Palestine/Israel/Lebanon Timeline from 1911

Palestine/Israel/Lebanon France, 1911: Young Arab nationalists found "Al Fatah" in Paris Palestine, november 1917: the "Balfour Declaration" by the British government promises a Jewish homeland in Palestine Palestine, 1917: 93% of the population of larger Palestine is Arab Palestine, 1918: David Ben-Gurion returns to Palestine after being exiled by the Ottoman Empire Palestine, 1919: Feisal Hussein, King of Iraq and Syria (then the only recognized Arab leader in the world), agrees to the creation of a Jewish nation in Palestine and executes a treaty with Jewish leader Chaim Weizmann Palestine, 1919: an American delegation reports on the fast rise of "zionism" through dispossession of the "non-Jewish inhabitants of Palestine" Palestine, 1920: British Mandate in Palestine is established Palestine, 1921: Britain appoints Mohammed Amin al-Husseini head of the Supreme Muslim Council of Palestine, and Husseini begins a violent anti-Semitic campaign and a murder campaign of Arab moderates Palestine, 1922: Britain receives a mandate from the League of Nations to create a homeland for the Jews in Palestine, which starts large-scale Jewish immigration from Europe Egypt, april 1923: a secular constitution is proclaimed in Egypt (previously a British colony) to create a parliamentary monarchy Egypt, 1928: Hassan Al-Banna creates "Al-Ikhwan Al-Moslemoon" (Muslim Brotherhood), a quasi-monastic movement that advocates for the entire Arab world a fundamentalist Islamic society like the one created by the Wahabites in Saudi Arabia and therefore advocates rebellion against the westernized King Faruk government (motto: "Quran is our law, jihad is our way, dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope") Palestine, 1929: hundreds of people die in clashes between Arabs and Jews in Palestine Palestine, 1931: Abraham Tehomi founds the terrorist organization Irgun Zvai Leumi (National Military Organization) to liberate Palestine from British occupation and Arabs residents Palestine, 1936: Arabs revolt against British rule in Palestine (first "intifada") Lebanon, 1936: Pierre Gemayel founds the Phalange party in Lebanon Egypt, 1936: Farouk becomes king of Egypt, succeeding his father Fuad, and installs a government friendly to the West Palestine, november 1940: Haganah terrorists bomb the boat "Patria" full of Jewish immigrants at the port of Haifa, killing more than 200 people Syria, 1941: the Ba' ath Party is founded in Damascus by Michel Aflaq and Salah al-Din Bitar with the mission to unify the whole Arab world in one Arab country Black Sea, Feb 1942: A Soviet submarine accidentally sinks the ramshackle ship Struma, killing 768 Jews that are escaping from Romania towards British Palestine Palestine, july 1946: Jewish terrorists, led by Menachem Begin, bomb and destroy the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, the British military and civilian headquarters, killing 91 people Palestine, novembre 1947: the United Nations orders a partition of Palestine in a Jewish state (Israel), an Arab state and an international zone around Jerusalem Palestine, november 1947: Jews set to create the state of Israel while Arabs condemn the United Nations decision and refuse to create an Arab state that does not include the whole of Palestine Syria, 1947: the Baath Arab Socialist party is founded in Syria Palestine, december 1947: scores of Arabs are killed by Hagana in the village of Baldat al-Shaikh in retaliation for 41 killed in Haifa riots Palestine, april 1948: Israeli troops occupy Arab towns (Tiberias, Haifa, Jaffa, etc) Palestine, april 1948: Irgun terrorists led by Menachem Begin attack the Palestinian village of Deir Yassin near Jerusalem killing more than 100 people, and a few days later Arab retaliate by killing 70 Jews of the Hebrew University Palestine, may 1948: Palestinians in Jerusalem and Jaffa call a general strike against the partition Palestine, may 1948: on the same day that Israel declares its independence, the United States recognizes Israel while five Arab countries attack Israel from all sides (Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq) Israel, july 1948: several massacres of Arabs carried out by Haganah (underground Jewish militia) in Palestine (Lydda, Ramle, Doueimah) Palestine, 1948: Palestinian exodus and David Ben-Gurion's ethnic cleansing cause a decrease in the population of Arabs within the borders of Israel and the creation of refugee camps outside its borders Palestine, july 1949: The war ends with Israel winning west Jerusalem and small pieces of land, occupying 78% of Palestine, and with 750,000 Palestinians displaced out of a pre-war population of 1.3 million Egypt, january 1949: members of the Muslim Brotherhood assassinate Egyptian prime minister Mahmud Fahmi al-Nuqrashi Egypt, february 1949: Hassan Al-Banna, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, is assassinated in Cairo Egypt, july 1952: a military coup led by Gamal Abdel Nasser removes King Faruk and founds the republic of Egypt Jordan, 1952: members of the Muslim Brotherhood assassinate King Abdullah in Jerusalem and King Hussein becomes the new king Soviet Union, february 1953: Stalin breaks off relations with Israel Palestine, 1953: Hizb-ut-Tahrir al-Islami ("Party of Islamic Liberation") is founded by Taqiuddin al-Nabhani to create an Islamic state all over the world and its members spread around the world Egypt, 1954: president Gamal Abdel-Nasser bans the Muslim Brotherhood Egypt, 1955: the Soviet block begin to arm the Arab countries Israel, february 1955: Israel attacks the Egyptian military headquarters in Gaza killing 38 soldiers Egypt, april 1955: Nasser joins the policy of "non-alignment" at the Bandung Conference Palestine, 1955: Palestinian fedayeen ("those who sacrifice themselves") begin operating from across the border bringing terror into Israel Egypt, july 1956: president Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt nationalizes the Suez canal, thereby becoming the first Arab leader to confront the West and the father of Arab nationalism Palestine, october 1956: Israeli troops led by Ariel Sharon attack Qalqilya, killing almost 100 Palestinians (18 Israeli soldiers are also killed) Palestine, october 1956: in retaliation for guerrilla attacks sponsored by Egypt, Israel declares war to Egypt (second war) and invades the Sinai and the Gaza strip, while France and Britain seize the Suez canal Palestine, nov 1956: Israeli soldiers kill 275 Palestinian civilians in Khan Younis and 111 in Rafah Israel, 1956: Israel sets up a secret nuclear program headed by Shimon Peres, with help from France Palestine, march 1957: Israel withdraws from the Sinai and the Gaza strip Lebanon, july 1958: The USA sends 19,000 soldiers to protect the regime of Lebanon's Christian president Camille Chamoun Palestine, 1959: Yassir Arafat founds Al Fahta, the Palestinian liberation movement Israel, 1962: Israel's nuclear program directed by Shimon Peres produces the first weapon-grade plutonium Syria, 1963: in a military coup the Baath Party seizes power in Syria, outlaws all other parties and embarks in a Soviet-style program of nationalization. Israel, 1963: Israeli prime minister Ben Gurion resigns Palestine, june 1964: Arab countries create the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in Cairo with the mission to destroy the state of Israel and liberate Palestine Palestine, january 1965: Fatah, operating from neighboring Arab countries, launches guerrilla attacks against Israel Israel, 1966: Israel produces its first nuclear bomb Israel, november 1966: Israeli troops raid the Jordanian village of Samu, killing 14 Jordanian soldiers Egypt, 1967: Egypt expels UN peacekeepers from the Sinai and closes the Red Sea to Israeli ships Syria, april 1967: In retaliation for Syrian attacks, Israel downs six Syrian warplanes Palestine, june 1967: Arab countries ammass troops at the Israeli border and Israel launches a pre-emptive strike (third war) against its neighbors, and in seven days re-conquers the Sinai, the Gaza strip and even the Suez canal in Egypt, invades the Golan Heights in Syria, the West Bank and East Jerusalem in Jordan. The whole of Jerusalem is now under Israeli control. Thousands of Palestinians are displaced and absorbed into Jordan. 