How Britain Started the Areb-Israeli Conflict.
October 8, 2023
Ottawa, Canada.
Documentary transcription by Habtamu Nini Abino.
11:15 a.m.
The bitter struggle between Arab and Jew control of the Holy Land has caused Untold suffering in the Middle East for Generations. It is often claimed that the crisis originated with Jewish emigration to Palestine and the foundation of Israel. Yet the roots of the conflict are to be found much earlier in British double-dealing during the First World War. This is a story of intrigue among rival empires of misguided strategies and of how conflicting promises to Arabs and Jews created a legacy of Bloodshed, which has determined the fate of the Middle East.
During the First World ๐ War, the British, the French, and the Russians had three plans to carve up the Ottoman Empire because they believed it would balance out their Imperial Ambitions, but tough luck for the Turks, the Arabs, and anyone else, who got into the way.
Then, in the sense that it was the British who promised the Arabs Independence on the one hand and a Jewish homeland on the other, and you could not simply reconcile one with the other, The British scattered promises to anyone who might be of some use to them without thinking about the consequences. So British duplicity, British double-dealing, went a long way to perpetuate the conflict in Palestine; the end of the day, when you're fighting a war, you are very liberal in what you're offering regarding the post-war settlement. When you get to the conference, Stable, When The War has ended, you must start honoring your agreements. You then had to decide what was in your interest or not. Let me say she saw the Middle East as the stern flank for that power in India and Asia.
The story of Britain's involvement in the Middle East and the ensuing struggle between Arabs and Jews begins with her Colonial past at the beginning of the 20th century King. Edward the Seventh ruled over a vast Empire with interests in every part of the world. India became increasingly important because It was the second pillar of British power in the world, moving the Indian army about was extremely important in extending British interests and British influence across the globe and the Suez Canal was of course, the quick way to do that, the British IT geopolitical position needs to ensure Suez Canal remains safe and secure.
With this aim in mind, Britain had become the only European power to establish a major foothold in the Middle East, in the principalities, around the Persian Gulf in Aden and in Egypt.
Britain had annexed Egypt from the British Ottoman Empire in 1882 and by the time it was made a protectorate in 1914, Cairo had become the center of British power in the Middle East. The presence of Imperial troops in the region was a vital strategic importance for the Ottoman Empire under Sultan Muhammad. The fifth was an alliance with Britain's much-feared rival, Germany.
Together with the auAustro-Hungarianmpire, these countries made up the Central Powers and pitted against them with the three allies, Britain, France and Russia.
From the Ottoman Capital, Constantinople in Turkey, the sultan's rule over the last of the great Islamic impact was in an almost terminal decline for decades. If the fate of the Ottoman Empire was to be sealed by the outbreak of the first world war in August 1914. In. German is rapid Advance was halted by Britain and France along in the East Russia's war against Germany, and Austria-Hungary also reach deadlock the powerful weapons of the Industrial Age were killing thousands of men in the trenches of every Army. All of the leading Powers expected the war to be over within a matter of months. So in that sense all of thwereare surprised at the end of 191Notnonlyely is ther going on, but it shows every sign of being likely to go on for a very long time that at point they begin to think about new ways of winning the war. Britain's prime minister asked with felt that, with the stalemate in Europe, it was essential to widen the conflict together with the foreign secretary. Lord grey Minister for war. Lord, Kitchener and the first Lord of Admiralty Winston Churchill. They masterminded a complex strategy to undermine the Central Powers. This was a global war and the British saw the Middle East very much in a global context, the traditional British preference for sideshows.
