues, such as borders and the status of Jerusalem, remained unresolved.
• 2000 – 2005: The Second Intifada erupted after the failure of the Camp David Summit in 2000, resulting in widespread violence and a breakdown of the peace process.

Recent Developments and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (2010s – Present)

• 2005: Israel unilaterally withdrew from the Gaza Strip, though tensions with Hamas, the governing authority in Gaza, have continued, leading to multiple conflicts.
• 2020: Israel signed the Abraham Accords, normalizing relations with several Arab countries, including United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, in a move seen as a major shift in the region’s diplomatic landscape.
• Ongoing Conflict: The Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains unresolved, with periodic escalations in violence, particularly in Gaza. Efforts to achieve a two-state solution have been stalled, while Israeli settlements in the West Bank and disputes over Jerusalem continue to complicate peace negotiations.