

HOME
Welcome KEY
to theTOPICS
United NationsTHE COMMITTEE ‫ ﻋﺮﺑﻲ‬中文DOCUMENT
EVENTS DATABASE
English Français Русский Español

CIVIL SOCIETY UN SYSTEM RESOLUTIONS FAQ SEARCH

HISTORICAL TIMELINE

Home / Historical Timeline

Historical Timeline

1885 – The term “Zionism” first

coined by the Viennese writer,
1907 – Zionist leader
Nathan Birnbaum.
Chaim Weizmann
visits Palestine.
1896 – Theodor Herzl, founder
of the Zionist movement, calls
1908 – First
for “restoration of the Jewish
Palestinian anti-
State”.
Zionist weekly
newspaper is
1897 – First Zionist congress
published by Arab
takes place in Basel,
Christian Najib
Switzerland and the first
Nassar.
Zionist organization is
founded.

protetto da
-
Privacy - Termini


HOME KEY TOPICS THE COMMITTEE EVENTS 1915 – British
DOCUMENT cabinet
DATABASE
member Herbert

CIVIL SOCIETY UN SYSTEM RESOLUTIONS FAQ Samuel calls for the

SEARCH
British annexation of
Palestine in
HISTORICAL TIMELINE
memorandum “The
Future of Palestine”.
Brief Animat…
1916 – European
Powers conclude
secret Sykes-Picot
agreement dividing
future spheres of
influence in Ottoman
Empire territories.

1922 – The League of

Nations
grants mandate over
former Ottoman
1917 – The Balfour
territory Palestine to
Declaration promises a
UK. Provisions include
“national home for the Jewish
terms of the Balfour
people in Palestine”.
Declaration,
including a “Jewish
1919 – Emir Feisal presents a
national home”.
memorandum to the Paris
Peace Conference, outlining
1933 – Palestinians
the case for independence of
riot amid sudden rise
Arab countries.
in Jewish
immigration from
Nazi persecution in
Germany.

1936/1939 –
Palestinian rebellion
against the British 
 Mandate and Jewish
HOME KEY TOPICS THE COMMITTEE EVENTS DOCUMENT DATABASE
immigration.

CIVIL SOCIETY UN SYSTEM RESOLUTIONS FAQ SEARCH

1937 – UK Peel
Commission
HISTORICAL TIMELINE Report publicly
recognizes conflict’s
irreconcilable terms
and recommends
partition of Palestine.

1939 – UK
issues White
Paper limiting Jewish
immigration.

1936-1939 Palestinian rebellion

1942 – US Zionists
meet in NY and
adopt the “Biltmore
Programme,” calling
for establishment of
Palestine as a Jewish
Commonwealth and
for unlimited
immigration.

In February 1947, UK
proposes to
relinquish its
mandatory role and
places the question
of Palestine before
the UN.

In September, the UN
Special Committee
on Palestine
(UNSCOP) issues
a report to the
General Assembly
with plans for

 partition or a federal
HOME KEY TOPICS THE COMMITTEE EVENTS DOCUMENT DATABASE
1947 BRITAI… state in Palestine.

CIVIL SOCIETY UN SYSTEM RESOLUTIONS FAQ SEARCH

In November, the UN
General Assembly
HISTORICAL TIMELINE adopts resolution
181(II) which called to
divide Palestine into
an un-named
“Jewish State” and
an un-named “Arab
State” with
Jerusalem under UN
trusteeship.

Count Folke
Bernadotte
appointed UN
Mediator in
Palestine by the UN
General Assembly.
April 1948 – Deir Yassin He is assassinated
massacre: Zionist four months later by
paramilitary groups kill a Zionist militant
hundreds of Palestinian Arabs group. Security
in Deir Yassin, a village near Council establishes a
Jerusalem. group of military
observers to
May 1948 – Great Britain supervise truce,
terminates the Mandate over which later
Palestine and Israel declares became UNTSO.
independence on 15 May.
Territorial expansion using November 1948 – UN
force results in the first large- establishes UNRPR
scale exodus of Palestinian special fund to
refugees; 15 May becomes an provide relief to over
official day to mark 500,000 Palestine
the Palestinian Nakba (“catastrophe”). refugees.

