Canaan
110-489: State of Israel (1948–present) Philistia ( Hebrew : פְּלֶשֶׁת , romanized : Pəlešeṯ ; Biblical Greek : Γῆ τῶν Φυλιστιείμ , romanized: Gê tôn Phylistieím ) was a confederation of five main cities or pentapolis in the Southwest Levant, made up of principally Gaza , Ashkelon , Ashdod , Ekron , Gath , and for a time, Jaffa (part of present-day Tel Aviv ). Scholars believe
220-615: A sabra mentality and culture to their writing. S. Yizhar , Moshe Shamir , Hanoch Bartov and Benjamin Tammuz vacillated between individualism and commitment to society and state. In its early years Israel sought to maintain a non-aligned position between the super-powers. But in 1952 an antisemitic public trial was staged in Moscow in which a group of Jewish doctors were accused of trying to poison Stalin (the Doctors' plot ), followed by
330-437: A fixed tax rate of 33,3% on wheat , barley , sesame and fruit crops, as well as goats and beehives; a total of 14,000 Akçe . In the late nineteenth century, Isdud was described as a village spread across the eastern slope of a low hill, covered with gardens. A ruined khan stood southwest of the village. Its houses were one-storey high with walls and enclosures built of adobe brick. There were two main sources of water:
440-574: A national water carrier , a huge engineering project designed to transfer Israel's allocation of the Jordan river 's waters towards the south of the country in realization of Ben-Gurion's dream of mass Jewish settlement of the Negev desert. The Arabs responded by trying to divert the headwaters of the Jordan, leading to growing conflict between Israel and Syria. Until 1966 Israel's principal arms supplier
550-895: A cease fire was agreed. During 1971 violent demonstrations by the Israeli Black Panthers , made the Israeli public aware of resentment among Mizrahi Jews at ongoing discrimination and social gaps. In 1972 the US Jewish Mafia leader, Meyer Lansky , who had taken refuge in Israel, was deported to the United States. Ashdod (ancient city) Ashdod ( Philistine : 𐤀𐤔𐤃𐤃 * ʾašdūd ; Hebrew : אַשְׁדּוֹד , romanized : ʾašdōḏ ; Arabic : أسدود , romanized : ʾasdūd ) or Azotus ( Koinē Greek : Ἄζωτος , romanized: azōtos )
660-499: A ceasefire was reluctantly accepted on 7 November. At Egypt's request the UN sent an Emergency Force (UNEF), consisting of 6000 peacekeeping troops from 10 nations to supervise the ceasefire—the first ever UN peacekeeping operation. From 15 November the UN troops marked out a zone across the Sinai to separate the Israeli and Egyptian forces. Upon receiving US guarantees of Israeli access to
770-539: A century later, pharaoh Ramesses III boasted of having defeated the Peleset , and allegedly relocated them to the southern abandoned coast of Canaan, recording this victory on a Medinet Habu temple inscription dated to c. 1150 BC. The pwrꜣsꜣtj are generally identified as the Philistines. The Great Harris Papyrus , a chronicle of Ramesses' reign written no later than 1149 BC, also records this Egyptian defeat of
880-468: A component of every Israeli coalition until 1992, usually running the Ministry of Education. Mapai was once again victorious in the 1959 elections , increasing its number of seats to 47, Labour had 7. Ben-Gurion remained prime minister. In 1959 there were renewed skirmishes along Israel's borders that continued throughout the early 1960s. The Arab League continued to widen its economic boycott and there
990-539: A controversial reparations agreement with West Germany . During the Knesset debate some 5,000 demonstrators gathered and riot police had to cordon the building. In 1952, Israel and West Germany signed an agreement and over the next 14 years, West Germany paid Israel 3 billion marks (around US$ 714 million according to 1953-1955 conversion rates). The reparations became a decisive part of Israel's income, comprising as high as 87.5% of Israel's income in 1956. In 1950,
1100-531: A group of Religious Zionists who created the first Jewish settlement , a town near Hebron called Kiryat Arba . There were no other religious settlements until after 1974. Ben-Gurion's Rafi party merged with the Labour-Mapai alliance. Ben-Gurion remained outside as an independent. In 1968, compulsory education was extended until the age of 16 for all citizens (it had been 14) and the government embarked on an extensive program of integration in education. In
1210-555: A pond and a masonry well. Both were surrounded by groves of date-palm and fig-trees. In the 1922 census of Palestine , conducted by the British Mandate authorities, Isdud had a population of 2,566 inhabitants; 2,555 Muslims and 11 Christians, where the Christians were all Catholics . The population increased in the 1931 census to 3,240; 3,238 Muslims and 2 Christians, in a total of 764 houses. The village of Isdud
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#17327661260621320-607: A pretext for seizing the Suez Canal. Israel was to attack Egypt, and Britain and France would then call on both sides to withdraw. When, as expected, the Egyptians refused, Anglo-French forces would invade to take control of the Canal. Israeli forces, commanded by General Moshe Dayan , attacked Egypt on 29 October 1956. On 30 October Britain and France made their pre-arranged call for both sides to stop fighting and withdraw from
1430-867: A result, Israel's victory in the Six-Day War, Jews could visit the Old City of Jerusalem and pray at the Western Wall (the holiest site in Judaism) for the first time since the end of the British Mandate, to which they had been denied access by the Jordanians in contravention of the 1949 Armistice agreement. The four-meter-wide public alley beside the Wall was expanded into a massive plaza and worshippers were allowed to sit, or use other furniture, for
1540-704: A similar trial in Czechoslovakia ( Slánský trial ). This, and the failure of Israel to be included in the Bandung Conference (of non-aligned states ), effectively ended Israel's pursuit of non-alignment. On 19 May 1950, in contravention of international law, Egypt announced that the Suez Canal would be closed to Israeli ships and commerce. In 1952 a military coup in Egypt brought Abdel Nasser to power. The United States pursued close relations with
