Citizenship and Loyalty in Times of War: The Ottomanization Movement in Palestine during World War I

Abstract

This article examines debates regarding citizenship and loyalty to the empire that arose during the Ottomanization campaign that took place in Palestine during World War I. These discussions in Palestine took place in the context of an evolving national conflict with its differing visions for Palestine. World War I and changing political conditions steered political and legal debates concerning citizenship and nationality in various imperial contexts. The questions examined here focus on citizenship and loyalty to the empire during a period of escalating national tension in Palestine and shifting relations between the Ottoman Empire and its non-Muslim minorities. Their close analysis contributes to our understandings of the intersection of citizenship and loyalty to the empire at a moment of crisis.