A Concise History of the Middle East; Goldschmidt

So I'm back to hitting the books (literal and virtual), looking for information on oil, water, nationalism, and a well-founded root for the Middle East disaster. So far I've gotten some good sources... My notes:


Goldschmidt, Arthur. "16: the Contest for Palestine." A Concise History of the Middle East . 6th ed. Boulder, Colo.: Westview Press, 1999. 230-248. Print.

SOLID HISTORY ON THE MODERN CONFLICT

"Palestine, the "twice-promised land" as British wags used to call it." (pg. 230)

Origins of conflict:
back to Abraham and Ishmael, or much more recent? Jews and Muslims lived side-by-side for centuries, it all started during WWI, and the rise of nationalism, anti-semitism, zionism, pan-arab nationalism, and revolt. HOWEVER, "Civil wars, hijackings, assassinations, kidnappings, revolutions, invasions, and refugee problems have occurred in many Middle Eastern countries" (pg. 230) long before the Arab-Israel conflict.
Had a GREAT portion on zionism... parphrased: not all jews are zionistic (eg:Nun-Kafs; my own refference) , not all zionists are jews (eg: messianic christians waiting for the apocalypse).
" Even some Gentiles who dislike Jews support Israel, perhaps because Zionism stresses the uniqueness of Jews, as do anti-Semites (opponents of Jews), and because it opposes the assimilation of Jews into Gentile society. Likewise, anti-Zionists are not necessarily anti-Semites. Some may be pro-Arab out of sincere conviction." (pg.231)

Nationalism=NATION
"Zionism is a nationalist movement similar to Arab nationalism and other Middle Eastern nationalisms we have already studied. It may seem odd to Americans that Jews should call themselves a "nation." We never speak of a Catholic or a Methodist nation in the United States. American Jews do not view themselves as Israelis, nor do Israelis so regard them. Nevertheless, a belief prevails among all Jews-Orthodox, Conservative, Reconstructionist, Reform, and nonobservant--that they do constitute one people and that their collective survival depends on mutual support and cooperation. Even persons of Jewish ancestry who do not practice Judaism--indeed, even those who have converted to another faith--are still apt to be regarded as Jews unless they make strenuous efforts to prove they are not. Most Gentiles realize these facts, at least dimly."

Balfour Declaration
Britan, Balfour Declaration... yadaa, yadda, yadda, simultaneously gave arab support with the Muhammad correspondence letters...

Brittish Mandates (pg.239-240)
"Britain's Palestine policy seemed to go in two opposite directions. In the international arena, on the one hand, it tended to back Zionist aims because of Jewish political pressure on London and, indeed, on the League of Nations, headquartered in Geneva. In Palestine, on the other hand, British officials favored the Arabs, often influenced by concern for Muslim opinion in neighboring countries and in India. Remember that these were general tendencies, not hard-and-fast rules. When the League of Nations awarded the Palestine mandate in July 1922, it specifically charged Britain with carrying out the Balfour Declaration. In other words, Britain had to encourage Jews to migrate to Palestine and to settle there, help create the Jewish "national home," and even set up a "Jewish agency" to assist the British authorities in developing that national home, which none dared to call a "state."
The Palestine mandate could not be the same as the league's mandates for Syria and Iraq, which were to help them develop into independent states (thus requiring that they be given constitutions within a three-year period). In Syria and Iraq, everyone knew that the mandates were supposed to prepare their inhabitants to rule themselves. In Palestine, however, although most of the inhabitants at the time were Arabs, it was the Jewish national home that was to be created. The Palestine mandate called only for "self-governing institutions," with no definite deadline for their creation. The Arabs naturally suspected that the British mandate would hold them in colonial bondage until the Jews achieved a majority in Palestine and could set up their state."

Collaboration efforts with the Mufsti (Hajj Amin al-Husayni) and Britain's first civilian governor in Palestine, Sir Herbert Samuel (a prominent zionist) failed when Western wall civil war erupted over who gets to control holy site. (called the Western Wall Incident)

NAZZIIIISSSSS
"During the 1930s, Jewish-Arab relations worsened. The rise to power of Hitler and his Nazi party in Germany put the Jews in that country--numbering almost a million--in dire peril." pg.242
Arabs were angry because Jews were overflowing, America didn't want to accept the Jews, sent 'em to Palestine, again, arabs even LESS happy.. resistance broke out, British sent out political forms of action with the Peel Commission (inquiry into Arab's complaints) and White Papers (which reduced the number of Jews allowed to enter the Mandate which led to a growth in illegal immigration, and promised Arabs land) hence, further pissing off both Jews (limited their #s and somewhat folded on the Balfour Declaration) and the Arabs (postponing their independence, and STILL allowing some Jews in).

THE U,S, OF A
Well, like good 'ol America does, gets involved clamors supports for zionisim and the Jews, inconsiderate of the Arabs, because they want to make up for Hitler's sins (these are the Jews and Christian-American voters) WITHOUT raising the quota of Jews allowed into the US. So, basically making it up to the JEws without doing anything: dump them on the Arabs. Not helpful.

Civil War in Palestine
Zionist Terrorist organizations didn't help the cause by blowing british buildings up (Irgun Tzvei Le'umi (National Military Organization) and the Stern Gang).
"Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry went to Palestine in 1946 and interviewed both mandate officials and nationalist leaders. It called for a continuation of the mandate, but its most publicized recommendation was to admit 100,000 European Jewish refugees at once and to end all restrictions on Jewish land purchases. The new Labour government in Britain rejected this advice and advocated instead a federated Arab-Jewish Palestine. This satisfied no one, and the fighting worsened. Finally, Britain went before the UN General Assembly in February 1947 and admitted that it could no longer keep the mandate. Its Palestine policy was bankrupt." (pg. 245)