Tracy,

The last two Tuesday nights on PBS here at 2200hr I found a program called "Search for Destiny".
Each was 1 hour and fact-filled with the history (from a British point-of-view I suppose, but seeming reasonably neutral to me) of the middle east.
The first episode that I saw covered approx. 1900-1948 and last night's did 1949-1966. I guess there are more to come and assume there were others before I saw it.

If you ever come across it, I highly recommend it.


>Even the British support of the establishment of a Jewish national home was not free. The price had already been paid during WWI:
>
>http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/us_recognition_of_israel/us_recognition_of_israel.html
>
>Excerpt:
>
>"In 1917 Chaim Weizmann, scientist, statesperson, and Zionist, persuaded the British government to issue a statement favoring the establishment of a Jewish national home in Palestine. The statement, which became known as the Balfour Declaration, was, in part, payment to the Jews for their support of the British against the Turks during World War I...."
>
>It's interesting how TWO autonomous states were supposed to be created, but the 2nd has still to manifest...
>
SNIP