An early pilot · A community project
QADIYA is an independent, noncommercial community project: an archive of Palestine’s history, built for the cause and open to everyone.
This is an early pilot. Its records were gathered with AI help from cited sources and are still being checked, so don’t rely on them yet, and tell us if something is wrong.
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الثورة الفلسطينية الكبرى
Date qualifiedApril 1936 – 1939
Palestine
A nationwide Palestinian uprising against British rule, from April 1936 to the late summer of 1939: a six-month general strike, then an armed revolt, which Britain put down by force.
Containment does not imply causation.
Joined the Jerusalem notables’ proclamation of 22 April 1936; interned by the British at Sarafand
Attributed to Institute for Palestine Studies (Interactive Encyclopedia of the Palestine Question, biography)
A founder of the Holy War Organisation in the Jerusalem district; wounded and arrested at the battle of al-Khadr, October 1936
Attributed to Institute for Palestine Studies (Interactive Encyclopedia of the Palestine Question, biography)
Joined the fighters in 1937, under Abd al-Rahim al-Haj Muhammad
Attributed to Institute for Palestine Studies (Interactive Encyclopedia of the Palestine Question, biography)
Secretary of the Arab Higher Committee from April 1936
Attributed to Institute for Palestine Studies (Interactive Encyclopedia of the Palestine Question, biography)
Chaired the Arab Higher Committee, formed on 25 April 1936, which led the general strike and the revolt
Attributed to Institute for Palestine Studies (biography by Walid Khalidi; the encyclopedia’s account of the revolt)
Urged a supreme leadership for the general strike; went to Iraq to bring Fawzi al-Qawuqji to lead the volunteers
Attributed to Institute for Palestine Studies (Interactive Encyclopedia of the Palestine Question, biography)
Presided over Haifa’s national committee, which called the city’s general strike on 21 April 1936; interned by the British
Attributed to Institute for Palestine Studies (Interactive Encyclopedia of the Palestine Question, biography)
Organised women farmers and demonstrations for the general strike; detained by the British for eleven months, 1938–39
Attributed to Institute for Palestine Studies (Interactive Encyclopedia of the Palestine Question, biography)
Linked context in the legacy record
The revolt broke out in mid-April 1936. On 25 April the Arab Higher Committee was formed, chaired by Haj Amin al-Husseini, to coordinate a general strike across Palestine. In October 1936, under pressure from British policy, from Arab heads of state and from six months of the strike’s toll on the population, the committee called it off.
Link to this chapterPalQuest · Institute for Palestine Studies · section: Highlight text (Alex Winder)
Editorial paraphrase · enThe revolt began in mid-April 1936; the Arab Higher Committee was formed on 25 April to coordinate a general strike, which it called off in October 1936 after six months.
Link to this citationThe encyclopedia divides the revolt into three phases: from the spring of 1936 to July 1937, when the Peel Commission recommended partitioning Palestine into a Jewish and an Arab state; from then to the autumn of 1938; and from then to the summer of 1939. Britain answered with house searches and night raids, imprisonment, deportation and detention camps, fines on villages, the destruction of residential quarters, among them parts of Jaffa’s Old City, and tanks, aircraft and artillery. The rebellion was brought to an end in the late summer of 1939. Over the three years, the encyclopedia counts some 5,000 Palestinians killed and nearly 15,000 wounded.
Link to this chapterPalQuest · Institute for Palestine Studies · section: Highlight text (Alex Winder)
Editorial paraphrase · enThe Peel Commission recommended partition in July 1937; British measures included detention camps, fines on villages and the destruction of residential quarters; the rebellion ended in the late summer of 1939, with some 5,000 Palestinians killed and nearly 15,000 wounded.
Link to this citationSources & evidence
Contextual sources are further reading. Precise supporting passages appear alongside the chapters.
article · PalQuest · Institute for Palestine Studies
Overview of the revolt by Alex Winder, Interactive Encyclopedia of the Palestine Question (Institute for Palestine Studies).
Reference metadata and an original summary only. No permission to copy or host the source’s text, photographs, audio or video is asserted.
photograph · Wikimedia Commons
The photograph shown with this event: Houses in Halhul blown up by the government, 1936.
Public domain: the Library of Congress lists no known restrictions on publication for the Matson Collection, and Wikimedia Commons marks the file public domain.
photograph · Wikimedia Commons
The photograph shown with this event: Royal Engineers in the demolition area, Jaffa, summer 1936.
Public domain: the Library of Congress lists no known restrictions on publication for the Matson Collection, and Wikimedia Commons marks the file public domain.
April 1936 – 1939 · duration
EVERY RECORD IS PART OF A LARGER STORY
PersonAbd al-Hamid Shuman participated in EventThe Great Revolt
Role: Joined the Jerusalem notables’ proclamation of 22 April 1936; interned by the British at Sarafand
Attributed to Institute for Palestine Studies (Interactive Encyclopedia of the Palestine Question, biography).
PalQuest · Institute for Palestine Studies · supports · section: “On 22 April 1936, he joined Awni Abd al-Hadi, Muhammad Izzat Darwaza, and Ajjaj Nuwaihid in issuing a proclamation in the name of Jerusalem notables supporting the continuation of the Great Palestinian Rebellion against British policy.”
