▁on ▁Egypt ian ▁soil ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁S uez ▁Canal . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁the ▁R ash ī d ▁` Al ī ▁al - G ay l ā n ī ▁coup ▁in ▁Ira q ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁British ▁to ▁in va de , ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁Ang lo - I ra qi ▁War . ▁This ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁Al lied ▁invasion ▁of ▁Sy ria – L eb anon ▁and ▁the ▁Ang lo - S ov iet ▁invasion ▁of ▁Iran . ▁ ▁In ▁Palest ine , ▁conflic ting ▁forces ▁of ▁Arab ▁national ism ▁and ▁Z ion ism ▁created ▁a ▁situation ▁the ▁British ▁could ▁neither ▁resolve ▁nor ▁extr icate ▁themselves ▁from . ▁The ▁rise ▁of ▁German ▁dict ator ▁Adolf ▁Hitler ▁had ▁created ▁a ▁new ▁ur gency ▁in ▁the ▁Z ion ist ▁quest ▁to ▁imm igr ate ▁to ▁Palest ine ▁and ▁create ▁a ▁Jewish ▁state . ▁A ▁Palest in ian ▁state ▁was ▁also ▁an ▁attract ive ▁alternative ▁to ▁the ▁Arab ▁and ▁Pers ian ▁leaders , ▁instead ▁of ▁the ▁de ▁fact o ▁British , ▁French , ▁and ▁perce ived ▁Jewish ▁colonial ism ▁or ▁imperial ism , ▁under ▁the ▁logic ▁of ▁" the ▁enemy ▁of ▁my ▁enemy ▁is ▁my ▁friend ". ▁ ▁New ▁states ▁after ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁The ▁British , ▁French , ▁and ▁S ovi ets ▁depart ed ▁from ▁many ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁Middle ▁East ▁during ▁and ▁after ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁Iran , ▁Turkey , ▁Sa udi ▁Arab ia , ▁and ▁the ▁states ▁in ▁the ▁Arab ian ▁Pen ins ula ▁generally