HIGHLIGHTS OF ZIONIST HISTORY

* 1882 - Jewish immigrants in ``Lovers of Zion'' movement begin to arrive in Palestine from Eastern Europe.

* 1896 - Theodor Herzl publishes Zionist treatise outlining the establishment of a state of the Jews.

* 1917 - British Balfour Declaration declares that it ``views with favor'' the establishment of a ``Jewish National Home'' in Palestine.

* 1937 - Spurred by heightened Arab-Jewish tension, British Peel Commission recommends partitioning Palestine into a Jewish and an Arab state.

* 1939 - British government issues White Paper backing away from partition idea.

* 1945 - World War II ends with attention focused on survivors of Nazi holocaust.

* 1947 - UN votes to partition Palestine into Jewish and Arab states.

* 1948-49 - State of Israel emerges from fighting in Arab-Israeli war. More than 600,000 Palestinians are expelled or flee their homes during the fighting. Jordan captures West Bank. Israel signs armistices with Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.

* 1956 - Israel captures Sinai Peninsula from Egypt; withdraws following year.

* 1967 - Israel launches Six Day War and captures old city of Jerusalem, West Bank, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, and Sinai Peninsula. Annexes East Jerusalem, and in subsequent years, establishes settlements in occupied territories with stated aim of boosting security.

* 1973 - Egypt and Syria launch October war, triggering stepped-up US diplomacy in region.

* 1977 - Hard-line Likud party leader Menachem Begin elected prime minister in upset of Labor party. Oversees large-scale settlement drive in West Bank (Judea and Samaria).

* 1979 - Begin signs peace treaty with Egypt.

* 1982 - Israeli troops invade Lebanon in bid to crush PLO.

* 1987 - Palestinians launch uprising in occupied territories.

* 1992 - Labor Party ousts Likud on platform of ``peace with security.''

* 1993 - Israel and PLO sign Declaration of Principles calling for Palestinian self-rule in Gaza and Jericho.