Birthplace of Judaism, Christianity and Islam
Under Ottoman Empire from 16th
Repressive
Stopped "natural" nations forming (language, ethnicity, culture, religion)
British commercial interest; Iraq and Iran
French commercial influence; Syria
Ottoman Empire fall WWI
European powers scrambled for control
Arab nationalists fought for independence
Jews expelled from Palestine after 70AD + 135AD revolts
Persecuted in Europe through centuries
Many influential moved to US, 19th
Competition arena for US and USSR post-WWII
Most conflict came from settlement after WWI