1650-712: Is celebrated annually in Israel as Independence Day , a national holiday on 5 Iyar of every year according to the Hebrew calendar . After the Declaration, Minhelet HaAm became the Provisional government of Israel, whilst Moetzet HaAm became the Provisional State Council . Paragraph 13 of the Declaration provides that the State of Israel would be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by
1760-586: Is first mentioned in written documents from Late Bronze Age Ugarit , which indicate that the city was a center of export for dyed woolen purple fabric and garments. At the end of the 13th century BCE, the Sea Peoples conquered and destroyed Ashdod. By the beginning of the 12th century BCE, the Philistines , generally thought to have been one of the Sea Peoples, ruled the city. During their reign,
1870-712: Is likewise believed to be derived from the Canaanite form. In the Hellenistic period, the name of the settlement became "Azotus" in Greek and sometimes specifically "Azotus Mesogaias", literally "Inland Azotus", in contrast to Azotus Paralios , literally "Azotus-by-the-sea", or Ashdod-Yam in Hebrew. In the Early Muslim period , the geographer Ibn Khordadbeh referred to the city in the 9th century as "Azdud", echoing
1980-408: Is reported to have besieged the great city of "Azotus" for twenty-nine years (Herodotus, ii. 157); the biblical references to the remnant of Ashdod ( Jeremiah 25:20 ; cf. Zephaniah 2:4 ) are interpreted as allusions to this event. The city absorbed another blow in 605 BCE, when Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia conquered it. Under Babylonian rule it was a province. In 539 BCE the city was rebuilt by
2090-604: The Ad Halom bridge over the Lachish River . Israeli forces surrounded the town during Operation Pleshet , and shelled and bombed it from the air. For three nights from 18 October the Israeli Air Force bombed Isdud and several other locations. Fearing encirclement, Egyptian forces retreated on October 28, 1948, and the majority of the residents fled. The 300 townspeople who remained were driven southwards by
2200-580: The Austerity Period ( Tkufat haTsena ). Immigrants were mostly refugees without money or possessions, and many were housed in temporary camps known as ma'abarot . By 1952 more than 200,000 immigrants were living in tents or prefabricated shacks built by the government. Israel received financial aid from private donations from outside the country (mainly the United States). The pressure on the new state's finances led Ben-Gurion to negotiate
2310-530: The Book of Joshua ( Joshua 13:3 ) and the Books of Samuel ( 1 Samuel 6:17 ), comprising Ashkelon , Ashdod , Ekron , Gath , and Gaza , in the south-western Levant . Tell Qasile and Aphek (see Battle of Aphek ) likely marked the nation's frontiers, as evidence from Tell Qasile especially indicates that non-Philistines constituted an otherwise unusually large portion of their respective populations. The identity of
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#17327661260622420-672: The Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel sparked the 1948 Arab–Israeli War , which resulted in the 1948 Palestinian expulsion and flight from the land that the State of Israel came to control and subsequently led to waves of Jewish immigration from other parts of the Middle East . The latter half of the 20th century saw a series of further conflicts between Israel and its neighbouring Arab nations. In 1967,
2530-609: The Hasmonean kingdom . In the 1st century BCE, Pompey removed the city from Judean rule and annexed it to the Roman province of Syria . In 30 BCE, Ashdod came under Herod 's rule, who bequeathed it to his sister Salome I , a decision later confirmed by Augustus . During the First Jewish–Roman War , Vespasian subdued and garrisoned the town. Ashdod was a bishopric under Byzantine rule , but its importance diminished over
2640-589: The Hellenistic period . Asdûdu led the revolt of Philistines, Judeans , Edomites , and Moabites against Assyria after expulsion of king Ahi-Miti, whom Sargon had installed instead of his brother Azuri. Gath ( Gimtu ) belonged to the kingdom of Ashdod at that time. Assyrian king Sargon II's commander-in-chief ( turtanu ), whom the King James Bible calls simply "Tartan" ( Isaiah 20:1 ), regained control of Ashdod in 712/711 BCE and forced
2750-534: The Israel Defense Forces . The village was part of territory that was granted to Israel in the 1949 Armistice Agreements following the end of the war. The Book of Nehemiah , referring to events in the 5th century BCE, mentions the Ashdodites and the speech of Ashdod , which half of the children from mixed families are described as adopting. Hugo Winckler explains the use of that name by
2860-722: The Mamluk period , Isdud was a key village along the Cairo—Damascus road , which served as a center for rural religious and economic life. During the Ottoman period , the site was the location of a village, whose position on the Via Maris contributed to its importance. In 1596 CE, administered by nahiya ("subdistrict") of Gaza under the liwa' ("district") of Gaza , the population of Ashdod (named Sdud ) numbered 75 households, about 413 persons, all Muslims . The villagers paid
2970-790: The Oslo I Accord with the Palestine Liberation Organization , which was followed by the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority . In 1994, the Israel–Jordan peace treaty was signed. Despite efforts to finalize the peace agreement , the conflict continues to play a major role in Israeli and international political, social, and economic life. With the British Mandate of Palestine scheduled to come to an end on 15 May 1948,
3080-620: The Persians . In 332 BCE the city was conquered in the wars of Alexander the Great . During the Hellenistic period through to the late medieval period, the city was known to the Greeks as Αzotus ( Greek : Άζωτος) or Azotus Mesogaios (literally "inland Azotus"). It was also known as Hippinos (literally "of the horsemen"), to the Romans. Despite its location four miles (6 km) from
