Palestine Arab Congress
Between 1919 and 1928, the Palestinian Arab population in the British Mandate of Palestine held a series of congresses, organized by a nationwide network of local Muslim-Christian Associations.
[3] The Congress rejected political Zionism, agreeing to accept British assistance if it did not impinge on Arab sovereignty in the region.
[4] The resolutions of the Jerusalem Congress were as follows: It was decided to send a delegation to Damascus and representatives attended the Syrian National Congress in Damascus on 8 June 1919[7] "to inform Arab patriots there of the decision to call Palestine Southern Syria and unite it with Northern Syria",[8] while three members were chosen to attend the Peace Conference in Paris.
They posited an independent Palestine within a united Syrian state, denounced Zionism, and demanded an end to Jewish immigration.
The Society protested against the San Remo Conference's decision to grant Britain a mandate over Palestine and against Samuel's appointment.
Ilan Pappé says that the second congress was held in secret in Palestine on 31 May 1920, because British military authorities had banned all Arab political gatherings and a statement was issued calling for the return of all political deportees, and to protest against the San Remo Conference decision to include the words of the Balfour Declaration in the text of the British mandate over Palestine.
Recently deposed mayor of Jerusalem Musa al-Husayni was elected president and chairman of the nine-member executive committee, a post he held until his death in 1934.
The British position that the congress was not representative led to a broad campaign by the Muslim-Christian Associations to raise public awareness.
On his journey back to London he met with members of the executive committee in Jerusalem on 28 March 1921, telling them they had to accept the Balfour Declaration as an immutable part of British policy.
On their way, they met Pope Benedict XV in Vatican City and attempted to meet with delegates to the League of Nations in Geneva.
Responding to the congress, High Commissioner Herbert Samuel promised that the British would "never impose a policy contrary to their religions, their political and their economic interests".
Its leader, Musa Kazem, opposed anti-British agitation and discouraged the use of violence; he reported that possibilities still existed for progress through negotiations.
The following resolutions were passed: [25][26] Before the congress, its executive committee launched a fundraising campaign supporting a general strike held on 13–14 July 1922.
In 1931 Amin Husseini began organizing an international conference of Muslim delegates, political and religious, Sunni and Shia, from around the world to be held in Jerusalem.
Zia'eddin Tabatabaee, former prime minister of Iran, developed plans for the establishment of an Islamic University in Jerusalem, and later traveled in 1933 to Iraq and India with al-Husseini to raise funds for the project.
[37] As the congress was ending, a group of about 50 delegates (primarily from Palestine and Syria) met at Awni Abdul Hadi's house and issued an Arab National Charter.
Many Palestinian members of the Greek Orthodox Church were active in anti-Zionism, particularly as editors and publishers of Falastin and Al-Karmil newspapers (Issa El-Issa and Najib Nassar respectively).
The Congress passed a resolution demanding that the patriarch should not speak on behalf of the community without the approval of a mixed council composed of two-thirds lay members and one-third clergy.