December 1948 – UN
General Assembly
passes resolution

 194 calling for
HOME KEY TOPICS THE COMMITTEE EVENTS DOCUMENT DATABASE
refugees to be
allowed to return,
CIVIL SOCIETY UN SYSTEM RESOLUTIONS FAQ SEARCH
Jerusalem to be
under international
HISTORICAL TIMELINE
regime, UN
Conciliation
Commission for
Palestine (UNCCP)
replaces UN
mediator.

May 1949 – UNGA

adopts Resolution 273
(III) admitting Israel as UN
member. February/July 1949
– Israel signs
December 1949 – UN armistice
establishes UNRWA to replace agreements
UNRPR (GA Resolution 302 with Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria
(IV)).
April 1949 – UN
Conciliation
Commission
convenes Lausanne
Conference to
reconcile the parties.

UN Secretary-General Announces Flag of Israel Takes its

Appointment of Director of UNRWA Member Nations at UN

1950 – Israel moves

its capital from Tel
Aviv to the western
part of Jerusalem, in
defiance of UN
resolutions, and the

 West Bank is brought
HOME KEY TOPICS THE COMMITTEE EVENTS DOCUMENT DATABASE
formally under
Jordanian control.
CIVIL SOCIETY UN SYSTEM RESOLUTIONS FAQ SEARCH

1964 – Palestine
HISTORICAL TIMELINE Liberation
Organization (PLO) is
founded in Cairo.

1Tel
96Aviv
7 – Six-day war: Israel
occupies West Bank,
including East Jerusalem,
Gaza, Golan Heights, and
Sinai Peninsula.

In November, the UN Security

Council unanimously
adopts Resolution 242 (Land
for peace).
1973 - Security Council

1968 – Establishment of UN 1973 – Following the

Special Committee to Middle East war of
Investigate Israeli Practices October, the UN
Affecting the Human Rights of Security Council
the Palestinian People and passes resolution
Other Arabs of the Occupied 338 calling for
Territories. ceasefire,
implementation of
res. 242, negotiations
between parties.

The UN General
Assembly and 
 the Arab
HOME KEY TOPICS THE COMMITTEE EVENTS DOCUMENT DATABASE
League recognize the
PLO as the sole
CIVIL SOCIETY UN SYSTEM RESOLUTIONS FAQ SEARCH
legitimate
representative of the
HISTORICAL TIMELINE
Palestinian people.
1974 MTG G…
General Assembly
reaffirms inalienable
rights of Palestinian
people to self-
determination,
independence and
sovereignty, and
refugee return
(resolution 3236).

1978 – Following two

weeks of secret
negotiations at
Camp David (USA),
the Egyptian
President and the
Israeli Prime Minister
agree on
1975 – In 1975 the Committee
a Framework for
on the Exercise of the
Peace in the Middle
Inalienable Rights of the
East.
Palestinian People (CEIRPP) is
founded by Resolution 3376 of
1979 – The UNGA re-
the UNGA.
designates the
Special Unit on
1976 – The CEIRPP submits its
Palestinian Rights as
programme to the Security
the Division for
Council and General
Palestinian Rights
Assembly to enable
(Resolution 34/65 D).
Palestinians to exercise their
inalienable rights.

1977 – Pursuant to UNGA

Resolution 32/40 B,

International Day of Solidarity
HOME KEY TOPICS THE COMMITTEE EVENTS DOCUMENT DATABASE
with the Palestinian People is
celebrated annually on 29
CIVIL SOCIETY UN SYSTEM RESOLUTIONS FAQ SEARCH
November.

