The Second Intifada is popularly referred to as the al-Aqsa Intifada after the Jerusalem mosque where the initial violence broke out.

The intifada or "uprising" resulted from a combination of the failure of the Oslo process in creating conditions for an independent Palestinian state, and failure of the preceding Camp David summit.

This intifada differed from the first intifada in the use of violence by both sides, with Palestinian groups deploying suicide bombers and Israel invading Palestinian towns with tanks and helicopter gunships.

INTIFADA TIMELINE

• Sept. 28, 2000
  Ariel Sharon visits al-Aqsa Mosque and Haram al-Sharif in the aftermath of collapsed talks at Camp David. Riots break out on Sept. 29 at the scene.

• Sept. 30, 2000
  The killing of 12-year-old Mohammed al-Dura by Israeli soldiers, which became a famous image of the asymmetric conflict, is shown by French TV. Death toll at end of the first month is 16 Palestinians and 3 Israelis.

• Oct. 12, 2000
  Two Israeli reserve soldiers are killed by a mob at the police building in Ramallah.

• Oct. 17, 2000
  As widespread violence continues, US President Bill Clinton mediates Sharm el-Sheikh agreement as a last resort to failed talks at Camp David. It fails to materialize. Violence continues.

• Nov. 7, 2000
  US appoint Mitchell Commission to investigate violence.

• Nov. 9, 2000
  Fateh activist Hussein Ubayat is assassinated by an Israeli air strike in Beit Sahour.
  
  
• Nov. 20, 2000
  Senior Fateh official Jamal Abdel-Razeq is killed by the Israeli military. 112 Palestinians and 22 Israelis killed by end of November.
  
  
• Dec. 9, 2000
  Israeli-Palestinian clashes intensify. Israeli armyzzz*zs tanks open fire in Jenin. 15,000 Palestinians protest in the city. 50 Jewish settlers enter Hebron and occupy Palestinian home.
  
  
• Dec 14, 2000
  Senior Hamas member Hani Abu Bakr is killed by Israeli forces in Gaza.
  
  
• Jan. 21, 2001
  Taba talks begin. They end inconclusively a week later.
  
  
• Feb.  2001
  Ariel Sharon becomes prime minister; abandons peace process goals.
  
  
• Mar. 4, 2001
  Palestinian suicide bomber kills three Israelis in Netanya.
  
  
• Mar. 18, 2001
  Palestinian fighters start firing mortars from Gaza into Israel.
  
  
• Apr. 1, 2001
  Israeli forces enter Area A of occupied territories for the first time.
  
  
• Apr. 14, 2001
  Israeli military undertakes incursion in Gaza.
  
  
• May 18, 2001
  Israel starts airial bombardment of targets in Gaza. Suicide bombing claimed by Hamas kills five Israelis and injures 110.
  
  
• May 20, 2001
  Mitchell commission recommendations are presented.
  
  
• May 25, 2001
  Islamic Jihad and Hamas carry out suicide bombings in Israel. Fateh’s Azzam Abd al-Fatah is killed in fighting.
  
  
• June 1, 2001
  Suicide bombing at Tel Aviv disco claims 21 lives. Islamic Jihad claims responsibility.
  
  
• June 13, 2001
  Tenet plan is carried out. Israeli armyzzz*zs tanks withdraw from some places in the occupied territories. Jewish settlers attack and kill 2 Palestinians.
  
  
• July 25, 2001
  Israeli military kills senior Hamas member Salah al-Din Darawaza in Nablus.
  
  
• July 30, 2001
  Six senior Fateh armed men are killed by Israeli forces near Jenin.
  
  
• Aug. 9, 2001
  Suicide bombing in Jerusalem takes 15 lives. Hamas claims responsibility.
  
  
• Aug.25, 2001
  Al-Aqsa Martyr Brigades and Democratic Front for Liberation of Palestine armed activists open fire in different places killing three Jewish settlers and three Israeli soldiers.
  
  
• Aug. 26, 2001
  Israel attacks Palestinian Authority headquarters in Gaza city.
  
  
• Oct. 17, 2001
  The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine assassinates Israeli minister Rehavam Zeevi.
  
  
• Dec. 2, 2001
  Suicide bombing in Haifa kills 15.
  
  
• Mar. 8, 2002
  Bloodiest day of the second Intifada with 45 people killed, a majority of them Palestinian.
  
