Palestinian-Arab Orthodox Christians: Religion, Politics and Church-State Relations in Jerusalem, c. 1908-1925

Abstract

Many contemporary observers during the period of the British Mandate in Palestine commented on the authenticity of Arab Orthodox Christians commitment to Palestinian Nationalism and to the ability of their communities' political leadership in staying close to the policy articulated by the majority Muslims within the Movement. On this genuineness of national feeling by the Arab Orthodox Christians, the two British commissioners, Anton Bertram and J.W.A. Young reporting 1926 on the affairs of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem wrote: "National consciousness is not a matter of what ought to be felt, but of what actually is felt... no amount of... reasoning would persuade the Orthodox congregation of Palestine that they are not Arabs ... the dearest thought of every young local Orthodox Christian is that he is an Arab, and his most cherished aspirations are those of Arab Nationalism, which he shares with his Muslim fellow-countrymen" (Bertram and Young 1926:57-58).