People unfavourably call it the indirect strategy, the way of attacking the soft underbelly as Churchill called off of the enemy and the soft underbelseemedeem to be working. Britain, secret plan involved, on the one hand, a military diversion and on the other a devious use of diplomacy through bribery subversion and double-dealing. All these devices focused on the enemy's weakest link turkey's, the Ottoman Empire, Whether whatever ends and conspiracy begins is an open question, but during the period there was a particularly intense set of negotiations and discussions between the major Imperial powers between the French. The Russians in the British particularly the Italians as well about what would they do. When the war was over. And when cutting in the Italians, as well about what would they do, when the war was over and when the Ottoman Empire broke up, The British government hoped that by striking a deal Over The Spoils of War, it would strengthen the alliance against the Central Powers
Amongst the Allies, Russia had long sought access to the Mediterranean, in a secret treaty of March, 1915, Britain and France offered what was to the Czar, a prize of vital geopolitical importance, Constantinople
It is that he Outlet into the wider world too. The MediterraneaMediterraneanof course, the British and the French have been attempting to prevent the Russians from achieving. So this is a complete V if I'd show this is this is the British, the French and the Russiaagreeing over something which was up to this point, almost inconceivable, Italy's King Vittoria Emanuele is another Target for bribery. Britain, France and Russia. Tried to tempt, Italy.pro-Germanman stajoinedoin the Allies in April 1915. A secret treaty offered Italy, a substantial bit of Ottoman. Real estate in Anatolia. Being offered territorial advancement in advance was inconceivable the bribe for all Central Powers in August 1915. The British strategy to undermine the enemy via the Ottoman Empire was transpired subversion movement sweeping through the Empire nationalisPeoplees with a clear cultural identity and the sense of believing that their people with a clear cultural identity people should live independently of that idea. Spread to the Middle East as well as to other parts of the world in the latter part of the 19th century. So you had the beginnings in the Ottoman, Empire of it, Turkish Nationals. This came to a head when The Young Turks took power in a coup. In 1908 and started to impose their language and culture on the Arabs of the empire. But this oninterestgst. In the heritage.
And brought the technology and literature of the East to the West their religion Islam encompassed much of Asia North Africa and Southwestern Europe. Remained in the idea of recovering that historic Grandeur and remained in the consciousness of Arab intellectuals. By the start of the First World War, the antagonism between Arabs and Turks had increased.
The very fact that the Turks were saying we wanted to have a unified empire meant Arabsaideid, wait a minute, we're not part of this. So all of this literary and nationalistic Revival then took a much more political forum and therefore, you got the emergence of Arab nationalism. They concluded that remaining in the Ottoman Empire was becoming hopeless and that they could not share power with the text.
And they began thinking of having their own.
By the summer of 1915 British intelligence confirmed that the Arab nationalist movement was the Breakthrough the government was looking for Britain and a French Ally dispatched officers to sound out Arab leaders.
Both the French and the British started seducing various local Arab leaders that if they stayed with us, we'd get them their pendency didn't leave the Ottomans and various people were tempted as a result. If they thought they could achieve independence. Why not side with the Europeans against the Ottomans? The idea was to tempt the Arabs into a revolt against the Ottoman warlords creating a diversion. Which would tie down the Central Powers in the Middle East.
Ironically the impetus for such a diversicomesome not from London, but from the Arab world.
In the hitches and Western Arabia, Sheriff Hussein. Its ruler was set on extending his political and geographical domain. He believed he might be able to do it with the help of the British in turn. The British were impressed by Sheriff Hussein's family credentials, as custodians of the holy places of Islam. Hashemites, The Gould family ashramites because that's the family or the tribe of the Prophet Muhammad they were tBaniani Hashim, the sons of Hashem. So he was the chief was saying the leader of the Hashemite stand was the person responsible for Mecca and Medina. Although he worked with the Ottomans before the First World War the First World War happened. He saw this was chance, a chance, for the British who saw support for Sheriff Hussein as a way to threaten the Sultan, hold on to the caliphate, the political leadership of the Islamic world, And the British, because they were fighting the Ottomans and the Ottomans were claiming to be the real representative of Islam. They wanted a counter force and the counter force was represented by Sherifwho was a descendant of the Prophet. But chafer saying, was speaking of liberating, Arab lands, building a new national state. He wants to be king of the Arabs, not simply of Arabians.
11:28 a.m.
A message to the British High Commissioner in Cairo Sir Henry McMahon offering to raise a substantial Arab Force against the Ottomans in return for British support for Arab Independence in the ensuing secret correspondence between the two men suif we're saying was given to understand that he could expect British support in achieving some of his Ambitions in the event of an ottoman defeat his letter of October the 26th. 1915 outlined the main points of the arrangement The actual document itself is Riven with ambiguity. There's no doubt about that. The question is whether Hussein recognized my sense of Husseis that he does recognize it in other words, there is no wool being poured over his eyes because he's perfectly aware that if he's going to create a modern Arab Empire he's going to need some logistical Comic development and that can only come from the outside world.
