During the past couple of months, there have been a lot of news surrounding the fighting happening in regards to the Israeli - Palestinian conflict. The roots of this conflict can be traced back to the Ottoman ruling over what is now known as the Middle East. During the eighteenth century, the Ottoman empire was thriving, stretching their ruling from central Europe all the way to Yemen and accords North Africa to Morocco (making of MME). Their vast territories allowed them to be a culturally rich empire with a vast a vast multiethnic, multilingual, and multi-religious polity (making of MME). The Ottoman Empire reigned over the Middle East problem free until the nineteenth century where they saw themselves forced to undertake a series of fundamental
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These negotiators drafted up what is known as the Sykes- Picot agreement. According to this agreement, Britain would acquire most of Iraq, while the French would acquire Syria, Lebanon, and parts of Anatolia. Russia was originally included in the agreement but then retreated due to the Russian revolution. The independent Arab state promised to Hussein was in this agreement designated as a state of confederation of states lying in the two zones of British and French indirect influence. Palestine was placed under international administration (cleaveland). Due to this, the Sykes- Picot agreement is seen as one of the most controversial documents of war, for it appears to overlap portions of the promise that Britain had previously given to Sharif Hussein in response to his involvement in the Arab revolt. (cleaveland) One is left wondering what happened to Britain’s promise to Hussein as it was agreed in the Hussein- McMahon correspondence? Did it simply disregard it’s original promise? Did Sir Henry McMahon even have the authority to make this promise in the first …show more content…
In promising British Zionists to help to set up a Jewish national homeland, Britain gave away a piece of land that was originally promised to be an Arab state in the Hussein - McMahon correspondence, and then deemed to be an international territory in the Sykes- Picot agreement. Today the original population of what is now known as Israel was once 96 percent Muslim and Christian, yet, these refugees are prohibited from returning to their homes in the self-described Jewish state (and those within Israel are subjected to systematic discrimination). Over 10,000 Palestinian men, women, and children are held in Israeli prisons. Few of them have had a legitimate trial; Physical abuse and torture are frequent. Palestinian borders (even internal ones) are controlled by Israeli forces. Periodically men, women, and children are strip searched; people are beaten; women in labor are prevented from reaching hospitals (at times resulting in death); food and medicine are blocked from entering Gaza, producing an escalating humanitarian crisis. Israeli forces invade almost daily, injuring, kidnapping, and sometimes killing
These negotiators drafted up what is known as the Sykes- Picot agreement. According to this agreement, Britain would acquire most of Iraq, while the French would acquire Syria, Lebanon, and parts of Anatolia. Russia was originally included in the agreement but then retreated due to the Russian revolution. The independent Arab state promised to Hussein was in this agreement designated as a state of confederation of states lying in the two zones of British and French indirect influence. Palestine was placed under international administration (cleaveland). Due to this, the Sykes- Picot agreement is seen as one of the most controversial documents of war, for it appears to overlap portions of the promise that Britain had previously given to Sharif Hussein in response to his involvement in the Arab revolt. (cleaveland) One is left wondering what happened to Britain’s promise to Hussein as it was agreed in the Hussein- McMahon correspondence? Did it simply disregard it’s original promise? Did Sir Henry McMahon even have the authority to make this promise in the first …show more content…
In promising British Zionists to help to set up a Jewish national homeland, Britain gave away a piece of land that was originally promised to be an Arab state in the Hussein - McMahon correspondence, and then deemed to be an international territory in the Sykes- Picot agreement. Today the original population of what is now known as Israel was once 96 percent Muslim and Christian, yet, these refugees are prohibited from returning to their homes in the self-described Jewish state (and those within Israel are subjected to systematic discrimination). Over 10,000 Palestinian men, women, and children are held in Israeli prisons. Few of them have had a legitimate trial; Physical abuse and torture are frequent. Palestinian borders (even internal ones) are controlled by Israeli forces. Periodically men, women, and children are strip searched; people are beaten; women in labor are prevented from reaching hospitals (at times resulting in death); food and medicine are blocked from entering Gaza, producing an escalating humanitarian crisis. Israeli forces invade almost daily, injuring, kidnapping, and sometimes killing