TIMELINE
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597 BC
King Nebuchadnezzar captures the Jews and takes them to Babylon
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2–5 CE
Writing of the Babylonian Talmud
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1534–1918
Modern day Iraq becomes part of the Ottoman Empire
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1917
Britain seizes control of Baghdad during the First World War to control its oil reserves – 100th anniversary in 2017
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1921
Britain creates the state of Iraq, binds three politically separate provinces into one and appoints a monarchy to rule under a British Mandate
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1932
Iraq becomes an independent state – 85th anniversary in 2017.
Iraq signs an oil deal with Britain.
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1941
Britain reoccupies Iraq after a Nazi-inspired coup.
Anti-Jewish and anti-British feeling is building due to the British support for a plan to create a Jewish state within Palestine.
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1948
The creation of Israel, followed by the Arab-Israeli War. Iraq joins Arab forces.
The Arab campaign is unsuccessful.
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1948–1951
The public reaction in Iraq is angry. The government participates in a punitive domestic reaction.
American Zionists finance an exodus for the Jews of Iraq. Over 120,000 Iraqi Jews emigrate to Israel. Seven thousand remain in Iraq.
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1958
The monarchy is overthrown in a military coup, the king is assassinated and Iraq is declared a republic, marking the end of British influence. Four thousand Jews remain.
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1963–1968
The Ba’ath Party seizes power, leading to a succession of coups.
Jewish passports are withdrawn.
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1967
Six-Day War: Iraq joins Arab forces in an unsuccessful war against Israel.
Jews in Iraq are excluded from government jobs, universities, and the possibility of working as their bank accounts are closed. They are not allowed to use telephones and the media run frequent stories about a ‘Fifth Column of Jewish spies’.
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1969
Nine Jews are hanged in a big public occasion in Baghdad after a show trial.
Jews are arrested. Some disappear and nearly 100 are executed.
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1979
Saddam Hussein becomes President
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1980–1988
Iran-Iraq war
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1990
Iraq invades Kuwait, and is expelled by Allied Forces in 1991
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2003
US-led coalition invades, starting years of warfare and instability
