During this period of military rule, 1917-1920, a number of political groups and associations appeared at the scene. They were the rudiments of the nascent movement which later became the official leadership of Arab Palestine. These clubs were offshoots of their Syrian prototype Nadi Filastine (The Palestine Club) which was organized in 1919 in Damascus to press upon the government of King Faisal the Palestine cause.(2) The Club was led by Shaykh Abd el-Qader Muzaffar and it included a number of young Palestinian activists like Haj Amin Al-Husseini, Izzat Darwazah, Rushdial-Shawwa and Salim Abdul Rahman al Haj Ibrahim, whose names later became well known among the leaders of Palestine...The Muslim-Christian Association promoted the principle of political cooperation between the Muslims and Christians of Palestine for the purpose of forging unity and organizing a political front to deal with the Zionist enemy...The two other political groups, the Arab club and the Literary Society were similar to the first in that their recruits were mainly from the ranks of urban elites.
But they were different in many other respects. For one thing, they rejected the creation of a British mandate in Palestine and desired instead to become part of
Faisal's Syrian Kingdom.
...An all-Palestine Congress was held in Jerusalem between January 27 and February 10, 1919, to formulate a common policy, called "program", on Palestine to advise Faisal while attending the Paris Peace Conference on behalf of the Arabs. The Jerusalem Congress was presided over by 'Aref Pasha al-Dajani who was, at the time, the president of the Jerusalem branch of the Muslim-Christian Association mentioned earlier. (Representatives of the Association also attended the General Syrian Congress in Damascus.)(8) The Jerusalem Congress, resolved to reject political Zionism and to accept British assistance on condition such assistance would not impinge upon Sovereignty in Palestine.(9) Basically, the Congress wanted Palestine to be part of an independent Syrian State to be governed by Faisal of the Hashemite family. It also preferred U.S. political tutelage, should this be necessary, or British tutelage, as a second choice, but under no circumstances would the Congress accept French political guardianship.
...Originally from the Arabian Peninsula, the Husseinis believe they came to Jerusalem about 800 years ago.(36) one source refutes their claim and argues that the "main branch of the family was not of Palestinian origin, they were the Al Aswads (the Blacks) from the yemen."(37) They acquired social status as a result of a marriage between one member of the family (the Aswads) and another wealthy (landowning) family from Abu Ghosh.(38) Later, one male member of the Aswad family married a female from another family called al-Husseini who claimed descent from Hussein, the son of Ali, the fourth Caliph, and Fatima, the daughter of the prophet. Contrary to Moslem custom the Aswad assumed his wife's family name so as to gain social prestige and wealth. It was Mustafa, the grand father of Haj Amin, the future leader of Palestine, who dropped the Aswad and kept the Husseini in his family name.(39)...
...Amin was born in Jerusalem in 1896...While atAzhar, he fell under the influence of the well-known Islamic reformer Rashid Rida, who at the time propagated the ideas of Afghani, another Islamic reformer of Persian origin...In 1917, he returned to his native town Jerusalem and became politically active opposing and protesting the imposition of a British mandate on Palestine, particularly, because the mandate carried with it a Zionist policy which Arabs deemed detrimental to their national interest. When the Arab Revolt of 1916 became a full scale war against the Turks he joined it and he became closely associated with its leader, prince Faisal. In 1919, he became active in the General Syrian Congress, mentioned earlier, and he was the person to coordinate Congress' relation with the nationalist movement in Palestine.(48)
After he returned to Jerusalem, he taught at al-Rashidiyyah and Rawdat al-Ma'aref schools while seeking "the limelight of public life" by writing in the local newspaper Suriyah al-Janubiyah (Southern Syria) and addressing public crowds.(49) He was active in the Arab club, mentioned earlier, which had become a Husseini political strong hold. The club advocated union with Syria and agitated against British domination of Palestine. Haj Amin, as early as 1919, showed tremendous dislike for Zionist ambition and British policy. In his opposition to both, he showed considerable organizational and leadership abilities...
So, is there such a thing as Palestinian nationalism, age-old Palestinian nationalism than betters Zionism?
You know the answer.
Source (thanks to SoccerDad)
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