In the wake of the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, it has often been alleged, King Abdullah I of Jordan and the Zionist movements colluded to partition Mandate Palestine between them, while Great Britain, the retreating imperial power, gave them tacit approval to do so. Here, Tancred Bradshaw challenges these allegations, looking at the complex and often strained relations between the emerging states of Jordan, Israel and the at first hegemonic, and then crumbling, British Empire. Using a wide range of primary sources which have previously been largely ignored, 'Britain and Jordan' offers an essential re-examination of the relationships which were to shape the Middle East as it is today. It thus contains vital analysis for anyone involved in the study of the Middle East, its politics and history, as well as the demise of Britain's empire in the region.
Tancred Bradshaw received his PhD from the School of Oriental and African Studies, and has since taught at Birkbeck College, University of London, City University and Florida State University.
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Abdullah's Accession to Power: War-time Diplomacy and Establishment of the Mandatory
Regime in Palestine and Transjordan
Chapter 3: Abdullah and the Special Relationship: The Origins of Hashemite-Zionist Relations
Chapter 4: Diplomacy during the Arab Revolt: The British, Abdullah and the Jewish Agency
Chapter 5: The Complexity of Decolonialisation: The End of the Mandate, 1944-47
Chapter 6: The Imagery of Collusion: From Mandate to Statehood, 1948-51
Chapter 7: Conclusion