On 31 October 1917 soldiers from Britain, Australia and New Zealand captured the town of Beersheba in the south of present day Israel. This was the first victory in the British-led campaign to capture the area of Turkish controlled Palestine.

This victory is often associated with the famous charge of the 4th Australian Light Horse Brigade - although much of the fighting this day was accomplished by the British infantry, while the New Zealanders and other Australian Light Horse units also played a pivotal role in the overall victory. On the same day the British War Cabinet in London decided upon their final policy for the land of Israel once it had been captured. In what became as the Balfour Declaration, Britain promised a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine. The events of 31 October 1917 bring together the destiny of Israel and the Gentile nations.