3190-733: The Philistine pentapolis , and is mentioned 13 times in the Hebrew Bible . After being captured by Uzziah , it was briefly ruled by the Kingdom of Judah before changing hands between the Neo-Assyrian Empire , the Neo-Babylonian Empire and the later Achaemenid Empire . Following the conquests of Alexander the Great , the city became Hellenized , and was known as Azotus. It was later incorporated into
3300-582: The Philistines were made up of people of an Aegean background that from roughly 1200 BC onwards settled in the area and mixed with the local Canaanite population, and came to be known as Peleset , or Philistines. At its maximum territorial expansion, its territory may have stretched along the Canaanite coast from Arish in the Sinai (today's Egypt) to the Yarkon River (today's Tel Aviv), and as far inland as Ekron and Gath. Nebuchadnezzar II invaded Philistia in 604 BC, burned Ashkelon, and incorporated
3410-482: The Phoenician city-state of Sidon , and Philistia never got it back. The Five Lords of the Philistines are described in the Hebrew Bible as being in constant struggle and interaction with the neighbouring Israelites , Canaanites and Egyptians , being gradually absorbed into the Canaanite culture. Philistia was occupied by Tiglath-Pileser III of the Neo-Assyrian Empire in the 8th century BC. Throughout
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3520-705: The Sinai Peninsula , the Gaza Strip , the Golan Heights , and the formerly Jordanian-controlled West Bank of the Jordan River . East Jerusalem was arguably annexed by Israel. Residents were given permanent residency status and the option of applying for Israeli citizenship. The annexation was not recognized internationally (the Jordanian annexation of 1950 was also unrecognized except for
3630-850: The Six-Day War erupted; in its aftermath, Israel captured and occupied the Golan Heights from Syria, the West Bank from Jordan, and the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt. In 1973, the Yom Kippur War began with an attack by Egypt on the Israeli-occupied Sinai Peninsula. In 1979 the Egypt–Israel peace treaty was signed, based on the Camp David Accords . In 1993, Israel signed
3740-662: The Uzi submachine gun first entered use by the Israel Defense Forces. In 1955 the Egyptian government began recruiting former Nazi rocket scientists for a missile program. Sharett's government was brought down by the Lavon Affair , a crude plan to disrupt US–Egyptian relations, involving Israeli agents planting bombs at American sites in Egypt. The plan failed when 11 agents were arrested. Defense Minister Lavon
3850-457: The West Bank , where the British had stationed them before the war. Jordan annexed the areas it occupied while Egypt kept Gaza as an occupied zone . Following the ceasefire declaration, Britain released over 2,000 Jewish detainees it was still holding in Cyprus and recognized the state of Israel. On 11 May 1949, Israel was admitted as a member of the United Nations. Out of an Israeli population of 650,000, some 6,000 men and women were killed in
3960-428: The " land for peace " formula, which called for the establishment of a just and lasting peace based on Israeli withdrawal from territories occupied in 1967 in return for the end of all states of belligerency, respect for the sovereignty of all states in the area, and the right to live in peace within secure, recognized boundaries. The resolution was accepted by both sides, though with different interpretations, and has been
4070-450: The 120 seats after the 1969 election . Meir was the first female prime minister of Israel and the first woman to have headed a Middle Eastern state in modern times. Gahal retained its 26 seats, and was the second largest party. In early 1969 fighting broke out between Egypt and Israel along the Suez Canal. In retaliation for repeated Egyptian shelling of Israeli positions along the Suez Canal, Israeli planes made deep strikes into Egypt in
4180-429: The 1969–1970 " War of Attrition ". In December 1969, Israeli naval commandos took five missile boats during the night from Cherbourg Harbour in France. Israel had paid for the boats but the French had refused to supply them. In July 1970 the Israelis shot down five Soviet fighters that were aiding the Egyptians in the course of the War of Attrition . Following this, the US worked to calm the situation and in August 1970
4290-434: The 26 Iron Age I sites in the Jezreel Valley , including Tel Megiddo , Tel Yokneam , Tel Qiri , Afula , Tel Qashish , Be'er Tiveon, Hurvat Hazin, Tel Risim, Tel Re'ala, Hurvat Tzror, Tel Sham, Midrakh Oz and Tel Zariq, yielded typical Philistine pottery dating from the 12th-to-10th century BC. However, given the minuscule quantity of said pottery finds, it is likely that even if the Philistines had by-and-large settled in
4400-468: The Arab states as international boundaries. Israel was in control of the Galilee , Jezreel Valley , West Jerusalem , the coastal plain and the Negev . The Syrians remained in control of a strip of territory along the Sea of Galilee originally allocated to the Jewish state, the Lebanese occupied a tiny area at Rosh Hanikra , and the Egyptians retained the Gaza strip and still had some forces surrounded inside Israeli territory. Jordanian forces remained in
4510-465: The Arab total of Mandatory Palestine) left or were expelled from their homes. Later, a series of laws passed by the first Israeli government prevented Arabs who had left from returning to their homes or claiming their property. They and many of their descendants remain refugees . Except in Jordan, the Palestinian refugees were settled in large refugee camps in poor, overcrowded conditions and denied citizenship by their host countries. In December 1949,
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4620-490: The Arabs across the whole of Palestine. The Arab states marched their forces into what had, until the previous day, been the British Mandate for Palestine, starting the first Arab–Israeli War . The Arab states had heavy military equipment at their disposal and were initially on the offensive (the Jewish forces were not a state before 15 May and could not buy heavy arms). On 29 May 1948, the British initiated United Nations Security Council Resolution 50 declaring an arms embargo on
