Policing The Holy Land: The Palestine Police Force 1920-1948

Following the defeat of the Turks in World War One the occupation of Palestine was a difficult episode in British policy. The British Police and their Arab and Jewish colleagues were on the fault line between the aims of the Arabs who lived there and wanted independence, and the Jews who wanted to come and take over the country. The Police, with increasing military backup, faced terrorism and violent riots from both sides and paid a high price in lives. In 1948 the British withdrew. The UN could not control the situation and the two sides fought it out. The first half of the book is an account of the Force and its response to events by Lord (John) Cope. The second half is personal recollections of former British members of the Force. See more