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Crusader
The rule of the Fatimids over mos t of the
Holy Land extended to the coming of the
Crusaders in 1099. The Crusader principalities
in Syria and Palestine maintained their author–
ity until 1187, at which time the whole region,
except for certain cities on the Lebanese coast,
fel/ be/ore the new A yyubid rulers of Egypt.
Crusader dominion was revived over parts of
the Holy Land in 1192. The Crusader dominion
was final/y ended in 1291 by the Mamelukes,
descendants of mercenary troops who at first
served and then overthrew the Ayyubids.
Ottoman Empire
The Mamelukes continued to rule over Syria,
Palestine and Egypt un ti/ the expansion of the
Ottoman Turks. In 1516, the Ottoman Su/tan
Selim 1 crushed the Mamelukes and added
Syria and Palestine to his dominion. Egypt was
taken in 1517. The Turks continued to govern
Palestine until World War l . Jerusalem was
surrendered by the Turks to the British General
Sir Edmund Allenby on December 9, 191
7.
BritishMandate
The Council of the League of Nati ons gave
Britain a mandate to adminis ter Pa/estine on
Ju/y 24, 1922. The document which underlay
the British regime, the Balfour Declaration of
1917, was marked with such ambiguity that
Britain 's rule ended in a sordid and precipitate
withdrawal in 1948. The British found it im–
possíb/e to " establish in Palestine a national
homeland for the Jewish peop/e, " and at the
same time do nothing that would " prejudice
the civil and religious rights of the existing
non-Jewish communities."
lsraeland
Occupied Territory
On May 14, 1948, the faded remnants of
Britísh mandate rule were superseded by proc–
lamation of the state of Israel. The first Mid–
east war immediately ensued. The disputed
borders which came from that war existed unti/
the third Mideast war of 1967. Territories oc–
cupied by Israel in that war have been a source
ofcontention in the UnitedNations ever since.
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