First World War | Hurst Publishers

1914: The Battle for Basra

With one-third of Iraq under the control of an Islamic State bent on redrawing the map of the modern Middle East, the legacy of decisions made during and immediately after the First World War continue to cast their long shadow over the region.

The First World War in Gaza and the Battle for Palestine

Gaza’s strategic position—the key to controlling access to Sinai, to Palestine and the wider Middle East—has made it an enviable prize for thousands of years. Jean-Pierre Filiu explains why during the First World War the British and Ottoman Empires fought so hard to control it.

A Century On, the First World War Casts a Long Shadow across the Middle East

Kristian Coates Ulrichsen considers the lasting impact of the First World War on the Middle East