History & Timeline

Canaanite Period

The earliest known inhabitants of Palestine were the Canaanites, a Semitic-speaking people who established a network of city-states across the region as early as the 4th millennium BCE. The Canaanites developed advanced urban civilizations, with cities like Jericho — one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world — and Megiddo. They traded extensively with Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Aegean world. The name 'Palestine' itself derives from 'Philistia,' the Greek term for the land of the Philistines, who settled along the coastal plain around 1200 BCE. Canaanite culture, language, and religion profoundly influenced all subsequent civilizations in the region, leaving an enduring legacy in the land now known as Palestine.

Roman & Byzantine Period

Roman rule began in 63 BCE when Pompey the Great annexed the region into the Roman Republic. The period witnessed the Jewish-Roman wars, including the Great Revolt (66–70 CE) which culminated in the destruction of the Second Temple, and the Bar Kokhba revolt (132–136 CE), after which Emperor Hadrian renamed the province Syria Palaestina and built Aelia Capitolina on the ruins of Jerusalem. Under Byzantine Christian rule from the 4th century, Palestine became a major center of Christian pilgrimage, with the construction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and hundreds of monastic complexes across the region. The Byzantine period saw a flourishing of religious architecture, mosaic art, and theological scholarship that shaped both Eastern and Western Christianity.

Islamic Conquest

In 636 CE, Muslim forces under Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab decisively defeated the Byzantine army at the Battle of Yarmouk, bringing Palestine under Islamic rule. The conquest was remarkably swift, with local populations generally allowed to continue their religious practices under Islamic governance. Jerusalem surrendered peacefully in 638 CE, with Caliph Umar personally guaranteeing the safety of its Christian and Jewish inhabitants. Under Umayyad rule, the Islamic character of Palestine was permanently established with the construction of the Dome of the Rock (691 CE) and the Al-Aqsa Mosque (705 CE) on the Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem, making the city the third holiest in Islam. Arabic gradually replaced Greek and Aramaic as the dominant language.

Crusader Period

In 1099, European Crusaders captured Jerusalem in a bloody siege, massacring thousands of Muslim and Jewish inhabitants and establishing the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Crusaders built massive fortifications, castles, and churches across Palestine, including the iconic Krak des Chevaliers. Muslim resistance was led by Salah ad-Din (Saladin), who united Muslim forces under the Ayyubid dynasty and recaptured Jerusalem in 1187 after the decisive Battle of Hattin. Unlike the Crusaders, Saladin showed remarkable clemency, allowing Christian inhabitants to leave peacefully. The Ayyubid period that followed saw the restoration of Islamic institutions, though Crusader presence persisted in coastal enclaves for another century.

Mamluk Period

The Mamluk Sultanate, based in Cairo, controlled Palestine from 1250 to 1516. The Mamluks — a military caste of slave soldiers, many of Turkic and Circassian origin — defeated both the remaining Crusader states and the Mongol Ilkhanate, securing Muslim rule over the Levant. Under Mamluk patronage, Palestine experienced a revival of Islamic architecture and scholarship. They built and restored numerous mosques, madrasas, and caravanserais, and fortified coastal cities against potential Crusader invasions. The period saw the development of a thriving trade network connecting Palestine to the broader Islamic world, and the flourishing of Arabic literature and historiography in cities like Jerusalem, Hebron, Gaza, and Nablus.

Ottoman Rule

Palestine was part of the Ottoman Empire for four centuries. The region was home to a diverse population of Muslims, Christians, and Jews.

Balfour Declaration

The British government pledged support for 'the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people,' disregarding the rights of the indigenous Palestinian population, who constituted over 90% of the inhabitants.

Arab Revolt

The 1936–39 Arab Revolt was a sustained Palestinian uprising against British colonial rule and the accelerating Zionist colonization of Palestine. Sparked by the killing of popular leader Sheikh Izz ad-Din al-Qassam by British forces in 1935, the revolt began with a six-month general strike in 1936, followed by armed insurrection. The British deployed over 20,000 troops — backed by aerial bombardment, house demolitions, and collective punishment — to crush the rebellion. The revolt resulted in the death of approximately 5,000 Palestinians, the execution of 108 fighters, and the destruction of over 2,000 homes. Despite its brutal suppression, the revolt forged a distinct Palestinian national consciousness and led to the British Peel Commission, which for the first time formally proposed partitioning Palestine.

UN Partition Plan (Resolution 181)

On 29 November 1947, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 181, recommending the partition of Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem under international control. The plan allocated 56% of Palestine's land to the proposed Jewish state, despite Jews constituting only 33% of the population and owning less than 7% of the land. Palestinian Arabs and neighboring Arab states rejected the plan as fundamentally unjust and a violation of the principle of self-determination. The Jewish Agency accepted the plan, seeing it as a legal foundation for statehood. The passage of Resolution 181 triggered immediate violence and escalated into the NakbaThe "catastrophe" of 1948, when over 750,000 Palestinians were expelled or fled during the establishment of Israel. — the mass displacement of the Palestinian people. The UN partition plan remains a deeply contentious document at the heart of the conflict.

