From Mandate to Conflict: The British Legacy of Missteps in the Middle East

Written by Jerry Elman, March 7, 2024

The history of the Israel/Palestinian conflict is often oversimplified, with many thinking it all started with the UN’s 1947 Partition Plan. However, this view skips over many important events and policies from before that time, especially those during British rule in Palestine. The British had a big impact through their actions. The British successfully erased and left out many important facts in history books, leading to a common misunderstanding of the conflict’s true roots.

Digging deep to uncover all these facts shows the conflict is much more complicated than most realize, touching on Israel, Palestine and the entire Middle East. Without this full picture, understanding the ongoing tensions and the history behind them is impossible.

Conflict in the Middle East has been a norm ever since the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I and the British takeover of much of the territory of that empire.

The fall of the Ottoman Empire and the subsequent partitioning of its territories under British and French control were pivotal moments in reshaping the Middle East.

The British Mandate for Palestine and the broader British legacy in the Middle East were deeply marked by policy failures and strategic miscalculations, leaving profound and enduring scars on the region, including another war today.

This period, characterized by British colonial ambition, was rife with conflicting promises, political indecision, and a lack of foresight, highlighting the complexities and challenges of foreign governance focused on land and power.

The Ottoman Empire
Under Ottoman rule, which lasted from 1517 to 1917, Palestine was an integrated region within the vast Ottoman Empire. It was never a country or a people. Palestine’s administration and social structure during this period reflected the broader Ottoman system of governance, characterized by a degree of local autonomy under the empire’s overarching control.

For most of the Ottoman period, Jews and Arabs coexisted relatively peacefully within the Empire’s multiethnic and multireligious landscape. Economic interactions, shared cultural practices, and mutual dependence in various spheres of life were common.

The Ottoman Empire

Post Ottoman Empire
The British and French took control of territories previously under Ottoman rule, including Palestine, through a combination of military campaigns and diplomatic agreements during and after World War I. Britain gained control and influence of areas that included the future Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Yemen, as well as control over Palestine, while France gained control of Syria and Lebanon.

In 1917, Britain released the Balfour Declaration. Written by British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour, this declaration expressed Britain’s support for the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine, provided that it did not prejudice the civil and religious rights of non-Jewish communities in Palestine.

Arthur James Balfour and the Balfour Declaration

In 1920, The League of Nations, formed after World War I, gave Britain mandates over Palestine and Iraq, while France received mandates over Syria and Lebanon. The mandates were intended to guide these territories to self-rule under the auspices of the League of Nations. The British Mandate for Palestine issued by the League of Nations called for the implementation of the Balfour Declaration. All other British and French Mandate territory was to be split up into newly formed independent nations as determined by Britain and France. Only the Mandate for Palestine specified the purpose and boundaries of the territory.

Through these military and diplomatic efforts, Britain and France reshaped the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East, carving out new territories and states from the remains of the Ottoman Empire. The decisions made during this period, especially regarding Palestine, have had lasting impacts on the region, contributing to today’s ongoing conflicts and tensions.

1916 Map of the Former Ottoman Empire Divided Between Britain and France

The Genesis of Discord: Conflicting Promises
Central to Britain’s policy failures was the issuance of conflicting promises, which sowed seeds of discord between Arabs and Jews. The Balfour Declaration of 1917, promising the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine, directly contradicted assurances made to Arab leaders, notably through the Hussein-McMahon Correspondence, suggesting independence and sovereignty over their lands after World War I. This duplicity eroded trust in British intentions and entrenched divisions, fueling decades of conflict.

The Original Territory of the Mandate and Subsequent Change
The delineation of the original Mandate for Palestine territory, as defined by the League of Nations following World War I, set the stage for today’s complex and contentious period in the Middle East. This territory encompassed what is today known as Israel, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Jordan. The initial intent behind the mandate was to establish a framework that could satisfy the national aspirations of both Jews and Arabs within the region.

San Remo Conference (1920)

At the San Remo Conference in April 1920, the Allied Supreme Council assigned the administration of the former Ottoman territories of Palestine and Transjordan to Britain under the mandate system established by the League of Nations.

The initial boundaries included what is now Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, and Jordan.

