1948 - Israeli State In 1947, the General Assembly of the United Nations approves the Partition of Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state, with Jerusalem to be under international administration. Arab leaders in Palestine and surrounding Arab states reject the solution. In May 1948, at the close of the British Mandate, Jewish leaders of Palestine announce the creation of the state of Israel. War immediately breaks out with the neighboring Arab states of Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt. In January 1949, after months of bitter battle, a ceasefire agreement between Israel, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria is signed. Jerusalem is divided between Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Over half a million Palestinian Arabs who fled or were forced into exile during the war, remain in neighboring Arab states creating the crux of the Palestinian refugee problem. About the Picture: David Ben Gurion reading the Declaration of Independence before the Provisional Government. 8000-4000 BCE 3000-1200 BCE 1700 1200-600 BCE 587-332 BCE 520 BCE 332-63 BCE 166 BCE 63-324 CE 6-3 BCE 66 CE 68 CE 132-135 CE 135-324 CE 324-638 CE 614 CE 638-1099 CE 1099-1291 CE 1291-1917 CE 1492 1517 1886 1918-1948 1948 1950-67 1968-1988 1974 1977 1982 1993 2000