The British Mandate in Palestine
During the British Mandate, the Jews managed to build up a substantial Jewish national home with a population of 550,000 and independent community institutions. Prof. Ron Zweig, New York University
Archive for August, 2016
The Balfour Declaration – Why did the British make this announcement?
The Balfour Declaration was a commitment that the British made to the Zionist movement during the First World War, wherein Britain undertook to establish a Jewish National Home. The question is, why did the British make this announcement? Prof. Ron Zweig, New York University
Arab Opposition to the Mandate
The British and the Jews did not give enough attention to the fact that there was an existing population in Palestine that did not welcome the creation of the Jewish National Home in Palestine. Prof. Ron Zweig, New York University
Arabs and Jews Living Together in Palestine
High Commissioner Herbert Samuel tried to bring the Arabs and Israelis together in a legislative council, but the Arabs boycotted it. As a result, Samuel created separate governing institutions for Arabs and Jews and this sealed the fate of the Mandate. Prof.Ron Zweig, New York University
“Patrician House” Jewelry, 1200-1000 BCE
In an excavation directed by Shlomo Bunimovitz and Zvi Lederman in Beth Shemesh, a golden hoop earring and other scraps of jewelry were discovered in a spacious early Iron Age structure, dubbed the “Patrician House” for the elegance of its remains. (1200–1000 B.C.E.) Beth Shemesh, Shlomo Bunimovitz and Zvi Lederman, BAR 23-01, Jan-Feb 1997.
Regulations on Jewish Immigration in Palestine
When Herbert Samuel recognized that the Arabs were not enthusiastic about a Jewish national home, he suggests Jewish immigration be regulated with the objective of not creating Arab unemployment. Prof. Ron Zweig, New York University
Clifford’s Tower, York
At the foot of Clifford’s Tower a plaque marks the darkest chapter in the history of York’s Jewish community. On March 16th 1190 a wave of anti-Semitic riots culminated in the massacre of an estimated 150 Jews – the entire Jewish community of York – who had taken refuge in the royal castle where Clifford’s […]
Jews and the Crusades
The Crusades were never called against Jews; they were called against Muslims. There was a group of Crusaders for whom the unstable combination implodes. Prof. Robert Chazan, New York University
Jews Evacuate the Old City of Jerusalem, 1936
In 1936, Palestinian Arabs called a general strike and rebellion. In response, the British government created a commission, led by Lord Peel, to investigate the cause of the violence. The Commission concluded that the cause of the violence was growing Palestinian anxiety over the increase of Jewish immigration, and it recommended that Palestine be partitioned […]
The Causes and Consequences of the Arab Revolt
Illegal Jewish immigration led the Arabs to fear they would become a minority. The political strike they organized quickly became violent and convinced the British that the Mandate had failed. Prof. Ron Zweig, New York University