Together with his sons. Faisal and Abdullah. A mass, the same together with his sons Faisal and Abdullah. A mass. The sizable Force The new Army was commanded by the young and charismatic Faisal who had captured the imagination of the Arab masses in the Quest for Arab Independence. Yet even as a sane and Faisal momobilizedheir their troops, the British were preparing to sell them short.
Back in London, in the spring of 1916, Britain was negotiating with France about the future shape of the Middle East behind closed doors. So Mark Sykes of the British foreign office and be meeting his friends opposite. Number Francois, George Pico Britain knew it was vital to offer the French a stake in The Spoils of the Ottoman Empire. Should they win the war? There was an awareness on the British side that they had made such huge sacrifices, but one couldn't just ignore French Ambitions. And the French were determined to have their historical piece of the Levant. Boring ever a map of the Levant Sykes and Pico personally Drew in the areas, thwishedish to see under their control their secret deal amounted to the virtual Carver of the Middle East in ar for the French and Arbe for the British the imperialists intended to exercise power indirectly. They would appoint advisors and take charge of the finances in their respective, spheres of influence. Then there was the arcolouredred blue, which was to be directly controlled by France. This included what was then known as grGreateryria, where the French traditionally had commercial and religious interests, for the area coloured pink known as Iraq, with its strategic ports Railways and oil, this was to be under British rule,
The arcolouredred yellow represented Palestine and was envisaged as an international Zone except for Haifa.
What the British wanted was the oil of Iraq and they concentrated on getting Iraq and getting away from Iraq to the Mediterranean to transport the soil. So they got Haifa on the Palestinian coast and they got most of your Arc, The Sykes-Picot agreement a pretty shameful Was drawn up by people who were sort of operating under the old kind of balance of power considerations in an an imperiof frame of mind.
Unaware of these secret dealings behind their backs, a sand Faisal proclaimed Independence and in June 1916 attacked the Turkish troops the Arab revolt against the Ottomans had begun.
The Turkish Garrison at Mecca was soon. Overrun and the seaport at Judah seized by 1917 Hussein and Fizzle forces had pushed North, and engaged Ottoman Turks along the Hejazjaz railway, the British saw the Arab Revoashas as part of its strategy for creating a military diversion against the Central Powers in a pincer movement, Britain had launched a campaign from the southwest to ensure control of the Suez Canal and the Levant And from the southeast, it was fighting to secure the oil wells of Iraq, all this to attack the Central Powers at their weakest. Point the Ottoman Empire, and the Arabs, each their fortunes to the British. They considered themselves to be fighting with the Allies but at the same time, they were not nourished into the British arsohat continued to act As an independent Army called, tNoNorthernmy. While the Arab Army Advanced Northwoods, Britain's General Allenby, across the Suez Canal, and by the spring of 1917, his forces, had reached the frontier of Palestine.
The war in Europe. However, was still not going well for Britain. The attempt pushto pushough the German lines at the port produced little territorial gain and the cost of lives was colossal.
In London, there had been a change of leadership. The new prime minister Lloyd. George felt that the Allied war effort needed a fresh impetus. Although America had so far been neutral in the war Lloyd. George was convinced that could be changed. He believed there was one powerful Group which might influence the American government.
Lloyd George thought that the American decision whether to join or not would defend critically on public opinion and the Jewish support could tilt the scales in One Direction or the other. You've got to remember that the British foreign office greatly overestimates the political power of International jewelry, particularly the wealthy financial, and Commercial Jewish Elites, Have British extraordinary about this situation is that here you the British see the Jewish world as one Collective monolithic entity and in that sense, they start looking at the role of the Jews in the war as being something which might be important and from the point of view of the Allies something else quite. Jacob
Many Jews in the upper echelons of German Society did indeed have close connections to the Kaiser's office a new Jewish nationalist movement. Zionism had also been able to establish its headquarters in Berlin.
Zionism originated in the 1880s after Theodor published a book espousing the virtues of a Jewish State. This caused a sensation amongst Jewish intellectuals in Germany, Austria and Russia who shared Herzl's outrage at the escalation of anti-Jewish sentiment.
The end of the 19th century saw the rise of anti-Semitism all over Europe in Austrian Germany in France, but particularly in Eastern Europe Poland, and Russia and the pogrom against the Jews in Russia gave rise to the establishment of huwezi on the lovers of Zion societies. In several Russian cities, who started to promote and finance spa sponsors, colonization immigration to Palestine,
Herzl concluded that the Jews were not safe anywhere in Europe. And the only solution was for the Jews to have a state of their power, in which they could exercise sovereignty and where they would not be a minority.
