In the previous article we tackled al-Quds and Sultan Abdul Hamid II’s refusal to allow Jewish immigration to Palestine and the purchase of land there, despite the efforts of Theodore Herzl, the founder of modern political Zionism. Sultan Abdul Hamid II was subsequently overthrown in a coup. The article also mentioned the Armenian Genocide, one of the most notorious massacres during the reign of Sultan Mehmed V Reshad, followed by the departure of al-Quds from Ottoman rule in 1917 after four centuries (1517-1917).
After the British commander Edmund Allenby captured al-Quds, the city remained under British rule for nearly three decades, significantly impacting the region’s history. This marked the complete end of Palestine’s connection to the Ottoman Empire and paved the way for the establishment of a Zionist state in Palestine. Britain played a major role at that time in dismantling the powers of the East, having previously forcefully opposed the expansion of Muhammad Ali and compelled him to accept the London Treaty of 1840. This treaty, signed by Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia on one side, and the Ottoman Empire on the other, aimed to limit the expansion of Muhammad Ali Pasha, the ruler of Egypt, at the expense of Ottoman territories, and to reduce his powers. These powers sought to weaken the Ottoman Empire and prevent the emergence of another powerful force like Muhammad Ali. The treaty stipulated that only Egypt would remain under the authority of Muhammad Ali and his descendants.
In the face of British power, the Ottoman Empire sought alliances with other European powers and found a strong ally in Germany. Ottoman-German relations strengthened to the point that the German Emperor Wilhelm II visited al-Quds and Istanbul in 1898. Britain and France formed an alliance to counter this alliance. Thus, the spark of World War I (1914-1918) ignited between the Allied Powers (the Triple Entente) – Great Britain and Ireland, the Third French Republic, and the Russian Empire – and the Central Powers – the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria. Italy, Japan, and the United States joined the Allies; they were victorious, and the Ottoman Empire surrendered in 1918. The Supreme Council of the Paris Peace Conference in 1919 decided not to return the Arab provinces, including Palestine, to Ottoman rule. In 1920, the Treaty of Sèvres was signed, completely removing Jerusalem from Ottoman rule.
At that time, al-Quds initially remained isolated within its walls, unaffected by the world’s events. However, with the conflicts and struggles of nations for expansion and power, the City of Peace began to interact with the outside world, leading to significant changes. In 1838, the British consulate was established there, followed by consulates from France, Russia, Austria, Prussia, Spain, and the United States. Its international relations expanded on cultural, commercial, and religious levels. The telegraph was introduced in 1865, and it was connected to Jaffa by railway in 1892. During this time, a number of Jews from around the world came to al-Quds. The external support provided to the Jews was mentioned in the book “Land of Memories”: a journey by Dr. Lortet, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine in France in 1875, to the region of Syria (currently encompassing parts of Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan), which spanned five years. He writes about the Jewish quarter in Jerusalem, which includes Jews from many countries around the world: “The neighborhoods and houses where the Jews live indicate their poverty and poor social conditions. Therefore, for years, great efforts have been made to improve these conditions, through allocating large sums of money disbursed by financial companies based in Paris, London, and Vienna, to fund various projects, including the establishment of new Jewish settlements, especially in areas inhabited only by nomadic Bedouins. The Ottoman authorities would earn a few million in return for cooperation and turning a blind eye.”
Speaking of al-Quds continues,
For the story of beautiful Egypt never ends!
The General Bishop Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
