Legacy of Empire: Britain's Support of Zionism and The Creation of Israel: Britain, Zionism and the Creation of Israel Paperback – 25 Jan. 2022

Well researched and written with an Orwellian clarity the author lays bare the origins of the continuing Arab/Israeli antagonism and Britain's shameful part in it following the 1917 Balfour Declaration, subsequently incorporated into the 1922 League of Nations Mandate. The author convincingly argues that Britain's stance was not inevitable before 1922; after 1922 what followed the mandate on the ground in Palestine was inevitable.I bought the Kindle version and subsequently the hardback version, which I completed the day after President Trump's latest (and inevitably unsuccessful) "agreement" to bring peace to Palestine was announced in Washington with only one side of the warring factions involved. I have no solutions to this problem but do believe that Israel's claim on Palestine based upon an interpretation of either the Hebrew scriptures or Christian Bible is mistaken: political Israel forfeited their right to that physical land after AD70 following their earlier rejection of their Messiah.

"Legacy of Empire" is a lucid and scholarly examination of the forces and motivations which produced the modern state of Israel.Allocation of responsibility is clearly made, and supported by a wealth of evidence. The book's title indicates where much of this responsibility apparently lies. Zionism is shown to be of less importance than many might assume.

I bought this book because I felt I did not know enough about Palestine and the creation of Israel and I recommend it to anyone who feels the same. I found it clear and fair to both the Jewish and the Palestinian Arab sides of the story. Gardner Thompson has an engaging straightforward style and I did not want to put this book down even though, for a British person, it made uncomfortable reading.Celia Catchpole

A thorough review on the origins of Zionism and birth of the Israeli state. It seems to be well researched and makes a relentless argument with often little known facts. For instance I didn't know that orthodox Jews at the time of Herzl were opposed to Zionism and derided it as a fantasy. It also makes the case that Lloyd George rather than Balfour, was the true midwife of the Israeli state. A great read.

Here is a book which explains very clearly and simply the politics and reasoning behind the 1917 Balfour Declaration and the reasons for British involvement in the creation of the state of Israel. It is a book that every British politician should have read before sounding off in public. Author Gardner Thompson is also a history teacher. He knows what he is talking about and what it is that we need to know. It is a cool take on a hugely controversial subject in an attractively readable style.

This is a really excellent and readable book - even for someone who normally read novels! I bought it because I wanted to understand the Arab/Israeli conflict better and was conscious how little I knew if the historical background. The clear and balanced narrative has really helped. It was shocking to learn of the disastrous, long-term influence of a few charismatic individuals.

A well written and very thorough book, but to paraphrase the book itself, being thorough and being objective are not always reconcilable.To summarise the book, Balfour Declaration was a bad thing, with irreconcilable promises. The Zionists were single minded about colonizing Palestine and found a major State (United Kingdom) to support that, either because of anti-Semitism (an alternative to the Jews coming here) or because of a romanticized Christian view of Jews returning to the Holy Land. The Palestinians were consistent in opposition and clearly victims.Almost not mentioned are the concurrent British problems in Northern Ireland, in India, in Rhodesia, Egypt and many other places, all failures and all involving some ignominious retreat, and great loss of life.In 1917 irreconcilable promises were also made to the Hashemites (1,000 year old rulers of Mecca and Medina) and the country promptly turned over to a brutal warlord, Ibn Saud, who had no claim. The Hashemites were fobbed off with Syria and Iraq, lost both and ended with the rump of the British Mandate in the newly created Jordan. We are still paying the price.In India, Britain left and the country became divided (Between Hindu and Muslim) with enormous loss of life, also in 1948. The same pattern everywhere, we are still paying the price, with violence on our streets.We meddled in Iraq, then and now and we are paying the price.In all of this, as the book makes clear, the Zionists were single minded.The result is a grotesque injustice to the Palestinians, however, in answer to the 2020 Trump plan, Israeli Arabs were very vociferous in claiming they were Israelis and had no desire to be subsumed into Palestine.With hindsight, for British failures throughout the World, the Israel/Palestine mistakes, have caused the least loss of life. The Arab countries, most of whom had independence long before 1948, have not progressed as they hoped in technology, wealth creation, just societies, or hope for their citizens.Laying the blame at the Balfour Declaration of 1917 and the Zionist exploitation of the opportunity does not explain the gulf between the poverty stricken yet resource rich Arab countries and the high European level GDP but resource absent Israel.In the current situation, turning back the clock will right no wrongs, but accepting some accommodation with Israel could. The Israeli Arabs have done remarkably well in the 2020 elections.This book is not objective and will help perpetuate Britain’s century of abject failures.

This is a book for those of us who need basic understanding of the sequence of events, the decisions and the personalities that created the Jewish state. Thompson writes for the average reader. Book starts with the Zionist Basel conference of 1897 and works its way to 1948 in a clear, concise and sequential manner. Easy to read and documented at every step with direct quotes from the "players." This is a reference book for the ages. Bravo!

The book arived in perfect shape. Lots of facts to go through but a great book to help you peace history together. I found it very useful as I have been studying issues pertaining to the so called last days or end of the world.It helps dispell a lot of the rubbish coming out of the evangelical church concerning Isreal. How it because a country once again and what were the economic and political reasons behind it.

The author gives a detailed analysis of Britain's role in Palestine and a deep understanding of Zionism resulting in the creation of the state of Israel and its effects on the Palestinian people. Gave me a better understanding of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

Both readable and thorough, this book describes the history of the Middle East, from the late 19th century until the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. Sympathetic to both Jews and Arabs throughout, the book describes the total failure of the British to manage Palestine from the Balfour Declaration of 1917 onwards, leading directly to the current problems faced by Israelis and Palestinians.The book is thoughtful and insightful throughout, for example the author's comparison of Palestine with the two state solution adopted by the British in 1921 regarding Ireland. There is much to be learnt and pondered in this authoritative book.