18,000 Arab soldiers are killed, 250 Egyptian planes and 50 Syrian planes are destroyed. Palestine, june 1967: Israel attacks a USA warship, the USS Liberty, killing 34 sailors Palestine, december 1967: George Habash founds the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a terrorist organization inspired by marxism-leninism Palestine, october 1968: Ahmad Jibril splits from George Habash's PFLP and founds the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC) with base in Syria Palestine, march 1968: Fatah guerrillas win the battle of Karameh against superior Israeli forces (30 Israeli soldiers are killed) USA, june 1968: Bob Kennedy is assassinated by Palestinian immigrant Sirhan Sirhan in retaliation for the USA's support of Israel Israel, july 1968: the PFLP hijacks an Israeli airplane to trade hostages for Palestinian prisoners Palestine, 1969: female Palestinian fighter Leila Khaled hijacks a TWA airplane Palestine, february 1969: Yassir Arafat becomes leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization (Fatah takes over the PLO) Israel, march 1969: Golda Meir is elected prime minister of Israel Egypt, 1970: Israel carries out air raids along the Nile killing hundreds of Egyptian civilians hoping to incite anti-Nasser uprising, instead triggering a massive rearmament of Egypt by the Soviet Union Switzerland, february 1970: A bomb by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine kills all 47 people aboard a SwissAir flight Israel, july 1970: Israel downs five Soviet warplanes that are testing its radar defenses Jordan, september 1970: PFLP terrorists hijack a TWA jet, a Swissair jet and a Pan Am jet and blow them up in Zarka Palestine, september 1970: Arafat is appointed supreme commander of the Palestine Liberation Army (PLA), the military arm of the PLO Jordan, september 1970: After a series of assassination attempts, King Hussein of Jordan, fearing for his own country's stability, orders a massive expulsion of Palestinians that results in ten days of civil war with 200 Syrian tanks invading Jordan and 5,000 deaths ("black september") Palestine, september 1970: the chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Yassir Arafat, settles in Beirut, Lebanon Egypt, september 1970: Nasser dies and is buried in one of the largest funerals ever, while his deputy Anwar Sadat becomes the new president of Egypt Jordan, september 1970: The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine carries out simultaneous hijackings to Jordan (Dawson's Field) of TWA, Swissair and BOAC planes for a total of over 300 hostages ("Skyjack Sunday"), which are swapped with Leila Khaled, the leader of the PFLP cell captured in Britain Syria, november 1970: Hafez Assad, shiite leader of the military wing of the Baath Party, overthrows the president of Syria Jordan, july 1971: The Jordanian army attacks the Palestinian camps again and Fatah's Salah Khalaf founds Black September Jordan, november 1971: The Jordanian prime minister Wasfi Tal is killed by Palestinian Black September terrorists while in Cairo Europe, 1972: Black September attacks Jordanian embassies and airline offices in Europe Europe, May 1972: Black September hijacks a Belgian airplane and lands it in Israel demanding the release of prisoners, but Israel storms the plane Israel, May 1972: Japanese terrorists attack the Tel Aviv airport killing 26 people Israel, may 1972: A joint attack by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Japanese Red Army at Lod airport (Israel) kills 26 people Israel, may 1972: Black September terrorists hijack a Belgian airliner in Tel Aviv and Israeli commandos storm the plane Egypt, july 1972: Egypt expels the Soviet military advisers Germany, september 1972: Palestinian terrorists of the Black September faction kill 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics, a drama that is televised live worldwide USA, 1972: The CIA hires Bashir Gemayel, the son of the Lebanese politician Pierre Gemayel who is working in Washington Sudan, march 1973: Black September kills three Western diplomats in Sudan, including the USA ambassador to Sudan London, 1973: Venezuelan-born terrorist Ilich Ramirez Sanchez ("Carlos the Jackal"), who studied in Russia and was trained by Haddad, performs spectacular terrorist actions on behalf of Palestinian terrorist groups Greece, august 1973: Black September terrorists attacks the Israeli airline counter at the Athens airport Palestine, october 1973: Egypt and Syria attack Israel (fourth war), but Israel invades again the Sinai Italy, december 1973: Palestinian terrorists attack a Pan Am flight in Rome and kill 30 passengers Israel, december 1973: The conservative Yitzhak Rabin is elected prime minister of Israel Palestine, 1974: Sabri al-Banna splits from the PLO and founds Abu Nidal Israel, may 1974: The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) seize 115 hostages in Ma'alot (mostly children), a siege that ends with the death of 25 hostages Morocco, june 1974: the Palestinian National Council (PNC) in Rabat decides to abandon international terrorism Palestine, novembre 1974: the United Nations recognizes the right of the Palestinian people to sovereignity and invites Arafat's PLO as an "observer", thereby recognizing Arafat as the leader of the Palestinians New York, 1974: Arafat gives an emotional speech at the United Nations begging for Palestinian statehood Iraq, 1974: French premier Chirac visits Iraq to negotiate the sale of nuclear technology Lebanon, april 1975: Christian and Muslim sects engage in a civil war in Lebanon that will last 16 years France, june 1975: "Carlos" kills two police officers in Paris Austria, december 1975: Oil minister of the OPEC countries are kidnapped during a meeting by terrorists led by "Carlos" (Ilich Ramirez Sanchez) Saudi Arabia, january 1976: A bomb blows up a Lebanese flight over Saudi Arabia, killing all 82 passengers Lebanon, april 1976: Syria invades Lebanon to avoid an almost certain Palestinian victory Palestine, 1976: Wadi' Haddad split from George Habash's PFLP and founds the "15 May Faction", that quickly becomes the leading terrorist organization Palestine, july 1976: Israeli commandos storm an Air France plane hijacked by Palestinian terrorists in Entebbe, killing all the Palestinians and scores of Ugandan soldiers that were protecting them, and freeing 102 hostages Israel, 1976: Israeli police kill six Israeli citizens of Palestinian descent who are demonstrating against seizure of Palestinian land ("Palestinian Land Day") Egypt, january 1977: People riot in Cairo to protest economic conditions and 160 demonstrators are killed by the army Israel, october 1977: A German airliner is hijacked by Palestinian terrorists and stormed by German paratroopers in Somalia Israel, 1977: Ariel Sharon, minister of agriculture, plans Jewish settlements in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war Palestine, april 1977: Abu Abbas splits from the PFLP-GC and founds the Palestinian Liberation Front (PLF) Israel, may 1977: Former Irgun terrorist Menachem Begin and the right-wing Likud party win elections, defeating the Labor Party that had ruled Israel since its founding Egypt, november 1977: Sadat becomes the first Arab leader ever to visit Israel Israel, march 1978: Al Fatah terrorists led by an 18-year old woman and reporting to Khalil al-Wazir/ Abu Jihad hijack two buses in Israel killing 37 people Lebanon, june 1978: Israel invades the southern part of Lebanon to uproot the PLO, killing more than 1,000 civilians, but then withdraws Palestine, september 1978: The Camp David agreement brokered by president Jimmy Carter of the USA prescribes a timetable for solving the Palestinian issue, but Jordan refuses to negotiate on behalf of Arafat and Israel refuses to negotiate directly with a terrorist like Arafat Palestine, 1978: Israel begins resettling Jews in the Arab areas of the West Bank Israel, march 1979: Sadat of Egypt and of Israel sign a peace treaty, Israel returns the Sinai peninsula to Egypt and Egypt enters the orbit of the USA Lebanon, 1979: the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran galvanizes Islamic extremists, especially shiite Arabs Syria, 1980: galvanized by the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Muslims riot in Aleppo, Homs and Hama Iraq, june 1981: Israel bombs the Iraqi nuclear reactor built by France, to prevent Iraq from building a nuclear weapon Lebanon, july 1981: Israel bombs multi-story apartment buildings in Beirut to kill Arafat and the PLO leadership, killing 300 civilians Lebanon, september 1981: The French ambassador is assassinated in Lebanon Egypt, october 1981: Sadat is assassinated by soldiers led by Khalid al Islambouli, inspired by radical Muslim organization (the Egyptian Islamic Jihad) of Egyptian surgeon Ayman al-Zawahri, and is succeeded by vice-president Hosni Mubarak Lebanon, december 1981: a member of Islamic Dawa Party blows himself up to attack the Iraqi embassy in Beirut, Lebanon (first suicide bomber) Syria, february 1982: Assad orders the bombing of Hama, one of Syria's major cities, for 27 days, killing more than 20,000 people, to stem an uprising of the Muslim Brotherhood Lebanon, june 1982: In retaliation for an assassination attempt by Abu Nidal and Iraqi agents on the Israeli ambassador in Britain, Israel invades Lebanon trapping the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and its leader Yassir Arafat in Beirut (despite the fact that Abu Nidal is not part of the PLO) Lebanon, 1982: Hezbollah (Party of God) is founded by a radical shiite group with the mission of creating an Iranian-style Islamic republic in