My Grandmother and Other Stories: Histories of the Palestinians as ...

In one episode Ihsan describes
Jamal Pasha’s wedding to a ‘Jewish
prostitute’ from Jerusalem as an
example of his favouritism. The
reference here is to the commander’s
concubine Lea Tannenbaum whose
family was active in the pro-Ottoman
Red Crescent Society. In other cases,
Jamal is portrayed as arbitrary and
engrossed in his own glorification–
extending work hours for ordinary
soldiers, and abolishing their weekly
holidays on Fridays. Jamal is also
seen as hypocritical, distributing
sweets and slaughtering lambs for
The Last Ottoman Mayor of Jerusalem, Hussein al-Husseini, the benefit of the soldiers during
Jerusalem 1915. Source: Library of Congress, Matson public holidays, although they are
Collection.
hungry and underpaid the rest of the
year. Ihsan was particularly hostile
to the CUP’s cynical attempts to manipulate religion in defence of the war effort in the
Arab provinces. One of several entries in his diary describes Roshen Bek’s hosting of
a major party in the military headquarters in honour of Ahmad Jamal Pasha, and Jamal
the Younger (Mersini).
The height of Ihsan’s wrath against Jamal Pasha is recorded during his campaign
against the secret nationalist groups. The attack starts with the hanging of two soldiers
at Damascus Gate on 30 March; they were accused of being “spies for the British
army”. The repression reached its zenith in the persecution of members of the Arab
society and the secret ‘Ahd’ group of Arab officers after a summary trial in Aley, not
far from Beirut. But Turjman’s anti-Ottoman sentiments are tempered by his positive
reference to several Turkish and Albanian commanders towards whom he had great
affection. Those included his commander-in-chief Ali Roshen Bey (an Albanian),
Nihad Bey (chief-of-staff of the Jerusalem garrison, a Turk), and many Turkish
officers with whom he had worked with. When he was assaulted and threatened by his
commanding officer (an unnamed Albanian) he sought the protection of Roshen Bey,
and not from fellow Arab officers.
Ihsan’s diary is full of recrimination against Arab submissiveness against Ottoman
military repression. The Syrian and Palestinian people are described as a subservient
lot (ummatun dhalilah), and are no match for the Turks, he would write repeatedly.
No proud nation would tolerate being led to slaughter without rebelling. Although a
pacifist at heart, he occasionally rejoiced in Ottoman victories in Gallipoli and Kut
[ 48 ] HISTORICAL FEATURES The Short Life of Private Ihsan