HISTORY OF PALESTINE


Ancient Jeruselum

4000 BCE - 1ST CENTURY CE

Archaeological evidence suggests that Jerusalem was inhabited as early as 4000 BC. Its earliest known name may have been of Jebusite origin, tied to the Canaanite town that, along with the Philistines, are considered the earliest ancestors of modern Palestinians.

Egyptian Empire

c.1500–1200 BCE

Major Events Battle of Megiddo (1457 BCE), Egyptian rule in Canaan.

Territory Egypt, Sinai, Canaan, Nubia

Key Leaders Thutmose III, Ramses II, Ramses III

Hebrews Lived as Tribal Groups

c.1200–1050

The Hebrews lived as tribal groups in the central highlands of Canaan.

Kingdom of Israel

c.1050–722 BCE

Major Events Formation of the United Monarchy, Jerusalem established as capital, First Temple built. After the Sulaiman (a) passed away, the kingdom split into: Kingdom of Israel (north) and Kingdom of Judah (south, with Jerusalem)

Territory Israel, Judah, parts of Jordan & Lebanon

Key Leaders Saul, David, Solomon, Hezekiah, Josiah

The Assyrian Empire

722–605 BCE

Major Events Conquered Israel (722 BCE), Siege of Jerusalem (701 BCE). The Assyrians conquered Israel (northern kingdom), deporting much of the population.

Assirian territory Mesopotamia, Levant (including Palestine), Egypt (briefly).

Key Leaders Sargon II, Sennacherib, Ashurbanipal

The Babylonian Empire

605–539 BCE

Major Events Conquered Judah, Destroyed First Temple (586 BCE), Jewish Exile

Babylonian territory Mesopotamia, Levant (including Palestine)

Key Leaders Nebuchadnezzar II, Nabonidus

Persian Empire

539–332 BCE

Major Events Allowed Jewish return (538 BCE), Second Temple completed (516 BCE).

Persian Empire Territory From Greece to India, including Palestine

Key Leaders Cyrus the Great, Darius I, Xerxes I

Alexander The Great's
Macedonian Empire

332–323 BCE

Conquered Palestine from the Persian Empire. Allowed religious freedom, including Jewish practices in Jerusalem. Died in 323 BCE, leading to a division of his empire among his generals.
Ptolemaic Rule

323–198 BCE

The death of Alexander The Great led to a division of his empire among his generals. Egyptian-based Greek dynasty (Ptolemies- Founded by Ptolemy I, a general of Alexander) controlled Palestine and inlcuded Egypt. Seleucid territory (founded by Seleucus I, another of Alexander’s generals) constituted Syria, Mesopotamia and Persia.

Seleucid Rule

198–167 BCE

Seleucid Empire (from Syria) took over Palestine. The Seleucid rulers tried to enforce Greek culture (Hellenisation) aggressively.
Hasmonean Jewish Kingdom

167–63 BCE

The Maccabean Revolt (167–142 BCE) against the Seleucid Empire led to the Hasmonean Dynasty, a line of Jewish priest-kings ruling Judea (Palestine) independently.

Roman Empire

63–330 CE

Major Events Roman conquest (63 BCE), Destruction of Second Temple (70 CE), Jewish exile (135 CE)

Roman Empire Territory Mediterranean Basin, Levant, North Africa, Western Europe

Key Leaders Pompey, Herod the Great, Titus, Hadrian, Constantine I

Byzantine Empire

167–63 BCE

Christianity became the dominant religion in Palestine.
Byzantine Empire Territory Eastern Mediterranean, including Palestine, Greece, Anatolia, Egypt

Key Leaders Constantine I, Helena, Justinian I, Heraclius

637-1099 CE

During the caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA), Jerusalem peacefully became part of the Islamic State.
Key Leaders Rashidun Caliphs, Umayyad Caliphs, Abbasid Caliphs

Following the passing of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in 632 CE, the leadership of the Muslim Ummah passed to Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), the first Caliph. His leadership saw the consolidation of Muslim control over the Arabian Peninsula. Upon his death, Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) became the second Caliph. Under his leadership, Islam expanded beyond Arabia into the Byzantine and Persian territories.

