Chapter II: Historical Summary of Principal Events in Palestine. Since The British Occupation in 1917. British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume I - Page 15

CHAPTER II.

HISTORICAL SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL POLITICAL EVENTS IN PALESTINE

SINCE THE BRITISH OCCUPATION IN 1917.

Period I. 1917-1920. The period of military administration. 31st October, 1917. Capture of Beersheba by British forces. 16th November, 1917. Occupation of Jaffa by British forces.

9th December, 1917. Surrender of Jerusalem to British forces. 11th December, 1917. Official entry by General Allenby into Jerusalem and issue of his proclamation declaring the establishment of an administration under martial law and guaranteeing, in the following terms, the protection of religious sites and property:-

" ... since your City is regarded with affection by the adherents of three of the great religions of mankind, and its soil has been consecrated by the prayers and pilgrimages of multitudes of devout people of these three religious for many centuries, therefore do I make known to you that every sacred building, monument, holy spot, shrine, traditional site, endowment, pious bequest, or customary place of prayer, of whatsoever form of the three religions, will be maintained and protected according to the existing customs and beliefs of those to whose faiths they are sacred. “”

A military administration under the title of Occupied Enemy Territory Administration was established at the end of 1917 under a. Chief Administrator subject to the orders of the Commander-in Chief (General Allenby). This Administration, with headquarters in Jerusalem, administered southern Palestine until October, 1918, when, with the occupation of the remainder of Palestine and the armistice with the Turks , its authority was extended to the whole country. Direct rule by British officers was established. These officers were recruited from the military forces and almost all of them were new to administrative work. The country was divided into thirteen administrative districts, reduced to ten in 1919, each under a military governor. There were 59 British assistants, to whom were added, in 1919, seventeen Arab officers. The usual departments of Government were formed and the ordinary functions of peace-time administration were undertaken. The Turkish

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