British Mandate

Bio Musa Kazim al-Husseini

Musa Kazim al-Husseini, the “undisputed leader of the Palestinian Arabs,” held important political positions in Jerusalem until his death at age 81

Short Take Amin al-Husseini’s Dream Home, Karm al-Mufti: An Elegant Residence during the Mandate Bulldozed by Israel

The mufti’s luxurious home in Sheikh Jarrah is a microcosm of the city’s rich and vibrant Palestinian past—and of its erasure by Israeli authorities.

Bio ‘Abd al-Hamid Shuman

A committed Arab nationalist who founded the Arab Bank in Jerusalem in 1930 and led much of Palestine’s banking activity

Bio Raghib al-Nashashibi

A controversial long-running mayor of Jerusalem who opposed the Zionist agenda while maintaining close ties with British Mandate authorities

Photo Album Khalil Raad’s Lens: Scenes from Pre-Nakba Palestine

Khalil Raad’s photographs captured Palestinian tradition, resilience, and history before and after the Nakba.

Photo Essay The YMCA: A Cherished Social Hub during the Mandate Years

The Jerusalem YMCA was the social, athletic, and cultural hub for Jerusalemites during the British Mandate years.

Bio Issa Boullata

An accomplished scholar of Arabic and Islamic studies and award-winning translator who traced his creative talent to his Jerusalem childhood

Photo Landscape View of Jerusalem, Early 1920s

A rare view of Jerusalem as it appeared at the moment of transition from Ottoman to British rule, in the early 1920s

Interactive Map British Mandate Jerusalem (1917–48)

An interactive map of Jerusalem during the period of the British Mandate