The Muslim army, led by commanders including Khalid ibn al-Walid, Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah, and Amr ibn al-As, achieved significant victories against the Byzantines. The decisive Battle of Yarmouk in 636 CE crushed Byzantine resistance in the region and opened the way to Jerusalem.

Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah, known for his piety and leadership, led the Muslim forces toward Jerusalem. The city, heavily fortified and sacred to the Christians, was under the governance of Patriarch Sophronius. Aware of the fate of other Byzantine cities and recognizing the strength and discipline of the Muslim armies, Sophronius opted to negotiate terms of surrender. However, he insisted that the keys of the city be handed over only to Caliph Umar himself.

Responding to the request of Patriarch Sophronius, Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab personally traveled from Medina to Jerusalem. His journey was marked by humility and simplicity; he took turns with his servant in riding their camel, embodying the Islamic principles of justice and equality.

Upon arriving in Jerusalem, Umar accepted the city's surrender under what became known as the "Pact of Umar." This treaty guaranteed safety and freedom of worship for Christians and Jews. Umar famously refused to pray inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to prevent future generations from converting it into a mosque, exemplifying Islam's respect for other faiths.

The keys to Jerusalem were handed over to Umar, marking the peaceful integration of the city into the Islamic state.

Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab implemented several legal measures to ensure the protection of religious communities and their places of worship. The Pact of Umar explicitly stated that Christians would be protected and their churches and crosses would not be harmed. No forced conversions were permitted, and Christians and Jews were allowed to practice their faith freely.

Non-Muslim citizens (Ahl al-Dhimma) were granted safety and security in exchange for paying the jizya (a protection tax), which exempted them from military service while guaranteeing their protection by the Islamic state. Their property, lives, and religious institutions were safeguarded, and any harm against them was prohibited.

Additionally, Islamic law prohibited the destruction of any place of worship and mandated the maintenance of justice for all communities. This framework fostered a diverse and harmonious society where Muslims, Christians, and Jews coexisted peacefully.

Following the conquest, Jerusalem became a significant city in the Islamic world. Caliph Umar ordered the clearing of the area near Al-Aqsa Mosque, honoring its status as the site of Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) Isra and Mi'raj. This laid the foundation for future Islamic architectural developments.

Under the Umayyad Caliphate, especially during the reign of Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, the Dome of the Rock was constructed, further solidifying Jerusalem's importance in the Islamic world.

Islamic governance in Jerusalem was marked by tolerance and inclusion. Christians and Jews were allowed to maintain their places of worship and live peacefully under Islamic rule. This model of governance stood in stark contrast to the religious persecutions common in other empires.

Crusader Period

1096-1291

The Crusader period in Palestine lasted from 1096 to 1291 CE. During this time, military campaigns and battles led to shifting control over this region.
Mamluk Sultanate

1291-1516

Mamluks defeat Crusaders (1291) and rule over Palestine
Ottoman Empire

1517–1917

Ottoman rule over Palestine
British Rule

1917-1948

The British captured Palestine from the Ottomans during World War I (1917–1918). In 1920 Britain was granted administration of Palestine by the League of Nations.

A covert arrangement made between Britain and France outlining how they would divide the territory in the Middle East following the anticipated defeat of the Ottoman Empire.

The British government declared support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine. This and subsequent British policies facilitated Jewish immigration to Palestine.

World War I ended resulting in the fall of the Ottoman Caliphate. Britain gained control of Palestine. For the first time in over 700 years, Palestine had fallen to Non-Muslim rule.

Britain facilitated Jewish immigration from Europe to Palestine. By 1947, the Jewish population had increased tenfold to 33% of Palestine. However, they only owned 6.5% of the land.

Sir Herbert Samuel, a British Jew, appointed as first High Commissioner for Palestine. The British general, Louis Bols, declared the enforcement of the Balfour Declaration. Palestinians, already upset because of the increasing number of immigrant Jewish settlers, demonstrated in Jerusalem.

In an attempt to prevent Jewish control of the Al-Buraq Wall, which forms part of the western wall of the al-Aqsa mosque (known as the The Wailing Wall to Jews), demonstrations took place which turned into violent clashes, leading to widespread riots.

British inquiry into the unrest acknowledged the destabilising effect of British policies, concluding that civil unrest was the likely outcome of making Palestinians landless. No significant changes were made in response.

