Were the Arabs betrayed

Answer 1

This question as posed is incredibly nebulous. It does not give a timeframe nor does it mention an acting party. As it is written, the answer is yes, if only because every single nation or political grouping has been betrayed at some point by some individual.

With respect to Arab history, there is no proportionally greater amount of betrayal than any other ethnic/political group of similar size. Arabs were betrayed by Other Arabs nearly as often as they were betrayed by Foreign Powers.

One of the most common examples of Arab on Arab betrayal was when Muawiya the Governor of Syria (and eventual Umayyad Caliph), brazenly attacked 'Ali, the fourth Rightly-Guided Caliph in the Fitna Al-Kubra (the Great Civil War). This conflict broke the unity of the Arab Caliphate and resulted in the division of the Caliphates into the Rightly-Guided Caliphate, the Umayyad Caliphate, and the Kharijite Caliphate.

Another good example of Arab on Arab betrayal was in Southern Spain during the Reign of the Taifa Kingdoms. Arab city-states would ally with Northern Spaniard Christian States against other local Arab city-states for local control and dominance.

Arabs were also betrayed by Foreign Powers. The most commonly given example of this is during the First World War when Arabs were promised an Arab State across the entire Middle East if they assisted the British and French against the Ottomans. Although the Arabs did rise up and fight as suggested, the British and French eventually incorporated the Levant and Mesopotamia into their sprawling empires as Mandates.

Another time that Arabs were betrayed by Foreign Powers was during the surrender of Southern Spanish Taifa Kingdoms to the Castillian and Aragonese Governments. The Arab Moslem citizens were promised that they could continue their lives peaceably in the Christian Kingdoms after their surrender. However, the Spanish Inquisition and Expulsions force Moslems to convert, flee, or die, betraying this promise.

Answer 2

Western Allies