Did Britain Ever Colonize the Holy Land?

In a manner of speaking, Britain did hold a mandate in Palestine following the expulsion of the Ottoman Empire in 1918 at the end of World War I. This mandate was central to the region's history and the rise of modern Israel.

Historical Context and Early Control

The area now known as Palestine was conquered by the Romans, then the Egyptians, and subsequently the Ottoman Empire. Throughout this period, the region never constituted an independent nation. The British fought the Ottomans in World War One and pushed them out of the Middle East.

During their occupation, the British conducted a survey of the area that had been captured. Surprisingly, they found that the region known as Palestine was almost uninhabited. There were approximately 50,000 Jewish farmers who could trace their ancestry back to Roman times. The city of Jerusalem was small, and most Arabs in the area lived in tents, moving from oasis to oasis and occasionally fighting over wells. The tribal loyalties of former Ottoman territory had to be carefully considered when dividing the area into countries.

Rising Zionist Movement and the Balfour Declaration

At the time, Zionism was on the rise in Europe and around the world. Given the region's near-empty state, the British made the Balfour Declaration in 1917, committing to creating a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine. Historians, however, suggest that the Balfour Declaration was more ambiguous and complex than often portrayed. It is crucial for readers to understand the full text and context of the declaration.

The issue was ultimately handed over to the League of Nations, which in 1922 created Jordan and Syria (and later Lebanon). The United Nations decided to divide the area into two countries, Israel and Palestine, in 1947. However, this plan faced significant challenges, including the invasion by newly formed Arab states, and the subsequent war that resulted in Israel garnering extensive land through conquest.

Post-War Developments and Current Dynamics

Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Gaza was controlled by Fatah, the political party led by Yasser Arafat. In 2007, the situation took a sudden turn when Hamas, a militant Palestinian group, gained control of Gaza through a bloody internal conflict, resulting in the massacre of Fatah forces.

Britain's mandate in Palestine played a significant role in shaping the political landscape of the region. The division of the area into Israel and Palestine, influenced by the Balfour Declaration and the mandates of international bodies, set the stage for ongoing conflicts and negotiations that continue to this day.