A Chronicle of Compulsory Palestine, Spanning 1920 to 1948
Title: The Jewish Lehi and Irgun Movements' Upheaval in Mandatory Palestine
Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in World War I, Mandatory Palestine was established under British rule as a League of Nations Mandate. Mandatory Palestine encompassed present-day Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. The period from the 1920s through the 1940s witnessed a struggle for power and influence between Jewish and Arab nationalist movements.
Emergence of Jewish Nationalist Movements
Two key Jewish nationalist organizations, Lehi (Fighters for the Freedom of Israel) and Irgun (National Military Organization), emerged during this tumultuous era. Lehi was started in 1940 by Avraham Stern, and its members left the Haganah, the main Jewish defense force, due to their belief in more radical methods to expel British forces from Palestine. Lehi was responsible for several high-profile assassinations, such as that of Lord Moyne, British Minister of State for the Middle East, in 1944.
Irgun, founded in 1931, was originally part of the Revisionist Zionist movement. It grew prominent under Menachem Begin's leadership from 1943 onwards. Irgun used various tactics against British targets, most infamously the 1946 King David Hotel bombing, which resulted in the deaths of 91 people.
Arab Nationalist Movements
Simultaneously, Arab nationalist sentiments grew stronger in Palestine, with the Arab Higher Committee (AHC) emerging as a significant force. The AHC was a coalition of Palestinian Arab leaders who opposed the increasing Jewish presence and British rule. The AHC advocated for Arab independence and resisted British rule, contributing to the Arab Revolt of 1936-1939.
The Impact on Palestine
These movements played a crucial role in escalating the conflict between Jewish and Arab communities in Palestine. The Jewish insurgency weakened British control, while Arab nationalist resistance sought to maintain Arab dominance in the region. The escalating violence culminated in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, following the UN's partition plan and the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. This led to significant demographic changes, with hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fleeing or being displaced from their homes during the war.
Tensions persisted following the establishment of Israel, eventually leading to ongoing disputes and conflicts in the region. Today, these historical events continue to shape the complex political landscape of the Middle East.
- The influx of Jewish nationalist movements like Lehi and Irgun, along with the rise of Arab nationalist sentiments, significantly impacted the political landscape of Mandatory Palestine, escalating tensions between Jewish and Arab communities in the region.
- The emergence of Jewish Lehi and Irgun movements, fueled by general-news of the increasing Jewish presence and British rule, played a pivotal role in the struggle for power, ultimately culminating in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
