Middle Eastern Tensions And British Policy Flashcards
What happened in the Sykes-picot treaty of 1916?
. Britain and French foreign ministers believed the Middle East would be best controlled by Europe
. Picot (French) wanted influence in Syria
. Britain got control over south and central Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq)
These borders (Asia minor agreement) were drawn up with little care for culture in the Middle East
What were the faults made in the Sykes picot treaty?
. It didn’t account for the creation of Turkey
. Arbitrary borders were drawn, not very well thought through
. It was agreed to before the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution
Why was Britain interested in the Middle East?
Palestine was close to the Suez Canal
Mesopotamia was oil-rich = increased value
What was the Balfour Declaration?
Letter sent by Arthur Balfour to Walter Rothschild (leader of British Jewish community) in August 1917 to show sympathy with Jewish ‘Zionist’ aspirations.
- Britain promised support for a ‘national homeland’ for Jews in Palestine
What were the real motives behind the Balfour Declaration?
. Possibly genuine support for Zionists
. Britain wanted support of anti-imperialist American public as they had vast Jewish population
. Help secure post-war control of Palestine
. Harness Jewish support for the war, particularly USA
Overall: Britain were trying to get support from large Jewish population to win the war, showing Britain’s short-term thinking
How did the articles of the Palestinian mandate reveal how B.D and Arab promises clashed?
. National homeland wasn’t properly defined on how it would look
. Didn’t state how Arab majority rights would be protected
Why did Britain seem to use a lack of planning and vagueness in the Balfour Declaration but how was this a problem?
. As Britain had no real plan, they were able to stay in Palestine for as long as possible as they could maintain the status that they needed to ‘control’ the violence between Jews and Arabs even though they caused it, allowing Britain to protect their strategic interests in the Middle East
- however, this meant no proper exit strategy was developed
. Staying in Palestine deliberately completely goes against the idea of a mandate supposedly helping nations become indepdent
How were Britain’s policies in Palestine flawed?
Based on flawed assumptions:
. Thought Zionist development would benefit Arab population
. Assumed modern Zionist leadership weren’t interesting in creating their own state
. Palestinian Arabs were not thought to constitute a nation (racial prejudice)
. As an Empire, Britain maintaining reputation as a tough actor had to be protected, but this meant Britain had little care for the long-term effects for their policies on the general Palestinian population
How was Britain’s policies in Palestine reminiscent of the empires belief in superiority?
British government failed to understand the concerns of the average Palestinian even though they are the people that are needed to be understood for long term peace to be made
How was British situation so bad in Palestine that it had to withdraw?
. Spring 1947 - sterling crisis weakened British economy
. British had spent over 100 million governing Palestine since January 1945
. More than 330 British soldiers had died fighting the conflict in Palestine
Overall: post-ww2, Palestine was not worth holding onto
What was Britain’s main task as an empire when administrating the British mandate in Palestine?
. Maintain a buffer against threats to the Suez Canal (strategic interest) with British military presence while also maintaining internal stability in Palestine (status interest).
What was the first main problem in the administration of Palestine?
. Trying to simultaneously please and reconcile the growing Jewish community whilst also easing the resentment and fears of Palestinian Arabs as a result of the migrating newcomers
What was the first main problem in the administration of Palestine?
. Trying to simultaneously please and reconcile the growing Jewish community whilst also easing the resentment and fears of Palestinian Arabs as a result of the migrating newcomers
How did different British authorities in london vs Palestine view administration in Palestine?
. London government: favoured Jewish community
. British authorities in Palestine were more sympathetic to the Arabs
Why?
When was British administration of Palestine set up and under who?
1920: civil government under Herbert Samuel
What was Herbert Samuel’s role in administering Palestine?
. Tried to merge Arab’s and Jews into elected representative bodies with influence over public policies
- bold to assume they would cooperate
- ethnic tensions prevented co-operation
How did the arrival of Jews in Palestine create problems over landholding?
. Most Palestinian Arabs were poor farmers, and Jews were generally wealthier
. The Jews bought land with the help of the Jewish National funds, driving many Palestinian Arabs from their farms
How did the government in Palestine try to curb Jewish dominance over landholding but how did it fail?
1929: enquiry to curb Jewish policy of land acquisition
1931: enquiry that recommended restrictions on Jewish land acquisition
The government had to back down on these changes due to dominating pro-Jewish feeling in USA and Britain
When did Jewish immigration to Palestine start?
From 1933 due to Nazi persecution of the Jews, and heightened with the holocaust
How did Britain try to deal with Palestinian violence in 1936?
Sent 20,000 troops to Palestine to deal with Arab insurgency (rebellion) and attacks on Jews
What was the Peel Report (1937)?
Recommended for Palestine to be partitioned into Jewish and Arab areas, with British authorities ruling over religious controversial areas such as Jerusalem (divide and rule)
- this idea was rejected by Arabs
How did Britain deal with escalating violence in Palestine from 1937-39?
. Adopted a policy of repression
- 25k British troops sent to the region
- over 9000 Arabs were arrested
- 100 Arabs were hanged
Brutal action taken by the British
- clearly Britain were trying to show they were still in control of Palestine and used this religious divide and role to demonstrate it deliberately
