Declaration of Independence of Israel

1948 establishment of a Jewish state

War & ConflictPolitics & Government
Declaration of Independence of Israel
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Overview

What happened

On May 14, 1948, the Jewish People's Council, led by David Ben-Gurion, declared the establishment of the State of Israel, as stated in the Israeli Decla...

Date

May 14, 1948

Location

Tel Aviv, Israel

Key people

David Ben-Gurion

Why it matters

This article provides a detailed and nuanced account of the declaration of independence of Israel, including the historical context, the key figures involved, and the consequences of...

What was Declaration of Independence of Israel?

The Israeli Declaration of Independence, formally the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel (Hebrew: הכרזה על הקמת מדינת ישראל), was proclaimed at the Tel Aviv Museum on 14 May 1948 (5 Iyar 5708), at the end of the civil war phase and beginning of the Arab–Israeli War of the 1948 Palestine war, by the Va'ad Leumi led by David Ben-Gurion, the executive head of the World Zionist Organization and chairman of the Jewish Agency for Palestine. It declared the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine (or the Land of Israel in the Jewish tradition), to be known as the State of Israel, which would come into effect on termination of the British Mandate at midnight that day.

A celebratory crowd outside the Tel Aviv Museum, located in 16 Rothschild Boulevard, to hear the Declaration
A celebratory crowd outside the Tel Aviv Museum, located in 16 Rothschild Boulevard, to hear the Declaration
Related books
The Declaration of Independence cover The Declaration of Independence Armitage, David · 2007 The signers of the Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel University of Judaism · 1960 Israel's written constitution Israel. · 1993 Israel's Declaration of Independence Neil Rogachevsky · 2022 Israels Declaration of Independence Neil Rogachevsky · 2022
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Background and consequences

While celebrated in Israel as Independence Day, a national holiday on 5 Iyar of every year according to the Hebrew calendar, Palestinians view the day as the start of Nakba, or "catastrophe", marking the mass displacements of Palestinians and the loss of homes and lands, and commemorate it annually on 15 May as Nakba Day.

The invitation to the ceremony, dated 13 May 1948.
The invitation to the ceremony, dated 13 May 1948.
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Related on thisDay

Israeli Independence — May 14, 1948

David Ben-Gurion declares Israel's independence in 1948 Tel Aviv, founding a nation in a single day, changing history forever

Use the dated article for the day-specific account; use these references to check the event record and explore its wider historical context.

Date article: Israeli Independence — May 14, 1948Wikipedia source
Cite this page
MLA

“Declaration of Independence of Israel.” thisDay, thisday.info/history/declaration-of-independence-of-israel/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

APA

Declaration of Independence of Israel. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://thisday.info/history/declaration-of-independence-of-israel/

Chicago

“Declaration of Independence of Israel.” thisDay. Accessed October 19, 2026. https://thisday.info/history/declaration-of-independence-of-israel/.

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