BRITAIN IN PALESTINE
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As the plight of Europe’s Jews caught the world’s attention, Jewish militias in Palestine, aided by illegal terrorist cells, carried out a series of attacks designed to get the British to leave Palestine. No holds were barred as soldiers, policemen and civilians were attacked and buildings blown up with the sole aim of terrorising the British and the Arabs. This Jewish terrorism was a major factor in Britain’s decision finally to wash its hands of the Mandate.
“[The Arabs are] beasts of the desert, not a legitimate people… The Arabs are not a nation but a mole that grew in the wilderness of the eternal desert. They are nothing but murderers.”
– Avraham Stern, founder of the Jewish terrorist group, Lehi
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The Jews were very successful at persuading the rest of the world that they should be allowed in to Palestine. But Jewish attitudes to the British in Palestine ranged from non-violent criticism to murderous extremism. However, the starting point was always the demand that any Jew who wanted to live in Palestine could so so, and that the rights of the Arabs had to be sacrificed to allow Jews to take over Palestine.
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