Evidence version:palquest-abd-al-hamid-shuman-biography:v1References show the basis of this connection; their count is not a measure of independent corroboration.
PersonAbd al-Qadir al-Husseini participated in EventThe Great Revolt
Role: A founder of the Holy War Organisation in the Jerusalem district; wounded and arrested at the battle of al-Khadr, October 1936
Attributed to Institute for Palestine Studies (Interactive Encyclopedia of the Palestine Question, biography).
PalQuest · Institute for Palestine Studies · supports · section: “In early October 1936, the British army arrested Husseini who was wounded in al-Khudr battle in the Bethlehem district”
Evidence version:palquest-abd-al-qadir-al-husseini-biography:v1References show the basis of this connection; their count is not a measure of independent corroboration.
PersonAbd al-Rahim Mahmoud participated in EventThe Great Revolt
Role: Joined the fighters in 1937, under Abd al-Rahim al-Haj Muhammad
Attributed to Institute for Palestine Studies (Interactive Encyclopedia of the Palestine Question, biography).
PalQuest · Institute for Palestine Studies · supports · section: “Following the General Strike and Great Palestinian Rebellion of 1936, Mahmoud joined the ranks of the freedom fighters in 1937.”
Evidence version:palquest-abd-al-rahim-mahmoud-biography:v1References show the basis of this connection; their count is not a measure of independent corroboration.
PersonAwni Abd al-Hadi participated in EventThe Great Revolt
Role: Secretary of the Arab Higher Committee from April 1936
Attributed to Institute for Palestine Studies (Interactive Encyclopedia of the Palestine Question, biography).
PalQuest · Institute for Palestine Studies · supports · section: “When the General Strike was proclaimed in April 1936 to protest British policies, Abd al-Hadi assumed the post of Secretary of the Arab Higher Committee chaired by Haj Amin al-Husseini.”
Evidence version:palquest-awni-abd-al-hadi-biography:v1References show the basis of this connection; their count is not a measure of independent corroboration.
EventThe Great Revolt is brought to an end is connected to EventThe Great Revolt
Role: The end of the Great Revolt
Attributed to Institute for Palestine Studies (Alex Winder).
Great Palestinian Rebellion, 1936-1939 ↗
PalQuest · Institute for Palestine Studies · supports · section: “The combined impact of Britain’s military and diplomatic efforts brought the rebellion to an end in the late summer of 1939.”
Evidence version:palquest-great-revolt:v1References show the basis of this connection; their count is not a measure of independent corroboration.
PersonHajj Amin al-Husseini participated in EventThe Great Revolt
Role: Chaired the Arab Higher Committee, formed on 25 April 1936, which led the general strike and the revolt
Attributed to Institute for Palestine Studies (biography by Walid Khalidi; the encyclopedia’s account of the revolt).
Great Palestinian Rebellion, 1936-1939 ↗
PalQuest · Institute for Palestine Studies · supports · section: “on 25 April the Arab Higher Committee (AHC) was formed, chaired by Haj Amin al-Husseini”
Evidence version:palquest-great-revolt:v1References show the basis of this connection; their count is not a measure of independent corroboration.
PersonMu‘in al-Madi participated in EventThe Great Revolt
Role: Urged a supreme leadership for the general strike; went to Iraq to bring Fawzi al-Qawuqji to lead the volunteers
Attributed to Institute for Palestine Studies (Interactive Encyclopedia of the Palestine Question, biography).
PalQuest · Institute for Palestine Studies · supports · section: “During the 1936 revolt, al-Madi travelled to Iraq at the request of Haj Amin al-Husseini, where he helped to bring a Lebanese army officer and expert in guerrilla warfare, Fawzi al-Qawuqji…”
Evidence version:palquest-muin-al-madi-biography:v1References show the basis of this connection; their count is not a measure of independent corroboration.
PersonRashid al-Haj Ibrahim participated in EventThe Great Revolt
Role: Presided over Haifa’s national committee, which called the city’s general strike on 21 April 1936; interned by the British
Attributed to Institute for Palestine Studies (Interactive Encyclopedia of the Palestine Question, biography).
PalQuest · Institute for Palestine Studies · supports · section: “Haj Ibrahim presided over Haifa’s national committee, which, on 21 April 1936, initiated the call to the citizens of the city to go on a general strike”
Evidence version:palquest-rashid-al-haj-ibrahim-biography:v1References show the basis of this connection; their count is not a measure of independent corroboration.
PersonSadhij Nassar participated in EventThe Great Revolt
Role: Organised women farmers and demonstrations for the general strike; detained by the British for eleven months, 1938–39
Attributed to Institute for Palestine Studies (Interactive Encyclopedia of the Palestine Question, biography).
PalQuest · Institute for Palestine Studies · supports · section: The biography’s chronology: “Nassar Works to Organize Women Farmers and Women Demonstrations to Support the General Strike”; detained for eleven months, 1938 to 1939
Evidence version:palquest-sadhij-nassar-biography:v1References show the basis of this connection; their count is not a measure of independent corroboration.