Sheikh As'ad Shukeiri
Portrait of Shukeiri in 1930s
Ottoman-appointed Qadi of Palestine
In office
1914–1918
Mayor of Acre
In office
?–?
Founder and Leader of the Liberal Party in Palestine
In office
1930–?
Head of the Supreme Muslim Council of Palestine
In office
?–?
Personal details
Born1860
Died1940
Political partyLiberal Party of Palestine

Sheikh As'ad Shukeiri (Arabic: أسعد الشقيري, also transcribed al-Shuqayri, Shuqeiri, Shukeiry; 1860–1940) was a Palestinian religious scholar political leader and mayor of Acre,[1] and the Ottoman-appointed Qadi from 1914 to 1918. Kamil al-Husayni was the Hanafi Mufti at the time and considered to be pro-British. Shukeiri was pro-Ottoman, favoring that Palestine continue to be part of the Ottoman Empire and in 1908 and 1912, he was elected to the Ottoman parliament.

From the latter year to 1914, he served as the deputy of the District of Acre. Afterwards, he held several posts in Palestine's religious judiciary, including librarian of the Imperial Library and member of the Sharia court in Istanbul. During World War I, he was appointed mufti of the Fourth Ottoman Army in Syria and Palestine.[2]

In 1930, he founded the Liberal Party in Palestine and became head of the Supreme Muslim Council during the era of British rule in Palestine. One of his children, Ahmad Shukeiri, later became the first leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization.[2]

Shukeiri rejected the values of the Palestinian Arab nationalist movement and would work with Zionist leaders regularly. He worked in multiple pro-Zionist Arab organizations from the beginning of the British Mandate until his death in 1940 and he publicly rejected Mohammad Amin al-Husayni’s use of Islam against Zionism.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Miller, Frederic P.; Vandome, Agnes F.; McBrewster, John (March 5, 2011). As'ad Shukeiri. VDM Publishing. ISBN 978-6134398138.
  2. 1 2 Palestinian Personalities Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs. (PASSIA).
  3. ↑ Army of Shadows: Palestinian Collaboration with Zionism, 1917-1948. By Hillel Cohen. University of California Press, 2009. p. 84
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