Seven decades of Israel’s independence May 14, 1948: Israel’s first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion signs declaration which establishes State of Israel Mar 10, 1949: Ceasefire declared. Jordan annexes West Bank and East Jerusalem, Egypt takes control of Gaza Strip Naqba – “Catastrophe”: Around 750,000 people from population of 1.9 million Palestinian Arabs become refugees 1956-57, Suez Crisis: Israel, Britain and France invade Egypt after Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalizes Suez Canal and threatens oil shipments to Europe 1957: Israel, with French assistance, begins construction of nuclear reactor at Dimona in Negev Desert 1961: Trial and execution of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann, found and kidnapped by Israeli agents in Argentina Jun 5-10, 1967, Six Day War: Egypt moves troops into Sinai desert and closes Strait of Tiran to Israeli shipping. Israel launches pr emptive airstrikes, seizing East Jerusalem, West Bank, Gaza, Golan Heights and Sinai 1972, Munich massacre: Palestinian Black September gunmen take Israeli team hostage at Munich Olympics. Eleven Israelis are killed Oct 6-25, 1973, Yom Kippur War: Egypt and Syria launch co-ordinated attacks against Israeli forces in Sinai and Golan Heights to recover territories lost in Six-Day War. Israel prevails, but at cost of heavy casualties on all sides Jul 1976: Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, U.S. President Jimmy Carter, and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin sign peace treaty between Egypt and Israel 1982, Lebanon War: Israel occupies southern Lebanon after repeated attacks by Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Massacre of Palestinians at Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in Beirut, by Israel’s Christian Phalangist allies, triggers mass protests in Israel 1984: 7,000 Ethiopian Jews flown to Israel to escape Sudan civil war 1985: Israel withdraws from most of Lebanon 1986: Former nuclear technician Mordechai Vanunu reveals details of Israel’s nuclear weapons programme at Dimona 1987-93, First Intifada: Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation of West Bank and Gaza 1992: Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin pledges to halt Jewish settlement expansion programme, opens secret talks with PLO May 1996: Likud takes power under Benjamin Netanyahu who pledges to halt further concessions to Palestinians 2000: Likud leader Ariel Sharon declares Jerusalem’s Temple Mount – known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif – will remain under perpetual Israeli control. Palestinian protests escalate into Second Intifada 2002: Israel begins building controversial West Bank barrier 2005: Prime Minister Ariel Sharon withdraws Israeli army from Gaza. 8,000 Jewish settlers in Gaza Strip are relocated 2006: Abduction of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah escalates into Second Lebanon War Sep 2007: Israeli Air Force destroys Syrian nuclear reactor under construction near Deir ez-Zor Dec 2008: Israel launches full-scale invasion of Gaza to prevent Hamas from launching rockets 2009: Right-wing parties prevail in elections, Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu forms government Oct 2011: Hamas releases Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit – after more than five years of captivity – in exchange for 1,027 prisoners Nov 2012: Israel launches campaign against Gaza-based armed groups following rocket attacks Jul-Aug 2014: Military offensive in Gaza following kidnap and murder of three Israeli teenagers Jun 2017: Work begins on first new Jewish settlement in West Bank for 25 years Dec: U.S. President Donald Trump recognises Jerusalem as capital of Israel May 14, 2018: Official move of U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem to mark Israel’s 70th anniversary May 15: Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Syria launch First Arab-Israeli War PRIME MINISTERS OF ISRAEL David Ben-Gurion May 17, 1948-Jan 26, 1954 Shimon Peres Sep 13, 1984-Oct 20, 1986 Moshe Sharett Jan 26, 1954-Nov 3, 1955 Yitzhak Shamir Oct 20, 1986-Jul 13, 1992 David Ben-Gurion Nov 3, 1955-Jun 26, 1963 Yitzhak Rabin Jul 13, 1992-Nov 4, 1995 Levi Eshkol Jun 26, 1963-Feb 26, 1969 Shimon Peres Nov 4, 1995-Jun 18, 1996 Yigal Allon Acting PM Feb 26, 1969-Mar 17, 1969 Benjamin Netanyahu Jun 18, 1996-Jul 6, 1999 Golda Meir Mar 17, 1969-Jun 3, 1974 Ehud Barak Jul 6, 1999-Mar 7, 2001 Yitzhak Rabin Jun 3, 1974-Jun 20, 1977 Ariel Sharon Mar 7, 2001- Apr 14, 2006 Menachem Begin Jun 20, 1977-Oct 10, 1983 Ehud Olmert Apr 14, 2006-Mar 31, 2009 Yitzhak Shamir Oct 10, 1983-Sep 13, 1984 Benjamin Netanyahu Mar 31, 2009- © GRAPHIC NEWS Pictures: Associated Press, Getty Images, National Photo Collection of Israel, U.S. Air Force