Palestine ZionistsBritishArabs USA 1942

 Mandate granted at San Remo Conference, implicit support for Jewish migration  Thus GB responsible for the region  Splits it as Palestine and Transjordan  World Zionist Organization had its definition  Sharif Hussein had his….  Mayor of Jerusalem led a riot to protest the mandate  Arab response Syrian National Congress with Feisal son of Sherif Hussain  Feisal driven out by France and became ruler of Iraq. His brother Abdallah became king of Jordan. Descendants still rule Jordan

 Mandate fulfilled British interests ◦ Protect Suez canal ◦ Access to Gulf oil resources ◦ Administer mandate ot create loyal client states ◦ And adhere to the terms of the mandate which allowed for Jewish Migration  High Commissioner : Administrative role  First HC: Herbert Samuel. Himself a Zionist and encouraged immigration  This in part contributed to Arab anger and riots of 1922  Result: Creation of Transjordan. It was to be closed off to Jewish immigration

 In fulfilment of the Mandate, development of infrastructure : roads, railways, hospital, schools, Police, industry occurred.  However, rising tensions between Jewish and Arab populations  Frequent riots and strikes  British policy of concessions, commissions, negotiations fail and increasing use of force: riot police to break –up demonstrations  By 1930’s warlike situation in Palestine/

 Increased Jewish immigration in the 1930’s  Actions of the Jewish National Agency ( branch of the World Zionist Orgnaization) ◦ Laying foundations of a state ◦ Political parties created ◦ Ma’pai ( workers ) Party under Ben Gurion took the lead ◦ Elected Assembly ◦ Set up the Hebrew University ◦ Cooperated with British but determined to establish control over Jerusalem and the Wailing Wall. ◦ This caused serious tensions in 1929 and major riots broke out.

 Palestinian Arabs wanted end of British rule and Zionist immigration and settlement  Frequent recourse to riots  Arab resistance to land purchases by the Zionists  In 1930’s recourse to armed resistance  Resulted in British crackdown: deportations, prison sentences  In 1936 Haj Amin al-Hussaini the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem openly allied with Hitler

 Muslim Council formed in 1922 as protest against the Mandate  A powerful body and controlled Arab life and culture  Controlled by a branch of the al Husseini family  Haj Amin al Husseini was its leader and spokesperson till he fled Jerusalem in1937 ◦ Anti British, anti zionist  The other organization was the Arab Higher Committee….an offshoot of an earlier organizaiton and controlled by a rival family Nashashibi… this organzation was more pro-British  This division was to the detriment of the Palestinian cause

 According to the mandate: Zionists could buy land and settle in Palestine  Hence the Jewish Agency was created to manage the purchases  The Jewish Agency thus became the voice for Jews in Palestine  The Jewish community or Yishuv worked towards creating institutions ◦ Knesset ◦ Political Parties ◦ Executive ◦ Judicial system ◦ Histadrut or trade unions ◦ Haganah an underground force set up in 1920 Summing up: where the Arab community was divided, the Jewish Community was pushing the boundaries and creating the foundations of a modern state

 Inspite of the Balfour Declaration and the Mandate, immigration was slow  USA seen as the land of opportunity  By 1929 there were only 175, 000 Jews.  Population increase from 8- 17%  However very rapid increase from 1929, because of the Depression and Hitler’s policies  By the end of the war the figures stood at close to 40%  Jews mostly urban dwellers  Palestinian Arabs … worked the land, thus affected by the Depression more than were the Jews….

Division among Arab groups British crackdown on Arab riots klled an Arab leader near Jenin Peasant resistance to increased Jewish migration in 1930’s Demands for an Arab National Assembly Protests at land sales to Jews Arab Higher committee set up which encouraged Civil disobedience

 Peel Commission: it submitted its report in 1937  For the first time the idea of Partition is suggested  Peel Commission report is followed by a Policy paper called the White Paper which slowed and then planned to halt Jewish Immigration into Palestine  White Paper rejected by both sides. Arabs wanted an end of the Mandate and the Jews wanted the terms of the Mandate to be applied

 Outbreak of WW2 brings with it Jewish support for the British.  Jewish Legion fought alongside British which gained them training in weapons  Post WWII flood of Jewish immigration to Palestine but not accepted by Britain/  In the US strong support for the Jews.  The Biltmore program demanded the resumption of Jewish migration  USA for the first time gets involved in the Palestine question

 Read pages Make notes on the following headings in your notebook  Impact of WWII on the Zionist cause  Harry Truman’s support of the Zionists  Biltmore Program and its significance  Split between Weizmann and Ben Gurion  Arab actions between  British Policy towards Palestine  Anglo American Committee of Enquiry