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MidEast2: Review. To 1939. Map. Palestine Review. British Mandate—Transjordan in the east intended* as a place for Arabs Palestine west of the Jordan River—At the San Remo conference 1920 (Treaty of Sevres) the Balfour Declaration was honored and Jewish people were encouraged to move here
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MidEast2: Review To 1939
Palestine Review • British Mandate—Transjordan in the east intended* as a place for Arabs • Palestine west of the Jordan River—At the San Remo conference 1920 (Treaty of Sevres) the Balfour Declaration was honored and Jewish people were encouraged to move here • (Reminder: French in Syria, Britain in Iraq, Ibn Saud in Saudi Arabia, Reza Khan in Iran…)
Palestine Review, Cont’d • Rising Hostilities 1920s: Arabs were bitter about the growing number of Jewish immigrants to Palestine • Jewish people bought farmland from Arabs and hired mainly Jewish workers, effectively pushing Arabs out of Palestine • Violence began to spread—mostly Arabs attacking Jews • Britain stepped in to quell the violence but gave the appearance of helping the Jews • Britain sent multiple commissions of enquiry to determine the source of violence and try to set up solutions • British White Paper of 1922
Palestine Review Cont’d, Cont’d. • Between 1930-1935 the Jewish population doubled • By the end of 1939, Jews made up 1/3 of the population of Palestine • The newer immigrants were fleeing persecution from Europe. They were highly skilled and often wealthy • Haiffa (see your map) was the end of oil pipelines from Iraq to the Mediterranean (owning this land = $) • The average Jewish worker received 145% more in wages than his Arab counterpart • The trend of Arab wages was decreasing 10% a year; Jewish wages increased 10% a year • All of this led to severe resentment towards the Jews
Palestine Review Cont’d some more • Great Arab Revolt 1936-1939 • Began with Arabs attacking two Jews and Jews retaliating with two Arab deaths • Arabs showed increased organization: • Arab demands: • An end to Jewish immigration • An end to transfers of land to Jewish owners • A representative government based on democratic rules * • * new: previously Arabs had refused democratic principles, now felt it was time • Stats!
Palestine Review, almost done • More systematic than previous Arab Revolt (WWI, Feisal et. al): • Arab Higher Committee formed as leadership • Crops, pipelines, roads, transportation were destroyed • Non-payment of taxes as a general strike • Bring everyday life to a standstill • Revolt was met with violence from the Jews • Much of the violence was against British officials, who of course sent 20,000 men to suppress the revolt • Lord Robert Peel was sent to figure out what the mess was all about
Palestine Review, not quite done • The Peel Commission: • Divide Palestine into separate states • Rejected by both sides—no partial land ownership • The Arab Revolt violence increased and involved general strikes against all businesses to kill the economy • British were unable to slow the violence until 1939
Palestine Review, final slide. • Effects of the Arab Revolt: greater unity among Arabs convinced British to take their demands seriously, but also resulted in loss of Arab lives • Issued the White Paper of 1939 • It is not British policy that Palestine should be a Jewish state • Jewish immigration should be limited to 15,000 a year for 5 years • In light of the treatment of Jews in Europe, they should accept 25,000 refugees • Land transfer to Jews should be only restricted zones • Palestine would be independent in 10 years-Arabs could determine immigration restrictions. • Rejected.
Palestine and WWII—The Arabs • The White Paper of 1939 coincided with Hitler’s invasion of Poland and the start of WWII • Arab countries tried to stay neutral but often sought alliance with Axis powers—thinking maybe Germany & Friends could save them from British imperialism and Zionism? • The Grand Mufti (head Islamic law leader) of Jerusalem had fled Palestine during the revolt, went to Europe and met with Hitler
Palestine and WWII—The Jews • Jews felt rejected by Britain—limits to immigration while the Jews of Europe were being heavily persecuted and allowing Arabs to decide on immigration • Jewish people in Palestine had no choice but to support Britain in WWII—save Jews from Hitler • Many Palestinian Jews even joined the British army • Illegal immigration continued throughout the war—but the British stuck to their principles • Jews in Mauritius and the SS Struma (go down to “Sinking” on wiki)
