A RHETORICAL HISTORY OF THE BRITISH CONSTITUTION OF ISRAEL, 1917-1948 by BENJAMIN ROSWELL BATES (Under the Direction of Celeste Condit) ABSTRACT The Arab-Israeli conflict has long been presented as eternal and irresolvable. A rhetorical history argues that the standard narrative can be challenged by considering it a series of rhetorical problems. These rhetorical problems can be reconstructed by drawing on primary sources as well as publicly presented texts. A methodology for doing rhetorical history that draws on Michael Calvin McGee's fragmentation thesis is offered. Four theoretical concepts (the archive, institutional intent, peripheral text, and center text) are articulated. British Colonial Office archives, London Times coverage, and British Parliamentary debates are used to interpret four publicly presented rhetorical acts. In 1915-7, Britain issued the Balfour Declaration and the McMahon-Hussein correspondence. Although these documents are treated as promises in the standard narrative, they are ambiguous declarations. As ambiguous documents, these texts offer opportunities for constitutive readings as well as limiting interpretations. In 1922, the Mandate for Palestine was issued to correct this vagueness. Rather than treating the Mandate as a response to the debate between realist foreign policy and self-determination, Winston Churchill used epideictic rhetoric to foreclose a policy discussion in favor of a vote on Britain's honour. As such, the Mandate did not account for Wilsonian drives in the post-War international sphere. After Arab riots and boycotts highlighted this problem, a commission was appointed to investigate new policy approaches. In the White Paper of 1939, a rhetoric of investigation limited Britain's consideration of possible policies. By extending investigation to the limits of kairos, advocates of partition formulated policy without discussing other potential solutions. At the expiration of the White Paper, Britain withdrew from Palestine. As such, in 1947, the United Nations issued Resolution 181 to divide Palestine into two states. United Nations action was possible only because Britain articulated a rhetoric of failure and an end to Empire. None of these four policies was a panacea; each may have enhanced the problem of Palestine. In the conclusion, lessons from Britain's experience are applied to the current American approach to Palestine. Centering George W. Bush's Rose Garden Speech, and drawing on the Mitchell Commission Report and the Tenet Plan, indicates that consideration of ambiguity, epideictic rhetoric, rhetorics of investigation, and rhetorics of failure should be made when evaluating peace proposals. INDEX WORDS: Rhetorical history, Palestine, British Empire, Middle East, Late colonial period, Interwar decolonization. A RHETORICAL HISTORY OF THE BRITISH CONSTITUTION OF ISRAEL, 1917-1948 by BENJAMIN ROSWELL BATES B.A., The University of Richmond, 1998 M.A., The University of Georgia, 2000 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY ATHENS, GEORGIA 2003 © 2003 Benjamin Roswell Bates All Rights Reserved A RHETORICAL HISTORY OF THE BRITISH CONSTITUTION OF ISRAEL, 1917-1948 by BENJAMIN ROSWELL BATES Major Professor: Celeste Condit Committee: Thomas Lessl John Murphy Kevin DeLuca Loch Johnson Electronic Version Approved: Maureen Grasso Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia May 2003 iv DEDICATION Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it – Psalm 34:14 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God. – Matthew 5:9 If they should incline to peace, you shall also incline to it, and put your trust in God. – al-Anfal 8:61 To those who have lived and died for peace. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A Rhetorical History Of The British Constitution Of Israel, 1917-1948 officially began at the University of Georgia library on May 17, 2001. That day, I removed my first cubic foot of books from the shelf labeled DS 101 and began reading. The dissertation was formally proposed in September 2002 in Terrell Hall, Room 117. More reading followed. Drafts of the project were turned in, turned around, and turned back. The proje ct ends (for now) on March 27, 2003 in Terrell Hall, Room 116. These are the dates for the formal course of this project. The informal course of the project has been much longer. I have been interested in the events of the modern Middle East since at least fifth grade. This project began in a social studies class. The assignment was simple: write an essay about an issue in the news that is five paragraphs in length and uses three sources. One could say that the first draft of this dissertation was based on an article in Time, an editorial in Newsweek , and a