4730-438: The Canal area, and for them to be allowed to take up positions at key points on the Canal. Egypt refused and the allies commenced air strikes on 31 October aimed at neutralizing the Egyptian air force. By 5 November the Israelis had overrun the Sinai . The Anglo-French invasion began that day. There was uproar in the UN, with the US and USSR for once in agreement in denouncing the actions of Israel, Britain, and France. A demand for
4840-443: The Haredi Agudat Israel party. A separate body was created to provide education for the remaining Palestinian-Arab population. The major political parties now competed for immigrants to join their education systems. The government banned the existing educational bodies from the transit camps and tried to mandate a unitary secular socialist education under the control of "camp managers" who also had to provide work, food and housing for
4950-436: The IDF. After an initial loss of territory by the Jewish state and its occupation by the Arab armies, from July the tide gradually turned in the Israelis' favour and they pushed the Arab armies out and conquered some of the territory that had been included in the proposed Arab state. At the end of November, tenuous local ceasefires were arranged between the Israelis, Syrians, and Lebanese. On 1 December King Abdullah announced
5060-423: The IDF. During the ceasefire, Etzel attempted to bring in a private arms shipment aboard a ship called " Altalena ". When they refused to hand the arms to the government, Ben-Gurion ordered that the ship be sunk. Several Etzel members were killed in the fighting. Large numbers of Jewish immigrants—many of them World War II veterans and Holocaust survivors—now began arriving in the new state of Israel, and many joined
5170-404: The Israeli airforce launched pre-emptive attacks destroying first the Egyptian air force, and then later the same day destroying the air forces of Jordan and Syria. Israel then defeated (almost successively) Egypt, Jordan and Syria. By 11 June the Arab forces were routed and all parties had accepted the cease-fire called for by UN Security Council Resolutions 235 and 236. Israel gained control of
5280-802: The Israeli borders, and Egypt closed the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping. Nasser demanded that the UNEF leave Sinai, threatening escalation to a full war. Egyptian radio broadcasts talked of a coming genocide. On 26 May Nasser declared, " The battle will be a general one and our basic objective will be to destroy Israel ". Israel considered the Straits of Tiran closure a Casus belli . Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Iraq signed defence pacts and Iraqi troops began deploying to Jordan, Syria and Egypt. Algeria also announced that it would send troops to Egypt. Between 1963 and 1967 Egyptian troops had tested chemical weapons on Yemenite civilians as part of an Egyptian intervention in support of rebels . Israel responded by calling up its civilian reserves, bringing much of
5390-405: The Israeli economy to a halt. The Israelis set up a national unity coalition, including for the first time Menachem Begin 's party, Herut , in a coalition. During a national radio broadcast, Prime Minister Levi Eshkol stammered, causing widespread fear in Israel. To calm public concern Moshe Dayan (Chief of Staff during the Sinai war) was appointed Defence Minister. On the morning of 5 June 1967
5500-402: The Israeli government launched Israel Bonds for American and Canadian Jews to buy. In 1951, the final results of the bonds program exceeded $ 52 million. In 1957, bond sales amounted to 35% of Israel's special development budget. The proceeds from these sources were invested in industrial and agricultural development projects, which allowed Israel to become economically self-sufficient. Among
5610-440: The Jewish immigrants could be described as refugees, but only 136,000 from Central Europe had international certification because they belonged to the 250,000 Jews registered by the allies as displaced after World War II and living in displaced persons camps in Germany, Austria, and Italy. In 1950 the Knesset passed the Law of Return , which granted to all Jews and those of Jewish ancestry (Jewish grandparent), and their spouses,
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#17327661260625720-479: The Jewish population of Israel and left an indelible imprint on Israeli society. Overall, 700,000 Jews settled in Israel during this period. Some 300,000 arrived from Asian and North African nations as part of the Jewish exodus from Arab and Muslim countries . Among them, the largest group (over 100,000) was from Iraq. The rest of the immigrants were from Europe, including more than 270,000 from Eastern Europe, mainly Romania and Poland (over 100,000 each). Nearly all
5830-406: The Nazis and sued his accuser. Kastner lost the trial and was assassinated two years later. In 1958 the Supreme Court exonerated him. In May 1960 Adolf Eichmann , one of the chief administrators of the Nazi Holocaust, was located in Argentina by the Mossad , later kidnapping him and bringing him to Israel. In 1961 he was put on trial, and after several months found guilty and sentenced to death. He
5940-539: The Philistines had become increasingly divided, and that the confederation of the pentapolis which constituted Philistia had fractured into separate city-states. Sennacherib further reported that he had sacked (and possibly burned) a "royal city of the land Philistia that [Hezek]iah had taken away (and) fortified," but the city's name has not survived. The texts also mention that Ashkelon was also sacked due to its refusal to acknowledge Assyrian authority. Despite this Philistine sedition, Sennacherib records that he divided up
