World War I

Balfour Declaration: The British Government takes Jerusalem from Turk rule, recognizes the Jewish people's right to a national home in the land of Israel. The Temple Mount is open to Europeans for the first time in history.

In the "Declaration to the Seven" the British reaffirm to Arab leaders earlier promises to promote the "complete and sovereign independence of the Arabs" in the Arabian Peninsula, stating that the future of Iraq and Palestine will be determined in accordance with "the principle of the consent of the governed."

Transjordan is divided and closed to Jewish settlement.

The Jewish Haganah (Defense) is formed; it is a secret army organized to protect against and respond to attacks by Arabs.

Wailing Wall Incident: Jewish worshippers, without permission from the Muslim authorities in charge of the Jewish Temple Mount, begin coming to Wailing Wall to pray. Fights break out, and violence escalates into a small civil war resulting in hundreds of casualties on both sides.

In escalation of fighting, Arabs massacre almost all the Jews living in Hebron. The Jews complain to the British, but the British blame the unrest on Jewish immigration and land purchases.

Saudi Arabia is founded.