Lawrence of Arabia, Zionism and Palestine - The World War I ...

ZIONISM AND PALESTINE 63
after the next war Britain would expel the Turks and
do for Syria what she had done for Egypt. Syrian
politicians in Cairo had frequently endeavoured to
interest the British Representative in their grievances
and aspirations, but, in deference to French views about
Syria, they had never been received, officially or unofficially
(a refusal which did not always prevent some
of them from resting a while in the Residency garden
and then reporting to their colleagues outside the gates
—and sometimes to the Representative of France—
that they had enjoyed a most encouraging interview).
The next War came. The Arabs of the Hejaz received,
early and unasked, assistance, arms and unconditional
independence. Though British forces crossing the
Sinai and advancing into Palestine met with no active
military co-operation from Arabs (for Lawrence's
Arabs were not from Palestine, and the Turks had broken
up their Arab Regiments to distant fronts); 1 though
the passive resistance of the civil population to the
Turks was worth almost nothing to the advancing
army ; nevertheless, Syrian Arabs of influence had paid
with their lives for their Allied sympathies, when a
score of them was executed at Beirut, and when the
Mufti of Gaza was hanged, together with his son, at
the Jaffa Gate of Jerusalem.* With the British "Liberation"
of their country they found their hopes not
accomplished but extinguished. Throughout history
the conqueror had kept for himself the territory he conquered
(save in those rare instances where he returned
it to the inhabitants); and that Britain should take and
by Rival Powers not believed—and understandably, for which of
them would have acted thus ?
1 Except the 27th Arab Division which distinguished itself in
the first successful defence of Gaza 1917, and which was the last
recruited largely in Palestine.
2 My Arab orderly said : " He was a good man, greatly respected ;
therefore we all assembled to see him hanged."