The situation in Palestine in the 1930s was marked by growing tensions and violence between Jews and Arabs. The increased immigration of Jews to Palestine, coupled with their efforts to establish a national home, had led to growing Arab nationalist sentiment and resentment towards the British, who were seen as favoring the Jews.
In response to these growing tensions, the British government attempted to find a solution to the conflict in Palestine by implementing the MacDonald White Paper in 1939. The White Paper was a policy statement that aimed to address the escalating tensions between Jews and Arabs in Palestine and to find a solution to the ongoing conflict.
The key provisions of the White Paper included limiting Jewish immigration to Palestine to 75,000 over a five-year period, restricting the purchase of land by Jews, and establishing a unified Palestinian state with Arab majority rule within 10 years. The British hoped that these measures would appease Arab nationalist sentiment and reduce tensions between Jews and Arabs in Palestine.
However, the White Paper was met with opposition from both Jews and Arabs. Jewish groups saw the restrictions on immigration and land purchase as a betrayal of the Balfour Declaration, which had promised support for a Jewish national home in Palestine. The Jewish Agency, which represented the interests of the Jewish community in Palestine, rejected the White Paper and called for increased immigration and land purchase. Arab groups, on the other hand, saw the proposed Jewish immigration quotas as too lenient and demanded complete independence from British rule.
The implementation of the White Paper did not bring an end to the violence in Palestine. In fact, the restrictions on immigration and land purchase only increased tensions and led to increased violence between Jews and Arabs. Jewish underground organizations, such as the Irgun and the Stern Gang, carried out acts of terrorism against British and Arab targets, while Arab nationalist groups, such as the Arab Higher Committee, launched a series of violent uprisings against British rule.
The situation in Palestine became increasingly volatile and was further complicated by the outbreak of World War II, which made it difficult for the British to maintain control over the region. The increasing violence and instability in Palestine led to growing international concern and criticism of British policy in the region.
In conclusion, the British attempted to end the violence in Palestine in 1939 by implementing the MacDonald White Paper. However, the policy was met with opposition from both Jews and Arabs, and the restrictions on immigration and land purchase only increased tensions and led to increased violence. The White Paper failed to bring an end to the conflict in Palestine, and the situation in the region continued to be marked by growing tensions, violence, and instability. The conflict in Palestine remains one of the most complex and controversial issues in the modern world, and its resolution continues to elude efforts to this day