The State of Israel

A Brief History of the State of Israel

1948 to 1998

1948 STATE OF ISRAEL
1948 End of British Mandate (14 May)
State of Israel proclaimed (14 May).
Israel invaded by five Arab states (15 May)
War of Independence (May 1948-July 1949)
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) established
1949 Armistice agreements signed with Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon. Jerusalem divided under Israeli and Jordanian rule.
1948-52 Mass immigration from Europe and Arab countries.
1956 Sinai Campaign
1967 Six-Day War, Jerusalem reunited.
1968-70 Egypt’s War of Attrition against Israel
1973 Yom Kippur War
1975 Israel becomes an associate member of the European Common Market.
1981 Israel Air Force destroys Iraqi nuclear reactor just before it is to become operative.
1982 Israel’s three-stage withdrawal from Sinai completed.
Operation Peace for Galilee removes PLO terrorists from Lebanon.
1984 Operation Moses, immigration of Jews from Ethiopia.
1985 Free Trade Agreement signed with United States.
1987 Widespread violence (intifada) starts in Israeli-administered areas.
1989 Start of mass immigration of Jews from former Soviet Union.
1991 Israel attacked by Iraqi Scud missiles during Gulf war.
Operation Solomon, airlift of Jews from Ethiopia.
1996 Fundamentalist Arab terrorism against Israel escalates.
Operation Grapes of Wrath, retaliation for Hizbullah terrorists’ attacks on northern Israel.
1998 Israel celebrates its 50th anniversary.