The Jerusalem Fellah: Popular Politics in Mandate-Era Palestine

The British Mandate in Palestine was a time of significant change for the social character and demographic feel of Jerusalem. As it grew into a colonial capital and expanding cosmopolitan city, the city became home to a large number of non-elite Arab Palestinians, specifically the fellahin from the villages of the western corridor, who became central to Jerusalem's social, political, and economic life. A great deal has been written about Jerusalem's traditional families and their role in the development of the city as a national Palestinian capital, but not much is known about the contributions of Jerusalem's Arab residents beyond those families. In seeking to rectify that lacuna, this article focuses on the important historical moment of the Buraq Revolt, demonstrating how the city's evolution as a hub of mass resistance was driven by unprecedented demographic and social changes, resulting in the emergence of what may be called a "new Jerusalem."