This entire territory was called British Mandate Palestine and was designated to become the promised Jewish homeland and Palestinian Arab States.

Original British Mandate Palestine Map with Proposed Jewish State Boundaries Outlined

In theory, the mandate sought to partition the territory into two distinct entities: “Arab Palestine” and “Jewish Palestine.” This partition was designed to reflect the demographic distribution of Arab and Jewish populations, aiming to provide a solution to the competing nationalistic claims by allocating the area east of the Jordan River, then called Transjordan, for the establishment of a Palestinian Arab state.

The remaining territory, west of the Jordan River, which included present-day Israel, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank, was designated for the creation of a Jewish homeland.

In 1921, the British, under Winston Churchill, then Colonial Secretary, unilaterally decided to separate Transjordan from Mandate Palestine (the area east of the Jordan River) and establish it as an autonomous territory under the rule of Abdullah I of the Hashemite family.

This decision was driven by several factors, including British strategic interests, the need to appease Arab leaders, and the geopolitical landscape post-World War I. Britain sought to establish a reliable ally in the region and accommodate Sharif Hussein bin Ali’s Hashemite dynasty, which had lost its influence in Arabia to the rising power of the Saudi family. Arabia should have been split between the Hashemites and the Saudis. But the Saudis would not agree to that. So, Britain gave the Hashemite’s Trans-Jordan, which they had no historical connection with. The majority of the Trans Jordan population were Palestinian Arabs and remains so even today.

By granting autonomy to Trans-Jordan under the leadership of Abdullah I, a member of the Hashemite family, Britain aimed to secure its strategic oil interests and create a buffer zone against French influence from Syria.

The decision to exclude Transjordan from the provisions for a Jewish national home, and Palestinian Arab State, as called for in the Balfour Declaration, was crucial. It effectively halved the territory initially envisioned by many Zionists for a future Jewish state. This pivotal shift in British policy haunts the Middle East today.

The result was that the remaining 33 percent of Mandate Palestine now had to be split which became an impossible task. This single British decision set the stage for the prolonged conflict between Arab and Jewish communities that continues today with Israel and Hamas at war.

Revised Mandate Palestine Map with the establishment of Heshemite Trans-Jordan instead of a Palestinian Arab State.

Another Map of Revised Mandate Palestine

Another British Strategic Miscalculation: The Rise of Haj Amin al-Husseini

Haj Amin al Husseini was a fervent antisemite, the most important Nazi collaborator in the Arab world, and a political activist who worked tirelessly for the ethnic cleansing and physical destruction of the Jews in British Mandate Palestine and in the Middle East as a whole.

The rise of Haj Amin al-Husseini and his actions under British oversight significantly impacted the history and conflicts in the Middle East. Appointed as the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem by the British in 1921, al-Husseini became a central figure in Arab nationalism and was known for his extreme hostility towards Jews, which he integrated into his political and ideological stance. His tenure was marked by opposition to any Jewish presence not only in British Mandate Palestine but in any Arab land.

His tenure was characterized by a relentless campaign of hatred and violence against Jewish communities, not only in Mandate Palestine but also extending to the broader Arab world. Al-Husseini’s ideologies and actions underscore a period in history where extremist beliefs directly influenced and exacerbated regional tensions.

Al-Husseini’s alignment with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime was not merely symbolic; it was an active partnership that sought to import the genocidal objectives of the Holocaust into the Middle East. Reports and historical accounts suggest that al-Husseini was instrumental in planning and facilitating the establishment of death camps specifically designed for the Jewish population in Palestine and other Arab nations. His efforts aimed at orchestrating a Holocaust in the Middle East are a testament to his deep-seated hatred and his dangerous convergence of extremist ideologies.

Moreover, al-Husseini’s influence extended beyond his collaboration with the Nazis. He played a crucial role in fueling anti-Jewish sentiment among all Arab nations, utilizing his political and religious stature to advocate for violence against Jews. His actions and rhetoric significantly contributed to the ideological foundation that would continue to shape the contours of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

The British handling of al-Husseini, especially during and after the Arab revolt of 1936, demonstrated a significant policy failure. Their attempts to placate him and his followers by restricting Jewish immigration to Palestine during a period when Jews were seeking refuge from Nazi persecution directly contributed to the tragic outcomes of many who were unable to find sanctuary.

