Build up of tension in Palestine, 1917–46

Question 1

What was the Balfour Declaration (1917)?

Answer 1

• The British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour wrote a letter to leading Zionist Lord Rothschild
• The letter offered a ‘national home’ for the Jewish people in Palestine
• This was vague and didn’t promise an independent state
• His aim was to gain support from the Jewish populations in the USA and Russia in order to influence their governments into supporting Britain in the war. Britain also wanted a Jewish presence in the Middle East after the war, which it expected would be pro-British
• Britain was now committed to two contradictory positions: support for an independent Jewish state as well as an Arab state in Palestine

Question 2

When did Palestine become a British Mandate?

Answer 2

• 1919 - Palestine became a British mandate (a territory entrusted by the League of Nations to an imperial power)

Question 3

Summarise the Jewish immigration to Palestine.

Answer 3

• From the years 1919-48, the Jewish population increased from 65,000 to 650,000, which was a 10-fold increase

Question 4

Explain the Arabs and British rule?

Answer 4

• The Arabs felt cheated because they had expected to win their independence
• They were angered by the British allowing the immigration of Jewish settlers into Palestine, who took over land
• There was violence in 1921 when Arabs attacked Jews in the port of Jaffa. Jewish immigration was temporarily stopped but then restarted
• There was more fighting in 1929 when 133 Jews and 116 Arabs were killed
• The rise of the Nazis in Germany made the situation more difficult because if Britain allowed more Jewish immigration it would increase Arab resistance, while if it restricted immigration, Britain would be condemned abroad as inhumane

Question 5

What was the Arab Revolt (1936-39)?

Answer 5

• The Arabs organised a general strike in protest of Jewish immigration, which turned into civil war
• The Arabs felt that Britain showed favour to the Jews and was disproportionately harsh towards Arab fighters
• Britain set up a militia to protect Jewish settlements which became the Haganah (Jewish Defence Force)

Question 6

Explain what is meant by The Peel Commission (1937)?

Answer 6

• Lord Peel’s commission recommended the partition of Palestine as he did not believe a single state in which both sides would be loyal would be possible
• The Jews accepted the plan but the Arabs rejected it and resumed the revolt

Question 7

What was promised in the MacDonald Report (1939)?

Answer 7

• Growing tensions with Germany led Britain to seek Arab co-operation in the Middle East in order to ensure the flow of oil supplies in the event of a war
• The MacDonald report promised a Palestinian state would be set up in which Arabs and Jews would share government
• A quota of 10,000 Jews per year for 5 years would be allowed to enter Palestine, but after that Jewish immigration would cease unless the Arabs allowed it
• This angered the Jews
• The outbreak of of war meant that this was not implemented

Question 8

Explain the impact of WW2.

Answer 8

• All Jews wanted to make Palestine a place where they could all be safe from Nazi persecution
• Many Jews volunteered to help Britain to fight Nazi Germany, which they viewed as their greatest threat
• On the other hand, many Jews saw Britain as their main enemy
• The two Jewish resistance groups the Irgun Zvai Leumi and Lehi continued attacks on British targets in the hope of driving them out of Palestine e.g. The assassination of Lord Mayne, the British minister in Cairo

Question 9

What was the the challenge to British Rule (1945-46)?

Answer 9

• Increased terrorist activity led to the British sending 100,000 troops in by 1946; This extreme response lost the British the goodwill of moderate Jews
• The Irgun group bombed the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, which was the headquarters of the British Military, in July 1946, resulting in 91 dead and 45 injured
• This lead to widespread arrests and interrogation