A British Settler Colony In The Middle East

This is a very good suggestion, especially encouraging the immigration of Lebanese Maronites to Palestine.

The creation of a 'middle-man minority' between the British and the Arab Muslims, would strengthen the hold the British settlers would have on the territory.

You should probably read up on colonial history in the region. The British did use Arab Christians as middlemen to control the middle east. They used mostly Syrian Christians, but generally not Maronites, who had long and historic ties to France. Palestine used to have a large Christian minority until the Israelis shooed them all away.
 
I think your best bet would be Aden.
Sometime in the late 1800's the British repair the Marab Dam to go with the Suez Canal.
The British then encourage Settlers in the newly Irrigated area to ensure control of both ends of the Red Sea.

Aden was considered the most hellish spot on earth and everyone dreaded being posted there. It's perhaps the worst conceivable spot for a settler colony, being horrendously hot and arid, with virtually no water or food, or any bases for a living except trade.

The coast of Palestine has a nice climate and would work for Europeans, but why on earth would anyone want to settle in a relatively poor and contentious area when they could go to the other settler colonies?

There needs to be a real impetus for settlement, and there really isn't any for anywhere in the Middle East.
 
Aden was considered the most hellish spot on earth and everyone dreaded being posted there. It's perhaps the worst conceivable spot for a settler colony, being horrendously hot and arid, with virtually no water or food, or any bases for a living except trade.

The coast of Palestine has a nice climate and would work for Europeans, but why on earth would anyone want to settle in a relatively poor and contentious area when they could go to the other settler colonies?

There needs to be a real impetus for settlement, and there really isn't any for anywhere in the Middle East.

Wouldn't the Marab Dam have some effects on the "no water or food" problem?
 
Wouldn't the Marab Dam have some effects on the "no water or food" problem?

It's still a really horrible climate. I've been in Dubai in June and it's hellish without air conditioning- Aden's climate is pretty much the same. Essentially there are better places for settlers to go.
 
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