Tags - abbas

The most important problem that torments the Middle East is the problem of Palestine that is age old (1). The areas of Palestine formed part of Ottoman Empire. The land of Palestine was inhabited by mostly Palestinian Arabs. In 1850, these consisted of approximately 400,000 Muslims, 75,000 Christians, and 25,000 Jews. For centuries, these groups had lived in harmony: 80 percent Muslim, 15 percent Christian, 5 percent Jewish. The influx of Jews into the areas and colonization by the Jews has resulted in bitterness among Arabs and this continues. After the fall of the Ottoman Empire as a consequence of World War I, these areas came under British control. On Nov 12, 1917, British issued the Balfour Declaration, viewed by Jews and Arabs as promising a “National Home” for the Jews in Palestine. There was great unrest in the land and Arab Revolt was led by Haj Amin Al-Husseini during 1936-1939. Over 5,000 Arabs were killed according to some sources, mostly by British. Several hundred Jews were killed by Arabs. Husseini fled to Iraq and then to Nazi Germany (2). World War II saw large scale migration of Jews in to these areas.

continue reading "Blinking Hope for the Palestine Problem"