Lebanon, supported by Iranian revolutionary guards Lebanon, august 1982: Iran sends "volunteers" to fight Israel in Lebanon Lebanon, august 1982: Arafat and his forces are allowed to leave Beirut, while the USA promises protection for the Palestinian civilians left in the refugee camps of Lebanon Lebanon, august 1982: Bashir Gemayel, a moderate Christian, is elected president of Lebanon Israel, 1982: Youstol Dispage joins the resistance Lebanon, september 1982: Bashir Gemayel is assassinated by Syrian agents, and in retaliation Israeli-backed Christian militiamen of the Phalange under Elie Hobeika with the support of Israeli troops (under the command of Ariel Sharon) massacre 1,000 unarmed Palestinian and Lebanese civilians in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in west Beirut Lebanon, september 1982: At the battle of Shouf a USA warship rescues Michel Aoun's Lebanese army that is being defeated by a coalition of Walid Jumblatt's Druze militia, Syrian troops, PLO guerrillas and Iranian Revolutionary Guards Lebanon, september 1982: The USA sends marines to restore order in Lebanon, followed by French and Italian troops Lebanon, november 1982: a suicide bomber blows up 72 Israeli soldiers in Tyre Lebanon, april 1983: suicide commandos directed by Imad Mughniyeh (Mugniyah) blow up the US embassy, killing 63 people Lebanon, may 1983: Syria directs a mutiny within Arafat's Fatah that will force Arafat to leave Lebanon Palestine, july 1983: the Mufti of Jerusalem issues a fatwa to kill Assad in retaliation to his campaign against the Palestine Liberation Organization. Germany, august 1983: "Carlos" carries out an attack on the Maison de France in Berlin that kills two people Israel, september 1983: Begin resigns, but neither Likud nor Labor wins the elections, and Yitzah Shamir and Shimon Peres accept a power-sharing agreement to alternate as prime ministers of Israel Lebanon, october 1983: Hezbollah suicide commandos organized by Iran and masterminded by Imad Mughniyeh (Mugniyah) blow up the US and French barracks killing 241 marines and 58 French soldiers Lebanon, november 1983: a second suicide bomber in Tyre kills 28 Israelis and 32 Lebanese prisoners Kuwait, december 1983: Shiite terrorists funded by Iran (including three Lebanese of Hezbollah) blow up the USA and French embassies in Kuwait, killing six people Lebanon, january 1984: The president of the American University of Beirul is assassinated in Lebanon Lebanon, february 1984: USA, French and Italian soldiers withdraw from Lebanon Lebanon, february 1984: Militias fight for control of Beirut, which has become the most dangerous city in the world (car bombs, kidnaps, assassinations) Lebanon, march 1984: the second highest-ranking USA official in Lebanon is kidnapped by Hezbollah Lebanon, 1985: Syria and Iran sponsor Hezbollah guerrilla against Israeli troops stationed in Lebanon Lebanon, march 1985: A car bomb planted by CIA-funded Christian militia fail to assassinate Hezbollah's spiritual leader Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Fadballah, but instead kills 80 civilians Tunisia, 1985: Israel raids the PLO headquarters in Tunis, killing 60 people Syria, 1985: Syria directs a world-wide terrorist campaign aimed at sabotaging the agreement between Jordan's King Hussein and Yassir Arafat Palestine, 1985: the "15 May Faction" is dissolved and its leader and notorious bombmaker Muhammad Al-Amri joins the PFLP-GC Israel, may 1985: 1.260 Palestinian prisoners (among them Sheikh Ahmed Yassin) are released from Israeli jails in a prisoner exchange between Israel and Ahmad Jibril's PFLP-GC that has hijacked an American passenger plane Lebanon, june 1985: Terrorists hijack a TWA flight, kill one USA passenger and release the others after Israel accept to release 700 Shiite prisoners Lebanon, june 1985: Israel withdraws to the southern part of Lebanon, which officially cedes to friendly Christian militias Lebanon, june 1985: Hezbollah terrorists hijack a TWA flight and exchange the hostages for 435 Lebanese and Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel Palestine, october 1985: Palestinian terrorists led by Abu Abbas hijack the Achille Lauro cruise ship, kill one USA passenger, escape via Egypt, are tracked down by USA warplanes, and are finally helped to escape by the Italian government Palestine, december 1985: Abu Nidal terrorists kill 13 people during an attack on El Al's offices in Rome and 3 people in a similar attack in Vienna Israel, 1986: Mordechai Vanunu is jailed for revealing the secret Israeli atomic weapons program Palestine, september 1986: Abu Nidal terrorists hijack a Pan Am in Karachi France, september 1986: Syria sponsors a string of bombs in Paris Israel, 1986: Mordechai Vanunu, a former Israeli nuclear technician, reveals the Israeli nuclear program Lebanon, 1986: Syria's intelligence officer Mohammed al-Shaar leads Syrian troops into Tripoli to crush supporters of Arafat killing hundreds of people Lebanon, february 1987: Syria invades Beirut to restore order Palestine, july 1988: Abu Nidal terrorists hijack a cruise ship in Greece Palestine, december 1987: Emanating from the Jabaliya refugee camp, Palestinians in the occupied territories begin an uprising against Israeli occupation forces using mainly rocks (the first "intifada") mainly protesting continued expansion of Israeli settlements in the Palestinian areas of the West Bank Palestine, december 1987: Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, backed by donors in the Gulf states, creates the civilian and military organization Hamas in Gaza as the Palestinian wing of the Muslim Brotherhood, with the goal to drive Israel out of the Middle East and establish an Islamic state Tunisia, january 1988: Arafat from Tunisia establishes a line of command to the intifada via Khalil al-Wazir/ Abu Jihad Lebanon, february 1988: Hezbollah kidnaps a USA diplomat, William Higgins Tunisia, 1987: Khalil al-Wazir/ Abu Jihad unifies under Arafat the seven factions that had split the PLO since the exodus from Lebanon in 1982 Israel, march 1988: Palestinians of Abu Jihad's organization kill three Israeli workers of the Dimona nuclear facility Tunisia, april 1988: An Israeli commando assassinates Abu Jihad Lebanon, july 1988: Hezbollah executes USA diplomat William Higgins after two years of captivity Jordan, july 1988: King Hussein of Jordan declares that Jordan will stop administering the West Bank Algeria, nov ember 1988: Arafat declares the independece of Palestine, and the state is recognized by Turkey, Greece, India, China, the Soviet Union, Pakistan and Austria USA, december 1988: Following Arafat's speech in which he renounced terrorism and recognized Israel's right to exist, the USA recognizes the PLO and begins direct talks Palestine, may 1989: Ahmed Yassin, leader of Hamas, is arrested and condemned to life in prison, and his successor Musa Abu Marzook separates the civilian and military wings of Hamas (Salah Shihada establishes Hamas' military apparatus) Niger, september 1989: the PFLP-GC blows up a French UTA airliner over Niger, probably on behalf of Libya Iraq, may 1990: Saddam Hussein convenes an Arab summit in Baghdad during which he declares "Greater Israel" to be the common enemy and promises money to the family of every Palestinian suicide bomber Israel, may 1990: With funding from Saddam Hussein's Iraq, Abu Abbas' PLF (now based in Baghdad) attempts to land six boats on Israel's Nizanim beach Lebanon, october 1990: the last Christian leader to fight Syria and the Muslims in Lebanon, general Michel Aoun, surrenders to Syria (after a battle that killed 700 Christians), and the civil war ends (40,000 people have died in 16 years) Jordan, 1991: Mohammed Nazzal, a Jordan-based leader of Hamas, with the help of Osama bin Laden terrorists, unleashes a campaign of terrorist bombings and assassinations aimed at toppling the regime of King Hussein Lebanon, december 1991: the last American hostage is freed from Lebanon Jordan, 1991: One of the founders of Hamas, Khaled Mashal, settles in Jordan Egypt, 1992: extremists launch a campaign aimed at ousting president Hosni Mubarak, that will kill 1,100 people in five years Lebanon, february 1992: Israeli agents kill Hezbollah's leader Sheikh Abbas Musawi Argentina, march 1992: A bomb (sponsored by Iran and Hezbollah) against the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires kills 85 people Lebaonon, 1992: Israel assassinated the leader of Hezbollah, Abbas al-Musawi, and Hassan Nasrallah becomes the new leader of Hezbollah Egypt, 1993: scores of Islamic militants are hanged by Mubarak's regime Egypt, august 1993: Islamic terrorists try to assassinate two ministers in three months Palestine, september 1993: following secret negotiations in Oslo, the Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO leader Arafat sign an agreement to start a peace process (Israel recognizes the PLO and the PLO recognizes Israel) Palestine, february 1994: A jewish