Editing Sea of Galilee (section)

===Early 20th century===
In 1908, Jewish pioneers established the [[Kinneret Farm]] at the same time as and next to Moshavat Kinneret in the immediate vicinity of the lake. The farm trained Jewish immigrants in modern farming. One group of youth from the training farm established [[Kvutza]]t [[Degania Alef|Degania]] in 1909–1910, popularly considered as the first [[kibbutz]], another group founded [[Kvutzat Kinneret]] in 1913, and yet another the first proper kibbutz, [[Ein Harod]], in 1921, the same year when the first [[moshav]], [[Nahalal]], was established by a group trained at the farm. The Jewish settlements around Kinneret Farm are considered the cradle of the kibbutz culture of early [[Zionism]]; Kvutzat Kinneret is the birthplace of [[Naomi Shemer]], buried at the Kinneret Cemetery next to [[Rachel Bluwstein|Rachel]]—two prominent national poets.[[File:Nofkinneret.jpg|thumb|Southern tip of the lake, seen from Mount Poriya]]
[[File:Lever de soleil depuis Tibériade.jpg|thumb|Sunrise over the Sea of Galilee from the Oasis d'Emmanuel – Tibériade]]

In 1917, the British defeated Ottoman Turkish forces and took control of [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]], while France took control of Syria. In the carve-up of the Ottoman territories between Britain and France, it was agreed that Britain would retain control of Palestine while France would control Syria. This required the allies to fix the border between the [[Mandatory Palestine]] and the [[French Mandate of Syria]].<ref>[http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/mideast/palmanda.htm The Preamble of the League of Nations Mandate] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421094709/http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/mideast/palmanda.htm |date=21 April 2016 }}</ref> The boundary was defined in broad terms by the [[Franco-British Boundary Agreement (1920)|Franco-British Boundary Agreement]] of December 1920, which drew it across the middle of the lake.<ref name="treaty1920">Franco-British Convention on Certain Points Connected with the Mandates for Syria and the Lebanon, Palestine and Mesopotamia, signed 23 December 1920. Text available in ''American Journal of International Law'', Vol. 16, No. 3, 1922, 122–126.</ref> However, the commission established by the 1920 treaty redrew the boundary. The Zionist movement pressured the French and British to assign as many water sources as possible to Mandatory Palestine during the demarcating negotiations. The High Commissioner of Palestine, [[Herbert Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel|Herbert Samuel]], had sought full control of the Sea of Galilee.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=jC9MbKNh8GUC ''The boundaries of modern Palestine, 1840–1947''] (2004), by Gideon Biger. Publisher Rutledge Curzon. {{ISBN|978-0-7146-5654-0}}, p. 130.</ref> The negotiations led to the inclusion into the Palestine territory of the whole Sea of Galilee, both sides of the [[River Jordan]], [[Lake Hula]], Dan spring, and part of the [[Yarmuk (river)|Yarmouk]].<ref>''The boundaries of modern Palestine, 1840–1947'', p. 150. and 130.</ref> The final border approved in 1923 followed a 10-meter wide strip along the lake's northeastern shore,<ref>''The boundaries of modern Palestine, 1840–1947'', p. 145.</ref> cutting the Mandatory Syria ([[State of Damascus]]) off from the lake.

The British and French Agreement provided that existing rights over the use of the waters of the River Jordan by the inhabitants of Syria would be maintained; the government of Syria would have the right to erect a new pier at [[Samakh, Tiberias|Semakh]] on Lake Tiberias or jointly use the existing pier; persons or goods passing between the landing-stage on the Lake of Tiberias and Semakh would not be subject to customs regulations, and the Syrian government would have access to the said landing-stage; the inhabitants of Syria and Lebanon would have the same fishing and navigation rights on Lakes Huleh, Tiberias and River Jordan, while the government of Palestine would be responsible for policing of lakes.<ref>[http://untreaty.un.org/unts/60001_120000/20/29/00039450.pdf Agreement between His Majesty's Government and the French Government respecting the Boundary Line between Syria and Palestine from the Mediterranean to El Hámmé] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080909201308/http://untreaty.un.org/unts/60001_120000/20/29/00039450.pdf |date=9 September 2008 }}, Treaty Series No. 13 (1923), Cmd. 1910. Page 7.</ref>