What had also given Zionism its appeal, was how fitted inintoistoric, Jewish aspirations scattered throughout the world. Since the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in the first century many Jews, have cherished the idea of returning one day to what their scriptures had told them was the Promised Land. There had already been a small community of indigenous Jews in Palestine, but even when some European Jews established settlements throughout the late, 19th century, the whole Jewish Community by 1914, constituted barely, eight percent of the population.
The Zionist leader in Britain has fought the government for a guarantee that in the event of an otOttomanefeat. It would support Jewish emigration to Palestine. By early 1917 Lloyd, George's, view of Jews as global convinced him, that Zionism was another nationalist movement, which would be co-opted to the Allied cause In March marks, Ike began negotiations with Weizen, there a bee in the Bonnet of people like Mark Sykes, but the Jews to ultimately look to each other and look to their interest and if that interest as they are being told by vitamin is, What we want is Palestine, they're prepared to believe it, they're prepared to go along with it. As negotiations with viVitamin continued over the following months, the war deteriorated rapidly for the Allies.
The German submarine campaign was seriously weakening Britain's Merchant Fleet. Although America had entered the war on the Allied side, President Woodrow Wilson was not yet willing to supply a significant number of troops.
Britain's latest attempt to keep up the pressure on the Western Front soon became bogged down in the muddy trenches of Passchendaele. Thousands of young men's lives were wasted in another fruitless campaign, and morale amongst the soldiers plummeted.
But the most serious threat to the Allied War Machine came from East Russia was on the verge of collapse after massive defeats at the hands of the Germans the war-weary country was disintegrating with food shortages strikes and demonstrations when the Tsar was deposed in Revolution Britain and France became greatly alone. The point is that once Russia and its war effort begin to collapse essentially. The Germans have won the First World War unless they brought the Americans therwasse no way that the British and the French were ever going to defeat Germany.
In October the British government received an intelligence report suggesting that Jews were a significant influence in the leadership of the Bolshevik party. The new revolutionary movement emerged as the dominant force in Russia.
Lloyd, George feared. That these Communists would take Russia out of the war with the Americans. Still refusing to commit sufficient foforceHe knew it was time to act.
He instructed his foreign secretary Arthur Balfour to issue a pledge to capture the hearts and minds of the Jewish people. His Majesty's government, you would fafavourhe Establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievements of this object. The Balfour Declaration was issued on November, the 2nd 1917, just as British forces were occupying Palestine. I would say that the Balfour Declaration has to be understood, not as an idealistic, Jeff? Sure. But it has to be understood within the framework of British Imperial policy. And Lloyd, George was the main instigator of that declaration.
11:43 a.m.
Ian. Because he believed that it would serve Britain's interests. But this was also the first time that any major European power had given official backing for the Zionist goal of making Palestine into a Jewish homeland. Yet Sheriff was saying that understood that Palestine had been promised as part of his deal for Arab Independence. Anticipating rage at the prospect of the Jewish homeland in a largely Arab Province. The Balfour, Declaration has stated that nothing shall be done, which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing noon-Jewish communities in Palestine. The Declaration on the less, appears to indicate British support for Jewish emigration.
There were only a mere 80,000 out of some 700,000e people in person who were Jews, the indigenous inhabitants of Palestine, referred to as non-Jewish inhabitants. And then that Palestine was being identified. Even at that stage as a Jewish land anl, the others had no defined identity.
The Balfour Declaration was what it says, the Declaration. It wasn't a treaty; it wasn't a signed agreement. It was a declaration in support of the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine.
The treaty Britain signed regarding Palestine with the French was the secret sykes-picot agreement.