The NakbaThe "catastrophe" of 1948, when over 750,000 Palestinians were expelled or fled during the establishment of Israel. ('Catastrophe')

Over 750,000 Palestinians were forcibly expelled or fled from their homes. More than 530 villages were destroyed. This mass displacement created the largest and longest-standing refugee crisis in the world. Families still hold the keys to their ancestral homes — some now inside Israel — passing them down through generations as symbols of the right of return under UN Resolution 194.

The NaksaThe "setback" of 1967, when Israel occupied the remaining Palestinian territories (West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem). & Occupation

Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem, Golan Heights, and Sinai. This began the military occupation of Palestinian territories, in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 242, which calls for withdrawal from territories occupied in the conflict.

PLO Recognized at the UN

On 13 November 1974, Yasser Arafat, Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization, delivered a historic address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. In his iconic speech, Arafat declared, 'I have come bearing an olive branch and a freedom fighter's gun. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand.' On 22 November 1974, the General Assembly adopted Resolution 3237 (XXIX), granting the PLO observer status at the United Nations. This landmark diplomatic achievement recognized the PLO as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people on the world stage. The resolution paved the way for broader Palestinian participation in international forums and marked a turning point in the international legitimacy of the Palestinian national movement.

First IntifadaArabic for "shaking off" — Palestinian uprisings against Israeli occupation (1987 and 2000).

A widespread Palestinian uprising characterized by civil disobedience, general strikes, and grassroots resistance. The IntifadaArabic for "shaking off" — Palestinian uprisings against Israeli occupation (1987 and 2000). brought international attention to the Palestinian cause and led to the Oslo peace process.

Oslo Accords

The Oslo Accords established the Palestinian Authority and divided the West Bank into Areas A, B, and C. However, the peace process failed to deliver a viable Palestinian state, and Israeli settlement expansion accelerated dramatically.

Second IntifadaArabic for "shaking off" — Palestinian uprisings against Israeli occupation (1987 and 2000).

A period of intensified conflict following the collapse of the Camp David summit. Israeli military forces reoccupied Palestinian cities. Construction of the separation wall began shortly after.

Separation Wall

Israel began constructing a 700+ km barrier through the West Bank. In 2004, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion declaring the wall illegal under international law and calling for its dismantlement.

Palestinian Elections & Gaza Siege

On 25 January 2006, Palestinians held democratic legislative elections, the second since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority. Hamas, running on a reform and anti-corruption platform, won a decisive majority with 74 of 132 seats, defeating the long-dominant Fatah party. The results, accepted by international observers as free and fair, were immediately rejected by Israel, the United States, and the European Union, who imposed severe economic sanctions and political isolation on the Hamas-led government. In response to the election outcome and subsequent factional tensions, Israel intensified its blockade of Gaza after Hamas took full control of the territory in June 2007. The siege — described by the UN as an 'open-air prison' — crippled Gaza's economy and has driven a deep internal Palestinian political division that remains unresolved.

Gaza Blockade

A comprehensive land, air, and sea blockade was imposed on Gaza. The UN has described it as an 'open-air prison.' The blockade has devastated Gaza's economy and created one of the highest unemployment rates in the world.

Great March of Return

Weekly peaceful protests demanding the right of return for Palestinian refugees and an end to the blockade. UN investigations documented excessive use of force, with hundreds killed and thousands injured, including medics, journalists, and children.

Sheikh Jarrah & Unity IntifadaArabic for "shaking off" — Palestinian uprisings against Israeli occupation (1987 and 2000).

In May 2021, forced eviction orders against six Palestinian families in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem sparked mass protests across Palestine and worldwide. The evictions, pursued by Israeli settler organizations under a disputed 1970 law, became a powerful symbol of the broader Palestinian struggle for justice. Protests spread rapidly across all Palestinian communities — from Jerusalem and the West Bank to Gaza and Palestinian towns inside Israel — in what was widely called the 'Unity IntifadaArabic for "shaking off" — Palestinian uprisings against Israeli occupation (1987 and 2000)..' On 10 May, Hamas issued an ultimatum for Israel to withdraw from Sheikh Jarrah and the Al-Aqsa compound, and when unmet, launched rockets from Gaza. The ensuing 11-day Israeli military assault on Gaza killed over 250 Palestinians, including 66 children, and caused massive destruction. The uprising marked a historic moment of unified Palestinian action across all geographic and political divisions since 1948.

Gaza War & Genocide Case

Following the October 7 attacks, Israel launched a devastating military campaign on Gaza. Over 40,000 Palestinians were killed, 1.9 million displaced, and over 70% of homes destroyed. South Africa filed a genocide case at the International Court of Justice under the Genocide Convention.

Continued SumudArabic for "steadfastness" — a Palestinian ethos of resilience and nonviolent resistance. (Steadfastness)

Despite immense hardship, the Palestinian people continue their struggle for freedom, justice, and self-determination through sumud — a philosophy of steadfast presence, cultural preservation, and international advocacy.