Gulf Futures

The Rabid Dog of the West Unleashed

By: Hichem Karoui

Historical records and archival evidence provide substantial insights into the involvement of former colonial powers in Israel’s conflicts with Arab and Islamic nations. These records highlight the complex interplay of colonial legacies, geopolitical interests, and regional dynamics that have shaped the Arab-Israeli conflict. The following sections explore these aspects in detail, drawing on the provided research papers.

Colonial Legacies and the Partition of Palestine

British colonial policies significantly influenced the partition of Palestine and the subsequent establishment of Israel during the Mandate period. The British facilitated Jewish immigration and land purchases, which laid the groundwork for future conflicts(Bickerton & Klausner, 1991).
The collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the subsequent division of its territories by Britain and France created new colonial states, sowing the seeds for future conflicts in the Middle East(Provence, 2017).

Zionist Diplomacy and Colonial Powers

Zionist diplomacy during the early 20th century involved negotiations with colonial powers to secure support for the establishment of a Jewish state. This included leveraging relationships with British officials to gain favorable terms in the Balfour Declaration and subsequent Mandate policies(Peretz, 2000).
The involvement of colonial powers is further evidenced by their strategic interests in the region, often aligning with Zionist objectives to maintain influence over the newly formed states(Peretz, 2000).

Post-Colonial Influence and Regional Conflicts

The legacy of colonialism continued to influence regional dynamics post-independence. Former colonial powers, particularly Britain and France, were involved in the Suez Crisis of 1956, aligning with Israel against Egypt to protect their interests in the Suez Canal(Bickerton & Klausner, 1991).
The geopolitical interests of these powers often exacerbated tensions, as they sought to maintain influence in the region through military and diplomatic means(Masalha, 2000).

Therefore, it becomes obvious that Israel fights not only on its own, to impose its Zionist project on the entire Arab and Islamic region, but also and especially on behalf of all the former colonial powers, starting with Britain and France, which came out of their conflict with Arabs and Muslims, and ending with the United States, which built itself as a superpower on the skulls of Native Americans and slaves brought from Africa.

 References

Ian, J., Bickerton., Carla, L., Klausner. (1991). A Concise History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict.

Michael, Provence. (2017). The Last Ottoman Generation and the Making of the Modern Middle East.

Don, Peretz. (2000). Righteous Victims: A History of the Zionist-Arab Conflict, 1880-1999. Middle East Journal.

Nur, Masalha. (2000). Imperial Israel and the Palestinians: The Politics of Expansion.