February 1

1948 –  Arabs bomb the offices of The Palestine Post (today The Jerusalem Post).

1959 – Three civilians are killed by a landmine near Moshav Zavdiel

1970 – Oil flows for the first time through the newly-built Eilat-Ashkelon pipeline.

2002 – Daniel Pearl is killed by Islamic terrorists.

2003 – The space shuttle Columbia, carrying Israel’s first astronaut Ilan Ramon, breaks up upon reentry, killing everyone on board.

2006 – Amid violent protests, the government completes the evacuation of the Samarian town of Amona.

February 2

1957 – UN adopts resolution calling for Israeli troops to leave Egypt.

February 3

1919 – A delegation from the Zionist Organization led by Chaim Weizmann presents the case for a Jewish homeland in Palestine to the Paris Peace Conference at the conclusion of World War I.

February 4

1959 – Israel begins exporting copper ore.

1969 – Yasser Arafat becomes PLO Chairman.

1990 – 10 Israeli tourists are murdered near Cairo.

1997 –  En route to Lebanon, two Israeli Sikorsky CH-53 troop-transport helicopters collide in mid-air over the northern Galilee, killing 73 people.

1973 – Israel’s new missile boat, “Reshef”, is unveiled.

1986 – Israeli fighters intercept a Libyan passenger airliner.

February 5

1930 – Beginning of the 5th Aliyah to Israel, which lasted about 10 years. Approximately 300,000 Jews emigrate to Israel as persecution in Europe increases.

1980 – Egyptian parliament votes to end boycott of Israel.

February 6

2001 – A direct election is held for prime minister without a simultaneous election for the Knesset. Ariel Sharon wins in a landslide over the incumbent Ehud Barak.

February 7

1948 – The British decide to support the annexation of the Arab part of Palestine by Transjordan.

 

By Penina Taylor, United with Israel