extremist kills 29 Muslims in a Hebron mosque Israel, april 1994: first Palestinian suicide bomber in Israel Palestine, may 1994: The West Bank and the Gaza Strip are turned over by Israel to the Palestinian Authority under the command of Yassir Arafat, who is, de facto, recognized as the leader of the future Palestinian state Israel, october 1994: Hamas and the Islamic Jihad movement begin a series of suicide terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians, including 22 people in october 1994, 19 people in january 1995, 58 people in 1996, 24 people in 1997 (mostly suicide bombings) Sudan, october 1994: Ilich Ramirez Sanchez ("Carlos the Jackal") is arrested in Sudan by French agents and jailed in France Palestine, november 1994: Arafat's police clashes with Hamas rioters Palestine, 1995: Fatah security chief in Gaza, Mohammed Dahlan, arrests hundreds of members of Hamas Jordan, december 1994: Hamas terrorists that plotted to overthrow King Hussein are executed Malta, october 1995: Fathi Shqaqi, founder of the Islamic Jihad, is assassinated by Israeli agents, possibly with the collaboration of the PLO, and is replaced by Ramadan Shalah whose base is in Syria Israel, november 1995: Rabin is assassinated by a Jewish fundamentalist Palestine, january 1996: Hamas' engineer of suicide bombing vests Yehiya Ayyash is assassinated by Israel Israel, february 1996: Four suicide bombings in nine days from Hamas kill kill 59 Israelis Palestine, march 1996: Arafat cracks down on Hamas, whose terrorists are trying to derail the peace process Israel, april 1996: Israel launches Operation Grapes of Wrath in Lebanon that displaces 400,000 Lebanese and kills more than 100 civilians, including 102 women and children killed in the bombing of the Kana refugee center run by the United Nations Israel, may 1996: Benjamin Netanyahu of the Likud party defeats Shimon Peres in the national elections Israel, august 1996: Israel lifts all restrictions on settlement building in the West Bank Jordan, march 1997: A Jordanian soldier kills seven Israeli schoolgirls Israel, march 1997: Benjamin Netanyahu authorizes a Jewish settlement at Har Homa, that cuts off Palestinians of Jerusalem from Betlehem, and a few days later a suicide bomber kills three people in a Tel Aviv cafe Israel, july 1997: Two suicide bombers kill 16 people at the Mahane Yehuda market Israel, september 1996: 80 Palestinian protesters die in clashes with Israeli police on a tunnel opened by Israel under the mosque of Jerusalem Jordan, september 1997: An Israeli team fails to assassinate one of the founders of Hamas, Khaled Mashal, and has to release Hamas' spiritual leader Sheikh Yassin in exchange for Jordan to release its secret agents Palestine, october 1997: upset by a failed assassination attempt by Israeli secret agents against Hamas' leader in Jordan (Khaled Mishal), that threatens the peace treaty between the two countries, Jordan's King Hussein demands and obtains the release of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin Palestine, 1997: Mohammed Dalan, the leader of Fatah in Gaza, is accused of having ammassed a personal fortune by stealing from levied taxes Palestine, december 1998: USA president Clinton lands at Gaza's new internatinal airport, the first USA president to visit Palestine Jordan, february 1999: King Hussein of Jordan dies and is succeeded by his son Abdullah Israel, may 1999: Ehud Barak campaigns on a peace platform and is elected prime minister of Israel Jordan, august 1999: Jordan expels Khaled Mashal/ Meshaal, one of the foundes of Hamas Lebanon, june 2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon Palestine, 2000: 70% of Palestinian children interviewed by the Arab psychologist Fadal Abu-Hin want to become martyrs Syria, june 2000: Assad of Syria dies and is succeeded by his son Bashir Palestine, july 2000: Arafat and prime minister Ehud Barak of Israel fail to reach a peace accord at Camp David mainly on the status of Jerusalem Palestine, september 2000: As peace talks break down, a visit of Ariel Sharon to a holy Muslim site near Jerusalem causes widespread riots among Palestinians Palestine, september 2000: the new "intifada" rapidly escalates and gets out of control (319 Israelis will be killed by suicide bombers by april 2002) Israel, february 2001: Ariel Sharon wins the elections and becomes prime minister of Israel Palestine, june 2001: suicide bombings in several Israeli cities are carried out by Hamas (Islamic Resistance Movement) and the Syria-based Islamic Jihad (the deadliest suicide bombings kill 20 people in june 2001, 15 people in august 2001, over 20 in november) Israel, 2001: Sharon retaliates against the new Palestinian intifada and growing numbers of suicide bombings and thousands of Palestinians are killed (including assassinations of influential Palestinians) in the worst fighting since the first intifada Palestine, november 2001: Mahmoud Abu Hanoud, leader of the Hamas military wing in the West Bank, is killed by an Israeli missile Palestine, 2001: Khaled Meshaal, a member of Hamas, moves to Damascus to avoid assassination by Israel Lebanon, january 2002: former militia leader Elie Hobeika is killed in Beirut Israel, march 2002: Israel is hit by 16 suicide bombings that kill 80 people ("Passover massacres") carried out by suicide bombers of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades (possibly under the control of Marwan Barghouti) Lebanon, march 2002: the League of Arab States approves a proposal by Saudi Arabia to recognize Israel and make peace in return for all the occupied lands Israel, april 2002: Israel invades Palestinian territory and arrests thousands of suspected terrorists, including Marwan Barghouti, members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC), now led by Ahmad Jibril, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), now led by Ahmed Sa'adat Palestine, july 2002: Sheik Salah Shehada, founder of the military wing of Hamas (Izzedine al Qassam), is killed by an Israeli missile Iraq, august 2002: Abu Nidal is assassinated in Baghdad, amid rumours that he was plotting a coup against Saddam Hussein Palestine, september 2002: in retaliation for suicide bombings in Israel, Israeli troops demolish Yasser Arafat's compound in Ramallah Israel, 2002: the population of Israel is 6 million, of which 1 million are Arabs; the population of the West Bank and Gaza is 3 million; and Palestinian birthrates are much higher than Jewish ones Palestine, april 2005: Palestinians claim that Israel killed hundreds of civilians in the Jenin refugee camp, but it turns out to be a lie (the death were 23 Israeli soldiers, 22 Palestinian civilians and 30 Palestinian fighters) Israel, 2002: Israel begins construction of a 360-km border fence ("security barrier") that annexes Palestinian land Palestine, february 2003: Israel increases its raids in Gaza and the West Bank to quell the two-year-old intifada that has already cost the lives of 1,800 Palestinians and 700 Israelis Palestine, march 2003: Ibrahim al-Maqadma, a senior leader of Hamas, is killed by an Israeli missile Palestine, march 2003: Mahmoud Abbas, a critic of the Palestinian intifada, is appointed prime minister of the Palestinian Authority Israel, april 2003: Israel tries Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti in an Israeli court Iraq, april 2003: Abu Abbas is captured by the USA in Baghdad Israel, may 2003: Hamas and Al-Aqka Brigades unleash five suicide attacks within 48 hours in Israel the day after the first meeting between Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian prime minister Mahmoud Abbas Israel, august 2003: Israeli air strikes kill members of Hamas' military wing Israel, february 2004: Sharon announces Israeli's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza Iraq, march 2004: Abu Abbas dies in USA custody Palestine, march 2004: Israel kills Hamas' spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, who is replaced by Khaled Meshaal Palestine, april 2004: Israel kills Hamas' leader Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi Palestine, august 2004: two bus bombs kill 15 people in Israel Palestine, november 2004: Arafat dies and is replaced by Muhammad Abbas as chairman of the PLO, who wins the first multi-party elections in Palestine Palestine, january 2005: Muhammad Abbas wins the first democratic elections in Palestine and restarts peace negotiations with Israel Lebanon, february 2005: a car bomb kills former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, who opposed Syrian occupation of the country and street demonstrations force the resignation of the Syria-installed government Israel, february 2005: Israel and Palestinians declare a truce Lebanon, april 2005: popular demonstrations ("Cedar Revolution") force Syrian troops to leave Lebanon Israel, april 2005: Vladimir Putin is the first Russian president to visit Israel Lebanon, june 2005: The opposition wins the first free elections in