fragment from the Portland Press Herald. From fifth grade to twenty-first grade (as the third year of the Ph.D. should be called), I have believed two things. First, the Israeli/Palestinian conflict can be resolved. Second, I can contribute toward that resolution. In these 16 years, I hope that the arguments in support of these beliefs have matured more than I have. Over these 16 years, many people have contributed to the development of this project. Some contributions have been direct, others, less so. The encouragement, conversation, criticism, and support (material and otherwise) offered by some have been particularly valuable. Naturally, I thank my doctoral committee. Celeste Condit has served as a model for the academic ideal: invested in research, teaching, and mentorship to construct a more just world for all humankind. She has emphasized the importance of productive distractions and of reading trashy science fiction, both equally important to maintaining balance in the completion of a long project. If I can achieve half the excellence in half the endeavors that she has, I will consider myself a vi success. For five years, Thomas Lessl has been a close reader, a fair critic, and a fellow lover of the archive. Kevin DeLuca has always asked, "What's the point?" at the most opportune times (and occasionally supplied an answer as well). Bonnie Dow lent me books and ideas early on and recognized the imperative of Kenny Rogers' famous lyrics nearer the end. John Murphy has twice intervened to ensure that this degree could be completed – once to allow me to attain the required number of SPCM credits and once to ensure that my doctoral committee would have five members. Loch Johnson has always urged practical solutions in the analysis of international policy. As he puts it, "any ornery mule can kick down a barn; building one is harder." With the advice of these six women and men, perhaps a more stable barn has been built. I have also received support form the University in this project. The Graduate School has been decent enough to offer me a Dissertation Completion Fellowship, a funding structure that has allowed me to concentrate on writing in this final year. Virginia Feher, of the UGA Interlibrary Loan Department, was instrumental in saving me a regular commute to Emory University by calling in some 50 rolls of microfilm to Georgia so I could read them here. Eric Nitschke, of the Emory Government Documents Department, ensured that the correct reels would arrive. I would also like to thank those who guided me to rhetorical studies. I once wanted to be (believe it or not) a lawyer. I was helpfully derailed from this goal by influences early in my academic career. Jane Laughlin, my debate coach at Scarborough (Maine) High School, provided me with my initial entry into the world that would become rhetorical studies. Sheila Carapico, of the Middle East Research Institute and the University of Richmond, was instrumental in blending my interests in the Middle East with my desire for social justice. Sara Cornett and Lisa Heller furthered my conversion at Richmond, and David Thomas and Scott Johnson completed this necessary task. By a confluence of class schedules and a genuine love for communication studies, they convinced me to continue on to graduate school. vii There are also many former, present, and future graduate (or law or medicine) students, at Georgia and elsewhere, who have been of vital assistance. The reasons are many and varied; each likely know s how she or he has helped me remain (mostly) sane. They include (and in no order of importance): Tonya Couch, Nneka Ofulue , Kristy Maddux, Kristan Poirot, Michelle Hucher, Ken Rufo, Windy Lawrence, Patrick Oliver, Hollis Marshall West, Kelly Dorgan, Ryan Galloway, Michael Davis, Tasha Dubriwny, John Lynch, Ilon Lauer, Christina Morus, Patricia Kelley, Davi Johnson, Jen Bevan, Amy Carskadon, Michael Geiser, and Kristin Brown. Last, but certainly not least, has been my family. My father, mother, and brother have encouraged me to seek truth, act justly, and love humanity's potential. I have not always done so. With their help in the future, I hope to be able to say that I have. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.....................................................................................................v CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................1 2 HISTORY, RHETORIC, METHODOLOGY ....................................................... 48 3 THE BALFOUR DECLARATION AND THE MCMAHON HUSSEIN CORRESPONDENCE ................................................................................... 96 4 THE MANDATE FOR PALESTINE................................................................