Event · Colonial rule4 April 1920

The Nabi Musa disturbances in Jerusalem

أحداث موسم النبي موسى في القدس

Exact day4 April 1920

Gathered from its sources, not yet reviewed

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When
4 April 1920Exact day
Where
Jerusalemapproximate position
Weight
72 · Defining momentUprising, strike or protest
Sources
23 cited passages

On 4 April 1920, during the Nabi Musa pilgrimage, violence broke out in and near Jerusalem, then under British military government, and lasted for days. The court of inquiry reported 251 casualties, 9 of them dead.

The outbreak

A court of inquiry convened by the British High Commissioner and Commander-in-Chief inquired into the disturbances at and near Jerusalem on the occasion of the Nabi Musa pilgrimage on 4 April 1920 and the following days. It reported 251 casualties in all, of whom 9 died, 22 were dangerously wounded and 220 slightly wounded: among Jews 5 killed, 18 dangerously wounded and 193 wounded; among Muslims 4 killed, all by firearms, 1 dangerously wounded and 20 others wounded.12

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The causes the inquiry found

The United Nations study records that the violence broke out while Palestine was still under military government, just as the San Remo Conference was finalizing the allocation of the Mandate to Britain, and that the inquiry, whose report was not published at the time, gave as its underlying causes the Arabs’ disappointment at the non-fulfilment of the promises of independence and their belief that the Balfour Declaration denied their right to self-determination.3

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Connected

Connected people & places

Found by the archive, not a claim

Within a yearAt San Remo, the Mandate is given to Britain

Evidence

Every trace has a source.

The passages cited, numbered as in the story

  1. The Palin Commission report, Port Said, 1 July 1920 ↗

    PalQuest · Institute for Palestine Studies · section: The Court’s mission

    Original-language quotation · en
    the disturbances which took place at and near Jerusalem on the occasion of the Nebi Musa Pilgrimage on 4th April and following days
    Link to this citation
  2. The Palin Commission report, Port Said, 1 July 1920 ↗

    PalQuest · Institute for Palestine Studies · paragraph: 66

    Original-language quotation · en
    The total casualties reported amount to 251, of which 9 died, 22 were dangerously wounded and 220 slightly wounded.
    Link to this citation
  3. The Origins and Evolution of the Palestine Problem, Part I: 1917–1947 (ST/SG/SER.F/1) ↗

    United Nations · section: Chapter VI, The start of Palestinian resistance

    Original-language quotation · en
    As early as April 1920, while Palestine was still under military government, anti-Jewish riots broke out just as the San Remo Conference was finalizing the allocation of the Palestine Mandate to Great Britain.
    Link to this citation

document · United Nations

The Origins and Evolution of the Palestine Problem, Part I: 1917–1947 (ST/SG/SER.F/1)

The United Nations study prepared for the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (ST/SG/SER.F/1), as held by the UN Information System on the Question of Palestine.

Published: date not recordedConsulted: 2026-10-17

Reference metadata and an original summary only. No permission to copy or host the source’s text, photographs, audio or video is asserted.

document · PalQuest · Institute for Palestine Studies

The Palin Commission report, Port Said, 1 July 1920

The report of the British court of inquiry, in the Interactive Encyclopedia of the Palestine Question (Institute for Palestine Studies).

Published: 1920-07-01Consulted: 2026-10-17

Reference metadata and an original summary only. No permission to copy or host the source’s text, photographs, audio or video is asserted.

Dates & remembrance

04-04 · occurrence
Anniversary of the documented date.