Many ships made it to Palestine, only to have the British send the ships back to Europe and certain death for the Jews on them. The British not only exacerbated Arab-Jewish tensions but also laid the groundwork for the persistence of extremist ideologies in the region.

Al-Husseini’s ideological legacy has had a lasting influence on Palestinian nationalism and politics, notably affecting figures like Yasser Arafat, founder and longtime leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization, and other terrorist movements such as Hamas. His advocacy for violence and resistance against Jews has echoed through generations, shaping the strategies and rhetoric of groups that continue to oppose Israel. His ideology of absolute rejectionism and genocide against Jews remains strong today among the Palestinian leadership and people. Hamas is just one of many examples of that fact today.

The embedding of al-Husseini’s radical ideologies within major factions of the Palestinian Arab movement and their impact on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict underscores the complex legacy of British policy in the Middle East and its contribution to enduring sectarian and ideological divisions.

The Mufti originated the single most important obstacle to peace in the Middle East: The Palestinian refusal to accept Jewish sovereignty and even physical presence in any part of the Land of Israel. In many ways, to understand the Mufti is to understand why the Palestinians, despite numerous opportunities to do so, still refuse to make peace.

al-Husseini with Adolph Hitler

Policy Oscillations and Governance Failures
Britain’s governance of Palestine was characterized by policy oscillations that failed to address underlying issues or provide a sustainable framework for coexistence. The Peel Commission’s partition proposal and the White Paper of 1939 underscored Britain’s reactive approach. These policy shifts deepened the conflict and alienated both communities.

The Creation of Other Nations and British Influence
Beyond the Mandate for Palestine, Britain’s influence in the Middle East facilitated the creation and delineation of other nations, including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen, often disregarding local customs, cultures, tribes, divisions and dynamics, affecting regional stability.

The British Throw the Towel In
As British control over Mandate Palestine became increasingly untenable amidst growing Jewish-Arab tensions and the aftermath of World War II, Britain turned to the newly formed United Nations (UN) for a resolution to the conflict.

In 1947, the British government, recognizing its inability to reconcile conflicting Jewish and Arab aspirations within what was left of Mandate Palestine, announced its intention to end the mandate. Britain referred the issue to the UN, essentially seeking an international solution to the complex problem that the British Mandate for Palestine had become. This referral was a significant acknowledgment by Britain of its failure to manage the initial League of Nations Mandate for Palestine and the establishment of a Jewish homeland at its core.

The Partition Plan

The United Nations Special Committee on Palestine (UNSCOP) was formed in response. The committee was tasked with investigating the situation in Palestine and recommending a plan of action. In November 1947, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 181, also known as the Partition Plan.

This plan recommended partitioning what was Mandate Palestine into independent Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem placed under international administration due to its significance to both Jews and Muslims. The partition plan aimed to address the nationalistic aspirations of both Jews and Arabs, providing a basis for international legitimacy for the establishment of the Jewish state.

The Jewish community in Palestine accepted the UN partition plan, seeing it as a legal path to establishing a Jewish state. In contrast, the Arab states and the Arab inhabitants of Palestine rejected the plan, opposing any form of partition and the establishment of a Jewish state.

Their plan was to seize all the land when the British withdrew forcefully. The term “from the river to the sea” was born during this time. The Arabs made it clear they would push all the Jews into the sea and take over all of Mandate Palestine.

The British withdrawal from Palestine was completed on May 14, 1948. That same day, the State of Israel declared its independence. The first Arab-Israeli war immediately followed this declaration, as neighboring Arab states (Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq attacked the new state, marking the beginning of the longstanding Arab-Israeli conflict. Since the 1970’s, it has been called the Israel/Palestinian conflict.

Maps of the UN Partition Plan, Arab invasion of newly formed Israel, and Israel’s borders after the defeat of Arab armies.

It should be noted that Egypt captured and annexed Gaza, and Jordan captured and annexed the West Bank. Palestinian Arabs remained as refugees with no rights under Egyptian and Jordanian control.

A Palestinian state could have been formed, but Eqypt and Jordan refused.