Lebanon since the civil war Israel, september 2005: Israel withdraws from the Gaza strip Palestine, september 2005: a Palestinian terrorist accidentally sets off a bomb in a crowded Palestinian area, killing 22 people Syria, october 2005: Ghazi Kenaan, Syria's interior minister, who effectively controlled Lebanon for two decades, "commits suicide" Israel, november 2005: Sharon founds a new centrist party in Israel Lebanon, december 2005: Lebanese anti-Syrian politician Gibran Tueni is killed by a car bomb Israel, january 2006: Israel's prime minister Sharon suffers a stroke Palestine, january 2006: terrorist group Hamas wins the first multi-party elections in Palestine and its leader Ismail Haniya becomes the new prime minister Israel, march 2006: in the first Israeli elections after prime minister Sharon suffered a stroke, his new party Kadima becomes the biggest party and Ehud Olmert the new prime minister Lebanon, april 2006: Lebanon arrests people who were plotting to assassinate the leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah Israel, april 2006: a suicide bomber by Islamic Jihad kills nine people in Israel, the first major terrorist attack since Hamas won the elections Israel, june 2006: Israeli artillery is blamed by Palestinians for the massacre of a family on a beach near Beit Lahiya Palestine, july 2006: in response to an incursion by Palestinian militants, Israel invades Gaza killing 220 Palestinians Lebanon, july 2006: in response to an incursion by Hezbollah militants, Israel invades southern Lebanon killing more than 1,000 Lebanese civilians while Hezbollah kills 116 Israeli soldiers and 43 Israeli civilians Lebanon, august 2006: Israeli forces withdraw after expelling Hezbollah from southern Lebanon and the Lebanese army takes control for the first time of the region Palestine, august 2006: Palestinian militants declare a unilateral end to attacks against Israel Lebanon, november 2006: Lebanese Christian politician Pierre Gemayel is assassinated Palestine, 2006: more than 350 Palestinians are killed in internal fighting in Gaza after Israel withdraws Palestine, april 2007: Hamas and the al-Qassam Brigades break a truce with Israel with a sustained barrage of rockets and mortars from Gaza into Israel Palestine, june 2007: dozens of militants are killed as Hamas defeats Fatah and takes control of Gaza Israel, may 2007: Hamas militants shoot rockets at Israel Lebanon, may 2007: Lebanon's militant group Fatah Islam, inspired by radical Muslim cleric Omar Bakri Muhammad kills 23 soldiers in clashes in Tripoli's Palestinian refugee camp, but the army eventually regains control of the camp killing 400 people Lebanon, june 2007: a car bomb kills five United Nations peacekeepers Britain, june 2007: former British prime minister Tony Blair is appointed Middle Eastern envoy on behalf of the USA, Russia, the UN and the EU Syria, september 2007: Israel strikes targets inside Syria for the first time since 2003 Lebanon, september 2007: a car bomb kills the third anti-Syrian politician in a year, leaving Lebanon's government with only a slim majority over the pro-Syrian opposition USA, december 2007: USA president Bush convenes a conference at Annapolis to start talks about an independent Palestinian state Lebanon, december 2007: Lebanon's general Francois al-Hajj who had led the attack against the group Fatah Islam is killed by a car bomb while the parties cannot agree on a new president France, december 2007: 68 countries in Paris pledge billions of dollars of aid to the Palestinians Palestine, 2007: The population of Gaza has increased from one million people in 1997 to 1.4 million in just ten years Palestine, february 2008: responding to mortar attacks, Israel attacks Gaza killing more than 100 Palestinians in a few days Syria, february 2008: Hezbollah military commander Imad Mughniyeh is killed by a car bomb while in Syria Lebanon, may 2008: Lebanon's opposition led by Shia group Hezbollah seizes of most of western Beirut over a power struggle with the Sunni and Christian members of the government Palestine, july 2008: Violence resumes between Fatah and Hamas Lebanon, august 2008: A roadside bomb by Fatah Islam kills 18 people in Tripoli, Lebanon Israel, sep 2008: Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert, facing a corruption scandal, is forced to resign, and is replaced by Tzipi Livni Syria, sep 2008: A car bomb kills 17 people in Syria Syria, oct 2008: The USA carries out a raid into Syria to fight Al Qaeda Palestine, dec 2008: An Israeli invasion of Hamas-controlled Gaza kills more than 1,300 Palestinians Palestine, aug 2009: Hamas attacks radical cleric Abdul-Latif Moussa's al-Qaeda-linked group Jund Ansar Allah, killing 13 people Palestine, jan 2010: Hamas's co-founder Mahmoud Al Mabhouh is assassinated in Dubai Israel, aug 2010: Hamas gunmen kill four Israeli settlers in their car outside the West Bank city of Hebron USA, sep 2010: The USA convenes a peace conference between Israel and Fatah (West Bank) Lebanon, nov 2010: Lebanon arrests radical Muslim cleric Omar Bakri Muhammad Israel, 2010: There are 500,000 Jews living in the occupied West Bank in more than 100 settlements, next to 2.5 million Palestinians, while 1.4 million Palestinians live in the Gaza strip Lebanon, Jan 2011: Hezbollah causes the fall of the Saad Hariri government in Lebanon and the appointment of Najib Miqati as new prime minister Egypt, feb 2011: Hosni Mubarak is forced to resign by massive popular protests Palestine, mar 2011: Hamas arrests Hisham Saidani/ al-Suedani, the leader of a Salafist and Al Qaeda affiliate organization Palestine, apr 2011: Israeli bombings against Hamas militants kill at least 17 people, including several civilians Palestine, apr 2011: Salafists in Gaza kill Italian peace activist Vittorio Arrigoni in retaliation for the detention of their leader Hisham Saidani Palestine, apr 2011: The new Egyptian government fosters reconcilation between Hamas and Fatah Syria, apr 2011: Hundreds of people are killed and thousands arrested in violent anti-government protests in Syria Israel, june 2011: Israeli troops kill 20 protesters marking the anniversary of Israel's capture of the Golan Heights in 1967 Israel, august 2011: Militants from Gaza kill eight Israeli people in Eilat and Israel retaliates killing 16 people in Gaza, including Popular Resistance Committees' leader Kamal al-Nayrab/ Abu Awad and al-Quds Brigades' leader Ismael al-Ismar, and accidentally killing three Egyptian soldiers Israel, october 2011: Israel swaps more than one thousand Palestinian prisoners for one Israeli soldier detained by Hamas Israel, october 2011: Israel decides to build 2000 settler homes on Palestinian land in retaliation for Palestine's membership in United Nations agencies Lebanon, december 2011: The collapse of the Lebanese Canadian Bank reveals that Hezbollah is involved in teh illegal drug trade in Latin America Palestine, december 2011: Hamas celebrates 24 years of armed resistance that have killed 1,365 Israeli soldiers, fired 11,093 rockets and mortars at Israel, and carried out 87 suicide bombings Palestine, november 2012: An Israeli air strike kills Hamas' military chief Ahmed al-Jabari and other ten people, the beginning of an eight-day war that leaves 130 Palestinans and five Israelis dead Palestine, november 2012: The United Nations recognizes the state of Palestine with only nine countries voting against it Syria, december 2012: The death toll in Syria's civil war passes 46,000 Syria, may 2013: The civil war in Syria intensifies as Hezbollah vows to defend president Assad, Russia sells advanced weapons to Assad, Israel bombs Syria, and the European Union lifts an embardo on selling weapons to the rebels while about 80,000 have been killed

