GEOPOLITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE GREAT GAME AS A PRECURSOR TO THE CREATION OF THE ISRAELI STATE

Abstract

The narrative of religious conflicts and divisions has long been present in the interpretations of events in Palestine during the 20^th century, but the geopolitical component that led to them, actively recognised from the resettlement of Jews to the establishment of their state - Israel, cannot be ignored. In the analysis, the author dealt with the geopolitical aspect of the “Great Game” as a term for the mutual struggle of great powers to achieve their interests. Thru the relationships of political actors (great powers) toward the Middle East region in the 19^th century and towards the Jewish question in the first half of the 20^th century, the author sought to identify the influence of these relations on the emergence of the state of Israel. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and (Northern) Ireland, during its involvement in these areas, transitioned from actively interfering in the sovereignty of states, thru dividing and participating in the administration of newly formed (liberated) territories, and supporting Jewish immigration to Palestine, to finally supporting the Arabs in their conflicts in the same land. The United Nations, as the successor to the League of Nations, became involved in resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict from its very inception, attempting to diplomatically resolve the escalating intensity of the conflict, but proved inadequate. Through a sort of game the historical legacy of the conflict on Palestinian soil, which started in the 19^th century as part of a larger conflict between emerging great powers in a broader geographical area (the Middle East and Southeast Asia), persisted into the 20^th and 21^st centuries. For centuries, there has been a tangle of historical battles involving land, state, nation, and religion.