Israel declared its independence on May 14, 1948, after the United Nations proposed partitioning British-controlled Palestine into Jewish and Arab states. This decision followed decades of Jewish immigration, bolstered by global sympathy after the Holocaust and increasing support for a Jewish homeland. Upon the expiration of the British Mandate, David Ben-Gurion announced the establishment of Israel, leading to immediate conflicts with surrounding Arab countries. Israel defended its sovereignty in the ensuing Arab-Israeli War and established its place as a new nation. Since then, Israel has grown as a democratic state, overcoming regional challenges while building a modern society.