|
Date |
Landmark Events |
|
1947 |
|
|
2-Apr |
Britain requests special session of the
General Assembly to consider future government of Palestine |
|
15-May |
General Assembly establishes a Special
Committee on Palestine (UNSCOP) |
|
31-Aug |
UNSCOP issues majority report recommending
partition of Palestine with an internationalised Jerusalem;
minority report recommended federal scheme |
|
29-Sep |
Arab Higher Committee formally rejects
UNSCOP plan |
|
2-Oct |
Jewish Agency formally accepts UNSCOP
partition plan |
|
29-Nov |
UN approves partition plan by a vote of
33-13 with 10 abstentions to create a Jewish and Arab state |
|
30-Nov |
Arab mobs attack Jewish quarters in
Jerusalem and Arab irregulars begin operations against Jewish
cities and settlements |
|
|
|
|
1948 |
|
|
19-Mar |
U.S. proposes suspension of partition plan
and calls for a special session of the General Assembly to
discuss trusteeship for Palestine. |
|
1-Apr |
Security Council calls for truce in
Palestine and special session of the General Assembly to
reconsider future of Palestine |
|
13-May |
The Arabs of Jaffa surrender to the Haganah
forces |
|
|
Declaration of Independence of the State of
Israel (May 14). U.S. recognizes Israel de facto. |
|
14-May |
End of British Mandate. Arab armies invade
Israel |
|
14-May |
President Harry S Truman recognizes the
State of Israel within its first hour of existence |
|
17-May |
USSR recognizes Israel |
|
19-May |
Jerusalem is cut off by Arab forces |
|
|
War of Independence (May 1948-July 1949). |
|
20-May |
General Assembly Committee appoints Count
Folke Bernadotte as mediator for Palestine. |
|
|
Brandeis University is founded in the U.S.
as first nonsectarian, Jewish-sponsored, institution of higher
education. |
|
28-May |
Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem
falls to the Jordanian Arab Legion |
|
31-May |
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) formed |
|
1-Jun |
First convoy reaches Jerusalem along "Burma
Road" |
|
11-Jun |
First cease-fire proclaimed - Four week
truce commences |
|
22-Jun |
Altalena fired upon and sunk off the coast
of Tel-Aviv |
|
8-Jul |
Arab League refuses to renew truce; fighting
resumed and Israel gained on all fronts |
|
9-Jul |
First cease-fire ends |
|
21-Jul |
Second cease-fire proclaimed |
|
14-Aug |
Arab countries reject Israeli peace
proposals |
|
17-Aug |
First Israeli coin minted |
|
17-Sep |
UN mediator Swedish Count Folke Bernadotte
murdered in Jerusalem by "Lehi" fighters. Succeeded by Dr.
Bunche |
|
20-Sep |
Bernadotte Plan published by UN |
|
15-Oct |
Second cease-fire ends |
|
15-Oct |
Fighting breaks out in Negev; the Egyptian
army driven south |
|
19-Oct |
Security Council orders an immediate
cease-fire |
|
22-Oct |
Israel and Egypt agree to cease fire |
|
8-Nov |
First census indicates 712,000 Jewish
residents, and 69,000 Arab residents in the State of Israel |
|
16-Nov |
Security Council calls for armistice talks |
|
18-Nov |
Israel accepts call for armistice |
|
11-Dec |
General Assembly establishes Palestine
Conciliation Commission, reaffirms decision on Jerusalem and
calls for repatriation or resettlement of refugees |
|
17-Dec |
Beginning of "Operation Magic Carpet" to
bring Yemenite Jews to Israel |
|
22-Nov |
Fighting breaks out in Negev. Egyptian
forces driven beyond mandatory borders, but retain the Gaza
Strip |
|
|
Mass immigration from Europe and Arab
countries: 1948-52. |
|
|
|
|
1949 |
|
|
7-Jan |
Fighting ends in Sinai. Israeli forces
withdraw from Sinai following British ultimatum and U.S.
pressure |
|
13-Jan |
Israeli and Egyptian delegations meet in
Rhodes for armistice talks, chaired by Dr. Bunche. Armistice
agreements begin with Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon |
|
|
Jerusalem is declared the capitol of Israel
and is divided under Israeli and Jordanian rule. |
|
21-Jan |
First Knesset (parliament) elected. Ben
Gurion heads the Labor led coalition |
|
30-Jan |
Britain, New Zealand and the Netherlands
recognize Israel de facto. Australia and Chile recognize Israel
de jure |
|
|
U.S. recognizes Israel de jure |
|
1-Feb |
Israel ends military governorship in
Jerusalem. |
|
February |
Chaim Weizmann is elected Israel's first
president. First meeting of the First Knesset |
|
24-Feb |
Armistice agreement signed with Egypt |
|
9-Mar |
David Ben-Gurion presents first government
to the Knesset |
|
23-Mar |
Armistice agreement signed with Lebanon |
|
3-Apr |
Armistice agreement signed with Jordan |
|
25-Apr |
Trans-Jordan becomes Jordan |
|
April-June |
First round of Israel-Arab talks in Lausanne
under auspices of Palestine Conciliation Commission |
|
|
The Weizmann Institute is inaugurated in
Rehovot. |
|
11-May |
Israel admitted to United Nations as 59th
member. |
|
20-Jul |
Armistice agreement signed with Syria |
|
August |
Second round of Israel-Arab talks in
Lausanne is deadlocked |
|
17-Aug |
Theodore Herzl's remains are brought to
Israel and interred on Mt. Herzl |
|
9-Nov |
Professor Yigal Yadin appointed second IDF
Chief-of-General Staff |
|
9-Dec |
General Assembly votes for
internationalization of Jerusalem under Trusteeship Council
administration. |
|
13-Dec |
Government decides to hold its Knesset
sessions in Jerusalem and declares Jerusalem to be Israel's
capital |
|
|
Umm Rashrash, today Eilat, is captured by
the IDF. |
