March 22, 1945 – Arab League established

On March 22, 1945, the Arab League was formed in Cairo, Egypt. The league, which is a regional organization of Arab states, was formed by six countries which included Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Transjordan, which in 1949 was renamed Jordan. Yemen joined the league as the seventh member in May 1945. The aim behind establishing the league was to resolve disputes between the members, coordinate political aims and to help in the economic growth in the region. The league saw its first big action in 1948 at the time of the creation of Israel. The league countries attacked Israel but were beaten back. After a span of two years, the league signed a mutual defense treaty. In 1965, the Arab League established a common market. Today, the Arab League has 22 members.