On November 7th within a few days of the Balfour Declaration the Bolsheviks took power in Russia, Lord George hoped that it would have the desired effect of appeasing the Jews in the Communist leadership. What is it that they supposedly do? do want as Jews. Palestine, now the whole argument is, is logical. It's a nonsense argument because isinarticular people if one were to think of people like Trotsky or ziZinoviyver, you have Faye Some of the key Jewish leaders in the Russian Revolution of the November revolutionaries these people, of course, are internationalists. The higher echelons of the Bolshevik party. Most of them were ananti-Zionistnd after they came to power, they soon after they came to power, they issued a declaration to say that Zionism was a capitalist Ploy, a capitalist idea The wildly inaccurate intelligence report on which Lloyd George based his strategy was to have significant implications for Britain, within weeks. Russia's new leaders did precisely the opposite of what he had expected. Not only did they pull out of the war? They opened up the archives of the czarist foreign office. They published The Secret trTreatiesThe very treaties Britain had engineered with her allies to carve up the Ottoman Empire and to which Russia had been privileged.
That of course, is a very great embarrassment to the Western allies because the Allies have been doing all sorts of deals behind the scenes which they have handed out to each other, large sections of the world, meanwhile, openly preaching that they are fighting the war in defence of democracy and of course, also telling among others the Arabs that they are supporters of self-determination for the peoples of the
Enormous suspicion and the Bolsheviks, certainly created normal suspicion and the Arab world and this meant that shSheriffussein and the others said, wait a minute, what's going on? What? Hey, why are you not giving us independence and secondly, why are you dividing us up into the Zone? A and Zone B? And at that point, of course, the Arabs realized that not only with them, but the British also got their particular interests, for example, in the ports of Palestine, or Iraq. But that they had promised other things to the French Ned Arab confusion and suspicion, General Allenby entered Jerusalem on foot with sykes-picot and several other Allied notables. His British LED forces had captured the holy city in December 1917. The leaders of the Arab Revolt, however, were nowhere to be seen.
Fearing that her sane and Faisal might lose heart. The British government forwarded a message to them, reiterating British commitment to Arab Independence. The underbrush will be given full opportunity of once again, forming a nation of the world. This can only be achieved by the atoms, themselves uniting, and Great Britain and her allies will pursue a policy with this ultimate unity in you.
A sane stayed loyal to the Allied, cause still prepared to accept Britain's word on Arab Independence. Although he spoke of settling accounts after the war
From a lelender'soint of view, he continued to rely on Arab support in the war against the Ottomans. But now that Jerusalem had been occupied by the British one party seized the initiative.
In April, 1918. I'm vitamin and the International Zionist Commission travelled to Palestine to lay the foundation for a Hebrew University. They hoped that it would become the intellectual Hub of Zionism.
The Arab population and indignation among the Arab population. And when he and the chChiefabbi of Jerusalem met General Allenby, it looked as if Britain Was preparing to honour Balfour, Declaration,
Six months later, Alan Hiand's forces and to Damascus with their Ally finals, the Northern Army had pushed the Ottoman troops North through Palestine into Syria.
The Arab Revolt did contribute to the victory of the Allies, first, White protected the British flank and Palestine, and it kept Turkish and German troops, preoccupied and said the the British could have never legitimized what they were doing. A particular era Force.
On the 3rd of October. The people of Damascus flock to finals, Vithe story Parade. If he was to seize power, he knew it was of great importance to make his presence felt. And to be seen by the Arab people, as their liberator,
Later, the same day. However, Faisal met with General Allen D at the Victoria Hotel in Damascus. Alan warned him that his rule in Syria would be limited.
If the British by that time knew that they were going to hand over Syria to the French. So they couldn't accept face-ons as a legitimate Ruler. All they could do was pay him his salary and the expenses of his army and his administration.
Of the governor of Damascus. With the support of his father, Sheriff was saying what said about creating a power base for their goal of an independent Arab state.
On the 31st of October. The Ottomans were finally defeated.
At 11:00 on the 11th of November 1918 t, the guns fell silent in Europe as the war with the Central Powers came to an end.
The peace conference at Versailles began in January 1919.
Representatives of the Victorious allies such as the French prPrime Ministerlement Zone and the American President Woodrow Wilson gathered to sort out what was to be done with the former territories of the defeated Empires. Now, the liberal use of promises by the British government had to be prioritized. They did indeed make pledges to the arms, but they also made pledges to the Jews. They also made pledges to the French Russians and everybody else. These people saw the world as an imperial world. Not only did they want to cover the Middle East. They wanted to cover Russia. They thought this was the last great moment in which the Imperial Powers were able to sit down and grab. What was going on meticulously since there was no one to stop them, but Britain and our old Ally France were up.
