| | | Britain? It was the stupid Brits that created the vacuum that led to today's mayhem. Screw Britain.
Britain did not create a Palestinian state, in fact, Britain’s role during its mandate over Palestine (1917–1948) contributed to the lack of a Palestinian state and the eventual emergence of the conflict still unresolved today.
Here’s a breakdown of Britain’s role:
1. The Balfour Declaration (1917): Britain issued the Balfour Declaration, a letter stating support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine, while also vaguely promising to protect the rights of existing non-Jewish communities (i.e., Palestinian Arabs).- This set the stage for conflicting expectations between Jews and Arabs in the region.
- It was issued while Britain was still fighting World War I and seeking support from Zionist and Arab factions.
2. British Mandate for Palestine (1920–1948): After WWI, the League of Nations granted Britain control over Palestine through the Mandate system.- Britain promised both Arabs (in other wartime communications) and Jews (via Balfour) some form of self-determination.
- It facilitated Jewish immigration, which grew in the 1930s and 1940s, increasing tensions with the Arab population.
3. Arab Rebellion and British Response (1936–1939): Palestinian Arabs revolted against British rule and Jewish immigration.- Britain suppressed the revolt militarily.
- To appease Arabs, Britain issued the 1939 White Paper, limiting Jewish immigration—infuriating Zionist groups.
4. UN Partition Plan (1947): By 1947, Britain handed the issue to the United Nations, which proposed:- Partitioning Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem under international control.
- Jews accepted the plan. Arabs rejected it, seeing it as unfair.
5. End of the Mandate & Aftermath (1948): Britain withdrew in 1948.- Israel declared independence in May 1948.
- No Palestinian state emerged because Arab states and local Arab leaders rejected the partition plan and launched a war against Israel.
- The territories meant for a Palestinian state were occupied by Jordan (West Bank) and Egypt (Gaza Strip).
Conclusion: Britain’s actions helped lay the groundwork for the modern Israeli-Palestinian conflict by making contradictory promises and failing to establish a stable governance plan for both Jews and Arabs. It did not create a Palestinian state, nor did it create an Israeli one. Instead, it left behind a vacuum that led to war and displacement. |
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