The Details Behind the British Creation of Palestinian Terrorism at the Center of the Israel/Palestinian Conflict

World War I and the Ottoman Empire’s Collapse

• 1914-1918 World War I: The Ottoman Empire sided with the Central Powers and faced defeats on multiple fronts, leading to its eventual collapse.
• 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreement: A secret agreement between Britain and France, dividing the Ottoman Empire’s Middle Eastern territories into British and French spheres of influence.
• 1917 Balfour Declaration: The British government issued the Balfour Declaration, expressing support for the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine. This increased tensions between Jewish and Arab communities.

Post-War Settlement and Mandate System

• 1920 San Remo Conference: The Allied Supreme Council assigned Britain the mandate for Palestine, formalizing the territory’s status under British administration. The conference also assigned France the mandates for Syria and Lebanon.
• 1922 League of Nations Mandate: The League of Nations granted Britain the Mandate for Palestine, including provisions for establishing a Jewish national home while protecting the civil and religious rights of the existing non-Jewish communities.

Formation of Transjordan

• 1921 Cairo Conference: Britain created the Emirate of Transjordan, appointing Abdullah I as the emir. This excluded Transjordan from the Jewish national home area, reducing the territorial scope of the British Mandate of Palestine.
• 1922 Transjordan Memorandum: The League of Nations approved the exclusion of Transjordan from the provisions of the Mandate concerning the Jewish national home.

British Deal with the Saudis

• 1927 Treaty of Jeddah: Britain recognized the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd (later Saudi Arabia) under Ibn Saud in exchange for stability and cooperation in the region.

British Influence in Iraq, Persia, and Egypt

Mandates and Treaties

• 1920 Treaty of Sèvres: This treaty dissolved the Ottoman Empire, leading to British mandates over Mesopotamia (Iraq) and Palestine. It also acknowledged British interests in Persia (Iran) and recognized the autonomy of the Kingdom of Hejaz.
• 1921 Cairo Conference: This conference created Transjordan and established Faisal I as King of Iraq under British influence.
• 1936 Anglo-Egyptian Treaty: This treaty granted Egypt greater independence while allowing British control over the Suez Canal, a strategic asset in the Middle East.

Creation of Lebanon and Syria under French Mandate

French Mandates

• 1920 San Remo Conference: The conference assigned the mandate for Syria and Lebanon to France, dividing the former Ottoman territories into French and British spheres of influence.
• 1920 Creation of Greater Lebanon: France established Greater Lebanon as a separate entity from Syria, with a diverse population of Maronite Christians, Sunni and Shia Muslims, and Druze.
• 1925-1927 Great Syrian Revolt: Syrian nationalists revolted against French rule, seeking independence. The revolt was suppressed but set the stage for future Syrian nationalism.

Escalating Violence in the Mandate Period

Early Riots and Massacres

• 1920 Nebi Musa Riots: Violent Arab protests against Jewish immigration and the Balfour Declaration in Jerusalem resulted in the deaths of five Jews and four Arabs.
• 1921 Jaffa Riots: Anti-Jewish riots in Jaffa and other locations led to the deaths of 47 Jews and 48 Arabs, highlighting growing tensions.
• 1929 Hebron and Safed Massacres: Arab riots against Jewish communities in Hebron and Safed resulted in the deaths of 133 Jews and 116 Arabs, deepening the divide between the communities.

1936-1939 Arab Revolt

• Palestinian Arabs revolted against British rule and Jewish immigration, leading to widespread violence, British military crackdowns, and significant casualties on both sides.

Role of Haj Amin al-Husseini, Grand Mufti of Jerusalem

Appointment and Influence

• 1921: Haj Amin al-Husseini was appointed Grand Mufti of Jerusalem by the British High Commissioner, Herbert Samuel. Al-Husseini became a significant religious and political leader for Palestinian Arabs.
• Supreme Muslim Council: Al-Husseini was also appointed president of the Supreme Muslim Council, giving him control over Islamic institutions and endowments in Palestine.

