‘(this book) provides students of the Middle East, Palestine and Jerusalem a cogent and rich discussion of a unique moment in Jerusalem’s history…he should be commended for undertaking such thorough research to complete this study.’

– International Journal of Middle East Studies

“…an important work which should provoke further debate about this crucial moment in the history of Palestine.’

– Bulletin of SOAS

‘This fine book covers new ground on the history of both Jerusalem and Palestine. Roberto Mazza sheds light a on a crucial and under-researched period of the history of Palestine which witnessed the issue of the Balfour Declaration and the fast development of Zionist propaganda as a prelude to the establishment of the British Mandate.’

– Nelida Fuccaro Reader in the Modern History of the Middle East, SOAS, University of London

‘Roberto Mazza’s study is the best work we have to do date on Jerusalem during the transition from Ottoman to British rule.’

– Nir Arielli, Lecturer in International History and Politics, University of Leeds

‘Roberto Mazza’s study highlights the essential mechanisms and infrastructures that were in place in Jerusalem during the Ottoman era and how this had impact on British visions for the city.’

– Vivian Ibrahim, Croft Assistant Professor of History and International Studies of the Middle East, University of Mississippi

In December 1917, British troops entered Jerusalem, thereby ending Ottoman rule and opening a new and important era in the history of Jerusalem. Roberto Mazza discusses the period of transition from Ottoman rule to the British administration, focusing on the socio-political changes from the nineteenth century to the twentieth, the impact of the First World War and the ongoing development of Jerusalem into the vibrant city it has become. He considers the impact of the change in administration on the local population and uses case studies to provide new perspectives on this often overlooked period in Jerusalem’s history.