▁in ▁Turkey ▁and ▁Egypt ; ▁and ▁the ▁rapid ▁growth ▁of ▁the ▁Middle ▁Eastern ▁oil ▁industry . ▁ ▁Ott oman ▁defeat ▁and ▁partition ▁( 1 9 1 8 – 2 2 ) ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire ▁was ▁defeated ▁by ▁an ▁Arab ▁u pr ising ▁and ▁the ▁British ▁forces ▁after ▁the ▁S ina i ▁and ▁Palest ine ▁Camp aign ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁the ▁Arab ▁population ▁did ▁not ▁get ▁what ▁it ▁wanted . ▁Islam ic ▁activ ists ▁of ▁more ▁recent ▁times ▁have ▁described ▁as ▁an ▁Ang lo - F rench ▁bet ray al . ▁British ▁and ▁French ▁govern ments ▁concluded ▁a ▁secret ▁treat y ▁( the ▁Sy kes – P ic ot ▁Ag re ement ) ▁to ▁partition ▁the ▁Middle ▁East ▁between ▁them . ▁The ▁British ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁announced ▁the ▁B alf our ▁Dec laration ▁promised ▁the ▁international ▁Z ion ist ▁movement ▁their ▁support ▁in ▁re - cre ating ▁the ▁historic ▁Jewish ▁hom eland ▁in ▁Palest ine . ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁Ott om ans ▁depart ed , ▁the ▁Arab s ▁proc laimed ▁an ▁independent ▁state ▁in ▁Dam asc us , ▁but ▁were ▁too ▁weak , ▁militar ily ▁and ▁econom ically , ▁to ▁resist ▁the ▁European ▁powers ▁for ▁long , ▁and ▁Britain ▁and ▁France ▁soon ▁established ▁control ▁and ▁re - arr anged ▁the ▁Middle ▁East ▁to ▁suit ▁themselves . ▁ ▁Sy ria ▁became ▁a ▁French ▁prote ctor ate ▁as ▁a ▁League ▁of ▁Nations ▁mand ate . ▁The ▁Christian ▁coast al ▁areas ▁were ▁split ▁off ▁to ▁become ▁Leb