Israel and Palestine: How We Got Here (1897–2026)

By Cliff Potts, Editor-in-Chief
BAYBAY CITY, Leyte, Philippines — August 2, 2026 — 9:05 p.m. PhST

For more than a century, the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians has been shaped by competing national identities, religious significance, colonial administration, wars, terrorism, diplomacy, occupation, and repeated attempts at peace. Since Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza, public debate has often focused on current events without the historical context necessary to understand how the conflict evolved. This article provides a chronological overview intended as a historical reference rather than an argument for either side.

The Ottoman Period and the Rise of Zionism (1897–1917)

Before World War I, Palestine formed part of the Ottoman Empire. The population consisted primarily of Arabic-speaking Muslims and Christians, alongside long-established Jewish communities.

During the late nineteenth century, modern political Zionism emerged in Europe, advocating the establishment of a Jewish homeland in the historic Land of Israel. The movement gained support as antisemitism intensified throughout Europe, particularly in the Russian Empire and later with the rise of Nazi Germany. Jewish immigration into Ottoman Palestine gradually increased during this period.

British Rule and Growing Tensions (1917–1947)

During World War I, Britain captured Palestine from the Ottoman Empire.

In 1917, the Balfour Declaration expressed British support for establishing “a national home for the Jewish people” while also stating that the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities should not be prejudiced.

Britain received the League of Nations Mandate over Palestine in 1922. Over the following decades, Jewish immigration increased substantially, particularly as Jews fled persecution in Europe. Arab opposition also intensified, producing riots, armed revolts, and growing distrust between the communities.

By the end of World War II, Britain concluded that it could no longer manage the escalating violence and referred the question of Palestine to the newly created United Nations.

Partition, Independence, and the First Arab-Israeli War (1947–1949)

In November 1947, the United Nations approved a partition plan calling for separate Jewish and Arab states with Jerusalem under international administration.

Jewish leaders accepted the proposal. Arab leaders rejected it.

On May 14, 1948, Israel declared independence. The following day, military forces from Egypt, Jordan (then Transjordan), Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon entered the conflict, beginning the First Arab-Israeli War.

Israel survived the invasion and expanded beyond the territory allocated under the UN plan. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled or were displaced during the fighting, an event Palestinians remember as the Nakba (“catastrophe”). At the same time, hundreds of thousands of Jews later left or were expelled from several Arab countries over the following years and resettled primarily in Israel.

From Armistice to Occupation (1949–1993)

Following the war:

• Egypt administered the Gaza Strip.
• Jordan annexed the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
• Israel remained within the armistice lines established after the war.

The conflict continued through repeated wars, including the 1956 Suez Crisis, the 1967 Six-Day War, and the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

The Six-Day War fundamentally changed the conflict. Israel captured the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza, the Sinai Peninsula, and the Golan Heights. Although Israel later returned Sinai to Egypt under the 1979 peace treaty, it retained control over the West Bank and East Jerusalem while eventually withdrawing settlements and military forces from Gaza in 2005.

During these decades, Palestinian nationalism increasingly became organized through the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), while numerous armed attacks and Israeli military responses hardened attitudes on both sides.

Oslo, Hamas, and a Divided Palestinian Leadership

The 1993 Oslo Accords marked the first mutual recognition between Israel and the PLO.

The agreements created the Palestinian Authority to administer portions of the West Bank and Gaza while negotiations toward a permanent peace settlement continued.

Those negotiations ultimately failed.

The Second Intifada (2000–2005) brought years of suicide bombings, shootings, military operations, and thousands of casualties.

In 2006, Hamas won Palestinian legislative elections. Fighting between Hamas and Fatah culminated in Hamas seizing control of Gaza in 2007, while the Palestinian Authority retained control over much of the West Bank.

Since then, Palestinian governance has remained divided between Hamas in Gaza and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. Israel and Egypt imposed varying restrictions and blockades around Gaza, citing security concerns following Hamas’ takeover and continued rocket attacks.

October 7, 2023

On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale cross-border attack into Israel.

Approximately 1,200 people were killed, most of them civilians, and more than 200 hostages were taken into Gaza, making it one of the deadliest days in Israeli history.

Israel declared war against Hamas and began a sustained military campaign in Gaza aimed at destroying Hamas’ military and governing capabilities while securing the return of hostages.

The War in Gaza

The conflict produced catastrophic humanitarian consequences inside Gaza.

Israel states that Hamas embeds military operations among civilian populations and that its objective is the defeat of Hamas while minimizing civilian casualties where possible.

Hamas denies many Israeli allegations while continuing armed resistance and has been widely condemned for the October 7 attacks and hostage-taking.

International organizations, governments, and courts have sharply disagreed over Israel’s conduct during the war. Allegations have included war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, while Israel has rejected those allegations and argued that it is acting in lawful self-defense against Hamas following the October 7 attacks.

Several legal proceedings remain ongoing before international institutions. Their final outcomes have not yet been determined.

Understanding the Present

By mid-2026, the conflict remained unresolved.

Hostage issues, humanitarian aid, reconstruction, settlement policy, recognition of Palestinian statehood, Israeli security, Hamas’ future, and the status of Jerusalem all remained central issues.

Supporters of Israel emphasize the country’s right to defend itself following the October 7 attacks and the continuing threat posed by Hamas.

Supporters of the Palestinians emphasize civilian casualties, displacement, humanitarian conditions, and decades of occupation and settlement expansion.

These perspectives often rely upon different historical starting points. Some begin with October 7, 2023. Others begin with 1967, 1948, or even the late Ottoman period. Understanding the chronology helps explain why the same events are interpreted so differently.

Preserving the Historical Record

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict cannot be understood through a single military campaign, election, peace proposal, or headline.

It is the product of more than a century of competing national aspirations, repeated wars, political failures, religious significance, international intervention, and cycles of violence affecting multiple generations.

For future historians, the chronology itself may prove as important as the debates surrounding it. Understanding when events occurred—and how each event influenced those that followed—provides a foundation for evaluating both present decisions and future developments.

References

Council on Foreign Relations. (2026). Israeli-Palestinian conflict timeline. https://www.cfr.org/education/learn/timelines/israeli-palestinian-conflict-timeline

United Nations. (2025). History of the Question of Palestine. https://www.un.org/unispal/history/

United Nations. (2025). Historical timeline: Question of Palestine. https://www.un.org/unispal/historical-timeline/

Reuters. (2024). What is the history of the Israel-Palestinian conflict?