Palestine, until the end of World War I, was a territory ruled by the Ottoman Turks. However, during the war a public statement from British Secretary Arthur Balfour, which had helped to side the world’s Jewish population against the Axis powers, directed that Palestine should become a Jewish state. After WWI, Palestine was taken over by Britain and Jewish migration increased to the area. The Arabs who were living there believed that the land had been promised to them for helping the Allies defeat the Turks. Britain claimed this promise was never made.

Still, for many years after the war, Jewish and Arab communities lived peacefully as neighbors. But for hundreds of years the Jewish people, from most of the world, were still being looked down upon. During World War II the Nazi’s murdered six million of them trying to eliminate them.

In 1948, because of the Holocaust, the United Nations claimed much of Palestine for Israel and evicted much of the Arab population for Jewish settlement. Apparently, it is happening again and proves that much of international relations act as two-edged swords that can either save or destroy.

With any race or religion, broken promises are simply wrong. Practicing good karma will award itself.

Steven Birt

Groton