6050-444: The Philistines. Despite Ramesses III's claim, archaeology has not been able to corroborate the existence of any such (re)settlement, and the lack of sense in granting an apparently barbarous invading people an expansive and richly fertile swath of land already under Egyptian control is noted by scholars. During Iron Age I , the Philistines seem to have had a presence far outside of what was traditionally considered Philistia, as 23 of
6160-399: The Sinai peninsula in a few days. The Israeli political leadership learnt that Israel had a limited time frame within which to operate militarily after which international political pressure would restrict Israel's freedom of action. In 1956, two modern-orthodox (and religious-Zionist ) parties, Mizrachi and Hapoel HaMizrachi , joined to form the National Religious Party . The party was
6270-425: The Soviet block (except Romania) broke off relations with Israel. Antisemitic purges encouraged the remnants of Polish Jewry to move to Israel. Increased Soviet antisemitism and enthusiasm generated by the 1967 victory led to a wave of Soviet Jews applying to emigrate to Israel. Most Jews were refused exit visas and persecuted by the authorities. Some were arrested, becoming known as Prisoners of Zion . As
6380-494: The Suez Canal, freedom of access out of the Gulf of Aqaba and Egyptian action to stop Palestinian raids from Gaza, the Israelis withdrew to the Negev. In practice the Suez Canal remained closed to Israeli shipping. The conflict marked the end of West-European dominance in the Middle East. Nasser emerged as the victor in the conflict, having won the political battle, but the Israeli military learnt that it did not need British or French support to conquer Sinai and that it could conquer
6490-424: The UK, Iraq, and Pakistan). Other areas occupied remained under military rule (Israeli civil law did not apply to them) pending a final settlement. The Golan was also annexed in 1981. The result of the 29 August 1967 Arab League summit was the Khartoum Resolution , which according to Abd al Azim Ramadan, left only one option – a war with Israel. On 22 November 1967, the Security Council adopted Resolution 242 ,
6600-435: The UN (in response to a British proposal) established an agency ( UNRWA ) to provide aid to the Palestinian refugees. It became the largest single UN agency and is the only UN agency that serves a single people. A 120-seat parliament, the Knesset , met first in Tel Aviv , then moved to Jerusalem after the 1949 ceasefire. In January 1949, Israel held its first elections . The Socialist-Zionist parties Mapai and Mapam won
6710-481: The US also agreed to provide A-4 Skyhawk tactical aircraft to Israel. In 1966 security restrictions placed on Arab-Israelis were eased and efforts made to integrate them into Israeli life. In 1966, Black and white TV broadcasts began. On 15 May 1967 the first public performance of Naomi Shemer 's classic song " Jerusalem of Gold " took place and over the next few weeks it dominated the Israeli airwaves. Two days later Syria, Egypt, and Jordan amassed troops along
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#17327661260626820-425: The aforementioned Ziklag , a city which according to the Bible marked the border between the Philistine and Israelite territory, remains uncertain. Philistia included Jaffa (in today's Tel Aviv), but it was lost to the Hebrews during Solomon's time. Nonetheless, the Philistine king of Ashkelon conquered Jaffa again circa 730 BC. Following Sennacherib 's third campaign in the Levant, the Assyrians re-assigned Jaffa to
6930-421: The area had Philistine settlements. When the Neo-Assyrian Empire first invaded this area, the Philistine cities were given considerable autonomy in exchange for tribute. But having responded to various revolts, this policy hardened. History of Israel (1948%E2%80%93present) Canaan State of Israel (1948–present) In 1948, following the 1947–1948 civil war in Mandatory Palestine ,
7040-434: The area, they remained a minority which had assimilated into the native Canaanite population by the 10th century BC. In its historical form, Philistia's northern boundary was the Yarkon River , with the Mediterranean Sea on the west, the Kingdom of Judah at Ziklag to the east, and the Arish to the south. Philistia consisted of the five city-states of the Philistines, known as the Philistine pentapolis , described in
7150-626: The basis of all subsequent peace negotiations. By the late sixties, about 500,000 Jews had left Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. Over the course of twenty years, some 850,000 Jews from Arab countries (99%) relocated to Israel (680,000), France and the Americas. The land and property left behind by the Jews (much of it in Arab city centres) is still a matter of some dispute. Today there are about 9,000 Jews living in Arab states, of whom 75% live in Morocco and 15% in Tunisia. Vast assets, approximately $ 150 billion worth of goods and property (before inflation) were left behind in these countries. After 1967
7260-446: The camp, however the Israelis sustained unexpectedly high casualties and the attack was not viewed as a success. Despite heavy casualties, the Palestinians claimed victory, while Fatah and the PLO (of which it formed part) became famous across the Arab world. In early 1969 Levi Eshkol died in office of a heart attack and Golda Meir became prime minister with the largest percentage of the vote ever won by an Israeli party, winning 56 of
7370-461: The century, often at the incitement of neighboring Egypt, Philistia revolted against Assyrian rule, but each time they were defeated and forced to pay tribute. Gath disappears from history after Sargon II records its capture in 711 BC, which may indicate he destroyed the city rather than conquered it. The term "Philistia" is not used in Assyrian records describing their campaigns, only the names of individual cities, which may indicate that at this stage
7480-404: The city and "laid it waste". His brother Jonathan Maccabaeus conquered it again in 147 BCE and destroyed the temple of Dagon associated with a Biblical story about the Philistine captivity of the Ark . During the rule of Alexander Jannaeus , Ashdod was part of his territory. The succession wars between Hyrcanus II and Aristobulus II wreaked destruction on Azotus. Pompey restored
