Crisis in the Middle East

Crisis in the Middle East p. 3-9

What was the Jewish claim to Palestine?
The Jews claim to to Palestine was:
* they had been dispersed throughout Europe since biblical times, therefore needing a homeland (returning to their homeland)
*Anto-Semitism contributed to the growth of Zionism (done with persection)
* Jews traditionally prayed for the "Next year in Jersalualem ( it was their promise land)
*Balfour Declartion gave sympathy to the Jews on finding a homeland.


What was the importance of the Balfour Declaration?
The importance of the Balfour Declartion is that it was gave false pretenses to the Zionist who believed that Britian gave them support on Palestine being their national community. With this declartion the west became directly involved in the Arab-Isreali crisis. Many blame this document on the the tradegies adn war. However this document gave ideas to the Isreali's on how things's would come about and little did they realize the wording of the document didn't say state but rather homeland. It would cause a major rift in relationships with the Arabs because they had had confidence that a world power of the west was backing them up.

What was the Arab claim to Palestine?
*Muhammad and his followers swept the Middle East taking land and they did overtake Palestine and felt it was theirs
* The Arabs form the majority of the population there and feel it's their home due to more population
* Letters from Britian's High Commissionar in Egypt gave them his countries support in independece and alliance in creating a homeland.

To what extent was WWI a turning point in the struggle for Arab independence?
The turning point is when they recieved letters from Britian's High Commisioner about their sympathy towards their need for a homeland and stated that they would "be prepared and support the Arab independence. With this documetn it gave the assitance of Britian to the Arabs. With their support they were able to defeat the Ottamon Empire and become free to create their own homeland.

Why did Britain and France want mandates in the Middle East?
*Britian needed a strong alliance with France because the war with Gewrmany was going badly
* Both countries had extensive trading links with countries in the Middle East
* Britian wanted to protec the Suez Canal which was jointly owned and operated by the French. This canal was Britian's main route to their empire in India and oil fields in the Persian Gulf. Britian also controlled Egypt so they saw Palestine as a buffer zone to protect the canal and the route to the east
SO the Britsh and France wanted to matian power and influence in the Midlle East so they crated the Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916