HISTORICAL TIMELINE
Secretary-General Pays
Two Week Visit to Middle
East

1980 – Israeli Knesset enacts

the so-called ‘Basic Law’ on
Jerusalem, proclaiming that 1982 – Israel invades
“Jerusalem, whole and Lebanon with the
united” is the capital of Israel; intention of
the Security Council and GA eliminating the PLO.
resolution 35/169 E censure After a ceasefire, PLO
this law. forces withdraw to
neighboring
1981 – UNESCO adds the Old countries. Despite
City of Jerusalem to the guarantees of safety
UNESCO World Heritage Site for Palestine refugees
list. left behind, there
are massacres at
UN Security Council Sabra and Shatila
adopts resolution 497, calling camps.
on Israel to rescind action to
annex the Golan Heights.

1987 – First “Intifada” begins

in the Jabaliya Refugee In December 1988,
Camp in the Gaza Strip. PLO Chair Yasser
Arafat addresses UN
1988 – In July, Jordan
in Geneva; says
renounces claims to the West
Palestine National
Bank and recognizes PLO as
Council accepts
“the sole legitimate
UNSC Resolutions 242

representative of the and 338.
HOME KEY TOPICS THE COMMITTEE EVENTS DOCUMENT DATABASE
Palestinian people.”

CIVIL SOCIETY UN SYSTEM

In November, in Algiers, the
RESOLUTIONS FAQ SEARCH

Palestinian National Council

HISTORICAL TIMELINE
adopts declaration of
independence of the State of
Palestine.

1991 – Middle East peace

conference in Madrid brings
together all the parties to the 1995 – Israel and the
Arab-Israeli conflict. PLO sign
the Palestinian-
1993 – Israel and the PLO sign
Israeli Interim
the Declaration of Principles
Agreement on the
on Interim Self-Government
West Bank and the
Arrangements, also known
Gaza Strip (“Oslo II)”.
the Oslo accords. Several
“permanent status”

1994 – The Office of the UN

Special Coordinator in the
Occupied Territories (UNSCO)
Mr. Terje Roed-Larsen of
is established, and Mr. Terje
Norway, first UN Special
Roed-Larsen of Norway is Coordinator
appointed as the first UN
Special Coordinator.

1998 – Israel and the

PLO sign the Wye
River Memorandum,
which consists of
steps to facilitate
1996 – Palestinian general implementation of
elections are held. previous
agreements.
1997 – Israel and the PLO sign

the Hebron Protocol. 2000 – In July, the US
HOME KEY TOPICS THE COMMITTEE EVENTS DOCUMENT DATABASE
President Clinton
convenes a Middle
CIVIL SOCIETY UN SYSTEM RESOLUTIONS FAQ SEARCH
East Peace Summit
at Camp David which
HISTORICAL TIMELINE
concludes without
agreement.

Ariel Sharon’s al-

Haram al-Sharif visit
in September 2000
triggers the Second
Palestinian Intifada.

2002 – The UN
Security Council
passes resolution
2001 – Outgoing US President 1397 affirming vision
Clinton proposes the Clinton of a two-State
Parameters for a permanent solution to the
status agreement to resolve conflict.
the Israeli–Palestinian
conflict. The Quartet,
consisting of the UN,
Shortly afterwards, the Taba the EU, the US, and
Summit is held between Israel Russia is established
and the Palestinian Authority with a mandate to
but fails to resolve the help mediate Israeli-
“permanent status” issues. Palestinian conflict
and support
Palestinian economic
development and
institution-building.

During a summit in
Beirut, the League of
The Quartet Arab States adopts
the Arab Peace
Initiative.


HOME KEY TOPICS THE COMMITTEE EVENTS DOCUMENT DATABASE

CIVIL SOCIETY UN SYSTEM RESOLUTIONS FAQ SEARCH

HISTORICAL TIMELINE

2003 –Roadmap for Peace is

published by the Quartet and
is endorsed by the Security
Council in resolution 1515.

2004 – The
International Court of
Justice (ICJ)
issues Advisory
Opinion on the
legality of
construction of a wall
in the Occupied
Palestinian Territory.

2006 – In January, Hamas

wins Palestinian Legislative
Elections; forms Palestinian
Authority government. The
Quartet responds
with Quartet Principles.

