The Balfour Declaration : the origins of the Arab-Israeli conflict / Jonathan Schneer.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [409]-416) and index.

Postlude as prelude -- Palestine before World War I -- "Ottomanism," "Arabism" and Sharif Hussein -- First steps towards the Arab revolt -- The next steps -- The Hussein-McMahon correspondence -- The Sykes-Picot agreement -- The revolt begins -- Prewar British Jews -- Weizmann's first steps -- The "assimilationists" -- The road forks -- Forging the British-Zionist connection -- Defining the British-Arab connection -- Managing the British-Zionist connection -- Sokolow in France and Italy -- Revelation of the Sykes Picot agreement -- British Muslims, the Anglo-Ottoman society and the disillusioning of Marmaduke Pickthall -- The curious venture of J.R. Pilling -- Henry Morgenthau and the deceiving of Chaim Weizmann -- The man who was "Greenmantle" -- The Zaharoff gambit -- The ascendency of Chaim Weizmann -- Lawrence and the Arabs on the verge -- The declaration at last -- The declaration endangered -- A drawing together of threads.

The Balfour Declaration paints an indelible picture of how Arab nationalists, backed by Britain, fought for their future as Zionists in England battled diplomatically for influence. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to either side or even to most members of the British government, Prime Minister David Lloyd George was telling Turkey that she could keep her flag flying over the disputed territory if only she would agree to a separate peace. --from publisher description.