“Palestinian Legacy” in Provisional Government’s Policy (March — April 1917)

Abstract

The article is based on documents published by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and unpublished archival materials from the collection of Minister of the Interim Government P. N. Milyukov. It examines the history of the Palestinian policy of the Provisional Government in March-April 1917. Particular attention is paid to the formation of the Palestinian heritage of the Interim Government, the history of the discussion of the future of Palestine during the First World War. The Russian Provisional Government of Prince G. E. Lvov inherited from tsarist Russia not only the difficult situation in the First World War, but also the obligations of Russia (and before Russia) about the arrangement of the postwar world. One of the key agreements complexes allies in the Entente in the 1914–1916 biennium was about the section of Asiatic Turkey. Government of G. E. Lvov was burdened by a range of issues in internal and foreign policy and had to formulate its position on the future shape of the Middle East, decide whether it will adhere to the agreement with Britain and France, or abandon them. The most important question remained postwar territorial acquisitions of Russia. In the context of the February revolution it was clear for the new ministers that just grab any area was now unlikely to be possible. In 1917 it was a peak of negotiations of allies on the support of Zionist aspirations in building (revival) their home (state) in the Holy Land, which again required the development of the position of the Interim Government. The article is a look at the Russian seemed to be well-researched negotiations on the partition of Asian Turkey on the base of foreign sources.