Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Comprehensive Historical Timeline

Origins of the Conflict (2000 BCE – 1917)

The land of Canaan was home to one of the earliest urban civilizations in the Near East, with archaeological evidence showing:

City-States: Dozens of fortified cities like Jericho (world's oldest continuously inhabited city), Hazor, and Megiddo with advanced water systems and defensive walls.

The Canaanites developed the first alphabetic writing system that would later evolve into Hebrew, Greek and Latin scripts.
Cultural Achievements: Bronze metallurgy, purple dye production (from murex snails), and extensive trade networks with Egypt and Mesopotamia.

Their pantheon included deities like El, Baal, and Asherah, with temple complexes found at sites like Ugarit.
Demographics: Estimated population of 150,000-200,000 in the Late Bronze Age (1550-1200 BCE), living in about 250 settlements.

Genetic studies show modern Palestinians share significant ancestry with Bronze Age Canaanites (Marc Haber et al., 2017).

Sources: Finkelstein & Silberman (2001), "The Bible Unearthed"; Tubb (1998), "Canaanites"

The origins of the Israelites remain debated among archaeologists and historians:

Conquest Model (Biblical Account): The Book of Joshua describes a military campaign destroying Jericho, Ai, and Hazor around 1400 BCE.

Archaeology shows no evidence of widespread destruction at these sites during this period. Jericho was uninhabited when Joshua supposedly conquered it.
Peaceful Infiltration Theory: Proposed by Albrecht Alt, suggests semi-nomadic groups gradually settled the highlands.

Supported by the appearance of 250+ small villages in the central hill country during Iron Age I (1200-1000 BCE).
Social Revolution Theory: Advanced by George Mendenhall, suggests Canaanite peasants revolted against city-states.

Evidence includes continuity in pottery styles, agricultural methods, and some religious practices from Canaanite culture.

The Merneptah Stele (1208 BCE) contains the first extra-biblical mention of "Israel" as a people in Canaan.

Sources: Dever (2003), "Who Were the Early Israelites?"; Killebrew (2005), "Biblical Peoples and Ethnicity"

The British made contradictory promises during WWI that laid the foundation for future conflict:

Hussein-McMahon Correspondence (1915): 10 letters between British High Commissioner Henry McMahon and Sharif Hussein of Mecca.

Britain promised Arab independence in exchange for revolt against Ottomans. Palestine was ambiguously excluded from promised Arab state.
Sykes-Picot Agreement (1916): Secret treaty between Britain and France to partition Ottoman Middle East.

Palestine was designated for "international administration" despite earlier promises to Arabs.
Balfour Declaration (1917): Letter from Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour to Lord Rothschild.

Promised "a national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine while claiming to protect "civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities."

The British military administration (1917-1920) actively facilitated Zionist goals:

Established Hebrew as an official language alongside English and Arabic, despite Jews being only 8% of population.
Allowed Jewish immigration while suppressing Arab political organizations.
1920 Nebi Musa riots: 5 Jews and 4 Arabs killed in Jerusalem clashes during annual Muslim pilgrimage.

British response was disproportionately harsh against Arabs - 10 executed, 20+ imprisoned, while Jewish attackers received lighter sentences.

Sources: Segev (2000), "One Palestine, Complete"; Huneidi (2001), "A Broken Trust"

The 1948 war resulted in the ethnic cleansing of approximately 750,000 Palestinians from their homes:

Plan Dalet (March 1948): Haganah's military blueprint for securing Jewish state territory.

Called for "destruction of villages" and "expulsion of inhabitants" in strategic areas. Over 500 Palestinian villages were destroyed.
Deir Yassin Massacre (April 9, 1948): Irgun and Lehi fighters killed 107-120 villagers.

The attack spread terror throughout Palestine, accelerating the refugee exodus. Survivors were paraded through Jerusalem before being expelled.
Lydda Death March (July 1948): 50,000-70,000 Palestinians expelled from Lydda and Ramle.

Israeli forces forced civilians to march in summer heat without adequate water - hundreds died along the way to Jordanian lines.

Key demographic changes:

Palestinians went from 67% majority in 1947 to 18% minority in Israel after war.
Israel confiscated 4,244,776 acres (92% of Palestinian land in new state) through "absentee property" laws.
700,000+ refugees were barred from returning under 1950 Law of Return (for Jews) and 1954 Prevention of Infiltration Law.

Sources: Pappé (2006), "The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine"; Morris (2004), "The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem Revisited"

Israel's preemptive strike in June 1967 resulted in occupation of remaining Palestinian territories:

Military Occupation: Israel captured West Bank (including East Jerusalem), Gaza Strip, Sinai, and Golan Heights.

UN Resolution 242 called for withdrawal from occupied territories - never implemented.
Settlement Project: First settlement Kfar Etzion established September 1967.

Violates Article 49 of Fourth Geneva Convention prohibiting transfer of civilian population into occupied territory.
Demographic Engineering: Israel annexed East Jerusalem (1967) and Golan Heights (1981).

Implemented "Greater Jerusalem" plan to maintain Jewish majority through land confiscation and restricted Palestinian building permits.

Immediate consequences for Palestinians: