Arab-Israeli ConflictTIMELINEPre-WWI period (Pre 1912) The Zionist movement was gaining steam, Theodore Herzls pamphlet The Jewish State had begun drawing support from a large section of the international Jewish community Arabic nationalism was on the rise, and with the Ottoman Empire still the sick man of Europe they were beginning to feel like it was prime time for them to go for independence Britain wasnt particularly concerned with this area at the time, more so occupied with the beginnings of WWIDuring WWI period (1912 1918) In 1915, the British government secretively approached the Hashemite family for assistance in collapsing the Ottoman Empire. A deal was struck, if the Hashemites revolted Britain would grant them an independent state in the form of Palestine, were the Hashemites would rule However, in 1916 the British government also entered into the Sykes-Picot Agreement; agreeing in principle to divide up the remains of the Ottoman Empire should they be successful in toppling them. The previously promised land to the Hashemites was an international zone under shared French-British jurisdiction Again in 1917, Britain had determined that Jewish militia would be important in finishing off the Ottomans and WWI; so after taking Palestine from the Ottomans made the Balfour Declaration; stating that the British government was in favor of "the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people" - ostracizing the ArabsPost WWI period (1918 1935) In 1922, Britain clarified the Balfour Declaration in relation to the pre-existing Palestinians emphasizing that, it does not contain or imply anything which need cause either alarm to the Arab population of Palestine or disappointment to the Jews. This was done through the Churchill White Paper In 1923, Britain (with the approval of the League of Nations) established the British Mandate of Palestine, effectively putting themselves in complete control. The Jewish people were increasingly happy, believing that they had the support of the British over the Palestinians. In addition the number of Jewish people was rapidly rising due to immigration. Theyre goal stated was to, make Palestine as Jewish, as England is EnglishWWII period (1936 1947) Escalating tensions between the Jewish and the Palestinians as a result of the rapidly expanding numbers and their tendency to buy up land from absentee Palestinian landowners and displace the Palestinian peasantry farming on it, and the perception that Britain was backing the Jewish people led to the 1936-39 Arab revolt. This was quickly put down by a combination of Jewish militia and British troops, but the message was clear, Palestinians would always be dissatisfied as long as Jewish immigration and behavior remained the same In order to address this, the British Government put out the White Paper of 1939 which limited Jewish immigration and land purchase; 75,000 Jewish immigrants would be allowed from 1940-44, after which would be dependent of the Arab majority for permission. It also promised to establish an independent Palestine run by both the Jewish and Palestinians in proportion to their populations. This only antagonized both sides, and further increased tensions. As a result of Nazism in Europe, vast amounts of displaced Jews sought refuge in Palestine. As a result of the white paper, a majority were turned away, and instead chose to illegally sneak into the country only serving to further increase tensions By 1947, tensions had developed to all out civil war, and the British government gave up trying to diplomatically solve the situation. Instead it gave the problem over to the newly formed United Nations, who through debate decided to go through with Plan of Partition and Economic Union. This basically split Palestine 3 ways Jewish Israel, Arabic Palestine and UN territory.

EVIDENCENarrative (People, Places, Names, Dates, Events, Anything) Der Judenstaat Theodore Herzl (1896) Sick man of Europe Ottoman Empire McMahon Hussein correspondence (1915) Sykes-Picot Agreement (1916) Balfour Declaration (1917) Churchill White Paper (1922) British Mandate (1923) Arab revolt (1936 1939) White Paper (1939) United Nations Special Committee on Palestine (UNSCOP) (1947) Plan of Partition and Economic Union (1947) Resolution 181 (ii) adopted 33 votes to 13 with 10 abstentionsStatistical (Numbers, numbers, numbers) In 1914, Jewish people only comprised 7.6% of the Palestinian population By 1945, Jewish people comprised of 33% of the population From 1922 to 1931 the Jewish population doubled 75,000 Jew restriction over 1940-44 vs 212,000 Jews from 1931-37 Jewish landownership went from 650,000 dunums in 1920 to 1.35 million by 1936 effectively doubling in 16 yearsPrimary Quotes Establish such a society in Palestine that Palestine shall be as Jewish as England is English or America American. Zionist Leader Chaim Weizmann The complete evacuation of the country from its other inhabitants and handing it over to the Jewish people is the answer." Zionist Leader Yosef Weitz We must expel Arabs and take their places. Zionist Leader David Ben Gurion View with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people Arthur James Balfour (Balfour Declaration) Nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine Arthur James Balfour (Balfour Declaration)Secondary Quotes Thus, the Arabs came to recognize that they could always stop Jewish immigration by staging a riot Historian Mitchell G. Bard Fear of economic competition and resentment of the special privileges given to foreign residents Historian Mark A. Tessler The Arabs were convinced, with reason, that they had received a promise of British support for their independence in Palestine. Historian Mark A. Tessler Palestinian nationalism emerged as a reactionary movement Historian Morgan Bennett