as israel celebrates seventy years of independence we want to take a look tonight at some of the key events which led to the founding of the state of israel we begin with this man theodore haired now he is considered the father of modern day zionism the movement that called for the reestablishment of a jewish nation under hared solo's zionism became a political organisation and eight hundred ninety seven and promoted jewish immigration to palestine now in one nine hundred seventeen the british foreign secretary arthur balfour penned a declaration of support for the creation of a jewish home in the middle east and that came during the first world war which would end in the defeat of the all of an empire in one thousand twenty two the league of nations granted the british a mandate over palestine and trans jordan now for nine hundred thirty three when the nazis came to power in germany more and more jews from europe fled to palestine