1945:
- World War II ended in May 1945, and the Holocaust revealed the extent of the atrocities committed against Jews in Europe.
- The British Mandate for Palestine, under which Britain governed the region, continued, but there was growing tension between Jewish and Arab communities over the future of the territory.
1947:
- The United Nations (UN) adopted Resolution 181, known as the Partition Plan, which called for the division of Palestine into two states: one for Jews and the other for Arabs, with Jerusalem placed under international control.
- The Jewish Agency, representing the Jewish community in Palestine, accepted the plan, while Arab leaders rejected it, leading to increased tension and violence.
1948:
- The British Mandate for Palestine ended on May 14, 1948, and the State of Israel was declared.
- Immediate military conflict erupted between Israel and neighboring Arab states, known as the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
- The war lasted until 1949 and resulted in Israel's victory, significantly expanding its territory beyond the boundaries set by the Partition Plan.
- The conflict led to the displacement and migration of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, creating a refugee crisis in the region.
- The United States, Soviet Union, and other international actors played significant roles in influencing the course of events during this period.
The establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 was a watershed moment that fundamentally changed the political landscape and geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East, setting the stage for further conflicts and challenges in the region that persist to this day.
