ABSTRACT
The revolt came with the outbreak of World War I, which itself marked the explosive intersection of Europe’s attempt to consolidate nation-states, begun centuries before, and the Arab Ottoman provinces’ incipient attempts to create nation-states. European involvement in Arab independence struggles came against the backdrop of the developing Egyptian and Syrian nationalist movements. The shariff had been busy gathering recruits for the Arab revolt and trying to get military equipment from the British in Egypt. Arab experience with the Ottomans, and especially the shariff’s sixteen years in Istanbul, gave the Arabs no reason to believe the Turks would suddenly change their policy and allow Arab independence. The Arabs were in the majority and a representative assembly would not have been in Jewish interest yet. Only British support could sustain the extent of immigration required to establish population sufficient to uphold state-hood demands.
