Britain and Its Mandate over Palestine: Legal Chicanery on a World Stage

Britain had no territorial rights to govern Palestine and had a unilateral mandate from the League of Nations. It distorted historical facts to make it appear lawful in 1947.

Format: Hardback
Length: 220 pages
Publication date: 13 September 2022
Publisher: Anthem Press

The assumption that Britain was lawfully in control of Palestine has guided the analysis of its role in the region. While opinions among analysts vary regarding the propriety of Britain's actions, there is consensus that it had a legitimate mandate, derived from the League of Nations, and that the international community advocated for Jewish territorial rights in Palestine. However, this widely accepted analysis is erroneous. Britain did not possess territorial rights to govern Palestine. It was present in the region solely through the force of arms. The mandate it held over Palestine was initiated unilaterally and was not granted by the League of Nations. The League of Nations had no jurisdiction over Palestine and lacked the authority to confer any rights upon Britain. The document that Britain drafted for the governance of Palestine was never approved by the League of Nations. When Britain sought to explain its legal status in Palestine to the United Nations in 1947, it resorted to distorting historical facts to present itself as having been lawfully present in Palestine.

The British Mandate for Palestine, which began in 1922 and ended in 1948, was a period of colonial rule that saw the establishment of a Jewish state in the region. The mandate was established in response to the Balfour Declaration, which promised British support for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. The mandate was controversial, with some arguing that it was an illegal occupation and others defending it as a necessary step towards achieving a peaceful resolution to the Jewish-Arab conflict.

Under the British Mandate, the British government established a series of laws and regulations that governed the lives of the Palestinian population. These laws included the Land Transfer Ordinance, which allowed the British government to confiscate Palestinian land and transfer it to Jewish settlers, and the Emergency Regulations, which allowed the British government to suspend civil liberties and impose martial law in response to unrest.

The British Mandate also saw the establishment of a Jewish National Home in the Galilee region, which was intended to provide a safe haven for Jewish immigrants fleeing persecution in Europe. However, the establishment of the Jewish National Home led to the displacement of thousands of Palestinian Arabs, who were forced from their land and homes.

The British Mandate also saw the rise of Zionism, a political movement that sought to establish a Jewish state in Palestine. Zionism was supported by the British government, which provided financial and political support for the movement. The British government also allowed Jewish immigrants to settle in Palestine, which led to the growth of the Jewish population in the region.

The end of the British Mandate in 1948 marked the beginning of a period of Israeli-Palestinian conflict that has lasted to this day. The conflict has been characterized by violence, instability, and political deadlock, with both sides seeking to establish their claims to the land and resources of the region.

In conclusion, the British Mandate for Palestine was a period of colonial rule that saw the establishment of a Jewish state in the region and the displacement of thousands of Palestinian Arabs. The mandate was controversial, with some arguing that it was an illegal occupation and others defending it as a necessary step towards achieving a peaceful resolution to the Jewish-Arab conflict. The legacy of the British Mandate continues to be a source of tension and conflict in the region, with both sides.

Weight: 486g
Dimension: 159 x 236 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781839984631