The American President Woodrow. Wilson's vision of a new world order, which promoted National self-determination Once Independence seemed to be a possibility that this principle of self-determination supported by the Americans, was going to be offered to all those who were to be liberated from former Empires, like the Habsburgs and the Ottomans. What the person instead was an independent state
Inisal had come from Damascus to plead the Arab pools. But the future of Palestine in the Middle East formed part of Britain's pledge to France in the sykes-picot Cava in the event Woodrow. Wilson's principles about self-determination were forgotten when it came to the people of the Middle East. Britain and France were free to go ahead with their agreement.
But, what of the promises Britain had made to the Jews regarding Palestine? Foreign secretary. Arthur Balfour. In a confidential memo during the Versailles. Peace talks with America France, and Italy wrote before. Great powers are committed with eyelids. Mm, and Zionism be it, right or wrong. Good or bad is rooted in age-long traditions i.esires prejudices of the desires and prejudices of the seven hundred thousand Arabs who now inhabit. That ancient land.
That might sound like a warm endorsement of Zionism yet further in the postwar memorandum Balfour. Hints at a much more cynical agenda. So far as Palestine is concerned, the powers have made no Declaration of policy, which at least in letter, they have not always intended to violate
The Versailles. The peace conference was concluded on June 28, 1919 w, with the creation of the League of Nations, the first Global Institution, for peace and security. ItItsovenant provided that the Arab and other territories be divided by the defeated. Ottoman Empire should be administered by mandates which meant in effect that Britain and France were given the authority to impose their rule over the Arab territories.
On November the 21st, 1919 Francois, George piko-riko. The architect of the Sykes-Picot agreement and the French General Guru arrived in Beirut and so began. The imposition of the French mandate for Syria and Lebanon.
The British forces who had occupied the region since announcing the otOttomanurks during the last months of the war were handing over power to the French thus fulfilling their wartime pledge.
Fesal 16 months as the governor of Damascus? Now, for 16 months had been consolidating his position. When he was proclaimed King by the Syrian National Congress. The French were incensed and geGeneraluru sent his troops by August the 7th. 1920. Faisal had been deposed and had to flee to Palestine. The promises to Sharif Hussein and Faisal of a single independent state were. Now a distant memory for the Europeans.
11:57 a.m.
The whole issue of spheres of influence, earnt that what appeared what was it first appeared to be a willingness to accept a single Arab state was, in fact, seriously, diluted and then on top of that, of course, the very fact of their being trench area, a British area meant that any fact, this was the seed of partition. So you had both Independence was denied, but also the unity of this area was denied the boundaries and governments of the Middle Eastern States themergededw, the unmistakable imprint of the Sykes-picot agreement. The French half of the previously, ottoman province of Greater Syria. Became the Mandate for Lebanon and Syria. The other half became the British mandate for trTransjordannd Palestine. In the East, the otOttomanrea of Mesopotamia, which included the oil fields of muscle, was given to Britain as the Mandate for Iraq.
So this was bae importance of the Sykes-Picot agreement to divide, what is called the Fertile Crescent between Iraq and Syria and let Britain get access to the oil of the area and be able to exploit it in the future.
As King inonuly, 19-21 Britain, hoped the Iraqi people until Faisal was installed as King in July. 19-21 Britain hoped The Limited power it devolved to him would serve to placate the frustrated demands for Arab Independence, but Sheriff, Hussein expected more from the British
He never gave up the idea that the British had promised him Independence, not only in Arabia but in Syria and Iraq as well. And he wanted the British to fulfill their promises.
The Hashemites only partially fulfilled for, although his other son Abdullah became king of Transjordan their old rival has been sued swept the haHashemitesut of heHejazhen he conquered the old rival, have been sued swept the Hashemitesut of he Hejazhen conquered the whole of the Arabian peninsula,
In Jerusalem administration was established by the British in the spring of 1920, there were no plans dedevolveower in Palestine,
A land, sacred to three religions. Jews were a small minority who would live harmoniously with Christians and the much larger community of Muslims for hundreds of years.
But the Balfour, Declaration promising, to choose our homeland in Palestine had been incorporated into the British mandate at Versailles, Palestine was thus to be opened for new European Jewish immigration.