  
• Mar 27, 2002
  Suicide bombing in Netanya kills 28 Israelis.
  
  
• May 7, 2002
  Suicide bombing in Rishon Letzion kills 16 people. Hamas claims responsibility.
  
  
• Jan. 5, 2003
  Suicide bombing in Tel Aviv kills 23 people.
  
  
• Mar. 10, 2003
  Yasser Arafat proposes Mahmoud Abbas for prime minister. Decision is approved by the PLO.
  
  
• June 16, 2003
  Israel starts construction of the Wall.
  
  
• Apr. 29, 2003
  Mahmoud Abbas becomes prime minister.
  
  
• Apr. 30, 2003
  The Quartet group launches the roadmap plan.
  
  
• Jun. 4, 2003
  Aqaba summit takes place between prime ministers Abbas and Sharon to stop violence.
  
  
• Jun 11, 2003
  16 people are killed in suicide attack in Jerusalem.
  
  
• Jun. 30, 2003
  Israel agrees to withdraw forces from Bethlehem.
  
  
• Aug 8, 2003
  Israeli forces kill four Palestinians in Askar refugee camp.
  
  
• Aug. 19, 2003
  Suicide bombing carried out by Hamas in Jerusalem claims 21 lives.
  
  
• Sept. 1, 2003
  Israeli forces kill Hamas militant Khader al-Husary in Gaza city.
  
  
• Sept. 11, 2003
  Arafat is put under siege by Israel; unable to leave Ramallah. Several wanted Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders are killed during this month.
  
  
• Oct, 1, 2003
  Israeli assassination of Palestinian fighters belonging to Hamas and Islamic Jihad continues. Muhammad Mazin Salama and Rabah Abu Dakka of Islamic Jihad and Muhammad Bashir Aqel of Hamas are among those killed.
  
  
• Oct 13, 2003
  The Geneva initiative is launched. It is rejected by both sides.
  
  
• Nov. 24, 2003
  Sharon announces Gaza disengagement plan. By the end of 2003, 590 Palestinians and 201 Israelis are dead.
  
  
• February 2, 2004
  Ariel Sharon starts plan of disengagement from Gaza.
  
  
• Mar 22, 2004
  Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin is assassinated by Israel.
  
  
• May 13, 2004
  Israel’s nine-day incursion in Gaza leaves 40 Palestinians dead. Earlier, a Palestinian fighter kills 13 Israeli soldiers.
  
  
• April 21, 2004
  Israeli forces kill nine in Beit Lahiya. Members of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade are killed in Tulkarem, Qalqiliya and Jenin over the next days.
  
  
• May 11, 2004
  Islamic Jihad kills six Israeli soldiers in Gaza. Israeli forces kill eight Palestinians in attempt to retrieve remains of the bodies.
  
  
• May 13, 2004
  Israeli forces kill 16 Palestinians during clashes in Rafah.
  
  
• May 17, 2004
  Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi is killed in a military strike.
  
  
• Jul. 9, 2004
  The International Court of Justice rules that the Wall is illegal in accordance with international law.
  
  
• Jul. 31, 2004
  Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade member kidnap 3 foreign church workers.
  
  
• Aug. 31, 2004
  Suicide bombing kills 16 Israelis in a bus in Beersheba.

• Oct. 1- 14, 2004
  Israeli forces kill several Palestinians belonging to different political factions as well as civilians and children.
  
  
• Nov. 11, 2004
  Yasser Arafat dies in France.
  
  
• Jan. 9, 2005
  Mahmoud Abbas is elected as head of the Palestinian Authority.
  
  
• Jan. 10, 2005
  Ariel Sharon gets support for the Gaza disengagement plan.
  
  
• Jan. 24, 2005
  Palestinian fighters agree to halt attacks after talks with President Abbas.
  
  
• Feb. 3, 2005
  Israel frees 900 Palestinian prisoners as sign of truce and starts withdrawing some forces from West Bank.
  
  
• Feb.8, 2005
  President Abbas and Prime Minister Sharon declare truce at Sharm el-Sheikh.
  

In the absence of a concluding event or a ceasefire agreement it is difficult to decipher the end of the second Intifada.

The death of Arafat and subsequent internal fighting between Palestinian factions shifts the focus from the Palestinian struggle against Israeli occupation to inter-Palestinian clashes. Some argue that the intifada has yet to end.