Palestine was perceived as part of Bilad al Sham (Greater Syria), today's Syria, Lebanon and the Levant. In November 1917 Lord Balfour wrote to Lord Rothschild, representing the World Zionist Organisation favouring Palestine as a national home for the Jewish people clearly ensuring the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities are not prejudiced. The British mandate replaced the Ottoman Empire. The original 20% Jewish - 80% Arab of the 1920s was reversed t