1916-1923: Setting the Northern Border

16 May 1916

The maps contained in this publication are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered authoritative.

In May 1916, France and Great Britain signed an agreement known as the Sykes-Picot Agreement in which the claims of both sides to the Levant were set down, and areas of administration and influence were determined. Until 1923, the sides were involved in hard bargaining, with the British insisting on two principles: control of the area delineated in the Bible, "from Dan to Beer Sheba;" and control of Israel's water sources, e.g., the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee.