The Arab Revolt (1936–1939) was a large-scale Palestinian uprising against British Mandate rule and Zionist immigration in Palestine. It marked a turning point in the conflict, shaping Palestinian nationalism and British policies toward Jewish immigration. 

1. Background: Why Did the Revolt Happen?

A. Growing Palestinian Frustrations (1920s–1930s)

British Mandate (1920–1948):

• After WWI, Britain took control of Palestine under a League of Nations mandate, promising both Arab independence (via the McMahon-Hussein Correspondence) and a Jewish "national home" (via the Balfour Declaration, 1917).
• Palestinians saw this as a betrayal—they expected independence but got colonial rule + Zionist immigration.

Zionist Immigration and Land Purchases:

• Jewish population grew from 56,000 (1919) to 400,000 (1936).
• Land sales to Jews (often from absent Arab landlords) displaced Palestinian farmers.
• Economic disparities: Jewish industries (e.g., Histadrut labor union) excluded Arabs.

Political Marginalization:

• British favored Zionist institutions (e.g., Jewish Agency) over Arab leaders.
• Palestinian Arab parties (e.g., Arab Higher Committee) had no real power.

Religious Tensions:

• Disputes over Western Wall (1929) and Jewish access to holy sites inflamed passions.

2. Trigger: The Spark (1936)

• Immediate Cause:
  • April 1936: British allowed Jewish militia (Haganah) to receive arms, while banning Arab arms.
  • April 15, 1936: Two Arab leaders (Sheikh Izz ad-Din al-Qassam’s followers) killed two Jewish drivers near Tulkarim.
  • April 19: Jewish militias (Irgun) killed two Arabs in retaliation.
  • General strike called by Arab Higher Committee (led by Haj Amin al-Husseini, Grand Mufti of Jerusalem).

3. The Revolt: Three Phases

Phase 1: General Strike and Protests (April–October 1936)

• Mass protests: Workers, farmers, and urban elites joined.
• Tactics:
  • General strike (lasted 6 months—longest in modern Arab history).
  • Boycott of Jewish businesses.
  • Attacks on British/Zionist targets (e.g., sabotaging railways, burning orchards).
• British Response:
  • Martial law declared.
  • Repression: 1,000+ Arabs arrested; leaders like al-Husseini fled or were exiled.
  • Peel Commission (1937) proposed partition (see below).

Phase 2: Armed Rebellion (1937–1938)

• Shift to guerrilla warfare:
  • Peasant rebels (e.g., Abd al-Rahim al-Hajj Muhammad) led attacks in rural areas.
  • Urban-rural divide: Elite leaders (e.g., Husseini) lost control to local militias.
• Key Battles:
  • Battle of Balad al-Shaykh (1938): British massacred rebels after a Jewish convoy attack.
  • Assassinations: Rebels killed British officials and moderate Arab leaders (accused of collaboration).
• British Counterinsurgency:
  • Collective punishment: Villages burned, curfews, mass arrests.
  • Jewish militias (Haganah, Irgun) fought alongside British (e.g., "Special Night Squads" led by Orde Wingate).

Phase 3: Collapse (1938–1939)

• British "Iron Fist" Policy:
  • 10,000+ Arabs killed (vs. ~400 Jews, ~200 British).
  • House demolitions, torture, and executions.
  • Divide-and-rule: British armed rival Arab clans against rebels.
• Rebel Infighting:
  • Husseini’s faction vs. Nashashibi clan (pro-British).
  • Lack of central leadership weakened the revolt.