In July, Israel goes to war with

Hezbollah in Lebanon.

2007 – Israel imposes a

blockade on the Gaza Strip
after an armed takeover of
Gaza by Hamas.

In November, the Annapolis

Conference ends with parties
issuing a joint

statement committing to
HOME KEY TOPICS THE COMMITTEE EVENTS DOCUMENT DATABASE
immediately implement their
respective obligations under
CIVIL SOCIETY UN SYSTEM RESOLUTIONS FAQ SEARCH
the Roadmap and working
towards a peace treaty by
HISTORICAL TIMELINE
the end of 2008.

2008 – Israel
broadens its
sanctions and
completely seals off
the Gaza Strip.

Later in the year,

Israel launches
Operation Cast Lead,
a massive 22-day
military assault on
the Gaza Strip.

2009 – Security
Ceasefire Agreement Meeting
Council
passes resolution
1860 calling for a
ceasefire in Gaza.
HRC creates the UN
Fact Finding Mission
on the Gaza
Creation of the UN Fact Finding Mission conflict to investigate
on the Gaza conflict violations of
international
humanitarian and
human rights law.
Their findings are
issued in the
“Goldstone Report”.

2012 – In November, Israel 

launches ‘Pillar of Defense’ an
HOME KEY TOPICS THE COMMITTEE EVENTS DOCUMENT DATABASE
8-day military operation
against the Gaza Strip.
CIVIL SOCIETY UN SYSTEM RESOLUTIONS FAQ SEARCH

Later that month, the General

HISTORICAL TIMELINE
Assembly adopts resolution
8-day military operation
67/19 granting Palestine the against the Gaza Strip

status of non-member
observer State in the UN.

2013 – Direct negotiations

between Israel and Palestine
are held following an initiative Palestine becomes Non-
by US Secretary of State John Member Observer State in
the UN
Kerry to restart the peace
process.

2014 – Israel launches a large

scale military operation
codenamed “Protective Edge”
2016 – UN Security
on the Gaza Strip.
Council
adopts resolution
2334, stating that
Israel’s settlement
activity constitutes a
“flagrant violation” of
international law and
has “no legal
validity”.

2018 – United States

2017 – US President Donald moves its embassy in
Trump announces that the Israel from Tel Aviv to
United States would recognize Jerusalem.
Jerusalem as the capital of 
Israel. 2020 – US President
HOME KEY TOPICS THE COMMITTEE EVENTS DOCUMENT DATABASE
Trump helps
mediate Abraham
CIVIL SOCIETY UN SYSTEM RESOLUTIONS FAQ SEARCH
Accords to normalize
Israel’s relations with
HISTORICAL TIMELINE
some Arab States
and proposes
a Peace Plan.

General
Assembly requests
ICJ Advisory
Opinion on the legal
implications of the
prolonged Israeli
occupation.

General Assembly
Commemora…
adopts resolution
A/RES/77/23 of 30
November 2022
requesting the
Committee
to Commemorate the
75th anniversary of
the Nakba for the first
time in the history of
the UN.

Share This Page, Choose Your Platform!        

RESOLUTIONS PUBLICATIONS EXPLORE THE IN FOCUS


ON PALESTINE
HOME KEY TOPICS
Monthly Bulletin
THE COMMITTEE
UN
EVENTS
Gaza – Israel Crisis
DOCUMENT DATABASE
(Action by UN
General Assembly System and IGOs
CIVIL SOCIETY UN SYSTEM RESOLUTIONS UN News
FAQ CentreSEARCH
Relevant to
Security Council About the UN
HISTORICAL TIMELINE Question of
Human Rights Palestine) Department of
Council Political and
NGO Action News
Peacebuilding
Economic and
Origins and Affairs
Social Council
Evolution of the
Live UN Webcast
Palestine Problem

The Status of
Jerusalem

Studies prepared for

and under the
guidance of the
Committee

UNITED A-Z Site Index | Contact | Copyright | FAQ | Fraud Alert | Privacy Notice | Terms

NATIONS of Use