The Palestinian cause in Syrian nationalism

Abstract

This article examines the role of the Palestinian cause in Syrian nationalism over the past century, specifically in how it served to unite political leadership and people during times of crisis. Syrian nationalism emerged from Pan-Arabism and remained closely affiliated with the political ideology of Arab unity that could not be complete without Palestine. It was closely associated with the anti-colonial struggle that included the Zionist encroachment on Palestine. However, Syrian nationalism was full of contradictions and ambiguities from the beginning as the nation was composed of groups with competing interests. I argue the Palestinian cause was important for overcoming the ambiguities of Syrian nationalism and allowed for the different groups to find a common ground through their support for the cause. While most work examines the role of the Palestinian cause as a political ideology, I demonstrate that it informed political practices and patronage as well. Support for the cause was based on the cultural system that existed in the Ottoman period and prior to the colonial division of the Arab Middle East into separate nation-states. It allowed for the political and cultural networks to emerge in the post-empire period. The political practices surrounding the cause such as demonstrations continued through Syrian history particularly during period of crises. Support for the cause was enforced through social and personal networks in which ordinary Syrians and their leaders engaged. I conclude with how the current crisis in Syria illustrates the limits of the cause in bridging social and political divisions in Syrian society.