Year Date Event 1948 14 May David Ben-Gurion, executive head of the World Zionist Organization and chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, issued the Israeli Declaration of Independence which declared the establishment of a Jewish state in the land of Israel to be known as the State of Israel.[1] 15 May 1948 Arab–Israeli War: Iraq, Egypt, Jordan and Syria invaded Israel.[2] 1949 25 January 1949 Israeli legislative election: Elections were held to a constituent assembly.