In 1948 the world witnessed an extraordinary event: the birth of Israel. After nearly 2,000 years as a stateless people scattered across the globe and frequently persecuted by the societies in which they lived - most tragically during the Holocaust of World War II - Jews finally had a homeland in Palestine, the ancestral land of the Jewish people. In the years since 1948, Israel has become the Middle East's most powerful, and most democratic country. But the foundation and defense of the Jewish state ultimately came at the expense of a state for the Palestinians, another people with ancient ties to Palestine. .

Place in the world -- The land -- History -- Society, Politics, and security -- Society, Politics, and Foreign Policy, 1949-1977 -- Society, Politics, and Foreign Policy, 1978-2015 -- Looking forward.