The Gulf Saudi Arabia, 1902: Abdul al-Aziz, at the head of a bedouin army, conquers Riyad and begins to unite the kingdom of Arabia (both through military action and marriage with 20 women) under the puritanical Wahhabi Islamic order Iran, 1909: British companies begin extracting oil in Iran Iran, 1911: British forces occupy southern Iran to protect the oil fields Saudi Arabia, 1916: Sharif Husayn leads a revolt against the Ottoman Empire Iraq, 1921: emir Faisal ibn Hussain, brother of King Abdallah of Jordan, is proclaimed King of Iraq, but still under British protectorate Saudi Arabia, 1926: Abdul al-Aziz becomes king of Saudi Arabia Iraq, 1927: huge oil fields are discovered near Karkuk and oil rights are granted to a British oil company Iraq, 1932: Iraq becomes independent under the rule of King Faisal Iraq, 1933: King Faisal dies and his son, King Ghazi I, ascends to the throne Saudi Arabia, 1932: Saudi Arabia becomes independent under the rule of King Abdul al-Aziz Saudi Arabia, 1938: oil is discovered in Saudi Arabia by an American company Iraq, 1939: King Ghazi dies in a car accident while he is preparing an invasion of Kuwait, and is succeeded by the regent Abd al Ilah Palestine, 1939: Ariel Sharon joins an underground Jewish terrorist organization Iraq, april 1941: prime minister Rashid Ali Al-Gaylani stages a pro-nazi military coup Iran, 1941: Reza Shah Pahlevi ascends to the throne of Iran when his father is deposed by British and Soviet troops for collaborating with the nazis Iran, 1946: Mustafa Barzani founds the Kurdish Democratic Party of Iraq Iraq, may 1950: the Israeli government airlifts approximately 110,000 Jews to Israel (operations Ezra and Nehemiah, completed in august 1951) Iran, 1951: prime minister Mohammed Mossadeq nationalizes the oil industry Saudi Arabia, 1953: King Abdul al-Aziz dies and is succeeded by Saud bin Abdul Aziz Iraq, july 1958: inspired by Gamal Abdel Nasser, officers led by brigadier Abdul-Karim Qassem overthrow the Hashimite monarchy and proclaim a republic Saudi Arabia, 1960: oil developing countries found the OPEC Kuwait, june 1961: Kuwait becomes an independent, with the protection of Britain against the claims of Iraq's leader Abdul-Karim Qassem Iraq, september 1961: a Kurdish rebellion under the leadership of Mustafa al-Barzani is brutally repressed Iraq, february 1963: in a military coup the Ba'ath Party seizes power in Iraq Saudi Arabia, 1964: Faisal bin Abdul Aziz becomes the third King of Saudi Arabia Iraq, july 1968: the pro-Soviet faction of the Ba'ath Party seizes power and appoints Ahmed Hasan al-Bakr president and Saddam Hussein is appointed in charge of internal security Iraq, 1971: Saddam Hussein inaugurates the Iraqi program to build a nuclear weapon Iraq, 1972: the oil industry is nationalized Saudi Arabia, october 1973: OPEC countries impose an oil embargo on the western world that causes an economic crises Saudi Arabia, 1975: Khalid bin Abdul Aziz King Khalid becomes the fourth King of Saudi Arabia Iraq, 1975: when Iran, the United States and Israel withdraw support to the Kurdish revolt led by Mustafa Barzani, Iraqi troops massacre thousands of Kurdish civilians and rebels after collecting them in "dar al-fana" ("houses of annihilation") Iraq, 1975: French prime minister Chirac sells a nuclear reactor and jet fighters to Iraq Iraq, 1976: Jalal Talabani founds the Kurdish Patriotic Union in northern Iraq to fight for Kurdish independence Iran, january 1978: Religious students in Qom stage mass demonstrations against the shah of Iran Iran, february 1978: Riots erupt in Tabriz, Iran Iran, august 1978: A fire kills 477 people in a movie theater in Abadan, Iran, causing mass demonstrations against the regime Iran, january 1979: a popular revolution deposes the shah Reza Pahlevi Iran, february 1979: Islamic clerics (ayatollahs) seize the power and appoint Ruhollah Khomeini supreme leader of Iran, just returned from exile France, april 1979: Israeli agents blow up a factory in France that builds components for Iraq's nuclear facility at Osirak Iraq, june 1979: Saddam Hussein inherits power in Iraq and begins a ruthless dictatorship Iraq, 1979: Massoud Barzani succeeds his father Mustafa Barzani as the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party Iran, november 1979: Iranian students take 52 Americans hostage at the American embassy Saudi Arabia, november 1979: Dozens of Islamic fanatics seize the Grand Mosque in Mecca taking hundred of pilgrims hostage Iran, april 1980: American troops fail to liberate the American hostages France, june 1980: Israeli agents assassinate in France an Egyptian engineer working for Iraq's Osirak nuclear facility Syria, june 1980: The Muslim Brotherhood tries to assassinate Assad of Syria Iraq, september 1980: Iraq (Saddam Hussein) attacks Iran Iran, january 1981: by trading weapons for hostages, the new American president, Ronald Reagan, obtains the release of the Americans held in Iran for 444 days Lebanon, april 1981: Syria defeats Bashir Gemayel's Phalange at Zahle, but Israel helps defeat the Syrian troops Iraq, june 1981: Israel bombs Iraq's Osirak reactor, manned by French, Italian and Brazilian engineers, that is producing enriched uranium fuel and plutonium that can be used for nuclear weapons Saudi Arabia, june 1982: Fahd bin 'Abdulaziz (11th son of the founder of the Saudi kingdom) ascends to the throne Iraq, 1982: Iran provides help to kurds fighting against Saddam Hussein in the north of Iraq and massive repression by Iraqi forces follows United Arab Emirates, Sep 1983: A bomb blows up a Gulf Air flight over the United Arab Emirates killing all 112 passengers USA, october 1983: Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud is appointed ambassador to the USA with the goal to create a military alliance Iraq, 1983: Iraq uses chemical weapons against Iranian troops Iraq, december 1983: The USA government sends Donald Rumsfeld to Iraq to negotiate with Saddam Hussein Iraq, 1984: Iraq uses chemical weapons against kurds Saudi Arabia, 1984: Saudi Arabia becomes the financial arm of the CIA to bypass the USA parliament, selling arms to Nicaragua's rebels, to Angola's rebels and to Afghanistan's rebels fighting communist regimes in three continents USA, february 1985: King Fahd of Saudi Arabia meets with USA president Ronald Reagan in the USA, carrying a "gift" of $2 million in diamonds Saudi Arabia, 1985: Britain sells weapons to Saudi Arabia, the largest arms sale in its history yet Israel, august 1985: Israel sells 500 antitank missiles to Iran under a covert plan by the USA to win the release of USA hostages in Lebanon Iran, may 1986: The USA directly delivers weapons to Iran to win the release of USA citizens held hostages in Lebanon by Hezbollah Iraq, 1987: An Iraqi Mirage warplane mistakenly attacks a USA warship in the Persian Gulf, killing 37 USA sailors Iraq, 1988: Thanks to intelligence provided by the USA, Iraq bombs strategic targets inside Iran Iraq, march 1988: Iraqi troops kill 5,000 Kurds with poison gas in Halabja, north Iraq Iran, april 1988: A USA warship is damaged by an Iranian mine in the Persian Gulf, and in retaliation the USA starts its largest naval battle since Vietnam, destroying two Iranian oil platforms and attacking Iranian warships Iran, july 1988: a missile fired by an American warship downs an Iranian civilian plane and kills all 290 passengers aboard Libya, december 1988: terrorists of the PFLP-GC backed by Libya blow up a Pan Am plane over Scotland (Lockerbie) killing 270 people probably on behalf of Iran Iran, august 1988: end of the war between Iraq and Iran that has cost about one million lives (600,000 Iranians and 400,000 Iraqis) Iraq, september 1988: Iraqi forces attack kurdish forces with chemical weapons, destroying nearly 4,000 of the 5,000 Kurdish villages and killing tens of thousands of civilians Iran, 1989: Khomeini dies and is buried with one of the largest funerals ever Iran, june 1989: Ali Khameini is appointed supreme leader of iran Iraq, 1989: German scientist Karl-Heinz Schaab sells German uranium-enrichment technology to Iraq Iraq, may 1990: Saddam Hussein convenes an Arab summit in Baghdad during which he declares "Greater Israel" to be the common enemy and promises money to the family of every Palestinian suicide bomber Egypt, july 1990: Saddam Hussein's Iraq accuses Kuwait of stealing its oil and waging a financial war Iraq, august 1990: Iraqi troops invade Kuwait Saudi Arabia, august 1990: King Fahd calls for US protection against Saddam Hussein Iraq, january 1991: George Bush, president of the USA, leads an international coalition that attacks Iraq from all sides and liberates Kuwait Britain, 1991: Ayad Allawi founds the Iraqi National Accord with defectors of the Iraqi army Iraq, february 1991: The US-led coalition stops short of reaching Bagdad and leaves Saddam Hussein in power but controlling only the central part of Iraq (the southern and northern part are off-limits to Iraqi planes in order to protect the shiite and kurdish minorities) Iraq, may 1991: USA president George Bush authorizes plans to remove Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq Iraq, may 1992: Fouad Masoum is elected leader of the regional Kurdish government, which controls northern Iraq and is de facto independent from Saddam Hussein Austria, june 1992: Iraqi exile Ahmad Chalabi organizes the Iraqi National Congress in Vienna to overthrow Saddam Hussein Kuwait, Apr 1993: Iraqi agents attempt to assassinate former president George Bush during a visit to Kuwait Iran, march 1995: A USA-founded coalition of Chalabi's militia, Iraqi general Wafiq al-Samarrai and Talabani's Kurdish militia start a rebellion in northern Iraq but are stopped by Barzani's Kurdish militia and Turkish troops Iran, may 1997: Mohammad Khatami, a moderate, is elected president with 67% of the popular vote Iraq, february 1998: military confrontation between Saddam Hussein and the United States after Iraq halts all work by United Nations arms inspectors Yemen, mid 1994: during the civil war between communists and democratic forces, president Ali Saleh enjoys the support of Islah (Islamic Reform Party), an offshoot of the Hashed tribes