Zionism

This item is part of the Political & Rights Issues & Social Movements (PRISM) digital collection, a collaborative initiative between Florida Atlantic University and University of Central Florida in the Publication of Archival, Library & Museum Materials (PALMM).

This is an attempt to trace the course of British policy
toward the Jewish people and their relationship with
Palestine. In 1917, Britain pledged, in the Balfour Declaration,
to help the Jews regain their biblical homeland.
Spurred by post World War I anti-Semitic outbursts, there
began the return to Palestine. The British promise was
given international ratification when the League of Nations
awarded the mandate for Palestine to Britain, stressing the
language of the pledge. An uneasy calm prevailed until
Arab resistance to this concept coalesced and a general
strike, in 1936, expanded into a full-scale rebellion. Efforts
to deal with the revolt and the decision to placate
the Arabs ultimately led to near capitulation. The result
was that both the Declaration and the terms of the mandate
were abrogated. The conclusion is that a Munich-type
appeasement inspired this reversal in policy.