Incitement and Revolt

• 1929 Western Wall Riots: Al-Husseini played a role in inciting the 1929 riots, which resulted in widespread violence against Jews in Jerusalem, Hebron, and Safed. His inflammatory rhetoric accused Jews of trying to take control of the Western Wall and other holy sites.
• 1936-1939 Arab Revolt: Al-Husseini was a key organizer of the Arab Revolt, leading to prolonged violence against British authorities and Jewish communities. He sought support from Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy during World War II, hoping to secure Arab independence.

Anti-Jewish Activities and Rhetoric

• Collaboration with Nazi Germany: During World War II, al-Husseini met with Adolf Hitler and other high-ranking Nazi officials. He expressed support for the Nazi regime’s anti-Jewish policies and advocated for the extension of the Holocaust to the Middle East.
• Radio Broadcasts: Al-Husseini made anti-Semitic radio broadcasts from Berlin, calling for the extermination of Jews and encouraging Arabs to support the Nazi war effort.
• Recruitment of Muslim SS Units: He was involved in recruiting Muslims for the Waffen-SS and other units, furthering his collaboration with the Nazis.
• Plans for the Middle East “Final Solution:” Al-Husseini believed that Nazi Germany would defeat Britain and France in the Middle East and occupy all the territory of the former Ottoman Empire. Accordingly, he developed a plan to build death camps across all Arab lands to carry out the extermination of Jews on behalf of the Nazis. Fortunately, Nazi Germany was pushed back by the Allies and never occupied this territory.

Role in Palestinian Terrorism

• Post-War Influence: After World War II, al-Husseini continued to promote anti-Jewish sentiments and resist the establishment of Israel. He influenced Palestinian leaders and militant groups, contributing to the ongoing conflict.
• Legacy in Modern Conflict: Al-Husseini’s legacy of anti-Semitism and militant resistance against the Jewish presence in Palestine has continued to influence Palestinian nationalist movements and terrorist organizations. Al-Husseini’s doctrine of “no compromise” remains in place today.

al-Husseini meeting with Adolph Hitler

Post-1948 War and Palestinian Refugees

1948 Arab-Israeli War

• Creation of Israel: On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion declared the establishment of the State of Israel. This was immediately followed by an invasion by neighboring Arab states.
• Nakba (Catastrophe): The war led to the displacement of about 750,000 Palestinian Arabs, while at the same time, hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Arabs remained in Israel and became citizens. The term “Nakba” originally defined the catastrophe as the loss of the Arab armies to the Israeli Army. The term was later adapted for political purposes to focus on the displaced Palestinian Arabs.
• West Bank and Gaza: Jordan’s army captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem, subsequently annexing them in 1950. Egypt took control of the Gaza Strip and annexed that.
• Arab Nations Expel Jews – All Arab League Nations forced over 850,000 Jewish citizens to flee under the threat of violence and death. Many Jews were killed in the riots against Jews that took place. Almost all Jews expelled from these Arab nations migrated to the newly formed State of Israel.

Palestinian Fedayeen Raids (1950s)

• Cross-border Attacks: Palestinian fedayeen (guerrilla fighters) conducted cross-border raids from Jordan, Egypt, and Syria into Israel, attacking civilians and military targets. These attacks led to Israeli retaliatory raids and a cycle of violence.

Jordan’s Role in Palestinian Militancy

Integration and Tensions in Jordan

• 1950: Jordan granted citizenship to West Bank Palestinians, integrating them into the kingdom but also fueling Palestinian nationalist aspirations for statehood.
• 1960s-1970s: Palestinian militant groups, such as the PLO, used Jordan as a base for launching attacks against Israel, leading to increasing tensions between Palestinian militants and the Jordanian government.

Black September (1970)

• Expulsion of the PLO: King Hussein of Jordan expelled the PLO from Jordan after a series of violent clashes known as Black September. This resulted in many Palestinian militants relocating to Lebanon, where they continued their operations.

Lebanon’s Involvement in Palestinian Terrorism

Relocation to Lebanon

• 1970s-1980s: After being expelled from Jordan, the PLO established its base in Lebanon. This period saw an increase in cross-border attacks into Israel and significant involvement in Lebanese civil strife.

1982 Lebanon War

• Israeli Invasion: Israel invaded Lebanon to root out PLO bases in response to continuous attacks. The invasion led to the PLO’s relocation to Tunisia but also saw the rise of Hezbollah, a Shiite militant group that collaborated with Palestinian factions.

