Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem

from the southwest, 1890–1900 In 1841, the district was separated from Damascus Eyalet and placed directly under Constantinople In the mid-19th century the inhabitants of Palestine identified themselves primarily in terms of religious affiliation. The population was more than 80% Muslim Arab, 10% Christian (mostly Arab), 5% Jewish, and 1% Druze. Towards the end of the 19th century, the idea that the region of Palestine or the Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem formed a separate political entity became widespread among the district's educated Arab classes. In 1904, former Jerusalem official Najib Azuri formed in Paris, France the Ligue de la Patrie Arabe ("Arab Fatherland League") whose goal was to free Ottoman Syria and Iraq from Turkish domination. In 1908, Azuri proposed the elevation of the mutasarrifate to the status of vilayet to the Ottoman Parliament listed its population figures. The area was conquered by the Allied Forces in 1917 during the Palestine campaign of World War I and a military Occupied Enemy Territory Administration (OETA South) set up to replace the Ottoman administration. OETA South consisted of the Ottoman sanjaks of Jerusalem, Nablus and Acre. The military administration was replaced by a British civilian administration in 1920 and the area of OETA South became the territory of the British Mandate of Palestine in 1923, with some border adjustments with Lebanon and Syria. ==Boundaries==

The division was bounded on the west by the Mediterranean, on the east by the River Jordan and the Dead Sea, on the north by a line from the mouth of the river Auja to the bridge over the Jordan near Jericho, and on the south by a line from midway between Gaza and Arish to Aqaba. Maps Below are a series of contemporary Ottoman maps showing the "Quds Al-Sharif Sancağı" or "Quds Al-Sharif Mutasarrıflığı". The 1907 maps show the 1860 borders between Ottoman Syria and the Khedivate of Egypt, although the border was moved to the current Israel-Egypt border in 1906, and the area north of the Negev Desert is labelled "Filastin" (Palestine). Image:Ottoman map of the Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem, from 1882-83 (1300 AH).jpg|1883 File:Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem in 1889.jpg|1889 Image:1889 Modern Palestine, shewing Turkish provinces.jpg|1889 Image:Ottoman Syria, 1893 map.jpg| 1893 Image:Map of the Jerusalem Sanjak.jpg|c.1900 Image:Jerusalem Sanjak — Memalik-i Mahruse-i Shahane-ye Mahsus Mukemmel ve Mufassal Atlas (1907).jpg| 1907 Image:Beirut Vilayet and Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate — Memalik-i Mahruse-i Shahane-ye Mahsus Mukemmel ve Mufassal Atlas (1907).jpg| 1907 Image: 1913 Ottoman Geography Textbook Showing the Sanjak of Jerusalem and Palestine.jpeg|1912-13 ==Administrative divisions==

C.R. Condor described the administrative duties which he saw performed in Palestine in 1874: Administrative divisions of the Mutasarrifate (1872–1909): • Beersheba Kaza (; ; ), which included two sub-districts and a municipality: • a-Hafir (; ; ), created in 1908 as a middle point between Beersheba and Aqaba, close to the newly agreed border with Sinai • al-Mulayha, created in 1908 as a midway point between Hafir and Aqaba • Beersheba (; ; ), created in 1901 • Gaza Kaza (; ; ), which included three sub-districts and a municipality: • Al-Faluja (; ; ), created in 1903 • Khan Yunis (; ; ), created in 1903 and became a municipality in 1917 • al-Majdal (; ; ), created in 1880 • Gaza (; ; ), created in 1893 • Hebron Kaza (; ; ), which included two sub-districts and a municipality: • Bayt 'Itab (; ; ), created in 1903 • Bayt Jibrin (; ; ), created in 1903 • Hebron (; ; ), created in 1886 • Jaffa Kaza (; ; ), which included two sub-districts and a municipality: • Ni'lin (; ; ), created in 1903 • Ramla (; ; ), created in 1880, became municipality before 1888 and re-established as sub-district in 1889 • Lydda (; ; ) • Jerusalem Kaza (; ; ), which included four sub-districts and two municipalities: • Abwein (; ; ), created in 1903; • Bethlehem (; ; ), created in 1883 and became a municipality in 1894; • Ramallah (; ; ), created in 1903 and became a municipality in 1911, • Saffa (; ; ), • Jerusalem (; ; ), created in 1867 and • Beit Jala (; ; ), created in 1912. • Nazareth Kaza (; ; ), established 1906. ==Mutasarrıfs of Jerusalem==

The Mutasarrıfs of Jerusalem were appointed by the Sublime Porte to govern the district. They were usually experienced civil servants who spoke little or no Arabic, but knew a European language - most commonly French - in addition to Ottoman Turkish. Pre-separation from Damascus • Sureyya Pasha 1857–63 • Izzet Pasha 1864–67 • Nazif Pasha 1867–69 • Kamil Pasha 1869–71 • Ali Bey 1871–72 Post-separation from Damascus • Nazif Pasha (same as above) 1872–73 • Kamil Pasha (same as above) 1873–75 • Ali Bey (same as above) 1874–76 • Faik Bey 1876–77 • Mehmed Rauf Pasha 1877–89 • Resad Pasha 1889–90 • Ibrahim Hakki Pasha 1890–97 • Mehmet Tevfik Biren 1897–01 • Mehmet Cavit Bey 1901–02 • Osman Kazim Bey 1902–04 • Ahmed Resid Bey 1904–06 • Ali Ekrem Bolayır 1906–08 Post-Young Turk Revolution List of mutasarrıfs after the 1908 Young Turk Revolution: • Subhi Bey 1908–09 • Nazim Bey 1909–10 • Azmi Bey 1910–11 • Cevdet Bey 1911–12 • Mehdi Frashëri (Muhdi Bey) 1912 • Tahir Hayreddin Bey 1912–13 • Ahmed Macid Bey 1913–15 ==See also==