The Land of Israel was promised to Abraham by G-d in the Book of Genesis. This promise was passed down to the succeeding generations and was finally fulfilled by the Tribes of Israel after the Exodus from Mitzraim. There has always been a Jewish presence in that Land from the time it was conquered by the Tribes of Israel. The Land has since that time belonged to the Jewish People regardless of what the Land was called by the non-Jewish populations.

The history of the Jewish people begin with the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) and matriarchs (Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Leah) - specifically Abraham and Sarah. All three patriarchs lived in the land of Canaan. They are all buried in the Ma'arat HaMachpela (Tomb of the Patriarchs). The name Israel derives from the name given to Jacob by G-d. Jacob's twelve sons became the tewlve tribes of Israel. Klal Yisrael refers to the People of Israel (Jews, Hebrews, Ivri) and Eretz Yisrael refers to the Land of Israel.

G-d promised Eretz Yisrael to Abraham and all his descendants as an eternal land. "HaShem said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, 'Raise now your eyes and look out from where you are: northward, southward, eastward, and westward. For all the land that you see, to you will I give it, and to your descendants forever.' " (Genesis 13:14-15) After the Exodus out of slavery from Mitzraim, Moses led the Hebrews to the land promised to Abraham and his descendants. The rule of the Jews in Israel began about 1250 BCE with the conquests of Joshua. The period of the monarchy lasted from 1000-587 BCE. In 587 BCE, the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar, captured Jerusalem, destroyed the Temple, and exiled the Jews. The exiled Jews were not permitted to return until 438 BCE after which the Second Temple was constructed. Beginning in 587 BCE, Eretz Yisrael has been ruled over by the Baylonians (587-538 BCE); Persians (538-333 BCE); Greeks (333-63 BCE); Romans (63 BCE-313 CE); Byzantines (313-636 CE); Arabs (636-1099 CE); Crusaders (1099-1291 CE); Mamluk (1291-1516 CE); Ottomans (1516-1918 CE); and, British (1917-1948 CE).

On May 14, 1948, Israel became a state under the leadership of David ben-Gurion. There were four jointly-waged Arab wars against Israel: 1948 War of Independence; 1956 Sinai War; 1967 Six Day War; and, 1973 Yom Kippur War. Israel won each of these four wars and increased its land-size. Since the inception of the modern state of Israel, there have been numerous terroristic, legal, and multi-national pressure to dismantle Israel. In 2006, Israel abandoned the Gaza Strip and is currently considering abandoning parts of the "West Bank".