Notable Incidents of Palestinian Terrorism

1950s – Early Fedayeen Raids

• 1950s Fedayeen Attacks: Palestinian fedayeen conducted numerous cross-border raids from Jordan, Egypt, and Syria into Israel, attacking civilians and military targets, leading to Israeli retaliatory raids.

1960s – Rise of Organized Groups

• El Al Flight 426 Hijacking (1968): Carried out by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), marking one of the first airline hijackings by Palestinian militants.
• Olympic Airways Flight 253 Attack (1968): PFLP militants attacked a plane at Athens Airport, killing one person.

1970s – Continued Escalation

• Sabena Flight 571 Hijacking (1972): Black September militants hijacked a Belgian Sabena airliner en route to Tel Aviv. The plane was stormed by Israeli commandos, with two passengers killed.
• Munich Olympics Massacre (1972): Black September attacked Israeli athletes, killing 11 at the Munich Olympics.
• Lod Airport Massacre (1972): Members of the Japanese Red Army, in coordination with the PFLP, attacked Tel Aviv’s Lod Airport, killing 26 people and injuring 80.
• Kiryat Shmona Massacre (1974): PFLP-GC attacked an apartment building in Kiryat Shmona, killing 18 residents, including 8 children.
• Ma’alot Massacre (1974): DFLP militants took over a school in Ma’alot, killing 25 hostages, mostly children.
• Zion Square Bombing (1975): A refrigerator bomb exploded in Jerusalem’s Zion Square, killing 15 people and injuring 77.
• Coastal Road Massacre (1978): Fatah operatives hijacked a bus on the Coastal Road in Israel, killing 38 civilians, including 13 children, and wounding 71 others.
• Entebbe Hijacking (1976): Palestinian and German terrorists hijacked an Air France plane and diverted it to Entebbe, Uganda, ending with a dramatic rescue mission by Israeli commandos.

1980s – International Reach

• Rome and Vienna Airport Attacks (1985): The Abu Nidal Organization attacked passengers in coordinated strikes at Rome and Vienna airports, killing 19 and injuring about 140.
• Achille Lauro Hijacking (1985): Members of the Palestinian Liberation Front hijacked the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro, murdering American passenger Leon Klinghoffer.
• Neve Shalom Synagogue Attack (1986): Palestinian militants attacked the Neve Shalom Synagogue in Istanbul, killing 22 worshippers.
• Pan Am Flight 73 Hijacking (1986): Abu Nidal Organization members hijacked a Pan Am flight in Karachi, Pakistan, resulting in the deaths of 20 passengers and crew members during a Pakistani commando attempt to storm the plane.

1990s – Oslo Peace Process Violence

• Jerusalem Bus 405 Attack (1989): A member of Hamas attacked a bus traveling from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, resulting in the death of 16 passengers.
• Hebron Massacre (1994): Baruch Goldstein, an Israeli extremist, killed 29 Palestinian worshippers in the Cave of the Patriarchs. This incident led to a surge in retaliatory terrorist attacks by Palestinian militants.
• Café Hillel Bombing (1994): A Hamas suicide bomber attacked Café Hillel in Jerusalem, killing seven people and wounding dozens. This attack occurred during a period of intense violence aimed at derailing the Oslo Peace Process.
• Beit Lid Junction Bombings (1995): Two Palestinian Islamic Jihad suicide bombers attacked the Beit Lid Junction, a busy transportation hub in central Israel, killing 21 Israeli soldiers and one civilian, and wounding dozens more.
• Jaffa Road Bus Bombing (1996): A Hamas suicide bomber targeted a bus in Jerusalem, killing 26 people and injuring 80.

