Jewish Palestine in Arab Federation

[Jackson Lennock]

In 1933(?) Ben Gurion suggested to Musa Alami the idea that a Jewish-majority Palestine be a component of a wider Arab Federation. At this point, Arab Federation typically referred to either Greater Syrian politics or a Hashemite Federation of Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq. The idea Ben Gurion posited was that Jews would be a majority in Palestine, but Arabs would be a majority in the Federation - so both would sort of get what they wanted.

What if this proposal had succeeded? By the late 30s I imagine it would be just three components (Palestine, Transjordan, and Iraq). Both Abdullah and Faisal desired to absorb Syria into their own realms. Abdullah later did various sorts of scheming, such as promising the Druze of Syria and Lebanon a special autonomy, promising some Maronites of Lebanon a special autonomy for Maronites which they would run, etc.

 

[Jackson Lennock]

In 1933(?) Ben Gurion suggested to Musa Alami the idea that a Jewish-majority Palestine be a component of a wider Arab Federation. At this point, Arab Federation typically referred to either Greater Syrian politics or a Hashemite Federation of Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq. The idea Ben Gurion posited was that Jews would be a majority in Palestine, but Arabs would be a majority in the Federation - so both would sort of get what they wanted.

What if this proposal had succeeded? By the late 30s I imagine it would be just three components (Palestine, Transjordan, and Iraq). Both Abdullah and Faisal desired to absorb Syria into their own realms. Abdullah later did various sorts of scheming, such as promising the Druze of Syria and Lebanon a special autonomy, promising some Maronites of Lebanon a special autonomy for Maronites which they would run, etc.

I hope you don't mind some bumping.

One things worth raising is the prospect of an Palestinian equivalent of Lebanese-style National Pact.

In 1934, Ze'ev Jabotinsky wrote a draft constitution which declared that Arabs would be on an equal footing with their Jewish counterparts "throughout all sectors of the country's public life." The two communities would share the state's duties, both military and civil service, and enjoy its prerogatives. Jabotinsky proposed that Hebrew and Arabic enjoy equal status, and that "in every cabinet where the prime minister is a Jew, the vice-premiership shall be offered to an Arab and vice versa."


My guess is that an Arab Federation would initially be composed of Palestine, Transjordan, and Iraq. But lobbying could perhaps secure Kuwait as a member of the Federation as well.



A possible map of the Federation, including maximal territorial claims against Saudi Arabia.

 

[Charles EP M.]

I've got the feeling this works okay up until there's any shakeup of the Federation that sees anyone come to power who wants to beat on the minority group (especially if the average citizen wasn't happy with how the Jewish zone came about). So it all depends on the way the Federation goes in the medium term

 

[Jackson Lennock]

I've got the feeling this works okay up until there's any shakeup of the Federation that sees anyone come to power who wants to beat on the minority group (especially if the average citizen wasn't happy with how the Jewish zone came about). So it all depends on the way the Federation goes in the medium term

True. The lack of a 1948 War or Great Arab Revolt may offput much of the Revolutionary Arab Nationalism of OTL though.

I suspect that this sort of arrangement being formed would depend on the consent of notable Arab families however.