First published in 1978, Palestine: A Modern History traces the history of Palestine from the late nineteenth century to the outbreak of World War II. It examines the Palestinian Arab response to Jewish immigration and Zionist expansion in Palestine. From the outset the Palestinian Arabs viewed all Zionist activity in the country as foreign invasion and strongly resisted it. However, in 1917 the British occupation of Palestine entirely altered the political environment and the Palestinian response had to change accordingly.
Based on both British and Arab primary sources this book develops a number of interesting arguments about the history of Mandate Palestine. It demonstrates the high level of political consciousness amongst the Palestinian Arabs and it shows the importance of social stratification in the nationalist movement. It also makes clear the incompatibility of the declared aims of British Policy with its implementation in Palestine. In this regard the book explores the important conflicts between the local mandatory authorities and the imperial policies adopted by the British government in London. This is an important historical reference work for scholars and researchers of Palestine studies, Middle East politics, peace and conflict resolution, and international relations.