After world war I the British took over Iraq and Eretz Israel. Their Arab Ally Hussein, the Sharif of Mecca, had tried to take over Arabia But he lost to the Saud family and was ousted. He was also kicked out of Syria where the French took over. So British gave Iraq as a kingdom to Hussein's son, Faisal, and they split Israel (which was given to them as a mandate from the league of nation to create a Jewish homeland), giving the part east of the Jordan (which is about 70% of the entire territory) as the kingdom of Transjordan to the younger son, Abdullah (the great grand father of the current king Abdullah).