in northern Yemen headed by radical Sheikh Abdul Mejid Az Zindani Jordan, 1995: The CIA sets up operations in Jordan to overthrow Saddam Hussein with the complicity of Jordan, and infiltrates dozens of spies inside Iraq Iraq, 1995: A bomb kills 28 people at the headquarters of the Iraqi National Congress in the northern Iraqi region under USA protection Iraq, june 1996: Saddam Hussein orders the arrest, torture and execution of more than 100 secret agents of the Iraqi National Accord in Iraq who are preparing to overthrow him Iraq, august 1996: Saddam Hussein launches an attack on Kurdistans' capital Erbil requested by Kurdish leader Barzani and his rival Talabani has to abandon the city Iraq, december 1998: the U.S. and the U.K. bomb Iraq because Iraq is not allowing United Nations inspectors to resume their job, and Clinton authorizes a program to overthrow Saddam Hussein ("As long as Saddam remains in power, he will remain a threat to his people, his region and the world") Iran, august 1999: pro-democracy riots in Iran, following the arrest of pro-democracy intellectuals and the closure of newspapers by ultraconservative ayatollah Khameini Yemen, february 2002: dozens of foreign Islamic scholars are expelled as part of a crackdown on suspected al-Qaeda members Iraq, march 2003: the USA and the UK invade Iraq and remove Saddam Hussein from power Iraq, march 2003: terrorists blow up the United Nations building in Baghdad, killing 23 people Iraq, march 2003: over 85 people are killed by a car bomb in the holy city of Najaf Iraq, august 2003: Bombing the Baghdad hotel that hosts the United Nations headquarters, and killing ayatollah Mohammad Baqir al-Hakim, Iran's chief representative in Iraq, Abu Musab Al Zarqawi (Ahmad Fadhil) begins a terrorist campaign against the USA occupation of Iraq and their Shiite and Kurdish allies Iraq, november 2003: terrorists attack an Italian peacekeepers' base in Nasiriya, Iraq Iraq, december 2003: Saddam Hussein is arrested by the USA while he was hiding in a hole Iraq, february 2004: 181 Shia Muslims die in terrorist attacks in Karbala and Baghdad during the yearly holy festival, and the civil war escalates Yemen, 2004: a Shiite Muslim rebellion led by Abdel-Malek al-Hawthi erupts in Yemen, that will kill thousands over the next four years Iraq, january 2005: the first democratic elections in Iraq are won by an alliance of Shiite parties (48%), followed by an alliance of Kurdish parties (26%) and by the party of prime minister Allawi (14%) Jordan, november 2005: Zarqawi's coordinated bomb attacks on three hotels in Amman kill 60 people Iran, 2005: Anti-USA conservative cleric Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wins presidential elections in Iran and calls for the destruction of Israel Iraq, 2006: Nouri al-Maliki forms a government of national unity in Iraq Iraq, march 2006: in march alone, 1313 Iraqi civilians are victims of sectarian violence Iraq, 2006: 34,452 Iraq civilians are killed in 2006 Iraq, february 2006: Zarqawi blows up the al-Askari mosque in Samarra, one of the holiest sites in Shiite Islam Iraq, december 2006: Saddam Hussein is executed in Iraq for the crimes committed by his regime Iraq, july 2007: the USA accuses Iran of helping insurgents kill USA soldiers in Iraq Iraq, december 2007: Iraqis have suffered from 667 suicide attacks since may 2005 Iraq, dec 2007: Almost 8,000 people are killed in terrorist attacks in one year in Iraq (peak of the Iraqi civil war) Yemen, may 2008: Shiite Muslim rebels led by Abdel-Malek al-Hawthi attack a Sunni mosque and kill 18 people Iran, dec 2008: A suicide bomber of the anti-Iranian group Jundaliah kills four people in Iran Iraq, jun 2009: As the deadline approaches for the USA to withdraw troops from Iraqi cities, a spate of terrorist attacks kills hundreds of Iraqis Iran, oct 2009: 42 people including several members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards are killed in a suicide bombing in the Baluchi region by Sunni group Jundallah Iraq, dec 2009: 103,000 civilians have been killed in Iraq since the 2003 invasions by the USA, Britain and Australia Iraq, dec 2009: The number of people killed in terrorist attacks in Iraq has decreased from the 2007 peak of almost 8,000 to about 1,400 Iraq, dec 2011: The USA withdraws from Iraq Iraq, dec 2012: More than 4000 people are killed in Iraq by political violence in 2012

Afghanistan Pakistan, 1950: Deobandis Muslims create their own political party, the Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI) Afghanistan, 1973: in a military coup Zahir Shah (who has been ruling for 40 years) is deposed by former prime minister Mohammed Daud, friendly to the Soviet Union Pakistan, 1975: Persecuted by Afghan's dictator Sardar Daud, Islamic fundamentalists affiliated to the Muslim Brotherhood such as Gulbuddin Hikmetyar and Ahmad Shah Masud flee to Pakistan where they are protected by Jamiat-e-Islami and armed by the paramilitary Frontier Corps of Naseerullah Babar Pakistan, 1977: following unrest fed by the Islamic parties, a military coup replaces Zulfikar Ali Bhutto with Mohammad Zia Ul-Haq Afghanistan, 1978: general Daud is overthrown and killed in a coup by leftists and Hafizullah Amin seizes the power, causing a civil war between "mujaheddin" and communist forces and eventually the collapse of the army Pakistan, 1979: Bhutto executed by dictator Zia Afghanistan, december 1979: 130,000 Soviet troops invade Afghanistan, execute Amin and establish a communist government led by Babrak Karmal Afghanistan, 1980: American-financed "mujaheddin" and volunteers from the Arab world (including wealthy Saudi scion Osama bin Laden) organize in Pakistan to hamper the Soviet Union's campaign in Afghanistan Saudi Arabia, 1984: Osama bin Laden meets Palestinian cleric Abdullah Azzam in Jeddah Pakistan, 1984: in Peshawar (Pakistan) Osama bin Laden co-founds the Maktab al-Khidamat (Service Office) with the Palestinian leader Abdallah Azzam with the goal to recruit fighters and raise money for the Afghan resistance Pakistan, october 1984: Osama bin Laden's Maktab al-Khidamat begins publishing the "Jihad" magazine to spread the word about the Afghan war Egypt & Saudi Arabia, 1985: the Maktab al-Khidamat (MAK) opens branches in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, helping recruit and transport thousands of volunteers from over 50 countries (mainly Saudi Arabia, but also Algeria, Egypt, Yemen, Sudan, Syria, Lebanon) to fight the Soviet Union in Afghanistan (the Egyptian contingent, Jamaat al Islamiya, which includes cleric Omar Abdel Rahman's two sons, is particularly respected for its bold behavior) Afghanistan, 1986: the MAK sets up paramilitary training camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan and builds roads, hospitals and bunkers in Afghanistan USA, 1985: in New York the Egyptian politician Mustafa Rahman and Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, spiritual leader of Jamaat al Islamiya, establish Al Kifah (The Struggle), a refugee center, for the purpose of recruiting and funding for mujahedin to fight in to Afghanistan, de facto a branch of the MAK Afghanistan, 1985: Osama bin Laden, the highest-ranking Saudi to participate in the Afghan struggle against the Soviet Union, is patronized by Pakistani and Saudi intelligence and, with American approval, proceeds to create an international brigade of Islamic fighters Afghanistan, 1986: the US supplies the mujahedin with Stinger missiles that shoot down Soviet helicopters in an effort to turn Afghanistan into the Soviet "Vietnam" Afghanistan, april 1987: Osama bin Laden leads a small army of Arab volunteers to fight the Soviet army in Jaji Afghanistan, april 1988: the Soviet Union withdraws from Afghanistan after losing 40,000 soldiers and causing the death of about one million Afghans USA, may 1988: Salem bin Laden, Osama's elder brother and the head of the family, dies in a plane accident in Texas Afghanistan, august 1988: Osama bin Laden splits from Azzam and creates Al Qaeda ("The Base"), meant to become a worldwide alliance of fundamentalist militants, but also based on the teachings of Mohammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (the 19th century founder of the conservative Islamic theology "wahhabism" that is still prevalent in Saudi Arabia) and Sayyid Qutb (an Egyptian philosopher that viewed western civilization as the main enemy of Islam) Pakistan, 1988: Zia dies in a plane crash and is succeeded by Benazir Bhutto Pakistan, november 1989: Azzam is assassinated in Peshawar, probably by Egyptian radicals and by Afghan warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar Afghanistan, 1989: Abu Musab Al Zarqawi (Ahmad Fadhil) travels to Afghanistan to fight the Soviet Union Afghanistan, november 1989: while different factions bicker about the future of Afghanistan, Osama bin Laden leaves Afghanistan for Saudi Arabia but continues to organize his international coalition of terrorists