Britain Created Jordan with a Handshake

Britain Created Jordan with a Single Agreement

On March 3, 1921, Winston Churchill, then Britain's Colonial Secretary, met with Abdullah bin Hussein, a Hashemite leader, in Jerusalem. This meeting marked the beginning of a new era for the region, one that would ultimately lead to the creation of modern-day Jordan. Abdullah bin Hussein's presence in Transjordan was a direct result of his failed attempt to establish a Hashemite government in Damascus.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that the creation of Jordan was a long and complex process involving multiple parties and agreements. The standard story goes that Jordan emerged from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, with the British playing a minor role in its establishment. However, this narrative oversimplifies the actual events that led to the founding of the country. In reality, the British government played a crucial role in shaping the region's future, and their involvement was more direct than commonly acknowledged.

What History Actually Shows

Historians like Mary Wilson and Eugene Rogan have extensively documented the British colonization of Transjordan, highlighting the key events and figures that contributed to the creation of Jordan. On May 8, 1920, the San Remo Conference took place, where the Allied Powers decided to divide the Middle East into separate territories under British and French control. By 1921, the British government had already begun to exert its influence over the region, with Churchill meeting Abdullah bin Hussein to discuss the possibility of a Hashemite-led government in Transjordan. The British government's decision to recognize Abdullah as the Emir of Transjordan on March 3, 1921, was a pivotal moment in the country's history, as it marked the beginning of a new era of British control over the region. According to historian Charles Tripp, the British government's support for Abdullah was largely driven by their desire to maintain stability in the region and prevent the spread of Arab nationalism. By 1928, the British government had signed the Anglo-Transjordanian Treaty, which formally established Jordan as a British mandate territory, with Abdullah as its ruler. As historian Betty Anderson notes, the treaty marked the culmination of years of British efforts to shape the region's politics and secure their interests in the Middle East. The British government's actions during this period were guided by a desire to maintain their control over the region and secure their access to the Suez Canal, a vital trade route that connected Europe to Asia.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians like George Antonius and Albert Hourani made conscious decisions to focus on the broader Arab nationalist movement, overshadowing the specific details of the British colonization of Transjordan. The British government, through its Foreign Office, actively worked to downplay the significance of the agreements made with Emir Abdullah, choosing instead to emphasize the more general terms of the Sykes-Picot Agreement. As a result, the story of how Jordan was created with a handshake between Emir Abdullah and British diplomat Herbert Samuel was relegated to footnotes and obscure academic papers. One concrete reason for this oversight is that many of the key documents related to the creation of Jordan were not declassified until the 1970s, by which time the narrative of the region's history had already been established. Scholars such as Mary Wilson and Philip Robins have since worked to uncover the details of this period, but their efforts have often been overlooked by the general public.

The Ripple Effect

The creation of Jordan as a British mandate territory had a direct impact on the demographics of the region, as thousands of Palestinians were forced to flee their homes during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and seek refuge in Jordan. This influx of refugees put a significant strain on Jordan's resources and infrastructure, leading to ongoing social and economic challenges. One specific modern consequence of this event is the ongoing presence of Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan, such as the Baqa'a camp, which was established in 1968 and is still home to over 100,000 people today. The camp's existence is a direct result of the British decision to create Jordan as a separate entity, which contributed to the displacement of Palestinians during the subsequent wars.

The Line That Says It All

The British government's decision to recognize Emir Abdullah as the ruler of Transjordan was formally codified in the 1928 Anglo-Transjordanian Agreement, which remains the basis for Jordan's claim to sovereignty to this day.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to the British colonization of Transjordan and the creation of modern Jordan.