Contemporary International Issues, Semester 2, 2009
The Arab-Israeli Conflict, Document Test, 25/8/09
Source A: Excerpts from The Gospel of Matthew, Chapters 26 & 27
26:64 Jesus said to him, "You have said it. Nevertheless, I tell you, henceforth you will see the Son of
Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of the sky."
26:65 Then the high priest tore his clothing, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any
more witnesses? Behold, now you have heard his blasphemy.
26:66 What do you think?" They answered, "He is worthy of death!"
26:67 Then they spit in his face and beat him with their fists, and some slapped him,
26:68 saying, "Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who hit you?"
… 27:21 But the governor answered them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They
said, "Barabbas!"
27:22 Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do to Jesus, who is called Christ?" They all said to him, "Let
him be crucified!"
27:23 But the governor said, "Why? What evil has he done?" But they cried out exceedingly, saying, "Let
him be crucified!"
27:24 So when Pilate saw that nothing was being gained, but rather that a disturbance was starting, he
took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this
righteous person. You see to it."
27:25 All the people answered, "May his blood be on us, and on our children!"
27:26 Then he released to them Barabbas, but Jesus he flogged and delivered to be crucified.
Source B – from the Hussein-McMahon Correspondence, 1915-1916.
From Sharif Hussein, 14 July 1915
...Firstly.- England will acknowledge the independence of the Arab countries, bounded on the north by
Mersina and Adana up to the 37th degree of latitude, on which degree fall Birijik, Urfa, Mardin, Midiat,
Jezirat (Ibn 'Umar), Amadia, up to the border of Persia; on the east by the borders of Persia up to the Gulf
of Basra; on the south by the Indian Ocean, with the exception of the position of Aden to remain as it is;
on the west by the Red Sea, the Mediterranean Sea up to Mersina. England to approve the proclamation
of an Arab Khalifate of Islam...
From Sir Henry McMahon, 24 October 1915
...The two districts of Mersina and Alexandretta and portions of Syria lying to the west of the districts of
Damascus, Homs, Hama and Aleppo cannot be said to be purely Arab, and should be excluded from the
limits demanded.
With the above modification, and without prejudice of our existing treaties with Arab chiefs, we accept
those limits…
1. Subject to the above modifications, Great Britain is prepared to recognize and support the
independence of the Arabs in all the regions within the limits demanded by the Sherif of Mecca.
2. Great Britain will guarantee the Holy Places against all external aggression and will recognise their
inviolability...
Source C - The Balfour Declaration, November 2nd, 1917
Dear Lord Rothschild,
I have much pleasure in conveying to you, on behalf of His Majesty's Government, the following
declaration of sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations which has been submitted to, and approved by,
the Cabinet.
"His Majesty's Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the
Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being
clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing
non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other
country."
I should be grateful if you would bring this declaration to the knowledge of the Zionist Federation.
Yours sincerely,
Arthur James Balfour
Source D: Chaim Weizmann on the reasons why the British made the Balfour Declaration
Source E: Jewish Immigration to Palestine (1920 – 1945)
Source F – from The British White Paper of 1939
7. In the recent discussions the Arab delegations have repeated the contention that Palestine was
included within the area in which Sir Henry McMahon, on behalf of the British Government, in October,
1915, undertook to recognise and support Arab independence. The validity of this claim, based on the
terms of the correspondence which passed between Sir Henry McMahon and the Sharif of Mecca, was
thoroughly and carefully investigated by British and Arab representatives during the recent conferences in
London. Their Report, which has been published, states that both the Arab and the British
representatives endeavoured to understand the point of view of the other party but that they were unable
to reach agreement upon an interpretation of the correspondence. There is no need to summarise here
the arguments presented by each side. His Majesty's Government regret the misunderstandings which
have arisen as regards some of the phrases used. For their part they can only adhere, for the reasons
given by their representatives in the Report, to the view that the whole of Palestine west of Jordan was
excluded from Sir Henry McMahon's pledge, and they therefore cannot agree that the McMahon
correspondence forms a just basis for the claim that Palestine should be converted into an Arab State.
Source G – Map of the UNSCOP partition plan, 1947
Source H – Maps of Palestine at different points in the 20th century
The Modern Middle East, Semester 2, 2010
Document Test, 25/8/10
Time:
110 minutes
Weight:
25%
Total Marks:
30
Assessment Criteria: Investigation Interpretation -
historical knowledge
Ability to analyse the contents of
documents; ability to synthesise information
from more than one document.
Communication - Clarity of expression etc.
Q1) For the three maps in source J, provide approximate dates and explain what
they represent. (3 marks)
Q2) How does Source A help us understand the religious basis for anti-Semitism?
(3 marks)
Q3) What is Zionism? What were the central arguments for Zionism offered by
Theodor Herzl and others? (3 marks)
Q4) Do you accept the interpretation of the Hussein-McMahon correspondence
(Source B) provided in Source F? (2 marks) (You may find it helpful to refer to the
map in Source G).
Q5) Why, according to Chaim Weizmann (Source D) did the British make the Balfour
Declaration (Source C)? (2 marks)
Q 6) In what ways, if any, are the Hussein-McMahon correspondence, the SykesPicot agreement and the Balfour Declaration, inconsistent with each other? In your
answer draw on your own knowledge and consider Sources B, C, and F. (5 marks)
Q7) What was the cause and consequences of the spike in Jewish immigration to
Palestine in the mid 1930s? (3 marks)
Q8) In what fundamental way did the UNSCOP plan for Palestine (Source G) differ
from the recommendations of the 1939 British White Paper? What explains this
change? (3 marks)
Q9) Given all relevant considerations knowable in 1947, was the partition of
Palestine into an Arab and Jewish state, as per the UNSCOP partition plan (Source
G), the best approach? (6 marks)