7590-409: The city prospered and was a member of the Philistine Pentapolis ('five cities'), which included Ashkelon and Gaza on the coast and Ekron and Gath farther inland, in addition to Ashdod. In 950 BCE, Ashdod was destroyed during Pharaoh Siamun 's conquest of the region. The city was not rebuilt until at least 815 BCE. Overall, the city remained independent of Judean and Israelite rule up until
7700-455: The coast, Ptolemy (c. 90 – c. 168 CE) described the Hellenized city as a maritime city, as did Josephus in Antiquities . Josephus also describes Ashdod as "in the inland parts". This curious contradiction may refer to Ashdod's control of a separate harbor, called " Azotus Paralios ", or Ashdod-on-the-Sea (παράλιος - "paralios", Greek for "on the coast"). Azotus prospered until the Maccabean Revolt , during which Judas Maccabeus took
7810-408: The course of the medieval period . In the Ottoman -era, this was the site of the former and now depopulated Palestinian village of Isdud . There was ongoing habitation at the site in the early modern period through to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War , when the then village of Isdud was depopulated when its inhabitants fled or were expelled. Today, the site is an archaeological site that is open to
7920-641: The fact that Ashdod was the nearest of the Philistine cities to Jerusalem . In Joshua 11 , Ashdod is listed among the cities assigned to the Tribe of Judah (Joshua 11:21-22) In I Samuel 6:17 Ashdod is mentioned among the principal Philistine cities. After capturing the Ark of the covenant from the Israelites, the Philistines took it to Ashdod and placed it in the temple of Dagon . The next morning Dagon
8030-569: The fighting, including 4,000 soldiers in the IDF (approximately 1% of the population). According to United Nations figures, 726,000 Palestinians had fled or were expelled by the Israelis between 1947 and 1949. The precise number of refugees , many of whom settled in refugee camps in neighboring states, is a matter of dispute but around 80 percent of the Arab inhabitants of what became Israel (half of
8140-576: The first time in centuries. In Hebron , Jews gained access to the Cave of the Patriarchs (the second most holy site in Judaism) for the first time since the 14th century (previously Jews were only allowed to pray at the entrance). A third Jewish holy site, Rachel's Tomb , in Bethlehem , also became accessible. The Sinai oil fields made Israel self-sufficient in energy. In 1968 Moshe Levinger led
8250-610: The governing body of the Jewish community, the Jewish National Council (JNC), on 2 March 1948 began work on the organization of a Jewish provisional government. On 12 April 1948 it formed the Minhelet HaAm ( Hebrew : מנהלת העם , lit. People's Administration ), all of its members being drawn from Moetzet HaAm ( People's Council ), the temporary legislative body set up at the same time. On 14 May 1948—the day
8360-443: The head of a left-wing coalition. Between 1953 and 1956, there were intermittent clashes along all of Israel's borders as Arab terrorism and breaches of the ceasefire resulting in Israeli counter-raids . Palestinian fedayeen attacks, often organized and sponsored by the Egyptians, were made from (Egyptian) occupied Gaza . Fedayeen attacks led to a growing cycle of violence as Israel launched reprisal attacks against Gaza. In 1954
8470-464: The immigrants. There were attempts to force orthodox Yemenite children to adopt a secular life style by teachers, including many instances of Yemenite children having their side-curls cut by teachers. The Yemenite Children Affair led to the first Israeli public inquiry (the Fromkin Inquiry), the collapse of the coalition, and an election in 1951, with little change in the results. In 1953
8580-437: The independence of Azotus, as he did with all Hellenising coastal cities. A few years later, in 55 BCE, after more fighting, Roman general Gabinius helped rebuild Ashdod and several other cities left without protective walls. In 30 BCE Ashdod came under the rule of King Herod , who then bequeathed it to his sister Salome . This was later confirmed by Augustus . By the time of the First Jewish–Roman War (66-70), there
8690-517: The lands he had plundered from Judah amongst the kings of Ashdod, Gaza, and Ekron, even going as far as freeing Padi, the king of Ekron, from Judahite captivity and returning him to the throne. The Philistines disappear from written records following the conquest of the Levant by the Neo-Babylonian emperor Nebuchadnezzar II during the 6th century BC, when Ashkelon and many other cities from
8800-843: The last British forces left Haifa—the People's Council gathered at the Tel Aviv Museum and proclaimed the establishment of a Jewish state in Eretz Israel to serve as the homeland for the Jewish people , to be known as the State of Israel . The meeting was led by David Ben-Gurion , the Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization , Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Palestine , and soon to be first Prime Minister of Israel . The event
8910-529: The major cities children from mainly Sephardi / Mizrahi neighbourhoods were bused to newly established middle schools in better areas. The system remained in place until after 2000. In March 1968 Israeli forces attacked the Palestinian militia, Fatah , at its base in the Jordanian town of Karameh . The attack was in response to land mines placed on Israeli roads. The Israelis retreated after destroying
9020-517: The missile program was designed to carry chemical warheads . This action was condemned by Ben-Gurion and led to the Mossad director, Isser Harel , resignation. In 1963 Ben-Gurion quit again over the Lavon affair. His attempts to make his party Mapai support him over the issue failed. Levi Eshkol became leader of Mapai and the new prime minister. Ben-Gurion quit Mapai to form the new party Rafi , he
