Arab Rebellion

• Arab Rebellion '36-39

  • Arab High Committee:
  • Palestinian Arab leaders
  • '36
  • Tried to direct Rebellion
  • Made of many, often rival, factions
  • Had unsuccessful striking
  • Impoverished, landless and angered by immigration
  • Caused widespread country fighting
  • Escalated to armed Arab bands attacking Jew settlements
  • Harsh Brit response
  • Organised and trained Jew defence force (Haggadah)
  • Arab leaders exiled or hanged
  • Zionist Response
  • Jewish Agency: Governing body of Zionist movement in British mandated Palestine
  • Leader said negotiation was impossible and only solution was war/force
• Peel Commission

  • Established at rebellion height ('37)
  • Brit government-led inquiry concluded cooperation impossible
  • Official report recommended partition into Arab state and Jew state
  • Arabs: Refused, wanted all of Palestine
  • Jews: Partly accepted, wanted more than proposed land
  • Some saw it as first step to all of Palestine
  • Knew Arabs would never agree so conflict was inevitable
• White Paper '39

  • Rebellion ended as Brit prepared for war with Germany
  • Prompted policy change
  • Gave paper declaring Brit support for independent Palestine in 10 years
  • Neither Jew or Arab
  • Britain would rule whilst they shared governing responsibility
  • Motivated by Brit fear of friendship between Arabs and Germany
  • Essential oil supplies meant Brit needed Arab leaders
  • Humanitarian effort, 25000 would be permitted
  • 10,000 Jewish immigrants would be permitted yearly for 5 years but after, Arabs would have to agree to more
  • Upset Jews, shaped Jewish Agency policy for next few years