To really understand the present day situation in what was once rather loosely called “Palestine” a sort of starting point might be the Balfour Declaration of 1917. And one needs to bear in mind that Declaration was made in wartime when the Government was under many pressures , and the Middle East itself was a tricky area with the collapse of the old Ottoman Empire and the Turkish Army being trained by German instructors. For more details Wikipedia is a good source of information at “Balfour Declaration“
Foreign Office
November 2nd, 1917
Dear Lord Rothschild,
I have much pleasure in conveying to you, on behalf of His Majesty’s Government, the following declaration of sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations which has been submitted to, and approved by, the Cabinet.
“His Majesty’s Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rites of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country”.
I should be grateful if you would bring this declaration to the knowledge of the Zionist Federation.
Yours
Arthur Balfour