9130-586: The most seats (46 and 19 respectively). Mapai's leader David Ben-Gurion was appointed prime minister , and formed a coalition that did not include Mapam, who were Stalinist and loyal to the USSR (another Stalinist party, non-Zionist Maki won 4 seats). This was a significant decision because it signaled that Israel would not be in the Soviet bloc. The Knesset elected Chaim Weizmann as the first (largely ceremonial) president of Israel . Hebrew and Arabic were made
9240-441: The natural and exact sciences. The first works of Hebrew literature in Israel were written by immigrant authors rooted in the world and traditions of European Jewry. Yosef Haim Brenner (1881–1921) and Shmuel Yosef Agnon (1888–1970), are considered by many to be the fathers of modern Hebrew literature . Native-born writers who published their work in the 1940s and 1950s, often called the "War of Independence generation," brought
9350-745: The new Arab states, particularly the Nasser-led Egyptian Free Officers Movement and Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia . Israel's solution to diplomatic isolation was to establish good relations with newly independent states in Africa and with France, which was engaged in the Algerian War . In the January 1955 elections Mapai won 40 seats and the Labour Party 10, Moshe Sharett became prime minister of Israel at
9460-550: The official languages of the new state. All governments have been coalitions—no party has ever won a majority in the Knesset. From 1948 until 1977 all governments were led by Mapai and the Alignment , predecessors of the Labour Party . In those years Labour Zionists , initially led by David Ben-Gurion , dominated Israeli politics and the economy was run on primarily socialist lines . From 1948 to 1951 immigration doubled
9570-622: The party-affiliated education system was scrapped and replaced by a secular state education system and a state-run Modern Orthodox system. Agudat Israel were allowed to maintain their existing school system. In the early 1950s, under the administration of Yaakov Dori , who had served as the Israel Defense Forces’ first chief of staff, the Technion launched a campaign to recruit Jewish and pro-Israel scientists from abroad to establish research laboratories and teaching departments in
9680-520: The position of the head of Histadrut , Israel's labour union organization. His demands were accepted and Mapai won the 1961 election (42 seats keeping Ben-Gurion as PM) with a slight reduction in its share of the seats. Menachem Begin's Herut party and the Liberals came next with 17 seats each. In 1962 the Mossad began assassinating German rocket scientists working in Egypt after one of them reported
9790-518: The pre-Hellenistic name. By the 16th century, it had lost its initial vowel to become just "Sdud", before regaining it by the 19th century as "Esdud" – a form of the settlement's name that changed little through to the 20th century "Isdud". The earliest major habitation in Ashdod dates to the 17th century BCE. Ashdod was fortified in MBIIC with a two-entryway city gate (similar to Shechem ). Ashdod
9900-654: The projects made possible by the aid was the Hadera power plant , the Dead Sea Works , the National Water Carrier , port development in Haifa , Ashdod , and Eilat , desalination plants, and national infrastructure projects. In 1949 education was made free and compulsory for all citizens until the age of 14. The state now funded the party-affiliated Zionist education system and a new body created by
10010-473: The prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex . However, the Knesset maintains that the declaration is neither a law nor an ordinary legal document. The Supreme Court has ruled that the guarantees were merely guiding principles, and that the declaration is not a constitutional law making a practical ruling on
10120-785: The public, with visible remains of Isdud and earlier historical ruins, thought to date back to the Philistine period. The ancient Levantine settlement of Ashdod had many names. Its first attestation comes in the form of 11th century BCE Egyptian lists, where is it transcribed as "ísdd", which scholars have determined is derived from the Late Bronze Age Canaanite "’aṯdādu". This became "asdudu" or "asdūdu" in Assyrian records, "ašdudu" in Babylonian cuneiform and "ášdadi" in Ugaritic . The Hebrew "’ašdōd", or "Ashdod",
10230-676: The region were destroyed. The area east of Gaza, particularly around Nahal Besor that reaches into the hills as far as Beersheva , had a very substantial Philistine presence. This area is a part of the Negev desert. It also includes Nahal Gerar to the north that joins Nahal Besor before flowing into the Mediterranean Sea . This was a heavily populated area during the early Iron Age . It includes archaeological sites such as Tell Beit Mirsim , Tel Haror , Tel Sera ( Ziklag ) along Nahal Gerar, and Tell Jemmeh and Tell el-Far'ah (South) along Nahal Besor. All these sites and others in
10340-490: The region. Czechoslovakia violated the resolution , supplying the Jewish state with critical military hardware to match the (mainly British) heavy equipment and planes already owned by the invading Arab states. On 11 June a month-long UN truce came into effect. Following independence the Haganah became the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The Palmach , Etzel and Lehi were required to cease independent operations and join
10450-465: The right to settle in Israel and gain citizenship. That year 50,000 Yemenite Jews (99%) were secretly flown to Israel. In 1951 Iraqi Jews were granted temporary permission to leave the country and 120,000 (over 90%) opted to move to Israel . Jews also fled from Lebanon, Syria and Egypt. Between 1948 and 1958 the population of Israel rose from 800,000 to two million. During this period, food, clothes and furniture had to be rationed in what became known as
10560-458: The territory in the Neo-Babylonian Empire ; Philistia and its native population the Philistines disappear from the historic record after that year. Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic records from the New Kingdom period record a group of the Sea Peoples called the pwrꜣsꜣtj , generally transliterated as either Peleset or Pulasti , as invading Egypt in the mid- 13th century BC . About
