Most of the region has an arid climate
Israel became a state on May 14, 1948 when they declared independence with the neighboring Arab states.
Well, the best answer is: we don't really know for sure; the event wasn't documented properly.
There are some guesses though, and one of them is the following: the Liberty Bell cracked in 1824, when Marquis de Lafayette was visiting. Another time mentioned often is 1835.