April 18, 1996 — 106 Lebanese Civilians Are Killed at Qana
caption: A diagram from Dutch Maj. Gen. Franklin van Kappen’s U.N. investigative report shows where Israeli artillery shells struck in and around the U.N. compound in Qana, Lebanon, on April 18, 1996.
An Israeli artillery barrage kills 106 civilians taking shelter in a U.N. compound in the village of Qana in southern Lebanon during an anti-Hezbollah offensive, Operation Grapes of Wrath. Israel apologizes and says the shells were meant to hit Hezbollah fighters who fired mortars and rockets from the area of the U.N. camp. U.N. and Amnesty International investigations, however, claim that the strike was likely intentional.
April 19, 1977 — Carter Team Meets on Middle East
caption: Secretary of State Cyrus Vance (left) and National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski discuss Middle East policy in 1977.
President Jimmy Carter’s foreign policy team agrees on five major points for the Middle East: A Geneva peace conference should be held by the end of the year; borders and the Palestinians are the toughest issues; the Soviets should try to moderate Arab views; no new arms sales should be agreed to; and Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s resignation shouldn’t delay talks. The meeting doesn’t consider the possibility of Likud winning Israel’s May election.
April 20, 1799 — Napoleon Backs Jewish Claim to Palestine
caption: Napoleon lays siege to Acre in 1799.
A month into an expensive siege of the Turkish-held city of Acre, Napoleon issues a proclamation offering to hand over Palestine to the Jewish nation if France is successful in capturing it from the Turks. The proclamation aims to win the support of Palestine’s Jews, but evidence indicates that they feared the French and helped the Turks fortify Acre. Napoleon withdraws his plague-ridden army in June and returns to Egypt.
April 21, 2013 — U.S. Announces Anti-Iran Arms Deal for 3 Countries
caption: Udi Shani, the Israeli Ministry of Defense director-general, welcomes Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to Tel Aviv on April 21, 2013. By Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo, U.S. Defense Department.
U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, on his way to Israel for the start of a five-nation tour of the Middle East, announces that the United States will provide $10 billion in military aid to Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in response to rising fears about Iran’s nuclear program. The bulk of the package, including V-22 Osprey aircraft, defensive missiles and KC-135 tanker planes, goes to Israel.
April 22, 1948 — Haganah Seizes Haifa
caption: Jewish fighters patrol during the battle for Haifa in April 1948.
The Haganah executes a three-prong attack to secure control of all of Haifa except for the port, which the British hold, amid the violence ahead of the Israeli Declaration of Independence three weeks later. Up to half the city’s Arab population of 65,000 flees before the fighting, and an additional 30,000 leave during the battle and its immediate aftermath, leaving only about 4,000 Arabs in what was an ethnically mixed city of 135,000 people.
April 23, 2014 — Palestinian Authority, Hamas Briefly Reconcile
caption: Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurtz (left) meets with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in Ramallah on April 23, 2014, the same day Hamas and the PLO announced a reconciliation agreement. By Dragan Tatic, Austrian Foreign Ministry.
Hamas and the Fatah-led Palestine Liberation Organization announce an agreement to end the violent seven-year rift that has left Hamas in control of the Gaza Strip while Fatah has ruled the Palestinian Authority-controlled parts of the West Bank. Because Israel refuses to negotiate with Hamas, which doesn’t accept Israel’s existence, the reconciliation pact ends peace negotiations facilitated by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
April 24, 1903 — British Offer East Africa to Herzl
caption: Joseph Chamberlain, the British secretary of state for the colonies early in the 20th century, proposed the Uganda Plan.
In a meeting with Theodor Herzl, British Secretary of State for the Colonies Joseph Chamberlain proposes a Jewish homeland in East Africa. Known as the Uganda Plan, the offer actually involves the Guas Ngishu plateau in Kenya. Herzl, who earlier proposed Cyprus or El Arish in Sinai as temporary Jewish homes, sees the idea as an interim step. The Sixth Zionist Congress in 1903 accepts the plan; the Seventh in 1905 rejects it.
Items are provided by the Center for Israel Education (israeled.org), where you can find more details.