10670-472: The union of Transjordan with Arab Palestine west of the Jordan; only Britain recognized the annexation. Israel signed armistices with Egypt (24 February), Lebanon (23 March), Jordan (3 April) and Syria (20 July). No actual peace agreements were signed. With permanent ceasefire coming into effect, Israel's new borders, later known as the Green Line , were established. These borders were not recognized by
10780-404: The upholding or nullification of various ordinances and statutes. Immediately following the declaration of the new state, both superpower leaders, US President Harry S. Truman and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin , recognized the new state. The Arab League members Egypt, Transjordan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq refused to accept the UN partition plan and proclaimed the right of self-determination for
10890-506: The usurper Yamani to flee. Sargon's general destroyed the city and exiled its residents, including some Israelites who were subsequently settled in Media and Elam . Mitinti ( Akkadian : 𒈪𒋾𒅔𒋾 mi-ti-in-ti ; Philistine : 𐤌𐤕𐤕 * Mītīt or * Matīt ) was king at the time of Sargon's son Sennacherib (r. 705–681 BCE), and Akhimilki in the reign of Sennacherib's son Esarhaddon (r. 681–669 BCE). Psamtik I of Egypt (r. 664 – 610 BCE)
11000-618: Was Egypt's main source of foreign currency. Egypt also blockaded the Gulf of Aqaba preventing Israeli access to the Red Sea . Israel made a secret agreement with the French at Sèvres to co-ordinate military operations against Egypt. Britain and France had already begun secret preparations for military action. It has been alleged that the French also agreed to build a nuclear plant for the Israelis. Britain and France arranged for Israel to give them
11110-493: Was France; but in 1966, following the withdrawal from Algeria , Charles de Gaulle announced France would cease supplying Israel with arms (and refused to refund money paid for 50 warplanes). On 5 February 1966, the US announced that it was taking over the former French and West German obligations, to maintain military "stabilization" in the Middle East. Included in the military hardware would be over 200 M48 tanks . In May of that year
11220-462: Was a dispute over water rights in the River Jordan basin. With Soviet backing, the Arab states, particularly Egypt, were continuing to build up their forces. Israel's main military hardware supplier was France . In 1961 a Herut no-confidence motion over the resurfaced Lavon Affair led to Ben-Gurion's resignation. Ben-Gurion declared that he would only accept office if Lavon was fired from
11330-542: Was an ancient Levantine metropolis situated at Tel Ashdod , ' Mound of Ashdod', an archaeological site located a few kilometers south of the modern Ashdod in present-day Israel . The first documented urban settlement at Ashdod dates to the 17th century BCE, when it was a fortified Canaanite city, before being destroyed in the Bronze Age Collapse . During the Iron Age , it was one of the five cities of
11440-418: Was blamed despite his denial of responsibility. The Lavon affair led to Sharett's resignation and Ben-Gurion returned to the post of prime minister. In 1955 Egypt concluded a massive arms deal with Czechoslovakia , upsetting the balance of power in the Middle East. In 1956, the increasingly pro-Soviet President Nasser of Egypt, announced the nationalization of the (French and British owned) Suez Canal , which
11550-465: Was evidently a significant Jewish presence in Ashdod, prompting Vespasian to station a garrison in the city in the spring of 68. During the Byzantine period , Azotus Paralios overshadowed its inland counterpart in size and importance. The 6th-century Madaba Map shows both under their respective names. The prominence of Hellenised, then Christian Azotus continued until the 7th century. The city
11660-660: Was found prostrate before the Ark; on being restored to his place, he was on the following morning again found prostrate and broken. The people of Ashdod were smitten with boils; a plague of mice was sent over the land (1 Samuel 6:5). The 1st century CE Book of Acts refers to Azotus as the place in which Philip the Evangelist reappeared after he converted the Ethiopian eunuch to Christianity. Ancient Ashdod has today become an archaeological site known as "Tel Ashdod", located
11770-476: Was hanged in 1962 and is the only person ever sentenced to death by an Israeli court. Testimonies by Holocaust survivors at the trial and the extensive publicity that surrounded it has led the trial to be considered a turning point in public awareness of the Holocaust. In 1963 Yigael Yadin began excavating Masada . In 1964 Egypt, Jordan, and Syria developed a unified military command. Israel completed work on
11880-469: Was joined by Shimon Peres and Moshe Dayan . Begin's Herut party joined with the Liberals to form Gahal . Mapai and Labour united for the 1965 elections , winning 45 seats and maintaining Levi Eshkol as prime minister. Ben-Gurion's Rafi party received 10 seats, Gahal gained 26 seats becoming the second largest party. Rudolph Kastner , a minor political functionary, was accused of collaborating with
11990-466: Was occupied by the Egyptian army on May 29, 1948, and became the Egyptians' northernmost position during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War . While the Israelis failed to capture territory, and suffered heavy casualties, Egypt changed its strategy from offensive to defensive, thus halting their northward advance. Egyptian and Israeli forces clashed in the surrounding area, with the Egyptians being unable to hold
12100-510: Was represented at the Council of Chalcedon by Heraclius of Azotus. Azotus came under Muslim rule in the 7th century. The geographer Ibn Khordadbeh (c. 820 – 912, Early Muslim period ) referred to the inland city as "Azdud" and described it as a postal station between al-Ramla and Gaza . 12-century Crusader church endowments and land deeds mention settlement in Azotum. During
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