Israel - not one but two anniversaries this week

Today some of us will be aware is the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the State of Israel, 14 May 1948.

This will no doubt arouse mixed feelings amongst us, but we should also be aware of who is perhaps also to blame for a lot of the unrest in that part of the world right now. This week, 19 May is also, coincidentally, the anniversary of the death of Lawrence of Arabia.

Back in 1917, whilst the British Government was promising a homeland for the Jews in Palestine, under the Balfour Declaration, amid a background of recent anti-Semitism in many European countries, L of A was promising the same land tothe Arabs in return for their support against the Ottoman Empire which has dided with germany in W W One.

Look here for the whole messy story, right from the decline of the Ottoman Empire after Suleiman the Great (and the interesting way the Ottomans ensured a formal unchallenged succession), down to their decline, fight with Russia, siding with Germany in WW1 etc etc.

Arabs - https://fooddeserts.org/images/000Islam.htm

Israel - https://fooddeserts.org/images/000Jewish.htm

Turkey - https://fooddeserts.org/images/000GreekTurk.htm

UK - (L of A, see 1935) - https://fooddeserts.org/images/050GreatBrit.htm

O, what a tangled web we weave when first we practise to deceive! - Walter Scott