Things to Know… about the Middle East during and around WWII.

During WWII and the Holocaust, approximately 6 million Jewish people were killed. Hatred of the Jewish people did not just reside with Hitler… Throughout world history, Jewish people have been consistently discriminated against and persecuted.

After the concentration camps were evacuated, many refuges went to major cities like Paris, hesitant to return to their destroyed homes. Many refugees were also relocated to Palestine (Before Israel existed). Between WWI and WWII, the Jewish population in Palestine increased significantly, causing tension amongst Arab Palestinians. During this time, Palestine was occupied and ruled by the United Kingdom.

Not only was there fighting and tension between Muslim Palestinians and Jewish Palestinians, but the two groups also rebelled against British rule. Palestine was a militant state after WWII, as the British used military reinforcement to squash rebellions from both groups. Many refugees, like our main character Elisha, were recruited to join underground armies to gain independence from Britain. During this time, hatred of the British occupancy was so great that both groups neglected their fight against each other as they were united in the same cause: liberate Palestine from the British.

There were a handful of underground and insurgent armies within both groups. Fighting for Palestinian independency from Britain. Fighting for a Jewish national state (Zionist). Within the Zionist movement, there were three main underground “terrorist” forces. Our characters were a part of the Jewish Resistance Movement. In our text, it is often referred to as “the Movement.” The leader is called “The Old Man.”