jan 1, 1916 - Sykes-Picot Agreement

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The Sykes-Picot Agreement was a secret 1916 deal between Britain and France, with Russia’s approval, to divide up the Ottoman Empire’s Middle Eastern territories after World War I. Negotiated by British diplomat Mark Sykes and French diplomat François Georges-Picot, the agreement planned to place modern-day Iraq, Jordan, and southern Palestine under British influence, Syria and Lebanon under French control, and Palestine under international administration. The agreement directly contradicted promises made to Arab leaders about independence, fueling lasting distrust. When it was revealed by the Bolsheviks in 1917, it caused outrage among Arab nationalists and is often cited as a symbol of Western betrayal in the Middle East.

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