The Haram al-Sharif Incident and its Aftermath1

In 1911, Jerusalem was shaken by a British archaeological team’s search for treasures within the holy compound of the Haram al-Sharif. In the aftermath of the affair, Palestinians united not only against the British team’s desecration of the holy site, but also against the local Ottoman administration, who was blamed for collaborating with the British team. In the wake of this incident, Palestinians set out to strengthen their hold over the city, which included a plan to open an Islamic university. Interestingly, this case offers an example of Palestinians uniting together over an issue that had little to do with Zionism and much more with the growing fear of British imperialism.