With celebrations and parades and support of Zionist activities. It seemed as if the British were going to hohonourheir pledges to the Jews and ignore, Palestinian hopes of Independence for Arabs had a strong case. But very poor Advocates, the zionists HeHeather'sase, weren't as strong as that of the local Arabs but they had brilliant Advocates as Stories of the greatest public relations success stories of the 20th century and highly invited, exemplified these traditional Jewish skills of advocacy and persuasion. Some of these skills were clearly in evidence and vivotesVarious scientific groups helped finance land purchases in the building of settlements for immigrant Jews at the same time, political and security organizations were created to support the emerging Jewish homeland, the Arab community and Palestine.
The Palestinians couldn't conceive, their country being divided or given away to another Community which had nothing to do with the Middle East in the first place and was almost wholly European at the time. So to them, it seemed absurd that 600 to 700 thousand should give up their land, their homes, their Villages, their towns and hand them over to A. Named after all is named after its people who are the persons in 1925, Arthur Balfour, toward the new Jewish settlements in Palestine, although he was fated as a hero of the Zionist cause the immigration of European Jews was to have unforeseen consequences. Consequences for British rule in Palestine. I believe that the Balfour Declaration was one of the most serious mistakes in British imperial history, eater committed Britain to supporting nationalism in Palestine after the war and it did not produce any immediate benefits for Britain without the Balfour Declaration there could have been no. The genuine development of a Jewish National homeland is the following fruit in 1948 where you get the creation of the state of Israel. Simply would not have happened. It requires the umbrella of the British to be there in effect to support the emerging Jewish National home militarily. At the bottom line. The very fact that there are British troops British To protect the Jewish communities, is ultimately Central to the situation. It could not have been done in any other way.
Throughout the 1930s and 40s, the years of Nazi persecution and the Holocaust Jewish immigration to Palestine increased rapidly. But what was seen by the Arabs as an alien incursion and the Jews, as a fulfillment of historic rights, led to polarization and violence. In response to terrorist acts by Arabs. Britain restricted immigration, but the policy only stimulated Jewish terrorism.
Against this background B, Britain relinquished its mandate and the state of Israel was born in 1948. When the first of several Wars between the new state and its Arab neighbours and e
thousands of Palestinian Arabs fled their Homeland
Thus, the strategy employed by Britain to win the First World WarInadvertently left a deep divide between Arab and Jewish
The most serious consequences of British policy during the war were the encouragement of Arab nationalism in Jewish nationalism and the aftermath of the First World War. Britain was left with this Legacy of double-dealing enough betrayal which was to haunt her for a long time.
Clearly, it played a role in dividing the Arab world into two different states in allowing the establishment of the state of Israel and in frustrating Arab desires, but if everything else is used as an excuse for the problems of the Middle East now, I think that would be a mistake but yes the roots of what we see today certainly arose from the double-dealing of the first world war and from the frustrated expectations of that time.
https://youtu.be/ZXfuqUhzESg?si=n-jLZbbehns2nNTC
The Balfour Declaration was a public statement issued by the British government in 1917 during World War I. It expressed support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine, then under British control. The declaration is named after Arthur Balfour, the British Foreign Secretary at the time.
There were several factors that contributed to the issuance of the Balfour Declaration:
1. Strategic Considerations: The British government saw the declaration as a way to gain support from Jewish communities, particularly in the United States and Russia, which were influential in those countries. They hoped that by supporting the Zionist cause, Jewish support for the Allies in the war effort would increase.
2. Sympathy for Zionism: Zionism, the movement to establish a Jewish homeland, had gained traction in Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some British politicians, including Arthur Balfour, sympathized with the Zionist cause and believed it had historical and moral justifications.
3. Geopolitical Interests: The British government aimed to secure its influence in the Middle East, especially in light of the declining Ottoman Empire, which controlled Palestine at the time. They saw the establishment of a Jewish homeland as a way to gain favor with Jewish communities and secure a potential ally in the region.
4. Imperial Ambitions: The British government sought to establish a favorable post-war settlement that aligned with its imperial ambitions. They envisioned creating a "Jewish buffer state" in Palestine that would serve as a British protectorate and help maintain control over the Suez Canal and other strategic interests in the region.
It is important to note that the Balfour Declaration did not specify the creation of a sovereign Jewish state but rather expressed support for a national home for Jews. The declaration's interpretation and implementation became highly contentious in the following decades, leading to a series of conflicting interests, tensions, and conflicts between Jewish and Arab communities in the region.