Start of a sustained revolution by Palestinian Arabs mobilising thousands of Palestinians and non-Palestinian Arabs. The revolt began with a general strike in Jaffa and Nablus and the formation of the Arab High Committee.

British commission recommends partition of Palestine and transfer of Palestinian Arabs. The Arabs rejected the proposal and the revolt intensified. In response the British declared martial law, dissolving the Arab High Committee and took harsh measures to suppress the uprisings.

During the Second World War, the British needed Arab support and access to oil so Jewish immigration into Palestine was limited.

The new British government of July 1945 restricted Jewish immigration as they feared mass Jewish immigration into Palestine would provoke a civil war.

The Zionist conference in London August 1945 resulted in active opposition to British rule by three Jewish military groups, the Hagana, the Irgun, and the Stern Gang.

The US government increased its support for the creation of Jewish state due to pressure from US Zionists. It applied econimic pressure to Britain.

Jewish insurgents bombed communication lines, British buildings and targeted British troops. The King David bombing killed 91 people, mostly civilians.

As Britain was dependent on US aid, in February 1947 UK decided to withdraw from the region and asked the United Nations to find a solution.

UN Partition Plan

1947

The United Nations adopted Resolution 181, proposing the partition of Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, allocating 55% of the land to the Jewish state, despite Jews owning 6.5 percent of the land at the time.
The Nakba

1948-1949

A covert arrangement made between Britain and France outlining how they would divide the territory in the Middle East following the anticipated defeat of the Ottoman Empire.

The British government declared support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine. This and subsequent British policies facilitated Jewish immigration to Palestine.

State of Israel Declared

14th May 1948

A new state of Israel declared. Immediatley recognised by the USA then USSR. Last of the British troops leave. Armies from Egypt, Syriya, Transjordan, Lebanon and Iraq enter Palestine.

A new state of Israel declared. Immediatley recognised by the USA then USSR. Last of the British troops leave. Armies from Egypt, Syriya, Transjordan, Lebanon and Iraq enter Palestine.

UN security council calls for a ceasefire. Ceasefire begins 11th June. Arab forces in control of Galilee, the West Bank, the Gaza strip and the Negev Desert. Israel breaks the ceasefire and invades part of Galiliee and the West Bank.

Second caesefire begins. On 15th October, Israel breaks caesefire- by end of October takes rest of Galilee and by February the Negev Desert.

February-July Armistice agreed with each of the Arab nations. Around 75% of Palestine now under Israeli control.

Law of Return

1950

To support Jewish immigration, the Israeli parliament passed the Law of Return which gave any Jew in the world the right to Israeli citizenship. Palestinians were forbidden to return.
PLA and PLO Formation

1964

The Cairo Conference in January 1964 where all Arab League member leaders attended resulted in the creation of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and Palestine Liberation Army.
Six Day War

June 1967

Israel air force destroys Egyptian, Syrian, and Jordanian air forces and air fields. Israeli forces advance into Gaza and get control of the Gaza Strip from Egypt.

Israeli forces advanced into the Sinai Desert towards the Suez Canal.

Israeli forces get control of Sinai from Egypts and capture Jerusalem. Jordan accepted UN calls for ceasefire.

Israeli forces get control of the West Bank from Jordan. Egypt accepts UN calls for ceasefire.

Israeli forces attack the Golan Heights.

???

First Intifada

1987-1993

Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation and settlement expansion.
Oslo Accords

1993-1995

Peace agreements signed; Palestinian Authority given limited governance over 18% of West Bank.
Settlement Expansion

1993-Present

Israeli settlements grow from 250,000 to over 700,000 settlers.
Al-Aqsa Incident

September 28, 2000

Ariel Sharon storms al-Aqsa Mosque with 1,000 armed troops, sparking uprising.
Second Intifada

2000-2005

Initially non-violent demonstrations escalate after Israeli use of force.
Separation Wall

2002

Construction begins on separation wall, cutting through Palestinian territory and resources.
Gaza Blockade

2007-Present

Israel imposes blockade on Gaza, restricting movement and access to resources for 2.2 million residents.
Total Blockade

2023-Present

Israel imposes total blockade on Gaza, cutting off all essential resources.