The Arab Invasion

The story of the Syrian invasion into Galilee which was repulsed by Israeli forces commander by Moshe Dayan, his biography is given.  The story of the Egyptian invasion along the coast which reached to within thirty kilometres of Tel Avia before it was halted.  The reason why Stalin and the Soviet Union support the creation of the state of Israel and vital the supply of arms from Communist Czechoslovakia was to the survival of Israel.

To be published on Saturday 3rd October

The Arab Armies

A review of the Arab armies that would invade Israel in May 1948.  With the expect for Jordan, the armies of Egypt, Syria and Lebanon were in no way prepared for a modern conversational war in Palestine, there more like national constabularies designed to combat civilian riots and internal revolts.  The Arab Legion of Jordan was indeed a modern professional army, a biography of Glubb Pasha the British commander of the Arab Legion.  In the coming war the Israeli Army was not outnumbered by the Arab armies they would face.

To be published on Saturday 26th September.

Civil War in Palestine

In the early months of 1948 before the end of British Mandate in Palestine despite the presence of a hundred thousand British troops, Palestine was torn apart by inter communal fighting between Jews and Arabs.  Jewish military forces captured several Cites such as Haifa, Jaffa and Acre, Arab refugees flee Palestine the vast majority were never able to return.  A biography of king Abdullah of Jordan, his war aims would be different from the other Arab states, he did not want an independent Palestine state but Jordan annexing the West Bank instead.

The British mandate

In this first episode of a ten part series on the First Arab – Israeli War, I will deal with the British mandate in Palestine, starting with the British occupation in 1917, the British Government promise to create a Jewish state made during the First World War, the increased level of Jewish immigration into Palestine, the Arab revolt (1936 to 1939), the troubled history of Palestine after the Second World War.  The decision by the United Nations to create two states in Palestine, a Jewish and Arab state.  A biography of Jewish leader David Ben Gurion.

Starting from Saturday 12th September, I will be beginning a ten part series on the First Arab – Israeli War (1948 – 1949).  This will focus on the military history of the war rather the moral rights or wrongs of the Middle East conflict.  The series will begin will the start of the British occupation of Palestine in 1917, take in the Arab Revolt (1936-1939), the troubled history of Palestine after the Second World War.  The decision of the United Nations to divide Palestine into two states.  The Civil War which engulfed Palestine in the early months of 1948.  The declaration of the state of Israel, the Arab invasion of Israel and the course of the war.  I shall also discuss the outcome of the war, and finish with the overthrown of King Fakour of Egypt.

Kenya and Madagascar

To start season five which deals with the Cold War in the Middle East and Africa between 1945 and 1965, which will be published weekly for the next eight months..  This episode deals with the Madagascan uprising against French Colonial rule and the Mau Mau revolt in Kenya against the British. There is a biography of General Erskine the commander of the British Army in Kenya.

To be published on Saturday 5th September.