Afghanistan, december 1989: Azzam is killed by a car bomb, and most of the MAK flows into Al Qaeda Pakistan, 1990: Pakistani mullahs (clerics) preach Deobandism (a 19th century branch of Sunni Islam) among the Afghans living as refugees in Pakistan. Scores of them become "taliban" (literally "students") of Islamic seminaries in the Islamic schools of Pakistan (the "madrasah"). One such talib is Mulla Umar, enrolled at a Karachi seminary run by the JUI party. Saudi Arabia, 1991: Osama bin Laden protests the use of Saudi Arabia by American troops and denounces the royal Saudi family as traitors of Islam Saudi Arabia, 1991: Saudi Arabia expels Osama bin Laden for his anti-government stance Sudan, 1991: Osama bin Laden finds shelter in Sudan, under the protection of the Islamic government of Hassan al Tourabi, sets up headquarters for Al Qaeda in Khartoum and contributes to construction and agricultural projects Afghanistan, april 1992: mujahidin guerrillas led by general Ahmad Shah Masood/Masoud dislodge the communist regime from Kabul, but civil war erupts between his "Northern Alliance" and other warlords such as Gulbuddin Hekmatyar Afghanistan, 1993: mujahedin factions form a coalition and create a multi-ethnic government led by Burhanuddin Rabbani, but almost immediately internal fighting erupts among the various militias Afghanistan, Jan 1993: Hikmetyar's militias, supported by Pakistan, lay siege to Afghanistan's capital Kabul Britain, 1994: Osama bin Laden travels to London under a Saudi passport and establishes London as the political and financial headquarter of al-Quaeda organization (his international coalition of terrorists, the Jihad Committee, runs the Islamic Information Observatory Center and the Advisory and Reformation Body, both based in London), while his financial resources are administered by lawyers in Switzerland Pakistan, 1994: Pakistan helps the Taliban, Afghan fighters bred in the madrassas of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, launch an invasion of Kandahar in Afghanistan from Pakistan Afghanistan, late 1994: funded by wealthy Saudi families close to ultraconservative Wahhabism, the Taliban emerge as a Messianic movement with the mission to restore peace in Afghanistan, establish law and order, disarm the population, and impose sharia (Islamic law) Pakistan, 1994: The JUI party becomes a recruiter of Pakistani and foreign students to fight for the Taliban (an estimated 100,000 Pakistanis will fight in Afghanistan in the next six years) Pakistan, february 1995: Pakistan arrests the terrorist responsible for the World Trade Center bomb (Ramzi Yousef), who was living in a house owned by Osama bin Laden Sudan, may 1996: under pressure from the US and Saudi Arabia, Sudan expels Osama bin Laden Afghanistan, september 1996: the Taliban militia (mainly ethnic Pushtun) dislodges the mujahedin government from Kabul and installs one of the most fundamentalistic Muslim governments in the world, while the remaining troops of Shah Masood retreat to the north and form the Northern Alliance Afghanistan, 1996: Hikmetyar is defeated by the Taliban and goes into exile in Iran Afghanistan, february 1997: the Taliban reject an American request to deliver Osama bin Laden to American authorities in exchange for international recognition Afghanistan, 1997: as they establish control over most of the country, the Taliban, led by the one-eyed cleric Mullah Omar, create a regime characterized by the massacre of ethnic minorities, by collaboration with drug traffickers (that turn Afghanistan into the largest market for heroin), public executions and amputations, a ban on women and girls going to school or having a job, restrictions on the access of women to health care, and the outlawing of television, film and popular music Afghanistan, 1997: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia recognize the Taleban government, but the rest of the world including the United Nations continues to recognize the government in exile of Rabbani that supports the multi-ethnic Northern Alliance in the north of the country led by Shah Masood Afghanistan, 1997: Taliban-inspired groups carry out sabotage inside Iran Afghanistan, 1997: Iran and Uzbekistan lend military support to the Northern Alliance, largely drawn from Afghanistan's ethnic Tajiks and Hazaras Afghanistan, 1998: Osama bin Laden helps the Taliban capture the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif from the Northern Alliance Afghanistan, february 1998: Osama bin Laden announces the creation of the "International Islamic Front for Jihad Against the Jews and Crusaders", an international alliance of terrorist organizations, including Al Qaeda, the Egyptian Islamic Jihadand the Pakistan-based Harakat al-Ansar, and Muhammad Atif (aka Subhi Abu Sitta, aka Abu Hafs Al Masri) is named commander of their military operations Afghanistan, 1998: the Taliban overrun much of northern Afghanistan, pushing the Northern Alliance into the northeast Afghanistan, 1998: the Taliban execute nine Iranian diplomats in Mazar and Iran threatens to invade Afghanistan Afghanistan, 1999: the United Nations impose sanctions against the Taliban to force them to hand over Osama bin Laden for trial Aghanistan, 1999: the population of Afghanistan is estimated at 18 million, down from 1990's 24 million, while millions live in exile in Pakistan and Iran Afghanistan, 1999: Afghanistan's production of opium doubles in 1999 (three times more opium than the rest of the world put together), making the Taliban the largest heroin producer in the world Afghanistan, march 2001: the Taliban destroy two giant Buddhas, one of the greatest monuments in the world, despite an international outcry Afghanistan, may 2001: Taleban order religious minorities to wear tags identifying themselves as non-Muslims Afghanistan, september 2001: tensions between the Taliban and foreign aid workers lead the Taliban to arrest eight foreigners with the accusation of promoting Christianity Afghanistan, september 2001: the military leader of the Northern Alliance, Ahmed Shah Masood/Mas'ud/ Massoud, is killed by Algerian suicide bombers Afghanistan, october 2001: in retaliation for Osama bin Laden's terrorism, the USA conducts a bombing campaign against the Taliban of Afghanistan, removes them from power, and hunts Al Qaeda fighters Afghanistan, november 2001: The Northern Alliance enters Kabul and installs a new provisional government (led by Hamid Karzai) Afghanistan, december 2001: Osama bin Laden and hundreds of Al Qaeda members escape from Afghanistan into Pakistan's northwestern province FATA Afghanistan, september 2002: Harim Karzai narrowly escapes an assassination attempt and a bomb kills 25 people in Kabul Pakistan, 2002: Iran expels Gulbuddin Hikmetyar who settles in Peshawar, northwestern Pakistan, where he becomes an ally of the Taliban Afghanistan, january 2003: The Taliban fight a battle with US troops, the first battle since the Taliban regrouped in Pakistan Afghanistan, august 2003: a videotape by Ayman al-Zawahri calls for Pakistani to rise up against president Musharraf Afghanistan, 2005: More than 1,400 people are killed in Afghanistan, the worst toll since the USA ousted the Taliban Afghanistan, 2006: Iraq-style suicide bombers kill hundreds of people in the Afghanistan Afghanistan, 2007: after Italy negotiates the release of a kidnapped Italian, abductions of foreigners by Taleban multiply leading to ransom payments and prisoner releases Afghanistan, december 2007: a Taliban suicide bomber kills 70 people in north Afghanistan including six members of Parliament Afghanistan, april 2008: Pakistan's secret services try to assassinate Afghanistan's president Hamid Karzai at a parade in Kabul Afghanistan, april 2008: Pakistan's secret services try to assassinate Afghanistan's president Hamid Karzai at a parade in Kabul Afghanistan, august 2008: more then 3,700 people are killed in fighting in Afghanistan in the first eight months of 2008 Afghanistan, december 2008: a Taliban suicide bomber kills 16 people including 13 schoolchildren in a town at the border with Pakistan Afghanistan, 2008: about 2,200 civilians are killed in 2008, of which about 800 killed by NATO Afghanistan, 2009: About 400 civilians have been killed between january and october by NATO operations in Afghanistan Afghanistan, 2009: 2412 civilians are killed in Afghanistan during 2009 Pakistan, Feb 2010: Pakistani and USA agents arrest the military commander of the Aghani Taliban, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Afghanistan, jun 2010: More than 1,250 civilians are killed in Afghanistan in the first six months of 2010, 76% by the insurgents Afghanistan, jul 2010: A USA strike kills 52 civilians in Afghanistan Afghanistan, feb 2011: NATO strike kills 65 civilians in Afghanistan Afghanistan, sep 2011: Fighters of Sirajuddin Haqqani's Taliban supported by Pakistan's spy agency stage an attack on the USA embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan