The British Mandate

   The British Mandate is the time when Britten had control over Israel.  After the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire at the end of the First World War, Israel- then called Palestine- became a mandate of the British Empire. The Ottomans were defeated in  World War I, and the British took control over Palestine. The British made life better for the Jews and Arabs in Palestine. They improved water and food supply, they fought diseases, and improved communications.

    Britain's job was to implement the Balfour Decleration,  which had been signed by five years earlier, stating Britain's desire to create a homeland in Palestine for the Jews. The British government had, however, made conflicting promises to both the Jews and Arabs promising each other their own autonomous area.

    During the years of the mandate, which lasted from 1922 till 1948 the Jewish population grew. Over 300,000 Jews immigrated to Israel at this time and estimated that another 50,000 immigrated illegally. As anti-Semitism and persecution in Europe began to increase so did the number of immigrants to Israel. 

   Great progress was made in Israel the Jewish economy was growing, as were other aspects of Jewish life. After World War II,  Palestine was divided into an Arab states and a Jewish state, with Jerusalem under international control. This led to Briten ending its mandate and Israel declaring independence in May 1948.