Balfour: Seeds of Discord – The letter that led to the founding of Israel | Al-Jazeera documentary
Key Points
The Sykes-Picot Agreement divided the Arab lands of the Ottoman Empire between France and Britain, with Palestine being put under International Administration.
Zionism, the movement supporting the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, was not discussed in the agreement.
The British government initially did not support Zionism, but later saw it as a possible partner in justifying renegotiations of their agreement with France.
Kim vitman, a Russian-born chemist and prominent Zionist, became a key figure in the British government’s decision to support Zionism.
Vitman convinced leading British figures that the Jewish community was a vast subterranean influence and that offering them Palestine would win their support for the war effort.
The British government’s support for Zionism was motivated by a desire to win the war and secure their empire, rather than a genuine interest in the ideals of Zionism.
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