Why Arabs of Ottoman Empire Turned To Palestine To Make A Living

 Nadene Goldfoot                                           

                                East Jerusalem:  No “Palestinian Arab people” existed at the start of 1920, but, by December, it took shape in a form recognizably similar to today’s.

Until the late nineteenth century, residents living in the region between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean identified themselves primarily in terms of religion: Muslims felt far stronger bonds with remote co-religionists than with nearby Christians and Jews. Living in that area did not imply any sense of common political purpose.

• Economic opportunity: 

  The establishment of new settlements and development by Jewish immigrants created new jobs in agriculture, construction, and other sectors. Arabs were drawn to these opportunities, which offered a higher standard of living compared to their previous circumstances. Especially from Syria, many Arabs entered Palestine seeking jobs in building in the 1880's.   
• Improved living conditions: 

  The improvements made to health care, sanitation, and public health by Jewish developers led to a significant decrease in infant mortality rates and increased life expectancy for all residents in the region. 

   

During the first Aliyah of Jews leaving Eastern Europe and Russia for Palestine in 1881, there was trouble in the Ottoman Empire causing some of the Arabs to also look at Palestine for jobs. They may have seen the Jews' interest in this area.  Arabs from surrounding countries followed Jews to Palestine and got jobs building.  These were not the only Jews living in Palestine, for there were others who had been living there who had remained since 70 CE when the Romans had occupied and destroyed Jerusalem.  Romans kept them unable to have any power, having overtaken the country for themselves.  

Economic distress and unemployment in Ottoman Syria around 1880 were caused by a combination of a global financial crisis, imperial debt, shifts in the local economy due to European imports, and devastating agricultural issues. These factors disrupted traditional industries, drove up the cost of living, and put many artisans and farmers out of work. 

• Ottoman default: In 1875, the Ottoman state defaulted on its massive international debt, which ballooned from loans taken out during the mid-19th century. This economic crisis forced the empire to increase taxation on its provinces, including Syria, at a time when many residents could not afford it.
• European debt control: As a result of the default, the European-controlled Ottoman Public Debt Administration was established to ensure European creditors received a return on their investments. This further diminished Ottoman fiscal control and economic sovereignty.
• "Great Depression" of the 19th century: The Ottoman economy faced an unfavorable global economic climate during the "Great Depression" of 1873–1896. This period saw a slowdown in foreign trade and a decline in the terms of trade for the Ottoman Empire, compounding its financial problems. 
• There were some Arabs in Palestine but they were only too happy to selltheir land to Jews who were willing to pay their high prices.  Then they left for the big cities.  The Jews paid because to them it was holy land.
• The land was left in terrible condition, all swamps and mosquitoes or sand.  The Jews, who had never before been allowed to own land in Europe or anywhere, for that matter, came well prepared with knowledge from books.  They learned quickly.  
• Palestine was under Ottoman control from 1516 to 1917. This period of control ended when British forces occupied the region in 1917 during World War I, leading to the end of Ottoman rule in 1918 and the establishment of a British Mandate for Palestine in 1923.                                         
• Jewish aliyah (immigration) to Palestine primarily came from Europe, with significant numbers also arriving from Yemen and other countries, especially during the periods of the First and Fifth Aliyahs. Immigration waves originated from regions like Eastern Europe, driven by antisemitism and persecution, and later from Arab nations and Ethiopia after the establishment of the State of Israel. 

  

                           Beginning of the first Aliyah                                               
  • First Aliyah (1881–1903): Primarily from Eastern Europe (especially Russia) and Yemen. 
  • Second Aliyah (1904–1914): Almost exclusively from Russia, fleeing pogroms. 
  • Third Aliyah (1919–1923): Mostly from Russia and other Eastern European countries after World War I. 
  • Fourth Aliyah (1924–1929): Primarily from Poland and Hungary, representing a shift towards middle-class shopkeepers and artisans.                                
    
  • Fifth Aliyah (1929–1939): Fueled by the rise of Nazism, this saw a large influx of European Jews, especially from Germany and other Nazi-controlled areas. 
  • Aliyah Bet (1939–1948): An illegal immigration effort mainly of European Jews escaping Nazi persecution and Holocaust survivors. 
  • Post-1948: Major waves came from Arab nations and Ethiopia. 
  • Post-Soviet Union collapse (1991 onward): A massive wave of immigration from the former Soviet Union.
    
    In front of my apartment in Safed, Israel during winter.  We bought this Subaru through using the catalogue at the Subaru Company in Safed.  This was my German shepherd who everyone wanted to buy from me, but she wasn't for sale;  she was my baby, came with me all the way from Oregon.  
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  •       I made Aliyah in 1980 and joined many Russians in my Hebrew 
  • class.  We had 40 of us, we being from the USA, and the rest
  • Canada, England, and Russia.                           
    
    
    
    
    
    

  Read:  THE SETTLERS, By Meyer Levin.  Historic Fiction/truth.  from 
• review:  Now seemed a good time, better late than never, to learn about Israel and Palestine and to try to understand why they can never seem to find peace.  I chose The Settlers.   It is very well written, informative and moving. It begins at the turn of the century and follows a Russian-Jewish family escaping the increasingly dangerous situation developing there. Levin paints a very clear picture of their dreams, goals, strengths and weaknesses. Life was not easy there either but to them it was home. During WWI they fought to help Jews from all over.  I feel that  you will   better understand some of the problems we see on TV every day. 

  I haven't read the Haj but it will be my next to read, as I enjoyed Uris' EXODUS.  

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• Resource:

• https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-origins-of-the-palestinian-arabs#google_vignette

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