2000s – Second Intifada Intensifies

• Dolphinarium Discotheque Bombing (2001): A Hamas suicide bomber targeted a nightclub in Tel Aviv, killing 21 people, mostly teenagers.
• Sbarro Restaurant Bombing (2001): A suicide bombing at a Jerusalem pizzeria killed 15 people, including 7 children, and injured 130.
• Park Hotel Bombing (2002): A suicide bomber attacked a Passover Seder at the Park Hotel in Netanya, killing 30 people and injuring 140. This incident was a catalyst for Israel’s Operation Defensive Shield.
• Hebrew University Bombing (2002): A Hamas bomb planted in a cafeteria at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem exploded, killing 9 people, including 5 Americans, and injuring about 100 others.
• Haifa Bus 37 Suicide Bombing (2003): A Hamas suicide bomber attacked a crowded bus in Haifa, killing 17 people, many of them high school students, and wounding 53 others.
• Maxim Restaurant Suicide Bombing (2003): A female suicide bomber from Islamic Jihad detonated an explosive belt at the Maxim restaurant in Haifa, killing 21 people, including Jews and Arab Israelis, and injuring 60 others.

2010s – Ongoing Attacks

• Itamar Attack (2011): Members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC) murdered five members of the Fogel family, including three children, in their home in the West Bank settlement of Itamar.
• 2011 Southern Israel Cross-border Attacks: A series of coordinated attacks by militants from the Sinai Peninsula targeted vehicles on Highway 12 near the Israel-Egypt border, resulting in the deaths of eight Israelis.
• Jerusalem Synagogue Attack (2014): Two Palestinians armed with guns and axes attacked worshippers at a synagogue in Jerusalem, killing five and wounding seven others.
• Har Nof Synagogue Massacre (2014): Two Palestinian men armed with cleavers and a gun attacked worshippers during morning prayers at a synagogue in the Har Nof neighborhood of Jerusalem, killing five people, including four rabbis, and injuring several others.
• Brussels Jewish Museum Shooting (2014): A lone gunman with ties to radical Islamist groups opened fire at the Jewish Museum in Brussels, killing four people.

2020s – Recent Developments

• Ariel Junction Stabbing (2020): A Palestinian attacker stabbed and killed an Israeli soldier at the Ariel Junction in the West Bank.
• Dizengoff Street Shooting (2022): A Palestinian gunman opened fire on a busy street in Tel Aviv, killing three people and wounding several others.
• Bnei Brak Shooting (March 2022): A Palestinian terrorist killed five people in a shooting spree in Bnei Brak, a city near Tel Aviv.
• Elad Axe Attack (May 2022): Two Palestinians attacked civilians with axes in the town of Elad, killing three people and injuring several others.
• Hadera Shooting (March 2023): Two Israeli police officers were killed and several others wounded in a shooting by Palestinian militants in Hadera.
• Jerusalem Car Ramming (July 2023): A Palestinian driver rammed his car into a group of pedestrians near the Mahane Yehuda Market, killing two and injuring several others.
• Gaza Border Clashes (August 2023): Renewed violence at the Gaza-Israel border saw numerous attacks and retaliations, resulting in multiple casualties on both sides.
• Eilat Terror Attack (February 2024): A coordinated attack by Palestinian militants in Eilat resulted in the deaths of four Israeli tourists and injuries to dozens more.
• Hebron Stabbing (April 2024): A Palestinian attacker stabbed two Israeli settlers in Hebron, critically injuring one.
• Ben Gurion Airport Attack (May 2024): A bombing at Ben Gurion Airport killed three people and injured many others, attributed to a Palestinian militant group.

October 7, 2024 Hamas Attack (the largest number of Jews killed in one day since the Holocaust!)

• On October 7, 2024, a major coordinated assault was carried out by Hamas militants across several locations in Israel. This attack involved a combination of rocket barrages, infiltrations, and multiple bombings, marking the most significant and deadly attacks since the War of Independence.
• Hundreds of rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel, targeting major cities, including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Ashdod. The Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted many rockets, but some managed to hit residential areas, causing widespread damage and casualties.
• Simultaneously, armed militants infiltrated Israeli territory through tunnels and breaches in the border fence. These militants attacked civilian targets, including homes, schools, and public spaces, leading to intense firefights with Israeli security forces.
• The coordinated assault resulted in significant casualties, with over 1200 Israelis killed and hundreds wounded—the high number of injuries overwhelmed medical facilities, prompting emergency responses and international offers of assistance.
• In response to the attacks, Israel launched a large-scale military operation in Gaza with the goal of destroying the terrorist group Hamas.